Normalmap works on my computer but not any others

[Asimov]

Hi all,

It has been a couple of years since I have touched Irrlicht because got caught up in other projects and then lost my job, and had to spend many months looking for a new job.

One of the problems I had at the time was with normalmaps. I finally got the normalmap to look good on a model and I thought I had made a breakthrough.
However after looking at the same game on another computer I noticed the normalmap wasn't working at all.

I have since tried it on 3 other computers other than my own and the normalmap does not work on them, but just look flat.
I am using directx9. My computer has a dedicated graphics card, but the computers I have tried it on only have onboard graphics, however I would have expected the normalmap to work.

I am annoyed as i have got back into programming and I have just set up the game states for the game. The trouble is that my models will look rubbish unless they have a dedicated card, and I am not exactly making GTA5 or anything close to that. So I was really hoping my game would work without a dedicated card.

Also is irrlicht still being developed. I have got 1.8.4 and thought there would have been a new version out by now, but it seems it is still on 1.8.4?


This is how it looks on another computer and a couple of others

This is on my computer

[CuteAlien]

I remember that game ;-) Anyway - yes, Irrlicht has gotten slow in development.
As for the normalmaps - can't tell without more info. Check log-output. Or give us examples (preferably with code) to test.

[AReichl]

Sorry - but - ähh - WHERE do i have to look to see a difference?

[CuteAlien]

AReichl: At the grenade :-) One has a depth-texture.

[Asimov]

Thanks cutealien. I have set up the games states now, and I am just about to start work on the player class. I am just worried that when I release my game everyone except me will not see the normalmaps.
I have probably posted this code before. Yes it is the grenade which of course won't be in the game but it is the only model I have got a decent normalmap on at the moment which can show the problem.

Here is my function which loads my grenade

Code: Select all

void LoadManager::loadPiece(ISceneManager* smgr,IVideoDriver* driver,const wchar_t* modelname)
{
     mesh = smgr->getMesh(modelname);
    ((scene::ISkinnedMesh*)mesh)->convertMeshToTangents();
 
    scene::IMeshBuffer* mb = mesh->getMeshBuffer(0);
   if (mb)
   {
       video::SMaterial& mt = mb->getMaterial();
       mt.MaterialType = video::EMT_NORMAL_MAP_SOLID;
   }
     node = smgr->addMeshSceneNode(mesh);
 
    if (node)
    {
        node->setMaterialFlag(EMF_LIGHTING, true);
        node->addShadowVolumeSceneNode();
    }
}

Like I said this code works fine on my computer but the grenade comes out flat on 3 other computers.
I shouldn't think that you should need a high end graphics card just to see a normalmap seeing as they have been around for a number of years now.

Once I got the gameplay working I will have to build all the pieces, and I am going to re-introduce the Iron seeing as they have removed it from the official game heh heh.
So basically I want to work out why normalmaps are not showing on other computers but are showing on mine.

Not sure if the above code will help, but you never know.
This is just one function in my loadmanager class, but if you need to see more then let me know.

PS. Forgot to say the model is in X format
PPS. Just tried it in openGL instead of directx and in OpenGl the hand grenade comes out black

[CuteAlien]

Doesn't really help. I wonder if old shaders are no longer supported maybe on newer cards (those were still assembler shaders), but I can't really imagine that. Check logs when the game starts on other computers - if you get any console output which looks strange.

[Asimov]

Well one of the computers was my work computer which is quite new, so it should be up to date.
Today I did a test on a windows 10 computer in virtualbox. Bear in mind because it is a virtual computer it hasn't access to my main graphics card but only the on board graphics card.
When I run it I get these errors in the console.

Could not load shader function D3DAssembleShader from dll, shaders disabled: d3x9_43.dll
Could not create vertex shader,
could not create vertex shader

I am not sure if this is the same error as on my work laptop or not so I will try tomorrow when I am back at work.
The other computer I tried it on was my wife's computer but I have to wait until tomorrow before I can try the same thing on there.

[CuteAlien]

Maybe it's no longer installed by default in Windows 10? Could be :-(
I guess then it needs that from now on: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downloa ... aspx?id=35