stride3d/stride · error · InvalidOperationException

Cannot generate more than 65535 indices on feature level HW…

Error message

Cannot generate more than 65535 indices on feature level HW <= 9.3

What it means

When a geometric primitive needs 32-bit indices (more than 65535 vertices/indices) the underlying feature level must support them. On GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3 or lower hardware, 32-bit index buffers are unavailable, so constructing such a primitive throws. This protects against creating index buffers the GPU cannot consume.

Solutions

  1. Reduce primitive tessellation (fewer segments/subdivisions) so index count stays at or below 65535.
  2. Require a higher GraphicsProfile: request Level_10_0 or above when creating the GraphicsDevice.
  3. Check graphicsDevice.Features.CurrentProfile at startup and fall back to lower-detail meshes on Level_9_3 devices.
  4. Split the mesh into multiple primitives each under 65535 indices.

Example fix

// before
var sphere = new GeometricPrimitive(GraphicsDevice, SphereProceduralModel.Default { Tessellation = 256 });
// after
var tessellation = GraphicsDevice.Features.CurrentProfile <= GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3 ? 32 : 128;
var sphere = new GeometricPrimitive(GraphicsDevice, SphereProceduralModel.Default { Tessellation = tessellation });
Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

if (indices.Length > 65535 &&
    graphicsDevice.Features.CurrentProfile <= GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3)
    throw new NotSupportedException("32-bit indices unsupported at this profile");

Type guard

bool Supports32BitIndices(GraphicsDevice d) => d.Features.CurrentProfile > GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3;

Try / catch

try { return new GeometricPrimitive(device, model); }
catch (InvalidOperationException) { return BuildLowDetailPrimitive(device); }

Prevention

When it happens

Trigger: Creating a GeometricPrimitive (e.g. GeometricPrimitive.Sphere/Plane with high tessellation) whose index count exceeds 65535 while graphicsDevice.Features.CurrentProfile <= GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3.

Common situations: Targeting low-end hardware, old GPUs, or software renderers limited to DirectX feature level 9.x; requesting very high tessellation/segment counts on primitives; running on devices (e.g. old mobile GPUs) where the app fell back to Level_9_3.

Understand the failure class

Background: "unsupported platform" / "not supported on this platform" errors: what they mean and how to fix them — this error's family across 47 libraries.

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of stride3d/stride@96fad776d2 (2026-09-14). Data as JSON: /api/errors/3eca4e0065fe3186. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at sources/engine/Stride.Graphics/GeometricPrimitives/GeometricPrimitive.cs:96

            var indices = geometryMesh.Indices;

            if (geometryMesh.IsLeftHanded)
                ReverseWinding(vertices, indices);

            if (indices.Length < 0xFFFF)
            {
                var indicesShort = new ushort[indices.Length];
                for (int i = 0; i < indicesShort.Length; i++)
                {
                    indicesShort[i] = (ushort)indices[i];
                }
                IndexBuffer = Buffer.Index.New(graphicsDevice, indicesShort).RecreateWith(indicesShort).DisposeBy(this);
            }
            else
            {
                if (graphicsDevice.Features.CurrentProfile <= GraphicsProfile.Level_9_3)
                {
                    throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot generate more than 65535 indices on feature level HW <= 9.3");
                }

                IndexBuffer = Buffer.Index.New(graphicsDevice, indices).RecreateWith(indices).DisposeBy(this);
                IsIndex32Bits = true;
            }

            // For now it will keep buffers for recreation.
            // TODO: A better alternative would be to store recreation parameters so that we can reuse procedural code.
            VertexBuffer = Buffer.Vertex.New(graphicsDevice, vertices).RecreateWith(vertices).DisposeBy(this);
            VertexBufferBinding = new VertexBufferBinding(VertexBuffer, new T().GetLayout(), vertices.Length);

            PipelineState.State.SetDefaults();
            PipelineState.State.InputElements = VertexBufferBinding.Declaration.CreateInputElements();
            PipelineState.State.PrimitiveType = PrimitiveQuad.PrimitiveType;
        }

        /// <summary>
        /// Draws this <see cref="GeometricPrimitive" />.

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