Wrappers

A wrapper is a reimplementation of a library, where the goal is to substitute the original API with a better-supported interface. It works as a drop-in replacement for the original library, since a lot of software usually bundled it as-is without any fine-tuning. Wrappers are most common for proprietary interfaces that are either abandoned or otherwise platform-specific.

See Emulation Accuracy page for more information about terms like "hypervisors", "simulators", "compatibility layers", "wrappers", "FPGA-based hardware cloning" and "software emulators".

'90s APIs

(Glide, DirectDraw 1-7, Direct3D 2-7, OpenGL 1.x)

During the 90s, many IBM-Compatible PC game developers chose to use 3Dfx's Glide API for their Voodoo graphics cards. These developers didn't anticipate that 3Dfx would run out of money trying to compete with NVIDIA's offering, and in 2000 NVIDIA bought them for their IP assets (presumably to improve their own cards). Despite the API getting an open source release in 2003, neither NVIDIA or ATI adopted support for Glide in their own drivers, meaning a wrapper is now needed to play these games with hardware acceleration. Or, if we're lucky, the game gets ported or reimplemented to use other APIs instead.

Even games using older versions of DirectDraw or Direct3D can benefit from wrappers, since those interfaces may not even work properly on newer systems. Wrappers can even enable various overrides and enhancements, such as ReShade.

Name		OS	Latest Version	Translates	Into	Compatibility	FOSS	Active	Recommended
Graphics	dgVoodoo2		2.83.2	Glide 2.11-3.10 DirectDraw 1-7 Direct3D 2-7	Direct3D 11, 12	?	✗	✓	✓
	WineD3D		9.0 (Linux, macOS) 9.19 (Windows)	DirectDraw 1-7 Direct3D 2-7	Vulkan OpenGL	?	✓	✓	✓
	DxWnd		2.06.05	DirectDraw 1-7 Direct3D 2-7	no API conversion		✓	✓	✓
	nGlide		2.10	Glide	Vulkan Direct3D 9		✗	✗	✓
	DxWrapper		v1.1.6900.22	DirectDraw 1-7 Direct3D 2-7	Direct3D 9 Direct3D 7 (for Direct3D 2-6) DirectDraw 7 (for DirectDraw 1-6)	?	✓	✓	~
	DDrawCompat		0.5.4	DirectDraw 1-7 Direct3D 2-7 GDI (Partially)	no API conversion		✓	✓	~
	cnc-ddraw		6.6	DirectDraw 1-7	GDI OpenGL Direct3D 9		✓	✓	~
	DXGL		0.5.23	DirectDraw 1-7	OpenGL		✓	✓	~
	Glidos		1.59	Glide (DOS)	?		✓	✓	✗
	dgVoodoo		v1.50b2	Glide 2.11-2.45	Direct3D 7, 9		✗	✗	✗
	OpenGlide		0.09 Alpha	Glide	OpenGL		✓	✗	✗
	psVoodoo		0.17	Glide	Direct3D 9		✓	✗	✗
	glrage		r10	ATI3DCIF DirectDraw 2	OpenGL 3.3		✓	✗	✓
	RReady (Rendition Verite wrapper)		RReady Rendition Verité	RRedline	OpenGL		✗	✓	✓
Input	XOutput		3.32	DirectInput	XInput		✓	✓	✓
	DxWrapper		v1.1.6900.22	DirectInput 1-7	DirectInput 8		✓	✓	~
Sound	DSOAL		git	DirectSound	OpenAL		✓	✓	TBD

Comparisons

nGlide

Currently the best Glide wrapper, supporting all three public versions (2.11, 2.60 and 3.10) but it's closed-source. It originally only used Direct3D 9 until Vulkan output was added in 2.0, allowing it to work under Linux using Wine 2.10.0 and newer. nGlide also supports high resolution modes. See the compatibility list.

dgVoodoo2

Supports Glide 2.11, 2.45, 3.10, 3.1 Napalm, all versions of DirectDraw, and Direct3D up to version 7. Outputs Direct3D 11 and Direct3D 12 with different device types as wrapping output, such as hardware or software rendering.

WineD3D

Wine's internal wrapper. Wraps DirectDraw and Direct3D up to 7 into Vulkan and OpenGL. It works pretty well for running older Direct3D games, though it does not come with a Glide implementation of its own. A custom build is available for Windows here.

