rec.autos.simulators

by **thomas180..** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo card?

Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

I now have
Compaq Presario 5676
PII 450 mHz
256 Mb PC100 Ram
10 Gb Harddrive
3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

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Before you buy.

by **bph..** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

You should be getting the max fps with one voodoo2 if it is a 12mb
card. Papy have said sli wont help their sims and may slow them a bit.

> Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo card?

> Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

> I now have
> Compaq Presario 5676
> PII 450 mHz
> 256 Mb PC100 Ram
> 10 Gb Harddrive
> 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

by **thomas180..** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

In offline races with 19 AI competitors I can feel how crowded the area
around me is by the drop in fps.

In the start it drops to something like 12-15 fps - I want 36 all the
way

Thomas

> You should be getting the max fps with one voodoo2 if it is a 12mb
> card. Papy have said sli wont help their sims and may slow them a
bit.

> > Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo card?

> > Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

> > I now have
> > Compaq Presario 5676
> > PII 450 mHz
> > 256 Mb PC100 Ram
> > 10 Gb Harddrive
> > 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

> > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > Before you buy.

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

by **Ivan** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

Unfortunately, you cannot run V3's in SLI, it ONLY works with V2's. Your
V3 3000 is a little faster than V2 sli anyway. You might want to
download a V3 overclocker (from 3Dfiles.com) You should get a few more

Good luck

Ivan

> > You should be getting the max fps with one voodoo2 if it is a 12mb
> > card. Papy have said sli wont help their sims and may slow them a
> bit.

> > > Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo
card?

> > > Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

> > > I now have
> > > Compaq Presario 5676
> > > PII 450 mHz
> > > 256 Mb PC100 Ram
> > > 10 Gb Harddrive
> > > 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

> > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > Before you buy.

> > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > Before you buy.

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

by **thomas180..** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

How much do you think I can overclock it to?

And what about overclocking the PII 450 mhz?

Thanks for the tip

Thomas

> Unfortunately, you cannot run V3's in SLI, it ONLY works with V2's.
Your
> V3 3000 is a little faster than V2 sli anyway. You might want to
> download a V3 overclocker (from 3Dfiles.com) You should get a few more

and

> Good luck

> Ivan

> > > You should be getting the max fps with one voodoo2 if it is a 12mb
> > > card. Papy have said sli wont help their sims and may slow them a
> > bit.

> > > > Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo
> card?

> > > > Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

> > > > I now have
> > > > Compaq Presario 5676
> > > > PII 450 mHz
> > > > 256 Mb PC100 Ram
> > > > 10 Gb Harddrive
> > > > 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

> > > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > > Before you buy.

> > > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > > Before you buy.

> > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> > Before you buy.

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.

by **Neo** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

>Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo card?

>Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

>I now have
>Compaq Presario 5676
>PII 450 mHz
>256 Mb PC100 Ram
>10 Gb Harddrive
>3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

Not with the Voodoo 3 you can't. The Voodoo 2 was the only 3Dfx card
with SLI capability.

The Voodoo 4, 5 and 6 should all include this feature however.

Which games are you having frame rate trouble with? With your setup
you should be having excellent performance, perhaps with only slight
drop in frame rate when a lot is happening on screen.

The Pentium II 450MHz is still a very decent processor. Don't get
caught up in all the hype of the K7's and P3's and think that you're
system is slow. It's not.

256MB of RAM certainly won't need upgrading for ages yet.

And a Voodoo 3 is an excellent 3D accelerator, which won't need
upgrading for some time yet too.

But of course, if you really are interested in nothing but the highest
resolutions and best possible frame rates, I'd be happy to recommend
some upgrades you could make. Let me know.

Neo

by **Gaul** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

What fps are you getting now and at what detail? Just in case you don't
know, fps is maxed at around 36 in GPL so if you're looking for frame rates
of 50 or something it won't happen. I have 36 on my P2-400 with a V3 3000
everywhere except for starts in large fields at high detail.

by **Michael Barlo** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

> Is it possible to get better fps by installing a second voodoo card?

> Or do I have to save the money and get a faster CPU?

> I now have
> Compaq Presario 5676
> PII 450 mHz
> 256 Mb PC100 Ram
> 10 Gb Harddrive
> 3dfx Voodoo 3 3000 AGP card

> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
> Before you buy.

I've heard that by using a second VDx card, all you can achieve is a
better res. There are no frame rate differences. I have a single VD2
and can run at 800x600, It would be an awesome site to see everything in
1200x1600 :)

Having only one card doesn't make me any kind of authority on the
subject, so don't take my word on it.

by **Charli** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

Hello Michael,

It would be a waste of money in my opinion to buy a Voodoo2 card with
the Voodoo3 in your machine now. You already have plenty of memory and a decent
Harddrive so I would recommend going to a PIII, you may have to upgrade your
Bios first but that is easily done. I would then wait for the next generation
3dfx/nVIDIA cards to come out (should be in the next few months) or buy a
GEForce 256 now. I hope this helps but try and remember this is just my opinion
and what I would do in your situation.

