HDR coming to HL2 & Source Engine

BigTaf said:
ive found the HDR use in farcry to be a little overkill. In fact was debating buying a 6800GT over my x800xt when I first heard about it, but it just looks overkill. If valve does impliment it, I just hope they do it well and make it a softer effect. This will also hopefully reduce the GPU load.

It does blow me away though that people think unreal engine 3 games will run that bad on modern pcs. Arent the first games using UE3 scheduled for next year. My 9800pro which is over a year now holds up very nicely on todays games still
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When they first showed the videos of it running on a 6800U there was noticeable FPS lag. This is with only 3 enemies on screen and no environments. If a 6800U can only get 20 FPS with 3 enemies on screen and that's all, good luck getting anything running on a 9800 Pro or lower.

Of course they will have lowered detail settings and such for lower end computers. But with full detail, the 6800U (and x800XT etc inherantly) don't hold up well at all thus far. It could change, but if you've seen the actual screenshots of the engine, it's not a suprise to me at all ;)
 
I also think they should deleat steam. It's slow and seems to sieze up on me alot..

Also, I dont know if the stuttering problem means that the screen freezes, then the sound that is currently playing loops over and over, if it is I get that with CS:1.6, and I wana know how to fix it...
 
ManCannon said:
Get the same thing man, started a thread about it a while back. Not always within two minutes, but usually within an 30 minutes.
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Well you should check in the support of steampowered.com
maybe youre lucky and its only a sound card problem. mine happen only when i overclock. :/
piss me off since the loadings are pretty long at 1.9ghz :O
 
Im running a 9550 256meg card. Because the 9550 belongs to the whole 9xxx card series will it support HDR for lost coast? Don't really want to have to upgrade the card. Halflife 2 plays great to me atleast at 1024 with all maxed no/aa or af though. To be honest I don't really care if HDR would run like sh!t on my 9550 as long as I can try it. Thx in advance.
As for my computer it should handle the game P4 [email protected] with 1gb ram.
 
Man, where'd you dig this thread up from ;)? No, it will not do HDR. Also, just because it starts with the same number doesn't mean it has anything like the same featureset of the performance cards... even in the 9xx0 series though, none of them can do HDR.
 
GoldenTiger said:
Man, where'd you dig this thread up from ;)? No, it will not do HDR. Also, just because it starts with the same number doesn't mean it has anything like the same featureset of the performance cards... even in the 9xx0 series though, none of them can do HDR.
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All ATI DX9 cards can do integer based pixel shader HDR.

That's what the real time high dynamic range demo uses.

HL2 Coast will have both an Integer, Pixel Shader HDR method and a FP16 HDR method.
 
taken from the steam forums

HDR & You...

To be able to experience the Best Quality setting, you will need a graphics processor that is capable of 16-bit Floating Point filtered textures, 16-bit Floating Point targets with alpha bend support, and Shader Model 3.0. The lower quality mode will require 16-bit Fixed Point filtered textures and Shader Model 2.0 support.

This means that the preferred cards to run HDR are as follows:

Low Quality HDR:

* ATi 9600 Series cards
* ATi 9700/9800 Series cards
* ATi X600 Series cards
* ATi X700/X800 Series cards
* ATi X850 Series cards
* nVidia 6600 Series Cards
* nVidia 6800 Series Cards
* nVidia 7800 Series Cards



High Quality HDR:

* nVidia 6600 Series Cards
* nVidia 6800 Series Cards
* nVidia 7800 Series Cards
Click to expand...
 
im not sure whats wrong with the rest of your computers, but in the 5 times i'v re-installed hl2 and css through it i'v never had one problem except with bandwith issues at launch.

Steam is the future of gaming distribution, and it works fabulous, simple as that.

If you think CD/DVDs + jewel cases in boxes with manuals more expensive to produce then the copies themselves are going to honostly last over the next X amount of years as gaming gets more and more integrated, you are living in the past already.

I think steam is awesome, everyone should impliment a program like it.
 
Skrying said:
I am also still confused about all the hate for Steam. I personally love it. It actually gets people to update there games instead of playing with old versions forever. It also gets out new offical maps easier. It's easy to get news updates about the game. I have not had a single problem with it at all. Its the best thing for FPS games ever as far as updates go.
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QFT, yes it doesn't work on 1% of the horror stories out there but wtf people? It's a great system that empowers developers, which is a good thing.
 
