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THe_KELRaTH · 21-Aug-2003, 19:37

Does anybody know of a way to force triple buffering in D3D mode for use with an ATI 9700Pro?
I can do it via a reg hack for openGL and have experienced great performance increase in terms of gameplay smoothness as fps doesn't swing from high's to low's as happens when double buffering is on.

Cheers Kel

THe_KELRaTH · 22-Aug-2003, 10:03

Here's some examples:

Ut2003 supports TB via it's ini config file:-
TB OFF
http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/UT2003%20TB%20OFF.JPG
TB ON
http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/UT2003%20TB%20ON.JPG

RTCW ET openGL
TB OFF
http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/ET%20DB.JPG
TB ON (Forced via reg hack - OGLEnableTripleBuffering)
http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/ET%20TB.JPG

Myrmecophagavir · 22-Aug-2003, 23:39

Is this with v-sync enabled?

THe_KELRaTH · 23-Aug-2003, 02:44

Hi there Myrmecophagavir

Yup it is.

Myrmecophagavir · 23-Aug-2003, 16:54

What game are you thinking of here? Probably the most useful thing would be for the developers to add the option of using triple buffering to the title in their next patch (assuming it isn't an ancient game), so I'd badger them a little.

What refresh rate are you using in UT2003? 140 Hz?

THe_KELRaTH · 23-Aug-2003, 19:09

The particular game I wanted TB was BF1942 /BF- SW but I've had no luck finding out if there's a console command, also NFS HP2 would benefit from it too.

What I'm finding is that if only DB is being used then sometimes there's a judder effect when the fps drops from the Vsync level to half and then back up again whereas when I can turn on TB the fps is just a smooth, smaller drop, ie. 85, 84, 83, and the judder is no longer present.

( UT2003 = 85Hz TB on as my default)
I do find the way D3D and openGL games react to TB and DB quite different though. With any openGL game, DB on, it's either 85 or 43 but with D3D it's as though games use some form of software buffer that emulates the hardware TB mode as I find that the fps is either 85 / 43 or in the 65's, but even then there's a small judder if the fps is constantly switching say from 85 to 65 whereas using TB removes this just like in openGL.

While it would be nice to get programmers to support this mode I'd be interested to know why both ATI and Nvidia can support Force TB in openGL but both don't support it in D3D mode. Is it down MS WHQL perhaps?

Cheers Kel

Myrmecophagavir · 23-Aug-2003, 21:05

I don't understand why double buffered UT2003 would give you 68 FPS with v-sync on at an 85 Hz refresh rate. As you say, it ought to be ~43, that's a side-effect of double-buffered v-sync, which is fixed by triple buffering.

Perhaps UT2003's "cur" is in fact averaged over a couple of frames, or it isn't using an accurate enough timer?

Anyway I don't know of a way to force triple buffering on, perhaps suggest it using the Catalyst suggestion form? It wouldn't work in all apps since certain D3D swap modes require double buffering. How did you force it in OpenGL?

THe_KELRaTH · 24-Aug-2003, 11:55

Hi, I used UT2003 as an example because I could run it in opengl too thereby giving me better comparative readings with TB ON/OFF but I find that I get this mid 60's fps in my other D3D games too like BF1942, NFS-HP2, RallySport Challenge.

To force TB in openGL for ATI R300/R350 cards you need to edit the registry:-
Search for the subkey OPENGL
Then create a new Dword called OGLEnableTripleBuffering
Now set value using modify to 1

Thats it...

21-Aug-2003, 19:37	#1
THe_KELRaTH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Surrey Heath UK Posts: 471	Forcing Triple Buffering (D3D mode) ?? Does anybody know of a way to force triple buffering in D3D mode for use with an ATI 9700Pro? I can do it via a reg hack for openGL and have experienced great performance increase in terms of gameplay smoothness as fps doesn't swing from high's to low's as happens when double buffering is on. Cheers Kel

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22-Aug-2003, 10:03	#2
THe_KELRaTH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Surrey Heath UK Posts: 471	Here's some examples: Ut2003 supports TB via it's ini config file:- TB OFF http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/UT2003%20TB%20OFF.JPG TB ON http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/UT2003%20TB%20ON.JPG RTCW ET openGL TB OFF http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/ET%20DB.JPG TB ON (Forced via reg hack - OGLEnableTripleBuffering) http://www.jlmay.f2s.com/ET%20TB.JPG

22-Aug-2003, 23:39	#3
Myrmecophagavir Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 136	Is this with v-sync enabled?

23-Aug-2003, 02:44	#4
THe_KELRaTH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Surrey Heath UK Posts: 471	Hi there Myrmecophagavir Yup it is.

23-Aug-2003, 16:54	#5
Myrmecophagavir Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 136	What game are you thinking of here? Probably the most useful thing would be for the developers to add the option of using triple buffering to the title in their next patch (assuming it isn't an ancient game), so I'd badger them a little. What refresh rate are you using in UT2003? 140 Hz?

23-Aug-2003, 19:09	#6
THe_KELRaTH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Surrey Heath UK Posts: 471	The particular game I wanted TB was BF1942 /BF- SW but I've had no luck finding out if there's a console command, also NFS HP2 would benefit from it too. What I'm finding is that if only DB is being used then sometimes there's a judder effect when the fps drops from the Vsync level to half and then back up again whereas when I can turn on TB the fps is just a smooth, smaller drop, ie. 85, 84, 83, and the judder is no longer present. ( UT2003 = 85Hz TB on as my default) I do find the way D3D and openGL games react to TB and DB quite different though. With any openGL game, DB on, it's either 85 or 43 but with D3D it's as though games use some form of software buffer that emulates the hardware TB mode as I find that the fps is either 85 / 43 or in the 65's, but even then there's a small judder if the fps is constantly switching say from 85 to 65 whereas using TB removes this just like in openGL. While it would be nice to get programmers to support this mode I'd be interested to know why both ATI and Nvidia can support Force TB in openGL but both don't support it in D3D mode. Is it down MS WHQL perhaps? Cheers Kel

23-Aug-2003, 21:05	#7
Myrmecophagavir Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 136	I don't understand why double buffered UT2003 would give you 68 FPS with v-sync on at an 85 Hz refresh rate. As you say, it ought to be ~43, that's a side-effect of double-buffered v-sync, which is fixed by triple buffering. Perhaps UT2003's "cur" is in fact averaged over a couple of frames, or it isn't using an accurate enough timer? Anyway I don't know of a way to force triple buffering on, perhaps suggest it using the Catalyst suggestion form? It wouldn't work in all apps since certain D3D swap modes require double buffering. How did you force it in OpenGL?

24-Aug-2003, 11:55	#8
THe_KELRaTH Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Surrey Heath UK Posts: 471	Hi, I used UT2003 as an example because I could run it in opengl too thereby giving me better comparative readings with TB ON/OFF but I find that I get this mid 60's fps in my other D3D games too like BF1942, NFS-HP2, RallySport Challenge. To force TB in openGL for ATI R300/R350 cards you need to edit the registry:- Search for the subkey OPENGL Then create a new Dword called OGLEnableTripleBuffering Now set value using modify to 1 Thats it...

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