True Fullscreen mode is gone? APB's Presentation Model Discussion

[purpleHorizons 144]

https://wiki.special-k.info/Presentation_Model

Tested on W10 22H2 and 2 different GPUs (Nvidia & AMD), each running on 551.86 and 23.8.2 driver versions respectively.
Using the common methods of toggling True Fullscreen:
1.) "Disable fullscreen optimization" checkmark on APB.exe
2.) Finding the appropriate registry key in GameConfigStore (setting it to 211 hexadec)

When setting the game to "Fullscreen", the game uses “Hardware: Independant Flip” (which shouldn't be the case, it should be Hardware: Legacy Flip)
When setting the game to "Fullscreen Windowed", the game uses “Composed: Copy with GPU/CPU GDI” (which shouldn't ever be the case)

This implies that APB is using the BitBlt swap effect, as per the sankey diagrams in the link above.

I am very certain that pre-GFAC, this wasn't the case, as I have FrameView data of APB during SARD era where Hardware: Legacy Flip was working fine.

FSE (HW: Legacy Flip) is still a desirable presentation model to include in D3D9 games such as APB, as it leads to less CPU overhead than FSO (HW:Independant Flip) on higher frame rates. 

As a side-note:
I've also checked DGVoodoo2 compatibility with APB.  Surprisingly, it works!... Sort of.
I managed to play for 2 missions without an issue. Until GFAC decided to kick me out with the message “GFAC: Disallowed File Modifications”
D3D11 works fine. D3D12 crashes on district selection (I am able to login however) 
Funnily enough, depending on which swap effect I choose in DGVoodoo, I can invoke FSE (HW: Legacy Flip) or FSO (HW:Independant Flip) just fine.
Of course, since it's a translation layer, it's still less maximum performance than native D3D9.
Practical implications: DGVoodoo2 translating APB into D3D11 would allow you to use Nvidia Smooth Motion

Edited 10 hours ago by purpleHorizons

[BlatMan 750]

I thought true fullscreen was only removed from Windows 11. Does this mean Microsoft also applied this to Windows 10? I haven't been keeping up with their slop.

 

I was only able to get low input latency on Windows 7. Fullscreen windowed mode had less latency than Windows 10 with Fullscreen. Linux with X11/Xorg is about the same as Win7 windowed, but that no longer runs due to the anti-cheat. You can still run APB in a virtual machine, so cheating is still allowed, but legit players can't get the lower input lag needed to complete. Maybe GPU passthrough and directly attaching the mouse to the virtual machine will work, but that's too much work just to see a loading screen every other mission.

[purpleHorizons 144]

2 hours ago, BlatMan said:

I thought true fullscreen was only removed from Windows 11. Does this mean Microsoft also applied this to Windows 10? I haven't been keeping up with their slop.

 

I was only able to get low input latency on Windows 7. Fullscreen windowed mode had less latency than Windows 10 with Fullscreen. Linux with X11/Xorg is about the same as Win7 windowed, but that no longer runs due to the anti-cheat. You can still run APB in a virtual machine, so cheating is still allowed, but legit players can't get the lower input lag needed to complete. Maybe GPU passthrough and directly attaching the mouse to the virtual machine will work, but that's too much work just to see a loading screen every other mission.

"True fullscreen" (HW: Legacy Flip) with a Bitblt or Flip swap effect isn't removed from any Windows release.
It's not related to the Windows release.
I can get other games into FSE fine using the above methods on both W11 and W10.
APB, seemingly since GFAC got implemented, isn't able to be placed into the FSE mode.
The game should be placed in HW: Independant Flip as soon as I use the "Fullscreen " or "Fullscreen Windowed" setting.

The fact that GFAC broke MSI AB & other overlays also confirms this software regression somewhat.
 

Edited 2 hours ago by purpleHorizons