rec.autos.simulators

single-chip = 60% PO
fastest-performance = 120% PO

which means the board clearly isn't running right with GP3 on my system.
Even if you get different readings I'd still like to hear about it.
Please post V5 owners, it might help get the drivers fixed. :)

The issue of single chip faster than "fastest performance" is a known issue by
3dfx, but it's suppose to be in D3D (GP3 use it) at high resolution.. that means
1280 x 1024 and up... and it's suppose to be fix since the last driver came up
from them
(July 27th is the last one). If you believe the problem still persist, I suggest
you to post thos issue in the http://www.3dfxgamers.com/ forum section for V5
support.
That's the best way to draw attention to them.

If your CPU is fast enough, use 2x fsaa at high resolution 1024 x 768 and up and
it
will run great.  On my system ( P3 800) the PO in practice mode is 40-50% and in

race at the start of the race is 80% at 25.7 fps with 1280 x 1024 2x fsaa ON.

Good luck

Eric

http://www.simracingmag.com

I've posted coutless messages on www.3dfxgamers.com's V5 board but the 3dfx
people on there refuse to admit there's a problem, although I don't think
they've had GP3 yet to test with.  I know GP3 runs fast with 2x FSAA, but
I'm trying to find out whether there is problem with the fastest-performance
setting.  Also the problem I get occurs at every resolution, not just the
higher ones.  Grand Prix Legends is also faster with single-chip than with
fastest-performance, and so is Nascar 3, both in Glide.

I just want confimation that other people get the same results I get in
single-chip and fastest-performance with GP3 so I can pursuade 3dfx to
submit this as a possible problem for them to test.

If you could just check this for me on your V5 it would be a big help. :)

Ive got an AMD Athlon 800mhz with the V5 with 256mb. I can only really
play the game smoothly at 640x480 and at times the PC crashes..

Im also depressed by the fact that the game only runs via Direct3d..
why not Glide...

3dfx has admitted that the existing drivers for the V5 are poor in
performance and that we will just have to wait for new ones... ugh...

Its not as if I have had much time to play it.. im suffering a serious
problem in the game in that the car ***ly spins out of control and
flips 100ft in the air.. sometimes this happens in the pitlane!!!

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

OK, I just tested it using Fraps to get a frame rate score. Used a
quick race so everything was the same each time. Yes, you are correct
there is a problem with the fastest performance setting. I never
noticed it before because I was always using the FSAA2X setting. The
single chip setting is about twice as fast as the fastest performance
setting. The 2X FSAA setting gives you the best performance with
visual quality though so that is what I recomend you use. I will send
an email to 3DFX telling them of my findings. The more people complain
the better chance of getting it fixed.
--
Nos

Eric

3DFX please take a look at this :)

I didn't bought a V5 5500 to play any games without FSAA, I prefer 4X as long as
the resolution is high enough but...

Since I saw so many post from people reporting "fastest performance" VS "single
chip" and people reporting single chip as the fastest of both, I decided to give
few test in 2 titles : Sierra/Papyrus GPL and Hasbro GP3, here's my "benchmark"
:

In GPL with Glide rasterizer at 1024 x 768 :

(same setting conducted in all test:
15 AI, full graphics in front and in mirrors and at the back of the grid at
start of a race at Monaco)

FASTEST PERFORMANCE mode:

I have 23 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 32-33 FPS

SINGLE CHIP mode :

I have 25 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 35-36 FPS

In GPL at 1024 x 768 with D3D rasterizer:

FASTEST PERFORMANCE mode:

I have 22 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 30-31 FPS

SINGLE CHIP mode :

I have 24 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 34-35 FPS

-------------------------------------------

In GPL with Glide rasterizer at 1600 x 1200 :

FASTEST PERFORMANCE mode:

I have 22 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 33-34 FPS

SINGLE CHIP mode :

I have 20 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 31-32 FPS

In GPL at 1600 x 1200 with D3D rasterizer:

FASTEST PERFORMANCE mode:

I have 19 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 29-30 FPS

SINGLE CHIP mode :

I have 17 FPS until we got to the first corner then it settles at 28-29 FPS

--------------------------------------------

Now with GP3, the effect is definatly more "evident"

The test in GP3 is the same pattern, full AI (22), back of the grid in a
quickrace config at 1280 x 1024. The way to measure the frame rate is not the
same as it uses a feature called PO (Processor Occupency), I also conducted the
test when it was raining (full
graphics running)

with SINGLE CHIP mode

PO at 90-100%, then at first corner goes up to 120-130%, then setlles back to
90-100% for the remainer of the first lap.

with FASTEST PERFORMANCE mode :

PO at 700%, unbelievable !! That is virtually unplayable as everything runs in
slow motion (that's GP3 way to deal when the CPU can't cope with what the
graphics try to
draw.)

I actually tought something was wrong.. reboot the PC, and try again.. same
thing : 700% PO. Then went in 2X FSAA, and it's back to the normal value of
90-100% PO then climbs
briefly to 120-130% then settles to intial value.

GP3 runs with D3D, there's no Glide raterizer for it.

------------------------------------------

My PC config goes as follow :

P3 800 Mhz, 256 MB of PC100 and ras to cas and cas delay set at 2/2/2 in the
bios. I have no IRQ sharing between the Graphics cards and anythgh else, nor for
the sound card. There's only one IRQ sharing it's the 2nd NIC card (LAN) and USB
port. The LAN was
temporary turned off by logging off the 2nd PC

If I can be of other assistance, i'll be glad
to help

Eric

http://www.simracingmag.com

They called me cause they were puzzled with the Falcon 4 scores in my
review "shootout" where my x2 setting was faster than the fastest
peformance in Glide....I taught them how to run my Falcon 4 benchmark
and they confirmed the numbers. I believe they looking into it from
their end.

PAPA DOC

Thanks for the snippet about the FSAA settings I'd despaired after getting
the max fps setting on my 16MB G400 and then buying a new V5 5500 on
Saturday only to find the fps was down to around 17. Now running at 2x FSAA
and getting around 100% processor occupancy at max res., everything on, and
using the FPSutil to set to just over 30fps. 2xFSAA really smooths out the
graphics too.