Native Cross-Platform Vertex Texture Fetching (VTF)

[hagand3]

Is your feature request related to a problem?

My understanding is that this works on most platforms already but doesn't work on windows without the use of a dll. As someone who is aiming for a cross-platform release, it would be great to have the same VTF functionality across platforms.

Describe the solution you'd like

Regular ol' VTF magic but across all platforms, including windows. I'm sure there might be exceptions like mobile or html5 but I'm more concerned with PC and consoles.

Describe alternatives you've considered

Kraifpatrick's VTF dll floating around in the aether appears to work but it's not a native function.

Additional context

No response

[jackerley]

This will be coming with the new runtime

[RtFishers]

It's criminal how a feature which was already supposed to exist in the current runtime is being used to bait users into a subscription.

[hagand3]

It's criminal how a feature which was already supposed to exist in the current runtime is being used to bait users into a subscription.

Is it though? I don't see it actively advertised and there's nothing in the manual.

[RtFishers]

Why add support for it on basically every other platform but neglect windows? That's just bad service imo but to each their own.

[hagand3]

Why add support for it on basically every other platform but neglect windows? That's just bad service imo but to each their own.

Just because VTF is possible in GameMaker doesn't mean it's supported by YYG. I had to search high and low just to find whispers of VTF in GameMaker. https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/vertex-fetching-support-for-gamemaker.95702/ Here Russel even says they will support it (future tense) in the new runtime when they switch over to WebGPU.

They've got a lot on their plate and are not a huge team. I don't fault them for wanting to prioritize features that more than a handful of people have asked for, but to each their own.

[DragoniteSpam]

id obviously like vtf to be natively supported on windows right now, but in reality only like ten people in the whole gamemaker community would actually use it so i dont really mind if it gets kicked to the back seat in favor of, like, stuff that a lot of people are actually going to benefit from

[RtFishers]

I wouldn't mind if it takes a while too but it appears they don't plan to ever implement it in the current runtime. Also (respectfully) a quick google search shows it's not hard to find people talking about it: https://www.reddit.com/r/gamemaker/comments/5g3hd0/cant_i_use_textures_in_the_vertex_shader/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/getting-texture-data-in-vertex-shader.73772/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/gms2-vertex-texture-fetch.22667/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/texture2dlod-doesnt-work-in-vertex-shader.75075/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/vertex-fetching-dll-for-hlsl.95806/

[RtFishers]

More places where it's brought up: https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/is-tessellation-possible.3203/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/shader-gm_basetexture-problems.42911/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/gamemaker-studio-2-roadmap-update.23722/page-2 https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/texture2d-not-working-in-vertex-shader.7729/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/things-that-need-added-or-exposed-for-3d-games.83961/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/what-can-be-done-with-glsl-extension-directives.63395/

Also tbf there are a thousand feature requests and this is the 9th or 10th most upvoted so clearly there is good demand and the forum duplicates from guests suggests not just a handful would use it. But that's besides the point. It makes no sense imo to support it on every platform except windows and then suddenly require a subscription for something that should have been there initially.

[hagand3]

More places where it's brought up: https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/is-tessellation-possible.3203/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/shader-gm_basetexture-problems.42911/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/gamemaker-studio-2-roadmap-update.23722/page-2 https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/texture2d-not-working-in-vertex-shader.7729/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/things-that-need-added-or-exposed-for-3d-games.83961/ https://forum.gamemaker.io/index.php?threads/what-can-be-done-with-glsl-extension-directives.63395/

Also tbf there are a thousand feature requests and this is the 9th or 10th most upvoted so clearly there is good demand and the forum duplicates from guests suggests not just a handful would use it. But that's besides the point. It makes no sense imo to support it on every platform except windows and then suddenly require a subscription for something that should have been there initially.

Ok you've made the point that there are indeed places that mention VTF. I clearly stopped digging once it became clear that: a) yes it's possible, b) it's not possible in windows, c) it will be supported eventually. Yes you're right that it's besides the point that there is demand for it.

My argument is that if it were "supported" it would be in the GameMaker manual. It isn't. It's on the forums from people who have made it work. That doesn't mean it's supported and if you bought a subscription based on something that wasn't on the official roadmap, that's on you.

[RtFishers]

I don't think that's the case. The manual says:

"For a complete overview of the language specification of GLSL ES that GameMaker currently uses, including the functions and variables that you can use to program the shaders themselves, please refer to the [GLSL ES Specification 1.00 (https://registry.khronos.org/OpenGL/specs/es/2.0/GLSL_ES_Specification_1.00.pdf)"

And if you go to the section "8.7 Texture Lookup Functions" it clearly says "Texture lookup functions are available to both vertex and fragment shaders.".

Of course yyg are free to conduct their business how they see fit. I just don't think it's good practice in this specific case. Also, I don't wanna fight you maybe we can just agree to disagree?

[hagand3]

GameMaker uses GLSL ES but as far as I'm aware, there's still a go-between from what is written in the shader codebox to what is compiled. Certain things could be activated/deactivated along the way, like how shader derivatives were not enabled by default and had to be explicitly done in each shader header if you wanted to use them. Admittedly, I'm no CS major and have very little knowledge of how GameMaker wraps things up behind the scenes. Conjecture aside, yes let's agree to disagree and get back to making games and stuff! I look forward to this feature when it is finally implemented in an official capacity.