Homebrew RELEASE dxx-rebirth - Descent 1 and 2

dimag0g · Dec 18, 2020

Since this port never really worked for me, I went ahead and made my own, using dxx-rebirth as a base. It's remarkable how well Zico and other dxx-rebirth contributors maintained the source over the last 15 years: once you initialize the graphics and set the path correctly, the game essentially works out of the box.

The release archive is quite big, because I have included addons from dxx-rebirth: the high resolution pack for D1 and OGG music for both D1 and D2. Naturally, you still need the game files to play, however, you can use shareware content to try it out if you don't own the game.

Release page:
https://github.com/dimag0g/dxx-rebirth/releases/

Readme:
https://github.com/dimag0g/dxx-rebirth/tree/switch

Homebrew App Store page:
https://apps.fortheusers.org/switch/dxxrebirth

A bunch of videos:

mathew77 · Dec 18, 2020

Good as usual!

Purple_Shyguy · Dec 18, 2020

I wanted to play the original ports but I could never get them to work and I think they're abandoned.

Excited for this! Thank you for your hard work!

dimag0g · Dec 18, 2020

Purple_Shyguy said:
Thank you for your hard work!

Thank this guy for making the embedded-friendly version of GL Utility Lib. He ported literally hundreds of games to ARM devices himself, and made a dozen of ARM libraries which let amateurs like myself make ports with very little effort.

Impossible_Igntiz · Dec 19, 2020

and i bet some publisher/developer is gonna port both of these officially to the eShop someday, kinda like how Postal did at first.

hippy dave · Dec 20, 2020

Happy to see this, will have to check it out. Cheers!

Impossible_Igntiz · Dec 20, 2020

just had the chance to tested it out and god this port runs AMAZING!! solid 60fps and all that, also the intro movie in Descent 2 never looped for me and was able to play the game as normal... could be because i might be using the GOG version's files for it to run smoothly perhaps.

dimag0g · Dec 20, 2020

DSwizzy said:
also the intro movie in Descent 2 never looped for me and was able to play the game as normal...

I'll have to double check that. I remember being stuck in the intro, but perhaps I did more changes since then and forgot to retest. It's good news, thanks for trying it out!

I also test with the GoG files BTW.

SeongGino · Dec 20, 2020

Could do with a movie skip of some sort. Having to do stick spinning to skip through D1's opener cutscenes isn't great, and the intro for D2 is over two minutes long.

Otherwise, no complaints here - runs great. D2 seems to have music disabled by default, which is odd?

dimag0g · Dec 20, 2020

SeongGino said:
Could do with a movie skip of some sort. Having to do stick spinning to skip through D1's opener cutscenes isn't great, and the intro for D2 is over two minutes long.

D1's intro can be fast-forwarded by repeatedly pressing A. I think that's how the game is meant to be, besides, you can always save the game at the very beginning and never have to look at the intro again. For D2, it's more of a problem, which I will eventually look into. For now just remove the intro movie file.

SeongGino said:
D2 seems to have music disabled by default, which is odd?

Could you nevertheless enable it in the audio options?

Impossible_Igntiz · Dec 20, 2020

SeongGino said:
Could do with a movie skip of some sort. Having to do stick spinning to skip through D1's opener cutscenes isn't great, and the intro for D2 is over two minutes long.

Otherwise, no complaints here - runs great. D2 seems to have music disabled by default, which is odd?

You have to enable it by going to options, Sound & Music, and then under Music Type:

Press X on Bulit-In/Addon Music option and you should now start hearing music playing on the main menu and during gameplay.

Btw, @dimag0g i agree with SeongGino that there should be a Intro movie skip button option on the next update soon, It personally doesn't bother me much and i don't mind waiting till you can figure it out, thank you very much for this beautiful port once again!

NDSAK2 · Dec 21, 2020

Thank you so much for the amazing port! Descent brings back so many childhood LAN party memories. Everything runs amazing, but is there a way to change the view? I see it is set to F3, I tried a USB keyboard, no go. Anything I can add to a config file somewhere?

