Universe Sandbox

Universe Sandbox => Universe Sandbox ² | Discussion => Topic started by: richardsh9 on September 11, 2015, 05:21:17 PM

Title: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: richardsh9 on September 11, 2015, 05:21:17 PM
If anyone can answer this, I'd be very appreciative:

US1 has Nvidia 3D support, but I can't find it anywhere in US2. Are there plans to add it back to US2 in future releases? 

Thank you.
Title: Re: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: Dan Dixon on September 22, 2015, 07:09:08 PM
We have no explicit plans at this time.

Does it not work if you just turn it on?

(I don't have Nvidia 3D hardware to test it)
Title: Re: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: Greenleaf on September 23, 2015, 04:59:57 AM

Thank you for responding Mr. Dixon.  With all due respect sir, since you are the creator and developer of this wonderful universe simulation, I’m surprised that you’re asking me “does it not work if you just turn it on?”  How could it?   In Universe Sandbox 1, there are settings written within it that allow the user to choose 3D, and which kind they want.  If you didn’t write those same 3D settings into US2 (which it seems apparently you didn’t), there is nothing to turn on. Do those settings exist in US2? because I couldn't find them.  Also, why do I know that, and not you?  (I'm attaching a screenshot of the setting section in Universe Sandbox 1, where you select 3D and type - look on the left side of the image). 


For those of us that use 3D surround systems (multiple screens with spanned 3D), it’s sad that you have no plans for it in the future. It adds such an incredible visual effect that feels realistic.  Quite frankly sir, since your Universe Sandbox 1 included this feature, it was only natural for buyers to assume that the ‘upgrade’ wouldn’t lose features, but only gain some.  (Isn’t that the way upgrades that we pay money for are suppose to work?)  In this case, Universe Sandbox 2 has apparently gone backward with the loss of a very significant feature for simulation games, 3D. 


When I read your response, I was perturbed because your first sentence demonstrates customer indifference, your second sentence demonstrates ignorance of your own product, and your third sentence insulted my intelligence with the idea that you can’t afford to test your product because you don't have some hardware.  For such an elegant product, your response as it's creator, was very disappointing, to say the least.


To be honest, I am not really seeing the mentioned "due respect" for Dan, that you write about, and I can assure you that one thing which Dan is not, is indifferent to customers, or to anyone else for that matter.


When looking at
http://www.nvidia.com/object/3D-Vision-Discover-faq.html
I see
All 3D data—games, movies, photos, and even consumer applications—are processed by the GeForce GPU's programmable shaders and rendered in 3D in real-time.


The NVidia driver is essentially taking the 3d render calls and making it "just work". Did you try installing the proper drivers for your hardware and see if it does in fact work? It has to be turned on in the NVidia settings.


As to not knowing what settings are in US1 and US2, the two share nothing except the base idea, and 3d modes such as anaglyph in US1 is not added to US2, therefore there is no setting.
Work is being done on other virtual reality solutions, but that is for the future.
Title: Re: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: richardsh9 on September 23, 2015, 06:19:22 AM
I don't know Dan, and I'm not trying to be disrespectful.  I've had a lousy day.  Sorry to the forum. The product is wonderful.  But it would have been better with 3D.
Title: Re: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: Greenleaf on September 23, 2015, 06:37:33 AM
I don't know Dan, and I'm not trying to be disrespectful.  I've had a lousy day.  Sorry to the forum. The product is wonderful.  But it would have been better with 3D.


I am sure he will forgive you, if there is even anything to forgive ;-)
You should try enabling the NVidia3D feature in the nvidia control panel and see if it just works, as it is really supposed to. The reason we cannot provide clearer feedback right now is only that it is not a feature we have specifically developed for or tested. According to NVidea, most 3d games/apps just works with it, but you have to turn it on.
Title: Re: Are there plans for US² to support Nvidia 3D?
Post by: Dan Dixon on September 23, 2015, 10:03:16 PM
My short reply was not intended to be insulting. I was catching up on forum posts from the last week and had another 20+ to respond to.

I honestly don't remember what I did for that option in US1 as I wrote it 5 years ago. I'd have to go back and look at the code.

And as Thomas said... you should be able to turn this option on in the Nvidia control panel and it might just work.

While I agree adding support and/or testing this would be awesome, it would take time away from other features and bug fixing. And given that we've sold over 40,000 copies and you're the first person to ask about it (I think), it becomes hard to justify spending time on something that only a handful of people might use.

A post I read about prioritizing bug fixes talked about rating each bug (or feature) by 2 factors: how severe or bad is the bug and how many people are affected by it.

That said... we're in Early Access and we're no where near done with development, so never say never.