NovaBridge - Warp3D Backward Compatibility - AmiWest 2021 Talk
I'm pleased to be able to "let the cat out of the bag" about NovaBridge. It's something I've been working on for a while to solve an annoying problem: backward compatibility for old Warp3D software on the Amiga computer.
Click here to watch the video on Odysee.
NovaBridge started after yet another discussion about how confusing the Warp3D Nova naming scheme was. After all, it's not compatible with its older namesake: Warp3D. The real issue, however, is not the incompatibility itself, but the fact that end-users need to know about it. End users shouldn't have to care about which API is used; it should all just work.
So, I took the W3D_SI driver's source code, stripped out the hardware dependent code, and began replacing it with Warp3D Nova code instead. I sent a working proof-of-concept to Matthew & Trevor over at A-EON Technology, who were excited about it.
From there, it was a lot of work to implement the remaining features, including all the multi-texturing draw modes.
Some Surprises
Older Warp3D drivers have multiple per-application environment variables to work around bugs. Well, NovaBridge doesn't have any. I did add a few workarounds for some naughty demos that poked directly into the Warp3D context, but nothing else was needed. For example, WipeOut 2097's shadows work fine, without any chroma-testing workarounds. That's because it doesn't use chroma-testing after all.
I'm not sure what happened when the older drivers were written. Warp3D is quite complex, even though it's nothing compared to modern 3D. So, it can be difficult to figure out why some things don't work right. This is especially true in a time where we didn't have tools such as glsnoop to help out.
What Does It All Mean?
For end users: you don't need to care about 3D APIs any more. Warp3D, Warp3D Nova, MiniGL , OpenGL ES 2, GL4ES? It'll all just work (so long as you have Warp3D Nova drivers).
For developers: nobody needs to write a Warp3D driver ever again.
NOTE: I originally presented this talk (virtually) at AmiWest 2021, on 16 October 2021.
2 Comments
Hans de Ruiter 20/12/2021 5:34am (2 years ago)
NovaBridge is specifically to provide backward compatibility for Warp3D Nova. Since Warp3D Nova is OS4 only, there is nothing similar for OS3.
It sounds like what you want is an OS3 Warp3D driver for Radeon 9200 cards. I thought that already existed. I don't have any plans to write drivers for OS3, and don't even have the hardware I'd need. You've got a better chance to ask Hyperion Entertainment if they could back-port their W3D_R200 and W3D_radeon drivers...
Jenö Berda 19/12/2021 11:50am (2 years ago)
I think this NovaBridge project is surely important for AOS4.x users but I want to kindly ask do you plan something similar for AOS3.x? I'm just wondering about the ability to use my Radeon 9200 PCI card in my Mediator bridgeboard to play not only 2D apps as RTG but enjoy its 3D capabilities just like a Voodoo3 PCI card. It would affect positively many A1200 and A3000/4000 users with PCI bridgeboards.