EDIT: Got it sorted. Made a save game on the PC with the HUD at minimal settings, transferred the player.* files to the switch folder and it worked. I had to rebind the controls though. That cockpit covers too much screen, and it still runs @ 60 fps with it gone. Thanks again for this, Best Christmas Ever! I got Descent again!

dimag0g · Dec 21, 2020

DSwizzy said:
You have to enable it by going to options, Sound & Music

OK, this means it's not a bug, I simply forgot to enable it.

NDSAK2 said:
Made a save game on the PC with the HUD at minimal settings, transferred the player.* files to the switch folder and it worked

I did a test and found that this is set inside player.plx file:

[cockpit]
mode=0/2/3

0 is full cockpit, 2 is HUD bar, 3 is tiny text in corners.

I think I'll just make separate cockpit/hudbar/maxview profiles for people to select from when they start the game. There's simply not enough joy-con buttons to bind every game function to one.

NDSAK2 · Dec 21, 2020

dimag0g said:
OK, this means it's not a bug, I simply forgot to enable it.

I did a test and found that this is set inside player.plx file:

[cockpit]
mode=0/2/3

0 is full cockpit, 2 is HUD bar, 3 is tiny text in corners.

I think I'll just make separate cockpit/hudbar/maxview profiles for people to select from when they start the game. There's simply not enough joy-con buttons to bind every game function to one.

Could it just be added under Options>Graphics?

Also netplay doesn't seem to work as of yet, any plans for the future? Some multiplayer Descent on Switch would be amazing!

dimag0g · Dec 21, 2020

Netplay and gyro aim are in my plans, yes, it's just not something I could deliver immediately (or even promise at all). I'll consider adding a new option (under HUD config perhaps), but for now I'll just give people three preconfigured profiles.

Edit: done. Music enabled in options for D2, and 3 profiles created for both games.

Purple_Shyguy · Dec 21, 2020

Gyro would be unreal!

Someone added gyro to the Quakespasm switch port if that code would help you at all.

NDSAK2 · Dec 21, 2020

dimag0g said:
Netplay and gyro aim are in my plans, yes, it's just not something I could deliver immediately (or even promise at all). I'll consider adding a new option (under HUD config perhaps), but for now I'll just give people three preconfigured profiles.

Edit: done. Music enabled in options for D2, and 3 profiles created for both games.

Thanks for the quick fixes. If you get netplay and gyro working this will be the best homebrew port on switch. I have loaded a bunch of 3rd party missions in d2x and all seem to be running OK.

Edit: Go get Descent II: First Strike, a D2-ified version of the original game. Adds in the guide bot, new enemies, force-fields.

Purple_Shyguy · Jul 4, 2021

This game is hard AF. Having to beat 27+ levels with 4 lives is like, impossible.

Is there any way to get entering text working so you can enable cheats/level select or enter the level number at a new game?

Plugging in a keyboard does nothing.

dimag0g · Jul 4, 2021

Purple_Shyguy said:
This game is hard AF. Having to beat 27+ levels with 4 lives is like, impossible.

Try collecting bonus lives (green orbs with a ship inside). Many of those are hidden in secret locations, starting with level 5.
Also killing many robots in a row gives you bonus score points, and rescuing all hostages in a level gives you a full rescue bonus. You'll get an extra life awarded every 100'000 point.

BTW, I have beaten the game without losing a single life except for boss fights, and I'm a lousy player. I saved the game a lot though, and loaded back after harsh encounters where I have lost more shields than expected.

Purple_Shyguy said:
Is there any way to get entering text working so you can enable cheats/level select or enter the level number at a new game? Plugging in a keyboard does nothing.

Not ATM. Keyboard support is possible in principle, but currently disabled due to the incompatibility between SDL2 and old OpenGL on the Switch, which I solved by disabling parts of SDL and switching to EGL (alas, this also disables input though SDL). Knowledgeable people are welcome to contribute: https://devkitpro.org/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=9152

Also note that you can't enter a level number if you haven't beaten the previous level before.

There are loads of profile / save editors for this game, and I bet you can cheat using Edizon as well.

Homebrew RELEASE dxx-rebirth - Descent 1 and 2

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