Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Discuss bugs in DXGL or make suggestions. Please note that issues will be better tracked if you file a report at https://github.com/dxgldotorg/dxgl/issues
MicahMoo11
Posts: 5
Joined: June 28th, 2025, 7:01 pm

Re: Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Post by MicahMoo11 »

This is proof that GLSL shaders 1.20 is passable but should not as it is unstable or worse unplayable.

If people see's this test with NVEDIA. even than of how it performs might be bad for some games.
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Unstable 1.20.zip
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William
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Re: Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Post by William »

MicahMoo11 wrote: July 13th, 2025, 2:28 pm I validated that DXGL works with NT 4, but it is slow in software rendering. Still, if you have NVIDIA graphics you might have a better experience. Yes, DXGL Works, however, I did not test GLSL shaders 1.20 due to unplayable with under-powered FPS., only game that was tested was Scooby Case File #2 stone dragon with super debug mode, by removing visual quality and effects. Which from my perspective can't be done without hacks from the TLC engine. It does work with GLSL shaders 1.20. Still just use 1.10 if you really want to test. Even then you're better off with FunkyFr3sh / cnc-ddraw.
Due to Williams' credit the developer of DXGL, it does work with sample games.
As mentioned both in my correspondence in this thread and in the Downloads page, this build is experimental. The changes however have been merged into master in order to allow them to be incorporated into a future release.

I never really thought of supporting Windows NT 4.0 but this thread kind of pushed me to do so.

About that OpenGL32.dll you included in your logs, is that a version of Mesa by any chance?
MicahMoo11
Posts: 5
Joined: June 28th, 2025, 7:01 pm

Re: Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Post by MicahMoo11 »

That OpenGL32.dll is indeed from MESA the only one I found with GLSL shaders 1.20 support that might be broken. again, I only advised the 7.3 release.

I mostly TEST 200+ educational games. I've seen a performance hit of 20 fps in 70% or odd crashes in the 7.5 release it is really not advised.
Attachments
Mesa3D-NT-7.3.zip
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ruthan
Posts: 13
Joined: April 12th, 2025, 3:06 pm

Re: Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Post by ruthan »

William wrote: July 13th, 2025, 12:50 am Hello. If you manage to get OpenGL 2.0 working on your system, try the following release:
https://dxgl.org/download/DXGL-0.5.24-win32-msvc7_1.exe
Great news thanks, how complicated is test all common DirectX Ok to OpeGL calls properly?

I mean, do you have some recommended applications / games to test, some proven, maybe some which are using some complicated calls, or maybe even something slightly outside of specs.

By the way has DXGL some inbuild FPS counter possibility? So far i only find out that Fraps up to 1.9 working on NT4, but better to use Fraps 1.8, because version 1.8 keep complaning about DirectX input, which is probably using for its hotkeys implementation.
I you find out any other FPS counter let me know, because Fraps on NT4, not even work with same games.

---
Otherwise i have checked readme, there are is:
"Many functions are stubbed out and return an error"
It would be nice to add some list and explain in 1 line what which stubbed call actually do

- Otherwise its quite typical programmers readme, in wrong way - comiling part its in the front of basic usage description for normal users, the majority of users will not compile it, im sure of that. And so part of them will read changelog, only after thay will make it run for some games / apps and the start, after would be willing to actually monitor project progress. Not underestimate peoples born-in laziness and lack of patience and time in case of trying new things:)

And Compiling part is described in detail and basic usage a is actually more vague:
"Run the installer. When the installer completes, open DXGL Config and add your program files to the config program."
Whole installing and usage, is just 1 liner :) Its enough to include there main game exe, or if game has multiple of them, like main.exe - some launcher / frontend and some core engine exe files? Is not needed to copy some DXGL files into games folder etc?
Some basic trouble shooting, how to create some debug report etc, would be nice too.

Maybe its better to put compiling and changelog info in separate files.
ruthan
Posts: 13
Joined: April 12th, 2025, 3:06 pm

Re: Any chance to support Windows NT4 for retro gaming, its limited to DirectX3/5, OpenGL is working fine?

Post by ruthan »

MicahMoo11 wrote: July 14th, 2025, 2:34 am I've seen a performance hit of 20 fps in 70% or odd crashes in the 7.5 release it is really not advised.
20 fps hit, does not mean much, if games are runing at lests say 100 FPS, but if they are with 7.3 running 40 FPS and 20 FPS is barely usable.
But it still depends on Which HW and setup, this message a bit cryptic.
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