rec.autos.simulators

When I first tried the D3D update on my V3 I found the performance terrible,
and I noticed lots of other people reported the same performance.  I've just
tried it again, and spent a bit more time checking I got the settings right
in the core.ini file and now I get performance only 10% slower than using
glide (3dfx).
The settings i've got in my core.ini are-

[ Int Profile Values ]
value3 = Direct3D7:D3DDevice:0
value4 = Direct3D7:TossHighestMip:0
value5 = Direct3D7:TrilinearFiltering:0
value6 = Direct3D7:DoubleMirrorResWidth:0
value7 = Direct3D7:DoubleMirrorResHeight:0
value8 = Direct3D7:DirectMirrorRendering:0
value9 = Direct3D7:DisableZBuffer:0

[ Direct3D7 ]
D3DDevice = 0
TossHighestMip = 0
TrilinearFiltering = 1
DoubleMirrorResWidth = 0
DoubleMirrorResHeight = 0
DirectMirrorRendering = 1
DisableZBuffer = 0

and I'm using the latest 1.05 drivers.

Also, kind of on the same subject, although the z-buffer gives a performance
boost, it's the z-buffer that is causing all the graphical glitches people
are seeing, like fences dissapearing behind things, and hedges only half
visible.
I don't know if these glitches occur on GeForce/GeForce2/TNT cards, because
they might have more accurate z-buffers than my V3, but if your system can
handle the speed decrease (less than 10%) and you want to get rid of the
glitches then try switching off the z-buffer.
It's just a pitty the LOD bias setting in the new V3 drivers don't seem to
effect GPL running under D3D, because the game now looks over-filtered,
probably because the mip-mapping distances are wrong, which the LOD should
be able to correct.
(btw I'm only experimenting because I'm planning to get a GeForce 2, V3
users should still use glide, since it looks better and runs faster.)

I have an Athlon 800, GeForce 256 DDR.  I had been using the
OpenGL patch and wasn't very impressed.

I installed the D3D patch and this is a TOTALLY different game!

I am using all the defaults installed on a stock 1.2 game
version (except the FF lines in Core.INI) and I see 37fps, which
seems to be where this sim taps out.

The D3D patch, with FF, has finally made GPL a sim I enjoy
driving.  No more flying off the course every other turn because
I'm 10 steps behind the car.

-Larry

performance terrible,
performance.  I've just

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