Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Author Topic: New RadeonHD 2.4 drivers from A-EON Technology  (Read 7479 times)

Description:

0 Members and 8 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline amigadave

  • Lifetime Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2004
  • Posts: 3836
    • Show all replies
    • http://www.EfficientByDesign.org
Re: New RadeonHD 2.4 drivers from A-EON Technology
« on: October 29, 2014, 07:39:21 AM »
Can Hans or AmigaKit explain the current work on the graphics drivers with regard to 3D support?  I thought that there was some discussion many months ago about Warp3D support being updated as a temporary solution, until true 3D support for the newer HD Radeon video cards with Gallium, or some other kind of 3D support could be incorporated into the new drivers.  I also thought that I read that no work has even started on true 3D support in any of the video card drivers (unless work is being done on the Gallium system), but I am probably confused on what exactly is happening with AmigaOS4.x 3D support and what is actually being worked on, or planned for (which is why I am asking these questions).    I don't even understand exactly what Gallium is, or how it will work to give us 3D support.

I only ask because it seems to me that we would need some kind of new 3D support, before any real 3D software could be ported or written for AmigaOS4.x.  Most popular new games are 3D, and I would guess that we would need full shader and 3D hardware acceleration support to run any of the popular 3D games from the past 5 to 10 years, unless there are work-arounds to simulate 3D support with compositing, or other methods.

Can any of you give us a "Layman's" version of the current state of 3D for AmigaOS4.x, and describe what the plans are for future 3D support, and if this future support will be available before AmigaOS4.2 is released?
How are you helping the Amiga community? :)
 

Offline amigadave

  • Lifetime Member
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Join Date: Jul 2004
  • Posts: 3836
    • Show all replies
    • http://www.EfficientByDesign.org
Re: New RadeonHD 2.4 drivers from A-EON Technology
« Reply #1 on: October 30, 2014, 09:22:21 AM »
Quote from: Rob;776139
There are a number of games for Warp3D, some old some fairly new but we are currently restricted to R100 and R200 hundred hardware which is a decade old or we have to rely on Wazp which will run some of the software made for Warp3D.

The R800 and R900 drivers will mean that users of machines with PCIe don't have to rely on workarounds and will bring significant speed increases.

Gallium will bring full OpenGl capability to AmigaOS allowing for much better graphics in ported and original software.
Gallium also makes it possible to use the UVD decoders on Radeon 4000 and onward video cards.  In theory UVD should allow 1080p video play back on on a Sam440 with even a Radeon 4350.


Thanks Rob & Hans for your explanations.  They cleared up most of my questions, but if you don't mind answering a few more, I would really appreciate knowing a bit more.

OpenGL support is rather old, at least from my limited understanding.  Aren't most 3D games now using DirectX for 3D features, and how does DirectX differ from OpenGL?  It seems to me that most modern 3D games require at least DirectX version 10 or 11 to work, so how far beyond OpenGL3.1 is DirectX v11?

It is unlikely that we are going to get any major software development companies to port any of their existing, or write any new, 3D games or software to AmigaOS4.x, or MorphOS3.x, or AROS, but we have always seen a handful of hardworking Amiga, MorphOS, and/or AROS developers, who port some software and games to our platforms, so if we can get some of the 3D features and functionality added to the infrastructure of one, or all three of our NG Amiga platforms, there is a good chance that we will see some developers attempting to give us better, more modern, ports.

One of my only reasons to own and use any Windows PC is so I can run my 2D/3D CAD software to draw Architectural Plans for others to supplement my retirement income, and to be able to play Guild Wars 2, a 3D MMO game that I enjoy occasionally.  How close are we to ever seeing OpenGL and/or DirectX support that will allow some of the 3D software and games to be ported to AmigaOS4.x?  Does the type of 3D support currently provided for MorphOS3.7 and Radeon R400 based video cards make it easier, or possible to port better, or more recent 3D software and games?  Do any of you know the current state of the AROS video card drivers and what kind of ports are capable for AROS users?  Will any of our NG Amiga platforms be able to get 3D games like Guild Wars 2 ported to them any time soon, or have new 3D games similar to that style, written for our NG platforms?

My understanding (and this is not a knock on any platform, or an advertisement for any of the 3 NG Amiga systems) is that AmigaOS4.x uses one method for faster graphics and some kind of (is simulated the right word) 3D features, while MorphOS provides a different type of 3D support in their drivers, which to some users and developers is considered better, or more complete than the 3D support in AmigaOS4.x at this time, while AROS has even more 3D support features or functions.  A short summary of all three and their differences would be helpful to users who wish to run more 3D software, or developers who want to write or port existing 3D software and games.

Please, no negative comments from anyone regarding the different NG platforms, and no bragging about which one is better or worse.
How are you helping the Amiga community? :)