Wing Commander Prophecy: Unlimited + HD Movie Support

At the moment I'm just trying to understand where the problem is. Understand there are two high res movie players now, HCLs in the wcphr.dll and my own in the wcpunl.dll. My player will kick in before HCLs. I've designed my player so if it fails to load a movie it will 'fall back' to a previous player, which is either HCLs player, or the default CD movies if wcphr.dll isn't present. The test I've asked @TCSTigersClaw to do should confirm a few things for me to help me fix it.

I think the fall back is working for the dvd movie, but not for ODVSs pack which only starts to fail after it has successfully loaded and playback has started. So the audio is working, but the video isn't. I don't think waiting any longer will help, though I could be wrong.

All the testing I've done on my player, the playback is immediate for ODVSs pack, and quarter of a second delay for the original DVD pack which I'm sure it's due to the mpeg2 decoder Windows uses. Never anything more significant than that.

@TCSTigersClaw another giveaway that HCLs player is being used is I've noticed it will stretch the aspect ratio of the dvd pack with wide screen monitors. As well as the sharp subtitles...
 
gr1mre4per said:
At the moment I'm just trying to understand where the problem is. Understand there are two high res movie players now, HCLs in the wcphr.dll and my own in the wcpunl.dll. My player will kick in before HCLs. I've designed my player so if it fails to load a movie it will 'fall back' to a previous player, which is either HCLs player, or the default CD movies if wcphr.dll isn't present. The test I've asked @TCSTigersClaw to do should confirm a few things for me to help me fix it.

I think the fall back is working for the dvd movie, but not for ODVSs pack which only starts to fail after it has successfully loaded and playback has started. So the audio is working, but the video isn't. I don't think waiting any longer will help, though I could be wrong.

All the testing I've done on my player, the playback is immediate for ODVSs pack, and quarter of a second delay for the original DVD pack which I'm sure it's due to the mpeg2 decoder Windows uses. Never anything more significant than that.

@TCSTigersClaw another giveaway that HCLs player is being used is I've noticed it will stretch the aspect ratio of the dvd pack with wide screen monitors. As well as the sharp subtitles...
Click to expand...
Somehow I read it as it's just black and missed the part where the audio does play. It definitely sounds like a codec problem or at least something going wrong with the overlay. Closest thing I've seen suggesting the reason for the problem was this:

Black screen and no audio when video should be playing
  1. This can be a splitter/codec problem -> install K-Lite codec pack
    For videos from ODVS (MP4 extension) at least the sound should play, since he used H264 for video and AAC for audio. Both codecs should be present in Windows 10 (you can test this with the Windows Media Player). This leaves splitter and/or render problems. The old DVD videos (VOB extension) use MPEG2 for video and AC3 for audio. Here you probably need codecs.
  2. If the problem does not go away, this can also be a problem of your installation (wrong wcphr.dll).
Click to expand...
 
AD said:
Somehow I read it as it's just black and missed the part where the audio does play. It definitely sounds like a codec problem or at least something going wrong with the overlay. Closest thing I've seen suggesting the reason for the problem was this:
Click to expand...

Actually I think for @TCSTigersClaw the wcphr.dll player is working, but skipping the video isn't possible. I'm not sure if it has always been this way or not with hcls player. Thanks for the link though, I might see if hcls player will start working on my system as i haven't seen it working yet, it just immediately skips back to the room.

Here, I'm trying to figure out why the wcpunl.dll player isn't working and falling back (or not falling back).

I implemented a new player because there were increased reports of hcls player not working in Windows 11, even with codec packs installed. I made the new player so it doesn't need any big codec packs and doesn't need an overlay window and to be as seamless as the regular CD movies. I provide instruction for specific codecs needed for the original vob. I guess my mistake is not having an option to turn it off so those who don't want or need the new player can turn it off and stick with hcls player or the cd movies. One for the next release!
 
@gr1mre4per Thanks a lot for your help, but dont bother so much .
You made an excellent patch to help people , for some reason it doesnt work for me but that doesnt mean Unlimited doesnt work for others.
I will do a fresh install on a new system with windows 10 again to check

Thanks a lot for being helpful!
 
gr1mre4per said:
Time to blow the dust off this thread. Wow 2019 BC (before covid)...

I've seen a few threads recently of people having trouble getting HCl's DVD Movie patch working in more recent versions of Windows. I decided to install it to try get it working in hopes of providing some instruction to get it working, but I couldn't get it to work.

So...
### WCPUNL Beta 6.4
* Minor internal changes relating to subtitles.

### WCPUNL Beta 6.3
* Video processing moved into it's own thread to reduce stuttering at lower framerates.

### WCPUNL Beta 6.2
* Fixed video not working on Windows 10.
* IoEvent enumeration updated so movies exit correctly in all exit situations.
* Better handling of loading and decoding errors so the fall-back player will be used instead of a blank screen.
* Non square pixel aspect ratios correctly accounted for (VOB files are 704x480 at 10:11 aspect ratio = 640x480).
* Movies now play at their native resolution or the resolution specified by the GL, whichever is smallest. Previously always tried to match the GL settings.
* Subtitles decoupled from framerate, now uses movie sequence clock time.
* Corrected small error in subtitle font settings.
* Added De-interlacer for interlaced VOB files.
* Double frame rate for interlaced VOB files, blending of field 0 and field -1, as well as field 0 and field 1.
* Movie Player can be disabled via ini setting.
* Read Me updated with a section for description of all INI settings.
* New INI settings will appear in your wcpunl.ini after running the game for the first time after update.

