For certain configs, this has added 50-100% performance improvement.
>Here is my setup: P166MMX, 32MB EDO, Canopus Pure 3D(6mb 3DFX), Intergraph
>Intense 3D(Rendition Verite), Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16. I am running
>the Tweak program to make sure the 3DFX card takes control in Direct X
>games. I currently seem to have a major frame rate problem. The best I can
>get using 3D Hardware Acceleration with Auto Full Screen, no dashboard, and
>all other detail settings turned off, is 20 frames per second with no cars
>on the tracks. In some corners, start/finish line and in traffic, the frame
>rate will sometimes even drop down to 10 or below. Now, I realize that my
>setup may be a little outdated(the CPR box does say P166 recommended), but
>I didn't buy a 6mb 3DFX card to turn off all detail settings. I know they
>are only arcade racers and probably do not require the advanced
>calculations of your physics model, but POD(Glide), Need for Speed II
>SE(Glide), MotoRacer(Direct X), and International Rally Championship(Direct
>X) all run extremely fast on my machine with ALL the detail settings turned
>on. The other problem I have is just a flat out pause or stop in the game.
>Again, I do not experience this in any other games I play. Anyway, let me
>answer to your suggestions for getting the frame rate faster:
>> 1) Always run full screen (F4) to ensure you are getting 3dfx
>improvements
>Check
>> 2) Ensure 3dfx is your default card (try the "3dfx Control Panel" at
>> http://www.voodooextreme.com/download.html)
>Check
>> 3) Make sure "poll interrupts" is DISABLED in your W95 controller dialog
>> (50% frame rate hit)
>Where exactly is this? I have been unable to locate this setting. Please
>let me know exactly where to go to check this setting. Could this be
>causing my frequent pauses in game play?
>> 4) Keep visibility < 24 using control F and control H
>Check
>> 5) Make sure your sound card is DirectSound compatible (TEST: Do you get
>a
>> significant speed up when you disable the sound?)
>Check
>> If any of these help your system, please post a REPLY to this thread
>giving
>> details.
>Besides #3, all of your suggestions were already set on my system, and I
>still have what I would consider a very poor frame rate for what is
>supposedly a 3D accelerated game. My PC setup is almost exactly the same
>configuration as the 2nd
>to last computer displayed on the Hardware/Benchmarks page located at THE
>APEX(http://www.quiknet.com/~joja/benchmarks.htm). If I am reading the page
>correctly, with 640X480(the only possible 3DFX hardware mode) and all
>details turned on except map overlay, and PIP, the frame rate with no cars
>and stopped on the backstretch is 13.5?? With the map overlay 11.5, and
>with PIP 9.0? I have tested this on my machine and it does match pretty
>close to what this benchmarking page says. The P166 system on the
>benchmarking page does not have a Rendition card listed, so I do not think
>that is what is causing the low frame rates at least in this specific case.
>So, in other words, I discovered
>my system is apparently running correctly. However, 13.5 fps with all
>details on, no cars, and stopped on the track is supposed to be acceptable
>for a racing sim?!? Especially a racing sim running on a P166MMX with a 6mb
>3DFX card? The web master for THE APEX(http://www.quiknet.com/~joja/),
>John, has posted in r.a.s that his system is a P133/Diamond Monster 3D,
>and that his frame rate is "just fine". Again as quoted from THE APEX
>benchmark page, the P133/Diamond Monster 3D setup shows frame rates of 9.4,
>8.4, and 6.4. Is this really "just fine", or am I missing something. I have
>e-mailed THE APEX about this, and requested what graphical detail settings
>they are running to achieve "just fine" frame rates. John has been very
>helpful and responded that his setup to achieve "just fine" frame rates on
>a P133 is 640X480, 3D Acceleration, Smoothing, Auto Full Screen, Dashboard
>On, and everything else off. When I run this on my P166, I still do not get
>above 20fps consistently. To consistently achieve over 20fps I have had to
>also turn off the dashboard which, of course, also removes the mirrors.
>This is not very "sim" like. Even though this gives me a more playable
>frame rate, the game will still chop and freeze at different points on a
>track. Should I be having to turn off so much detail to get a semi-playable
>frame rate with a 3DFX card?
>Anyway, please keep working on this problem. I really had high hopes for
>this game, and some aspects like the multiplayer and racing school are very
>good. However, without a fast, smooth frame rate using 3D enhanced
>graphics, I will continue to play the Rendition version of Indycar 2 which
>currently runs on my machine with full detail and a full field of cars at
>25-30 frames per second.
>Don Chapman
>P.S. Thanks for your continued response and feedback in r.a.s. It has been
>a while since a game development team has done this. It takes a thick skin,
>and so far you guys seem to be addressing the issues and taking most of the
>negative posts without getting too discouraged or defensive.
>.
