Native loader test build 0.1.9

Test build of the native loader for the Xbox version of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. You need your own copy of the game; these archives contain none of its code or data.

What's new since 0.1.8

• Field of view setting (issue #5). Press **** (the key below Esc) while playing to open the new in-game **PC settings** menu, which has a *Field of view* slider from 50 to 120 (the game's own is 70). The game keeps running behind the menu, so you see the change right away. The setting is saved for next time, and --fov` sets it from the command line. It also widens the view from tanks and mounted guns, which have a field of view of their own. Your weapon keeps its original look: at a wide field of view it is drawn as at 70, so the parts the game never meant to show stay hidden. A short message on the main menu points to the new key. Campaign only for now.
• Ultrawide pictures (experimental) (issue #10). The aspect ratio setting now offers 21:9, 32:9 and your screen's own shape. The view gets wider at the sides, the HUD keeps its 16:9 size and place in the middle, and menus stay 4:3. Campaign only for now (multiplayer stays 16:9). Not everything has been checked yet (for example scopes and binoculars), so please report anything that looks wrong.
• Smoother frame rate on slower PCs (issue #8). The game no longer keeps a whole CPU core busy while it waits for the next screen refresh, which leaves that core to the graphics driver (on laptops it also leaves more power to the graphics chip). A frame that is slightly too late is now shown at once instead of waiting for the next refresh, so a PC that is a little too slow for 30 fps runs at 25-29 fps rather than dropping to 20. --late-frames wait brings back the original behaviour.
• Measure performance now reports how busy each thread really is on Windows (0.1.8 showed every thread at 100%), and the frame rate while measuring.
• Other releases of the game (issue #9). The loader is made for one release of the game. A copy from another release (for example a French/Spanish/Italian disc) has its code at other addresses, which made multiplayer crash at startup. The game now says so when it starts, instead of crashing. Supporting other releases is planned.

Install

1. Download the archive for your system and unpack it anywhere (settings and saves are kept in the user data folder).
2. Copy your game dump into its assets/ folder (default.xbe, codmp_xboxf.xbe and media/ directly inside).
3. Start cod_bro_launcher.

Coming from 0.1.7 or 0.1.8: use Update now in the launcher. From 0.1.6 or older: unpack 0.1.9 over your old folder, or into a new one and move your assets/ folder across.

	Linux (cod_bro-0.1.9-linux.tar.gz)	Windows (cod_bro-0.1.9-windows.zip)
System	x86, glibc 2.30 or newer	64-bit Windows 10 or 11
Graphics	Vulkan 1.3 with 32-bit drivers (DXVK included)	Vulkan 1.3 through the included DXVK, or else the Direct3D 9 that comes with Windows

Checksums: SHA256SUMS.txt.

Known limitations

• Test build: the new frame pacing, the PC menu and Measure performance have not been tested on real Windows yet (the Windows build was checked under Wine).
• Ultrawide is experimental and campaign only; the field of view setting is campaign only.
• The PC menu opens with the keyboard (`) only.
• Only one release of the game is supported (see issue #9).
• Xbox Live is not available (System Link only); multiplayer not yet tested between two PCs or on real Windows.
• The in-game brightness setting has no effect (use the launcher's slider).

Native loader test build 0.1.8

Test build of the native loader for the Xbox version of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. You need your own copy of the game; these archives contain none of its code or data.

What's new since 0.1.7

• Fixed: missing surfaces with the Direct3D 9 that comes with Windows (issue #8). Some of the game's materials were translated into pixel shaders that read two constant registers in one instruction. Windows' Direct3D 9 refuses such shaders, so whatever they drew was missing. This is the pixel-shader side of the 0.1.7 fix. DXVK (Vulkan) does not check the rule, so PCs that use Vulkan were not affected. A test now checks every combination of shader inputs for it. If a shader still fails, the log now shows all of it instead of a cut-off line.
• Measure performance (launcher, Help tab). For reports about a low frame rate: tick it before pressing Play, then play to where it gets slow. The first time the game runs under 24 fps, it measures for 10 seconds and writes to log.txt where each thread spent its time. This now works on Windows too, not only Linux. The checkbox isn't saved, so it only applies to the game you start next. Developers can use --profile auto.
• Launcher tabs. The options are now on five tabs (General, Graphics, Controls, Multiplayer, Help) instead of one long list. Play, Multiplayer and Quit stay at the bottom. Your settings carry over unchanged.

