GPL and Riva TNT2 Ultra (Diamond Viper V770 Ultra)

Will this setup work *well*? :o) If so, then I'm gonna get me GPL! <g> God bless, Loren

depends on your definition of 'going well' ;-) Diamond V770 Ultra. with the same graphics settings at 800x600, I get 36fps almost all the time with the V2 SLI, but only about 15fps with the opengl-beta and the TNT2 (mirror-refresh reduced to every 3rd frame) - I consider this unplayable ... I did not try to reduce graphics to get a decent frame rate, because I would sure miss the brake points without some graphic-features ;-) my advice: go for an additional V2 as an addon-GPL-card ... Lio

> > Will this setup work *well*? :o) If so, then I'm gonna get me GPL! <g> > depends on your definition of 'going well' ;-) > Diamond V770 Ultra. with the same graphics settings at 800x600, I get > 36fps almost all the time with the V2 SLI, but only about 15fps with the > opengl-beta and the TNT2 (mirror-refresh reduced to every 3rd frame) - I > consider this unplayable ... I did not try to reduce graphics to get a > decent frame rate, because I would sure miss the brake points without > some graphic-features ;-) > my advice: go for an additional V2 as an addon-GPL-card ... My experience with opengl patch is much more positive. I have a p2 400 and CL TNT (not 2), and I can play in 1024x768 at 36 fps consistent (in the race start drops, of course). The nVidia reference drivers (2.08) are a must (improve my fps from the CL drivers), and the mirror refresh at 6th frame. Check out this ng for old posts about TNT2, but I suppose will be faster than my TNT. PS: What about G400 opengl? anyone? If anyone, is it true that mirror problem under opengl is in nVidia drivers? JaviF Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

I've tried the 2.08 Drvers from Nvidea and yes the mirror problem is there with the 2.08 version and not with the older version .DBH

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> > > Will this setup work *well*? :o) If so, then I'm gonna get me > GPL! <g> > > depends on your definition of 'going well' ;-) > > Diamond V770 Ultra. with the same graphics settings at 800x600, I get > > 36fps almost all the time with the V2 SLI, but only about 15fps with > the > > opengl-beta and the TNT2 (mirror-refresh reduced to every 3rd frame) > - I > > consider this unplayable ... I did not try to reduce graphics to get a > > decent frame rate, because I would sure miss the brake points without > > some graphic-features ;-) > > my advice: go for an additional V2 as an addon-GPL-card ... > My experience with opengl patch is much more positive. > I have a p2 400 and CL TNT (not 2), and I can play in 1024x768 at 36 > fps consistent (in the race start drops, of course). > The nVidia reference drivers (2.08) are a must (improve my fps from the > CL drivers), and the mirror refresh at 6th frame. > Check out this ng for old posts about TNT2, but I suppose will be > faster than my TNT. > PS: What about G400 opengl? anyone? If anyone, is it true that mirror > problem under opengl is in nVidia drivers? > JaviF > Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ > Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

what graphics settings? detail-level? I use the reference drivers 2.08. I tried it upt to every 5th frame and it was still (with the same graphics options) about 2 times slower than V2 SLI. I have to admit that I tried it in monaco, full field, all objects, sky and arms turned off, cars and track in mirror, detail at about 1/4. I am sure I can squeeze the TNT2 to 36fps at every resolution, but what about the graphics detail? there are always some posts of nvidia-enthusiasts proclaiming 36fps at 1024x768, but the majority did not archive a playable framerate ... and for me GPL is the only reason, why I still have the V2 SLI in my "*** device" ... just to get away from being flamed: I looove nvidia and that V770ultra roxx! ;-) Lio

I'm using a P3 550, TNT2, SB Live, Nvidia 2.08 drivers and the OpenGL beta patch with the mirror refresh set to 8. I run at 1024/768 with all graphic options on full except for mirrors. I get a solid 36fps at all times except at race starts when it falls to aprox 15fps. The mirrors are completely unusable, not only because of the setting in mirror-refresh, but because when I swithed to the 2.08 Nvidia drivers the mirrors turned into horizontal bands, with the number of bands being equal to the mirror-refresh setting. I would REALLY like to see a solution for the mirror fps hit from Nvidia, as it's the only drawback to using a TNT2 with GPL. -- Don Scurlock Vancouver,B.C.

I found the tnt2 ultra to be very poor compared with even a single 8Mb V2. As for 36fps, yeh right. With max detail at 8*6 my single V2 gives about 24 fps at back of 15 car grid compared to 14 ish with TNT2 ultra. (PII 400) The drivers which give half decent speed all have the banded mirror bug.

