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Any tips on improving frame rate in N99?

9 posts by 8 people · 23 Nov 1998 - 25 Nov 1998

Uthuli 23 Nov 1998#435972
With a p166 and 32 megs ram (no 3dfx), and running in DOS, I can only get a frame rate of about 20 with graphics at a bare minimum. Is this normal? Sierra says that it is the recommended requirements. (except for the 3d of course) What can I do to speed things up a bit? Are there any web paged devoted to improving frame rates? Would the addition of a 3dfx card alone be enough to fix things? Many thanks for your help.
MeatWater 23 Nov 1998#435973
First: don't you EVER believe the "minimum requirements" printed on a games box. Second: adding another 32 MB RAM *might* be the trick. The 3dfx version of NASCAR 2 was even SLOWER on my good old 166 with 64MB, and I'd rather have performance than graphics.
Ive found that 20 FPS is good.. anything less than 15fps and it get crappy handling on steering. With a 3dfx with all graphics on youll get maybe 25 fps.
Quoted text (9 lines)>With a p166 and 32 megs ram (no 3dfx), and running in DOS, I can only >get a frame rate of about 20 with graphics at a bare minimum. Is this >normal? Sierra says that it is the recommended requirements. (except >for the 3d of course) What can I do to speed things up a bit? Are >there any web paged devoted to improving frame rates? >Would the addition of a 3dfx card alone be enough to fix things? >Many thanks for your help.
It is the minimum requirement to get the game to run with a minimum of features enabled. The recommended requirement is the minimum required to have an enjoyable game. My 200 MMX and 12MB Voodoo II runs fine in 3dfx mode. I wouldn't want to go any slower. Look at upgrading your 166 to a 200 if your motherboard can take it. I have also seen no-name brand Voodoo IIs going for around $100. I don't think it will work in your 166 but it would in a 200. 200s are getting pretty cheap now. Robert
Quoted text (9 lines)>With a p166 and 32 megs ram (no 3dfx), and running in DOS, I can only >get a frame rate of about 20 with graphics at a bare minimum. Is this >normal? Sierra says that it is the recommended requirements. (except >for the 3d of course) What can I do to speed things up a bit? Are >there any web paged devoted to improving frame rates? >Would the addition of a 3dfx card alone be enough to fix things? >Many thanks for your help.
Pat Dotson 25 Nov 1998#436409
Adding a 3dfx or rendition card will make it a lot better. You shouldn't even hesitate to make that addition. It will be the best $50 you ever spent on a piece of computer equipment. My AMD K6-166 with a rendition V1000 card would nearly max out the frame rate of N2 with all details on. I'd suggest putting a V2100 or V2200 rendition card in your computer. There is no need to go from a 166 to 200 cpu. There would be hardly any difference at all. I don't know where the comment about a 3dfx card not working on a 166 came from, but it isn't true.
Quoted text (21 lines)> It is the minimum requirement to get the game to run with a minimum of > features enabled. The recommended requirement is the minimum required to > have an enjoyable game. My 200 MMX and 12MB Voodoo II runs fine in 3dfx > mode. I wouldn't want to go any slower. Look at upgrading your 166 to a 200 > if your motherboard can take it. I have also seen no-name brand Voodoo IIs > going for around $100. I don't think it will work in your 166 but it would > in a 200. 200s are getting pretty cheap now. > Robert > >With a p166 and 32 megs ram (no 3dfx), and running in DOS, I can only > >get a frame rate of about 20 with graphics at a bare minimum. Is this > >normal? Sierra says that it is the recommended requirements. (except > >for the 3d of course) What can I do to speed things up a bit? Are > >there any web paged devoted to improving frame rates? > >Would the addition of a 3dfx card alone be enough to fix things? > >Many thanks for your help.
-- Pat Dotson IMPACT Motorsports http://www.impactmotorsports.com/pd.html
Carl 25 Nov 1998#436410
I agree, my old p166 mmx with 64megs ram, and v1000 nearly always puts out 30 fps on nr1999 except at bristol when some corners drop to about 16 fps. No need to upgrade from this for nr1999.
<snip> % There is no need to go from a 166 to 200 cpu. % There would be hardly any difference at all. % I don't know where the comment about a 3dfx % card not working on a 166 came from, but it % isn't true. Well a Voodoo2 will work with a 166, but the CPU will be a big bottleneck for the the video card. I would recommend going with one of the newer Rendition cards and forego the Voodoo2 route, unless he plans to upgrade to PII CPU in the near future. -- **************************** Michael E. Carver ************************* Upside out, or inside down...False alarm the only game in town. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=<[ /./. [- < ]>=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Greg Cisko 25 Nov 1998#436412
>My AMD K6-166 with a rendition V1000 card >would nearly max out the frame rate of N2 >with all details on. I'd suggest putting >a V2100 or V2200 rendition card in your >computer. Rendition? Are you actually joking or something? Any 3dfx Voodoo1 card will do just fine. Plus he will be able to use it with just about anyother 3d game he may be interested in. If he was into flightsims and took you advice on the rendition card, he would be screwed. Bull. I saw a 23% increase in performance be going to a 200MMX. I suppose now you will say that you meant a normal 200 Pentium. Right. The MMX CPU has a level1 cache which will give a performance increase of 15%-20% right off the bat. Correct. Maybe he was mistaken about a 3dfx Voodoo card not working with a P5-166. That will work too, but you will see a 2x performance gain vs a Voodoo1 only if you are using a fast P2. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com
Greg Cisko 25 Nov 1998#436413
>Well a Voodoo2 will work with a 166, but the CPU will be a big >bottleneck for the the video card. I would recommend going with one of >the newer Rendition cards and forego the Voodoo2 route, unless he plans >to upgrade to PII CPU in the near future. Really. What if he wanted to play LB2, F-15, F1RS or even EAW? A rendition will sure help then. Rendition.. What a jokester you are. -- Header address intentionally scrambled to ward off the spamming hordes. cisko [AT] ix [DOT] netcom [DOT] com

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