While I agree that Steam is a great idea for those with fast internet connections and no usage limits, it really hacks me off when I have to wait to update HL2 before I can play it.

Personally I think it's a great idea that's very poorly implemented and gives the users far too little choice with various options and in the way it implements itself, eg. updating when you only play single player and everything already works. (Offline mode is a complete cop out and is a much worse implementation than a simple "Do not connect to internet" button. Having to block the thing with a firewall is stupid).
 
I do not have 1 problem with steam on this PC in my Sig. XP x64 and What not. It never crashes, and I dont get shuttering... Its all good.

I cannot for the life of me get it to stay open longer than 5 min on my P4 box tho haha, maybe its time for a format anyway.
 
Attean said:
QFT, yes it doesn't work on 1% of the horror stories out there but wtf people? It's a great system that empowers developers, which is a good thing.
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This is true too... there is alot of steam hate. I mean, I got Cable internet in 1999 with my first P3 500Mhz Computer.... Since then, i have done nothing but get faster.

Now I have Comcast 6MB dn Cable and it rocks.... I dont even notice steam update, because my bandwidth is so fast and I have multiple cores to offset the load, its like its not even doing it.

Sounds like some people just need new computers and faster internet connections ;)
 
burningrave101 said:
They could get rid of Steam too. :D
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Personally, I like Steam. Frequently when I suffer from a cold, a nice Steam inhilation therapy loosens up all the congestion and fleghm. Then I can simply give my snoze a great big blow and then HL2 is all ready to play :p

Seriously though, I do like the feeling of knowing that my software is fully up to date and that I can begin a download of another module the moment it's released. As they continue to refine this technology they'll be remembered as the trend setter once the majority of other software providers switch to a similar model.
 
AznAnarchy99 said:
taken from the steam forums

HDR & You...

To be able to experience the Best Quality setting, you will need a graphics processor that is capable of 16-bit Floating Point filtered textures, 16-bit Floating Point targets with alpha bend support, and Shader Model 3.0. The lower quality mode will require 16-bit Fixed Point filtered textures and Shader Model 2.0 support.

This means that the preferred cards to run HDR are as follows:

Low Quality HDR:

* ATi 9600 Series cards
* ATi 9700/9800 Series cards
* ATi X600 Series cards
* ATi X700/X800 Series cards
* ATi X850 Series cards
* nVidia 6600 Series Cards
* nVidia 6800 Series Cards
* nVidia 7800 Series Cards



High Quality HDR:

* nVidia 6600 Series Cards
* nVidia 6800 Series Cards
* nVidia 7800 Series Cards
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

I guess HDR isn't HDR after all... :rolleyes:
Since Valve catagorize it as Low Quality HDR & High Quality HDR...

And it puts a serious hole in those who have touted "Valve will bring a "proper" HDR solution, instead of the FarCry solution" ;)

Terra - Wonders how the visual differnces will be...
 
Terra said:
Terra - Wonders how the visual differnces will be...
Click to expand...

I hope it's pretty negligible

*EDIT: Also, it seems that HDR has become a buzzword for the industry, older cards could do it, but no one cared until the 6800's came out (ok so it's a different type of HDR but still...).
 
My 9600 Pro can do HDR?!?!?!


HOLY SHIT!


I never expected that :p


Not like it'd do any good in Half life, Runs like shit anyways.
 
Well maybe ATi Should really get some 32 bit FP units on their chips instead of using the old whatever it is they use.

I give props to nVidia for thinking ahead. Too bad everytime I do that, my stock in ATi Goes down :(
 
USMC2Hard4U said:
Well maybe ATi Should really get some 32 bit FP units on their chips instead of using the old whatever it is they use.

I give props to nVidia for thinking ahead. Too bad everytime I do that, my stock in ATi Goes down :(
Click to expand...

All ATI DX9 cards calculate internally at FP32 already.
 
Terra said:
I guess HDR isn't HDR after all... :rolleyes:
Since Valve catagorize it as Low Quality HDR & High Quality HDR...

And it puts a serious hole in those who have touted "Valve will bring a "proper" HDR solution, instead of the FarCry solution" ;)

Terra - Wonders how the visual differnces will be...
Click to expand...

