   Free DX8/9 SW rendering plugins?
  A forum search didn''t turn up anything, so I ask--are there any functional software renderer plugins for DX8 or DX9 that are free? They don''t have to be fully functional, or even mostly functional--just enough to support your basic run-of-the-mill polysoup rendering. I know about this Fastgraph thing, but $300 is $300 too much. I need something without a price tag. Is there anything like this? 
  Nothing? No infant GNU project, no indie work, nothing? ;  Fastgraph is not a plugin for DX, it''s a completely separate product.As far as I''m aware there are no functional SW rendering plugins for DX, free or otherwise.  I think the few that started have all been adandoned.So if you need a software renderer, I''d recommend using an older version of DX.  I believe 7 has one. Stay Casual,KenDrunken Hyena;  What about just using the REF device? The framerate is poor but you''d probably get that with the majority of software renderers...What do you need it for, anyway? Perhaps there''s another way of solving the problem which is causing you to need a software renderer. ;quote:A forum search didn''t turn up anything, so I ask--are there any functional software renderer plugins for DX 8or DX 9that are free? They don''t have to be fully functional, or even mostly functional--just enough to support your basic run-of-the-mill polysoup rendering. I know about this Fastgraph thing, but $ 300is $ 300too much. I need something without a price tag. Is there anything like this?There''s sw-shader. It''s an open-source project on sourceforge (sw-shader.sourceforge.net, I think). It supports vs2/ps2 via soft-wiring, and it''s very fast (as in 30 or 40 fps ps2 in software).I''m sure there was a software rendering device that was used for Unreal Tournament. There''s a photo and a blog about it at flipcode''s Image of the day gallery (long ago, though. I don''t remember when, or by who). I think it was called "soft-wire" or something. Try a search on that (e.g. softwire d3d software rendering device).The reason you find no software devices is that it''s not documented how to write one anywhere. I thought the DDK docs had it, but Herb Marselas said sometime ago that it''s not even documented there.To our savior (previously known as moderator ): Would you add this to the FAQ (Doing ps2/vs2 in software).   Muhammad Haggag ;  Soft-wire is what sw-shader uses as it''s code generation core.  I''m not sure if sw-shader is a plugin, or just DX9-like.  The author hangs out around here so maybe he''ll chime in.Current versions of Unreal Tournament support software rendering through Pixomatic (which is expensive and is also not a plug-in, it''s a separate API). Stay Casual,KenDrunken Hyena;quote:Original post by DrunkenHyena  Soft-wire is what sw-shader uses as it''s code generation core.Yes, that''s an open-source soft-wiring library. But I was referring to something else, that I *think* had the same name quote:I''m not sure if sw-shader is a plugin, or just DX9-like.  The author hangs out around here so maybe he''ll chime in.sw-shader isn''t a plugin, it''s a stand-alone exe (some sort of a d3d emulator).quote:Current versions of Unreal Tournament support software rendering through Pixomatic (which is expensive and is also not a plug-in, it''s a separate API).I meant the original UT.I''ve been looking for that flipcode IOTD I mentioned before, I''ve done ~12 pages. Still have another 58 to go. There''s hope  Muhammad Haggag ;  First off, there really isn''t any practical point to this, it''s mostly just curiosity.Does sw-shader actually support the normal set of functions? Can I use it as normal DirectX, for the most part, or what?I might just buckle down, write a proper multi-API renderer, and plug in the QuakeGL software renderer though, if I really need it... ;  Regarding the D3D reference rasterizer, the DX SDK EULA doesn''t allow you to redistribute this component and it only ships in the DX SDK.From looking at the DX9 DDK, to write a registered software device driver, you''re basically writing an entire D3D driver that will be loaded in-proc, which is a lot more work than just writing something that will rasterize a triangle.  I can tell you that if I were going to write such a beast, it wouldn''t be free.  Also, any bets on whether or not RegisterSoftwareDevice is bug-free since no one has used it?  I smell pain.;quote:Original post by don  Regarding the D3D reference rasterizer, the DX SDK EULA doesn''t allow you to redistribute this component and it only ships in the DX SDK.And it''s too slow to be re-distributed to people. It cannot be used by anyone other than a developer. If someone re-distributes it, his clients are going to kill him for sure Plus, 99% the client''s going to think it''s a hang, and reboot quote:From looking at the DX9 DDK, to write a registered software device driver, you''re basically writing an entire D3D driver that will be loaded in-proc, which is a lot more work than just writing something that will rasterize a triangle.  I can tell you that if I were going to write such a beast, it wouldn''t be free.  Also, any bets on whether or not RegisterSoftwareDevice is bug-free since no one has used it?  I smell pain.But it''d be a great learning experience, I think. To write such a thing, it''ll boost the understanding of the API to the max, I believe. Plus, it''d make it more possible to join some driver team someday As far as I can see, to write DX drivers, this is the only way to  get experience? I mean one could try Open-source drivers on linux  (I think there are open source graphics drivers there), but that''d be GL.   Muhammad Haggag 