Code: 
### WCPUNL Beta 6.1
* Support for both CD and GoG installations using the prophecy.exe supplied in this package.
    A CD check is done, if no CD is found a local file check is performed.  If no local files found, Change CD screen will appear.

### WCPUNL Beta 6.0
* Fixed memory leak in the new Movie Player
* Turret barrel fire respects wcpunl.ini setting again
* File loading priority changed so directory has priority over tree file (no need to patch data.tre anymore)

### WCPUNL Beta 5.2
* Fixed spaceflight music not restarting after an in-flight cutscene (last mission).

### WCPUNL Beta 5.1
* ODVS's HD and original DVD movie support. Added to Prophecy only.
* Many thanks to Pedro for testing and updating the OpenGL to take full advantage.


### HD and DVD Requirements

Download ODVS's Prophecy HD Video Pack or the original DVD Movie
Pack from the www.wcnews.com Resources/Patches page and extract
into the 'movie' folder within WCP's root folder.

Ignore instructions to install the DVD Movie Upgrade Patch as
this seems to be having problems with more recent Windows
(hence this update).

ODVS's HD Video Pack:
        Seems to work straight away with no additional codec packs
        installed. Tested on a fresh install of Windows 11 N 25h2
        with Media Feature Pack added (required to play WCP and SO
        on N and KN versions).

DVD Movie Pack:
        1. Download and install MPEG2 free from the Microsoft
           store. https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9N95Q1ZZPMH4
        2. Windows 11 24h2 and later fresh install, install the
           Windows Dolby Audio package. (included)

* No overlay window is created, no need to match resolutions.  Uses existing GL movie function.
* Movies will work in the original Software, Direct3d and 3Dfx Glide modes.
* Movies will work in the OpenGL 1.2 and earlier, not filling wide-screens.
* Movies will work in the OpenGL 1.3 and later, fills wide-screens.
* Gamma Correction, Show Movies and Subtitles in game options work.
* Even Interlaced Video will work in the original modes for a retro look!

Pedro has also asked I release the OpenGL 1.3 update at the same time. The new WCPUNL movie player will work with older versions of the GL, but the new version will allow the full screen FMVs to scale up to fit your screen, instead of sticking to the original 4:3, and take advantage of higher quality movies. Also some additional update are included...

*** This is just an update to the gl_00007.dll file. It is designed for existing installations of the MUP where the Open GL is already installed.

Code: 
OpenGL Patch - v1.3

This patch is an additional optional graphics library (GL), compatible with both Prophecy and Secret Ops, and is ported from the release of Standoff Episode 5.

Originally designed to remove problems experienced when using Direct3D such as 32bit support for ATI cards, and removal of texture glitches.

The patch has since evolved into a specific visual style, featuring specular maps and slightly over-the-top bloom. This patch just screams 2000s, and I strongly recommend using it with both bloom and specular enabled. It supports hi-res, specular and iridescence overrides, as well as fairly dodgy implementation of bump mapping.

With Grim's help, the GL has been modified to support his HD movie playback in full screen. As Grim is creating his own GL, this is likely to be the last version of this one which relies heavily on outdated libraries. I appreciate his help creating this so that this particular look isn’t lost to history. I look forward to seeing the direction he takes with a modern implementation.

*** New in v1.3 ***

All modes:
Add support for Grim's movie playback (ODVS high-resolution DVD pack recommended: https://download.wcnews.com/files/wcp/wcp_hdpack_4.0.zip)
Decrease briefing line width on high-resolution monitors
Fix original FMV aspect on super-wide monitors
Fix pixel-based stars when starfield is disabled
Match 3DFX HUD transparency
Remove cockpit shake
Fix rendering of targets on the radar

With HDR Enabled:
Lens flares (were disabled for Standoff as it had super bright assets)
Make the briefing bloom less garish
Fix a bug with missile VDU which would cause the screen to flash

With HDR Disabled:
Ignore additive and superbright flags on overridden assets (balanced for HDR only)
Fix nav map rendering bug

This will still work alongside the wcphr.dll that contains other things amongst the original DVD patch, but the UNL completely bypasses the DVD Patch part.

Please give this a go and send me some feedback on how it works. I'll do my best to work out any issue found. Either PM me @grim3820 in Discord or reply back here. Thanks all.
Click to expand...
Another update. This fixes black screen on Windows 10. Some other background stuff, separate thread for the video processing to prevent stuttering at lower framerates.

Work has been done to improve the original .VOB files, de-interlacing, increased framerates, less CPU intensive dithering for 16 bit modes (older Open GL, Software, Direct 3D and 3DFX Glide modes). If using Open GL 1.3 you can use ini settings to see what these are like if you use the VOBs.

You also have the option to disable the movie player via ini setting, if you still have HCLs player working, or want to use the original CD movies.

Not much done for ODVS's videos, these just work.

There are some new INI options, and the Read Me is updated to include an explanation for each option.
 
Last edited:
gr1mre4per said:
Another update. This fixes black screen on Windows 10. Some other background stuff, separate thread for the video processing to prevent stuttering at lower framerates.

Work has been done to improve the original .VOB files, de-interlacing, increased framerates, less CPU intensive dithering for 16 bit modes (older Open GL, Software, Direct 3D and 3DFX Glide modes). If using Open GL 1.3 you can use ini settings to see what these are like if you use the VOBs.

You also have the option to disable the movie player via ini setting, if you still have HCLs player working, or want to use the original CD movies.

Not much done for ODVS's videos, these just work.

There are some new INI options, and the Read Me is updated to include an explanation for each option.
Click to expand...

I dont know what you did , BUT without even a fresh install , I copies Prophecy.exe and the ini and everything works with subtitles and everything!
I salute you!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top