Install

1. Download the archive for your system and unpack it anywhere (settings and saves are kept in the user data folder).
2. Copy your game dump into its assets/ folder (default.xbe, codmp_xboxf.xbe and media/ directly inside).
3. Start cod_bro_launcher.

Coming from 0.1.7: use Update now in the launcher. From 0.1.6 or older: unpack 0.1.8 over your old folder, or into a new one and move your assets/ folder across.

	Linux (cod_bro-0.1.8-linux.tar.gz)	Windows (cod_bro-0.1.8-windows.zip)
System	x86, glibc 2.30 or newer	64-bit Windows 10 or 11
Graphics	Vulkan 1.3 with 32-bit drivers (DXVK included)	Vulkan 1.3 through the included DXVK, or else the Direct3D 9 that comes with Windows

Checksums: SHA256SUMS.txt.

Known limitations

• Test build: the pixel shader fix and Measure performance have not been tested on real Windows yet (the Windows build was checked under Wine).
• At the 30 fps setting, a frame that takes longer than 33 ms waits for the next screen refresh, so slow scenes drop to 20 fps rather than 25-29. The original game paces frames the same way.
• Xbox Live is not available (System Link only); multiplayer not yet tested between two PCs or on real Windows.
• The in-game brightness setting has no effect (use the launcher's slider).

Native loader test build 0.1.7

Test build of the native loader for the Xbox version of Call of Duty 2: Big Red One. You need your own copy of the game; these archives contain none of its code or data.

What's new since 0.1.6

• Fixed: black menu on graphics cards without Vulkan. On PCs that use the Direct3D 9 that comes with Windows (no Vulkan driver, e.g. Intel HD Graphics 3000), the menu stayed black after the intro movies while sound and input still worked. The cause was not the graphics driver, as 0.1.6 assumed. Every vertex shader the game's graphics are translated into broke a Direct3D 9 rule: one instruction read two constant registers, and Windows' Direct3D 9 refuses such shaders. DXVK (Vulkan) does not check that rule, which is why only PCs without Vulkan were affected. The shaders now follow the rule, and a test checks every translated shader for it.
• Update now in the launcher. When a newer release is out, the launcher shows Update now next to the notice. It downloads the release for your system, checks it against the release's SHA256SUMS.txt, installs it and restarts the launcher. Your game files in assets/, your saves and your settings stay as they are. Nothing is installed unless you click it. On Windows it needs Windows 10 version 1803 or newer (for the tar that comes with Windows); otherwise use Download page as before. From this version on, updating no longer means downloading and unpacking by hand.

Install

1. Download the archive for your system and unpack it anywhere (settings and saves are kept in the user data folder).
2. Copy your game dump into its assets/ folder (default.xbe, codmp_xboxf.xbe and media/ directly inside).
3. Start cod_bro_launcher.

Coming from 0.1.6 or older: unpack 0.1.7 over your old folder, or into a new one and move your assets/ folder across. Later versions can be installed from the launcher.

	Linux (cod_bro-0.1.7-linux.tar.gz)	Windows (cod_bro-0.1.7-windows.zip)
System	x86, glibc 2.30 or newer	64-bit Windows 10 or 11
Graphics	Vulkan 1.3 with 32-bit drivers (DXVK included)	Vulkan 1.3 through the included DXVK, or else the Direct3D 9 that comes with Windows

Checksums: SHA256SUMS.txt.

Known limitations

• Test build: the Direct3D 9 fix has not been tested on the affected hardware yet, and Update now has not been tested on real Windows yet (the Windows build was checked under Wine).
• After an update the folder keeps its old name (for example cod_bro-0.1.7-windows), so shortcuts keep working.
• Xbox Live is not available (System Link only); multiplayer not yet tested between two PCs or on real Windows.
• The in-game brightness setting has no effect (use the launcher's slider).