Good luck.

by **Michael Barlo** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

> Unfortunately, you cannot run V3's in SLI, it ONLY works with V2's. Your
> V3 3000 is a little faster than V2 sli anyway. You might want to
> download a V3 overclocker (from 3Dfiles.com) You should get a few more

only having a single VD2 and the most recent drivers for this card, I
wonder if a VD3 driver would work? Is there anyone out there with
experience in this?

by **Greg Campbel** » Thu, 17 Feb 2000 04:00:00

> In offline races with 19 AI competitors I can feel how crowded the area
> around me is by the drop in fps.

> In the start it drops to something like 12-15 fps - I want 36 all the
> way

> Thomas

This is almost entirely CPU dependant. A while back, I borrowed a 2nd V2 to
run GPL in SLI. There was no
noticeable diference. I've since purchased a V3 - same story. I get higher
resolution, but the V3's higher fill rates don't
do much for GPL.

- Greg

--

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Anti-spam tactics engaged!
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by **Ivan** » Fri, 18 Feb 2000 04:00:00

> > Unfortunately, you cannot run V3's in SLI, it ONLY works with V2's.
Your
> > V3 3000 is a little faster than V2 sli anyway. You might want to
> > download a V3 overclocker (from 3Dfiles.com) You should get a few
more

and

> only having a single VD2 and the most recent drivers for this
card, I
> wonder if a VD3 driver would work? Is there anyone out there with
> experience in this?

I would think not. I wouldn't suggest even trying it. It's a hardware
limitation, not a driver limitation. (of course the V2 drivers could
probably be improved)

Ivan

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by **Ivan** » Fri, 18 Feb 2000 04:00:00

> How much do you think I can overclock it to?

> And what about overclocking the PII 450 mhz?

> Thanks for the tip

> Thomas

Your V3 default speed is 166mhz. You can try overclocking in 2-3mhz
increments. Some V3 3000's have gone to 180 and beyond, but some cannot
break 170. Every V3 is different. You will usually see "visual
artifacts" before you damage your V3 or lock up your system (in which
case just restart your computer and lower the speed). A fan blowing over
the V3 heatsink will usually help you get the maximun results.

Your P2 450 on the other hand could be very difficult to overclock
because of the "compaq" motherboard. Unless Compaq tells you which
jumpers to change (and they probably wont) your out of luck. Even
upgrading your processor could prove difficult.

Like someone else said though, don't worry about that, the P2 450 is no
slouch. Make sure you have all unnecesary background programs are shut
down when your playing. This can make a huge difference (although with
256meg it may not). Type "msconfig" in the run menu and look for
"startup items" You can uncheck most of those programs (especially the
antivirus programs) except for systray and explorer.

Good luck!

Ivan

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by **Doug Bishop Jackson Mi** » Sat, 19 Feb 2000 04:00:00

>Subject: Re: double voodoo????

>Date: 02/17/2000 11:05 AM Eastern Standard Time

>> How much do you think I can overclock it to?

>> And what about overclocking the PII 450 mhz?

>> Thanks for the tip

>> Thomas

>Your V3 default speed is 166mhz. You can try overclocking in 2-3mhz
>increments. Some V3 3000's have gone to 180 and beyond, but some cannot
>break 170. Every V3 is different. You will usually see "visual
>artifacts" before you damage your V3 or lock up your system (in which
>case just restart your computer and lower the speed). A fan blowing over
>the V3 heatsink will usually help you get the maximun results.

>Your P2 450 on the other hand could be very difficult to overclock
>because of the "compaq" motherboard. Unless Compaq tells you which
>jumpers to change (and they probably wont) your out of luck. Even
>upgrading your processor could prove difficult.

>Like someone else said though, don't worry about that, the P2 450 is no
>slouch. Make sure you have all unnecesary background programs are shut
>down when your playing. This can make a huge difference (although with
>256meg it may not). Type "msconfig" in the run menu and look for
>"startup items" You can uncheck most of those programs (especially the
>antivirus programs) except for systray and explorer.

>Good luck!

>Ivan

>Sent via Deja.com http://www.racesimcentral.net/
>Before you buy.

Rather than going through the "msconfig" thing which works nicely too, I prefer
to just do "alt-ctrl-del" then end task on the unwanted items. this way
anything you want in your normal startup (for those silly enough to use their
computers for nonsense like non-game programs too) will still be there every
time you boot up.

either way stuff like antivirus can reduce your performance......

(Don't use NO***in E-mail)

You think in the storm we've found the eye of the calm.....Bill Mallonnee,
Vigilantes Of Love