High Dynamic Range is High Dynamic Range

the goal is to express bits of color that are not able to be represented normally, there are different quality levels to that, Floating Point is more precise and thus has the potential to looks better, but you can do it with Integer as well
 
Brent_Justice said:
High Dynamic Range is High Dynamic Range

the goal is to express bits of color that are not able to be represented normally, there are different quality levels to that, Floating Point is more precise and thus has the potential to looks better, but you can do it with Integer as well
Click to expand...

So why the denomation Low and High by Valve?
If the outcome is the same?

Terra...
 
Terra said:
So why the denomation Low and High by Valve?
If the outcome is the same?

Terra...
Click to expand...

Are you saying an effect can't have a high and low quality level? If it's not the highest level, it doesn't count?
 
Terra said:
So why the denomation Low and High by Valve?
If the outcome is the same?

Terra...
Click to expand...

Fixed Point Integer HDR is less precise than Floating Point HDR, so the quality may be different. Calling the integer based HDR "low quality" and the floating point HDR "high quality" sounds logical to me.

We will find out when it is released and can compare it directly in this game.
 
SnakEyez187 said:
Are you saying an effect can't have a high and low quality level? If it's not the highest level, it doesn't count?
Click to expand...

Nice strawman there.
If something has a Low and High setting, then it isn't the same.
So HDR isn't just HDR.
My card will allow me to use both, and I will use the one with the best visual apperance.

Terra...
 
Brent_Justice said:
Fixed Point Integer HDR is less precise than Floating Point HDR, so the quality may be different. Calling the integer based HDR "low quality" and the floating point HDR "high quality" sounds logical to me.

We will find out when it is released and can compare it directly in this game.
Click to expand...

Then HDR isn't just HDR?
As the one method is less precise, your own words, and thus would yield a different quality of HDR.
That would be like stating that AA is AA when comparing 2xAA with 4xAA.

Terra - But I am though looking forward to testing both ways too :)
 
Terra said:
Then HDR isn't just HDR?
As the one method is less precise, your own words, and thus would yield a different qualtity of HDR.
That would be like stating that AA is AA when comapring 2xAA with 4xAA.

Terra - But I am though looking forward to testing both ways too :)
Click to expand...

Yes, HDR is HDR. Don't think of it like it's an effect, think of it like it's an idea.

The idea is to represent high and low intensities of light throughout the spectrum. Now find the best method to do that.

You can use integer maths or floating point math, floating point is more precise than integer.

I can't make it anymore clear.


Using your AA example the same thing applies. Anti-Aliasing is an idea, you want to take away aliasing on lines in the game. So now you find the best method to do this, and there are lots of different methods available for AA like multisampling, supersampling, different sample positions, different amounts of samples taken etc...
 
I dont know why everyone seems to have just forgotten about this stuff.
Valve talked about HDR a while back. Hell I have a video with a X850XTPE doing HDR on my computer that Valve made.
 
BigTaf said:
ive found the HDR use in farcry to be a little overkill. In fact was debating buying a 6800GT over my x800xt when I first heard about it, but it just looks overkill. If valve does impliment it, I just hope they do it well and make it a softer effect. This will also hopefully reduce the GPU load.

It does blow me away though that people think unreal engine 3 games will run that bad on modern pcs. Arent the first games using UE3 scheduled for next year. My 9800pro which is over a year now holds up very nicely on todays games still
Click to expand...


OMG if it looks like the demo I saw witht the ant lion on the roof then man that would be great
 
USMC2Hard4U said:
This is true too... there is alot of steam hate. I mean, I got Cable internet in 1999 with my first P3 500Mhz Computer.... Since then, i have done nothing but get faster.

Now I have Comcast 6MB dn Cable and it rocks.... I dont even notice steam update, because my bandwidth is so fast and I have multiple cores to offset the load, its like its not even doing it.

Sounds like some people just need new computers and faster internet connections ;)
Click to expand...

QFT
 
Kinda off topic, but these Images, of HL2- models pulled out of the game and CGI render with HDR, shows the future of HDR ;)

HL2 Models rendered with HDR

Teaser:
Comptest9.jpg


Terra...
 
Yeah, I've experienced zero problems with steam or source. I had it crash to the desktop once, but it was because of a memory leak by another program. I haven't experienced this "stuttering". I use my steam account on multiple comps when I'm at a friends or somthing. I personally love steam because I don't have to install anything, I reformat my comp, install steam and away I go... Only downfall is if I was on a dial-up connection again.
 
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