Cxbx-reloaded: Direct host backbuffer hack - positive and negative effects

[gandalfthewhite19890404]

Here is list of titles affected by enabled Direct Host backbuffer hack, not speedup - only rendering effects;
This issue is going to be our go-to list of test cases while working on fixing backbuffer related issues.
This, to document games that experience issues that are solved by this hack, because we want to fix them and eventually remove said hack.

POSITIVE

• Grand Theft Auto III - without hack it render to a part of screen, squeezing it, i'll upload screenshots later. (Fixed by PR #1599)
• Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Double Agent - While this hack is activated, this game renders extra menus, such as new game, difficulty selection, load game section, and select level section.

NEGATIVE

• Red Faction 2 - Doesn't show FMVs after boot.
• Call of Duty: Finest Hour - Doesn't show FMVs after boot.

PLEASE, Also update the current status of each reported game to our https://github.com/Cxbx-Reloaded/game-compatibility/ tracker (we'll remove comments once they've been processed, since we want to avoid chatter in our issue trackers)

[BenNottelling]

Is the GitHub issues really the right place for this kind of conversation? Feels better suited for something like Reddit, unless you're including info on why they either are helped or fixed with the intent of finding a proper solution to problems.

[LukeUsher]

@BenNottelling it’s more to document games that experience issues that are solved by this hack, because we want to fix them and eventually remove said hack

[RadWolfie]

I had documented the issue, without the hack, of DoA 3 Demo. However, both DoA 2 and 3 are affected (even with demos) base on the feedback in the past.

With the hack enabled, there are some titles not showing the FMVs. I'll have to go through the titles I have to find out which one then document here.

[gandalfthewhite19890404]

• Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex - hack is required for HUD(apple counter, lives etc) rendering.
• LEGO Star Wars series - hack fixes menus.
• Shenmue II - hack is required for main menu rendering.
• Star Wars Knights of old republic - hack fixes flickering graphics.
• World Championship Pool 2004 - hack fixes menus, but breaks legal screens.

[LukeUsher]

Hack is no longer required for Crash Bandicoot Hud, the Shenmue Menu or DOA2/3.
Other games need testing and reporting back

[Margen67]

This hack makes Reshade able to access the depth buffer for things like Ambient Occlusion, Depth of field, etc.

[LukeUsher]

This hack makes Reshade able to access the depth buffer for things like Ambient Occlusion, Depth of field, etc.

It is not our job to support third party enhancement software. The problem with this hack is it ignores the Xbox created backbuffer and depth buffer, it breaks high resolution rendering and makes emulation of the Xbox swap chain much more difficult.

We don’t want to sacrifice accuracy / keep known incorrect behaviour just to support third party enhancement software. It’s not our fault that reshade can’t find the correct depth buffer.