Links Corner Forum

Altered the config file to AFx16. Links now looks as good as it did via the Nvidia Control Panel (without the wrapper). Still taking multiple restarts to get Links going with/without the wrapper although the wrapper maybe takes less restarts. My installation (with the wrapper) on Win 10 (on a dual boot) shows exactly the same issues with the restarts. Now leading me inexorably towards the conclusion it is hardware related/system BIOS setting. Why only Links does this is beyond my pay grade

I will spend a little more time with the installation section at the end of the link in the first post to see if this helps and report back if any change

One of my machines is a Notebook. It has a resolution of 1366 x 768, not uncommon for the age of the notebook.

Running either Windows 10 or Linux, Links will not work properly at that resolution on the machine, I have disappearing golfers and missing menus. I had to go back to 1280 x 720 and tell Links to use the full screen, so it scales the image, then it works.

Go figure.

I presume this is an iGPU your'e having issue with?

It might be your GPU's framebuffer not being able to render 3D at odd widths (unaware of this, Links lists resolutions such as 1366x768).

Dedicated NVIDIA GPU's for example can handle odd and even framebuffers natively so width x height ratios become irrevelant.

The notebook has an Intel iGPU and an Nvidia 940MX.

When I tested it, I tried it with both Nvidia alone and with dgVoodoo and the dgVoodoo wrapper with the Intel iGPU under Windows 10. Same problem all the way through.

It has the exact same problem on Linux with Wine and Links with both GPUs.

Primarily that machine is now a Linux machine and rarely boots Windows. Performance on Links under Linux/Wine with the Nvidia GPU is poor with either the Nvidia or Noveau drivers, the performance with the iGPU is streets ahead.

So I suspect a more fundamental problem here, Interestingly the same problem occurs when I try to set that resolution on a machine/monitor combination that should be able to handle it.

When you had it working at 1280 x 720, which GPU was active and was this with CompatDDraw or dgV ?

From what I can glean the iGPU renders the final buffer (the iGPU has the final 'say' in what resolution is drawn) while NVIDIA renders off screen, so in this particular setup I suspect its still the issue.

On that machine under Windows 10 I had it working at 1280 x 720 with Intel and dgVoodoo. This was long before DDrawCompat had a version that worked with Links. dgVoodoo was the only thing that did work.

I had the resolution problem under Linux so went back to Windows to see if I could duplicate the issue and thus see if it was a Linux issue or a wider issue, whether it be system related or Links related.

At that stage DDrawCompat 0.6 was the latest release in the line and that did not work with Links, there were a few wrappers that exhibited the exact same problem at the time.

Under Linux, on that machine, it works to this day at 1280 x 720 with either Intel iGPU or Nvidia, no wrapper required. I routinely use that system to play Links, test new courses.

I think the problem is the iGPU's buffer, you've not been able to successfully configure Links to 1366 x 768 regardless of wrapper or OS, correct?

Have you been able to test say a 3D benchmark program like https://assets.unigine.com/d/Unigine_Heaven-4.0.exe and set this resolution?

No I have not been able to configure and run Links correctly at 1366 x 768 on this system.

It does run but it suffers from the disappearing golfer and missing menu item syndrome, so is effectively unusable. This is under both operating systems. Incidentally, I have seen the same symptoms with some wrappers in general.

I have not been able to configure this resolution on any system and have it run correctly. The same issue is present.

I suspect the program you have pointed me at is a Windows program, I pretty much run the system exclusively under Linux now, Windows on this system is just too slow. Windows is an old installation on a HDD, Linux on a SDD. I have just not got around to wiping the Windows installation out.

Given the relatively slight difference in resolution I have not worried too much about it, Links is set to display full screen so Links scales the image to suit.

The machine is so contrary, I have had to limit the amount of shared memory used by the iGPU under Wine, otherwise it crashes. Yet on a desktop machine with an Intel iGPU I have had no problems with resolution (1920 x1200) or a need to limit memory with Linux/Wine.

Go figure.

But I do have a running and usable system.

1366 x 768 is not a standard VESA resolution, it doesn't play nice with legacy GPU's and software.

I had noted that 1366 x 768 only approximates a 16:9 aspect ratio. There does seem to be some resolutions that Links struggles with and there are a couple of unusual resolutions in the Links mode list.

I do not think it was ever stated what resolutions the developers of the 1.07 update were able to test, at least I have no recollections of anything ever been published.