As i try to update or make first ati2drab cif working driver, already works at cif, just want to make it better at d3d in the moment and bit newer drivers have these features under OpenGL if i enable the menu. Enable KTX buffer region extension, this is new to me, does it really support it?
You should read WGL_ARB_buffer_region at the extension registry. This extension has a real spec and is ARB approved. It is intended to legitimize the old KTX extension.
Essentially, it allows the application to do a “save this region” and “restore this region” of a depth or color buffer (stencil, too, I think) in a very optimized way. You could do the same thing with readpixels/drawpixels, but that’s pretty much the worst case for performance.
https://registry.khronos.org/OpenGL/extension … ffer_region.txt
If i google something the AI pops up first, AI can be mixing info and show totally wrong information, copied this next stuff from it.
The WGL_ARB_buffer_region extension is an older OpenGL extension from the late 1990s used for optimizing specific rendering tasks, and there are no modern games known to rely on it as a core requirement for functionality or compatibility. Instead of games directly "supporting" the extension, support was dependent on the graphics card drivers and hardware of the era (around the early 2000s). The function of this extension has long been superseded by more advanced and efficient methods within modern OpenGL and DirectX APIs.
In the context of Windows 98
the WGL_ARB_buffer_region extension (introduced late 1999) was a professional-grade tool designed for efficient window management and rapid screen updates. While standard in the CAD industry, its use in consumer games was rare because it was a Windows-specific OpenGL extension, whereas most games of that era aimed for cross-platform compatibility (Mac/Linux/Windows) or used the more common DirectX.
The following Windows 98-era software and games are associated with or benefit from this extension: Specifically Supported Games & Software
The Settlers Series (IV & Heritage of Kings)
Older strategy titles used the extension to handle background scrolling and UI overlays. It allowed the game to "save" a rendered landscape and quickly "restore" it.
Kronos
(Sega Saturn Emulator): While modern, this emulator specifically targets legacy rendering behaviors seen in Windows 98. It has been documented to interact with WGL_ARB_buffer_region for specific 2D layer handling in games like Shienryu (Japan) to mimic original hardware layer-saving.
Legacy CAD & Modeling Software: Professional tools widely used on Windows 98, such as 3ds Max (early versions) and AutoCAD, utilized this extension to keep 3D viewports responsive while dragging 2D menus over them without forcing a full 3D redraw.
General Impact on Win98 OpenGL Games
Most high-profile OpenGL games on Windows 98 did not require this specific extension but could benefit if the video card driver (e.g., NVIDIA's early Detonator drivers) used it internally to optimize windowed-mode performance. These include:
Quake II and Quake III Arena
Known for defining the OpenGL standard on Win98. They did not explicitly require WGL_ARB_buffer_region but often had driver-level optimizations that utilized buffer regions for UI overlays.
Half-Life
(OpenGL Mode): Like the Quake engine titles, it relied on a standard set of extensions; WGL_ARB_buffer_region was often used by the OS and drivers to speed up task-switching and window-dragging while the game was running.
4x4 Evo & 4x4 Evo 2
These early 2000s titles used a variety of niche OpenGL extensions to achieve better performance on low-end hardware of the time.
Best ATi Rage3 drivers for 3DCIF / Direct3D / OpenGL / DVD : ATi RagePro drivers and software
30+MiniGL / OpenGL Win 9x dll files for all ATi Rage3 cards : Re: ATi RagePro OpenGL files
