rec.autos.simulators

Hi

I've got a P100 with 16MB RAM and a Diamond Stealth 1MB graphics card.
Running GP2 in SVGA mode with medium detail and texture off on grass,
I can't remember the rest of the settings, seems to really kill my
computer, sometimes the processor occupancy goes to 150%, and I'm only
running at about 12 fps.  Is this what most other people get with a 100MHz
machine.

Now, I'm considering upgrading my machine in the hope that I can get
better performance.  Does a P200 offer much advantage over a P166,
a P166 would be much cheaper because I wouldn't have to change the motherboard,
or is there an even cheaper way I can get a performance boost.  I can easily
upgrade the memory although I presume this will have no effect, as I presume
would putting 2MB on the graphics card?

Anybody any other suggestions?

David

--

URL:    http://www.racesimcentral.net/~dcs1dan/   University of Durham,
Tel:    +44 (0)191 374 2573              Science Labs, South Road,
Fax:    +44 (0)191 374 2560              Durham, DH1 3LE, UK

: I've got a P100 with 16MB RAM and a Diamond Stealth 1MB graphics card.
: Running GP2 in SVGA mode with medium detail and texture off on grass,
: I can't remember the rest of the settings, seems to really kill my
: computer, sometimes the processor occupancy goes to 150%, and I'm only
: running at about 12 fps.  Is this what most other people get with a 100MHz
: machine.

When I had a P90, I only had smoke on with just the cars in the mirror.
Ran at 1 bar detail.  This let me run somewhere around 14-16 fps keeping
processor occupancy under 100% (most of the time).

: Now, I'm considering upgrading my machine in the hope that I can get
: better performance.  Does a P200 offer much advantage over a P166,
: a P166 would be much cheaper because I wouldn't have to change the motherboard,
: or is there an even cheaper way I can get a performance boost.  I can easily
: upgrade the memory although I presume this will have no effect, as I presume
: would putting 2MB on the graphics card?

GP2 requires CPU horsepower in combination of bus speed.  There appears
to be little improvement of the P200 over P166.  Especially when you
factor in the cost of the chip alone.  If one wants to go P200 just as
well go for the Pro as it is cheaper than the P5-200.  I am happy with
my upgrade to a P166.  However, I did have to upgrade my motherboard.

The really only peformance upgrade for GP2 seems to be
CPU/motherboard/faster memory.  Video card upgrades do not seem to be
cost-effective.  Unless you are upgrading from ISA or VLB to PCI.

--
**************************** Michael E. Carver *************************
     Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./.  [-  < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I'm running a P100 with 16MB, and i use 25.6 fps at a cpu occupancy of
around 100%
in SVGA mode. Low detail, everything turned off except Fences.

If you take a look at my site you'll see hundreds of pc configurations with
setups,
cpu occupancy, and lap times. I think this will help you.

It's at: http://www.worldonline.nl/~flucas/index.html

I don't know. No one has sent me a laptime for a P200.

It won't help.

Greetz,
Frits

You are correct, all Stealth 64s have a version of the S3 chip on them,
including the new Stealth 3D.

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Southend, Essex. UK
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I have a non Stealth card running the Virge with 2mb EDO ram, and
while many have commented that the Virge is not much good and not
widely supported, Descent II has a patch available for it currently
and is wild.  Also, the Virge IS direct3D supported, which means
as games become more and more '95 based, it will be used by the
games indirectly.

The standards battle for 3D cards is somewhat moot with the advent
of DirectX and Direct3D.  Sure most games are still DOS based, but
this WILL change.  For example, ID are writing 3D accel. versions
of Quake...one for the Rendition3D and another for all others, based
on...yep you guessed it - Direct3D.

Different software developers will choose different 3D cards, and
then will write DirectX versions of the same.  The fastest doesn't
mean the most supported either, since selling involves attracting
the biggest market - expensive cards mean less owners.

It really becomes a choice of how much you are willing to spend on
a card for what speed.  Same argument with video cards as has been
going for years.

Jet