DXGL

Reimplements DirectDraw using OpenGL. It is considered alpha software despite many applications working.

glrage

Reimplements ATI3DCIF, an API from ATI used in a handful of games, and DirectDraw 2 over OpenGL. Originally designed specifically for Tomb Raider 1/UB patched with ATIRage patch, currently also supports Assault Rigs and Wipeout. Additionally, it applies some improvements, fixes and QoL changes to the games.

2000s and later APIs

(Direct3D 8 and higher, OpenGL 2.x and higher, Vulkan)

Modern Windows games will likely need one of these wrappers to work on other platforms. Usually these are not separate downloads, and will come packaged into compatibility layers like Proton, Wine, or CrossOver.

Name	OS	Latest Version	Translates	Into	FOSS	Active	Recommended
dgVoodoo2		2.8.2	Direct3D 8-9	Direct3D 11, 12	✗	✓	✓
DXVK		2.3.1	Direct3D 8-11	Vulkan	✓	✓	✓
WineD3D		9.0 (Linux, macOS) 9.19 (Windows)	Direct3D 8-11	Vulkan OpenGL	✓	✓	✓
VKD3D-Proton		2.12	Direct3D 12	Vulkan	✓	✓	✓
vkd3d		1.13	Direct3D 12	Vulkan	✓	✓	✗
d3d8to9		1.12.0	Direct3D 8	Direct3D 9	✓	✓	✓
Mesa3D for Windows + MesaInjector		20.1.8 lightningterror's builds vogonsdrivers builds	OpenGL	Software	✓	✓	✓
grvk		0.5.0	Mantle	Vulkan 1.2	✓	✓	✓
MoltenVK		1.3.268	Vulkan	Metal	✓	✓	✓
D8VK		1.0	Direct3D 8	Vulkan	✓	✗	~
Gallium Nine		v0.9 (WIP)	Direct3D 9	Gallium	✓	✓	~
Zink		git	OpenGL 2.1-4.6	Vulkan	✓	✓	TBD
D3D9On12		git	Direct3D 9	Direct3D 12	✓	✓	~
D3D11On12		git	Direct3D 11	Direct3D 12	✓	✓	~
3Dmigoto		1.3.16	Direct3D 11 (Stereo3D)	no API conversion	✓	✓	~
VorpX ($)		v21.3.2	Direct3D 11 (Stereo3D)	no API conversion	✗	✓	~
GLon12			OpenGL	Direct3D 12	✓	✓	TBD
ToGL			Direct3D 9.0c	OpenGL	✓	✗	✗

Comparisons

dgVoodoo2

Supports Direct3D 8-9. Outputs Direct3D 11 and Direct3D 12 with different device types as wrapping output, such as hardware or software rendering.

DXVK

It was originally designed to accelerate support for Direct3D 11 games running under Wine since a native implementation seemed unlikely. Today it is bundled with Proton. D9VK was later merged to add Direct3D 9 support, and D8VK was also merged to add Direct3D 8 support.

WineD3D

Wine's internal wrapper. Wraps Direct3D 8-11 into Vulkan and OpenGL. For newer APIs it has more bugs than DXVK. A custom build is available for Windows here.

VKD3D-Proton

A fork of VKD3D funded by Valve, which is more developed and has experimental support for DXR via VK_KHR_ray_tracing. Requires DXVK's dxgi.dll file to work on Windows.

vkd3d

Wine's work-in-progress Direct3D 12 to Vulkan wrapper.

d3d8to9

Not as versatile as dgVoodoo2, however it's the only wrapper that can wrap Direct3D 8 into 9. Its main advantage is Windows XP support, which dgVoodoo2 lacks. It's specifically useful for Windows XP running in VMware, since VMware's Direct3D 8 acceleration has graphical and/or performance issues.

MoltenVK

Developed by the Brenwill Workshop under the Khronos Group, it re-implements Vulkan for Metal. Emulators like Dolphin and DuckStation use MoltenVK instead of a native Metal renderer to support Apple devices.

Gallium Nine

An implementation of the Direct3D 9 library on top of the Gallium driver for Linux. By using calls native to Linux, applications running under Wine run "at near-native speeds" according to the maintainers. The caveat is that it only works on Mesa, not NVIDIA's proprietary driver.

Zink

A "just-in-case" implementation of OpenGL on top of Vulkan first introduced in 2018 by Collabora for the Mesa driver.

See also

• Compatibility layers - Allows software written for one platform to run on another.

External links

• VOGONS: The Wrapper Collection Project
• PCGamingWiki: Display wrapper

• State of Direct3D 9-12 translation layers by DXVK author YoRHa-2B (2019-04-02)
• Levan's Wrapper Benchmarks