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>> My experience with opengl patch is much more positive. >> I have a p2 400 and CL TNT (not 2), and I can play in 1024x768 at 36 >> fps consistent (in the race start drops, of course). >what graphics settings? detail-level? >> The nVidia reference drivers (2.08) are a must (improve my fps from the >> CL drivers), and the mirror refresh at 6th frame. >I use the reference drivers 2.08. >I tried it upt to every 5th frame and it was still (with the same >graphics options) about 2 times slower than V2 SLI. I have to admit that >I tried it in monaco, full field, all objects, sky and arms turned off, >cars and track in mirror, detail at about 1/4. I am sure I can squeeze >the TNT2 to 36fps at every resolution, but what about the graphics >detail? >> Check out this ng for old posts about TNT2, but I suppose will be >> faster than my TNT. >there are always some posts of nvidia-enthusiasts proclaiming 36fps at >1024x768, but the majority did not archive a playable framerate ... and >for me GPL is the only reason, why I still have the V2 SLI in my "*** >device" ... >just to get away from being flamed: I looove nvidia and that V770ultra >roxx! ;-) >Lio

>I'm using a P3 550, TNT2, SB Live, Nvidia 2.08 drivers and the >OpenGL beta patch with the mirror refresh set to 8. Celeron 366 o.c. to 539, TNT1, SB16, 2.08 reference, 8. Ditto, except that I have the detail slider halfway, and cars only in mirrors. I do not have this banding problem. Did you follow the full (ridiculous) procedure needed to reliably update TNT drivers? If you just update them in place using the standard Windows procedure rather than regediting and deleting files, problems sometimes result. I've had my TNT completely lose the capability to accelerate OpenGL twice after bad driver updates. The drivers are fine, but the install program is beyond bad. The mirrors are very laggy at 36/8 fps, but still usable. I'd much rather have full-speed mirrors, but I'll take 36 in front and 4.5 in the mirrors over less than 36 in front. Agreed. Though until someone else releases a card with decent OpenGL drivers, we won't know for sure if it's a GPL problem or a Nvidia problem. -- spamgard(tm): To email me, put "geek" in your Subject line.

I play 3/4 level detail, detail mirror: cars & track, lateral objects: all. And all textures checked in the front and none in the mirror. I have 16 sounds and FF too. (SBLive! and LWFF) And 36 fps in Monaco training mode. I have a V3 2000 in my little P166 that almost not use, and could put in my P2, but I'm happy with my TNT and GPL (only that mirrors...) I think the main diference between Voodoos and TNT in GPL are in the race, with a good CPU in training mode with lastest drivers and tweaking a little you can get the 36 fps. But in race (in start princip), with the openGL drops to 15 fps, and througth Glide only drops to 25 fps. I think Glide uses less CPU power, so can move the AI cars quicker. JaviF Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/ Share what you know. Learn what you don't.

All detail at max but mirror detail at minimum, I bet. The mirrors are the only pitfall of the OpenGL renderer with TNT/TNT2 in my experience. maxed out graphics (EXCEPT the mirrors!!!), but in a race it may change radically since your mirrors are full of other cars especially at the start (assuming you're not at the back of the grid :)), and then your only chance is really to reduce the mirror refresh rate. In my experience the TNT2s can provide a very enjoyable GPL experience. Especially when hotlapping the graphics are always fast & pretty at high resolutions (unless you're running an old vanilla Pentium). But unfortunately it takes some tweaking to make it playable in a race at all times. Took the following screenshots when I was doing a test run with the TNT2 (with trilinear filtering enabled, although I tend to prefer a bit grainier look in GPL) in case any TNT2 owners are interested in the idea of getting into GPL: www.tol.oulu.fi/~midpro/GPLshots.html If you're only interested in GPL, the TNT2 is hardly an ideal option, but still, you will be able to play GPL and enjoy it as much as anyone else here. --- Antti Markus Peteri 15 miles. your dim light shines from so far away - Soul Asylum, Promises Broken

> > > My experience with opengl patch is much more positive. > > > I have a p2 400 and CL TNT (not 2), and I can play in 1024x768 at 36 > > > fps consistent (in the race start drops, of course). > > what graphics settings? detail-level? Has anyone noticed a lot of hard drive thrashing using GPL with the OPen GL/TNT2 setup. Adjusting the mirror setup I managed to get up 36fps with my PIII 450mhz but the poor old hard drive was overworked causing some graphic slowdown. I left my TNT2 in for a day .... got fed up and replaced my 3dfx Banshee card back in. It's now as smooth as silk. I also couldn't get the GP500 demo to run with my TNT2. Pity though the TNT is by all reports a more sophisticated card than any of the 3dfx products. I found other sims like SCGT and World Superbike Championship to work just fine with the TNT2. -- Robert Yates Micro Graphics EASY AUCTION - Database Management software for Ebay Can you do without it? http://users.netcon.net.au/microg/easya.htm FOUND IN THE LAND OF OZ http://users.netcon.net.au/ryates/index.htm

TNT2/OpenGL beta/SB Live/128megs ram. No hard drive access. Is it possible that you have a small amount of ram and windoze is using virtual memory on your hard drive to store replays ? SBK runs beautifully, it's the best LOOKING motorsports game to date. -- Don Scurlock Vancouver,B.C.

I have the same hard drive thrashing problem. I have 128Meg, OpenGL, TNT (not TNT2). I noticed it also in Quake2. These are both OpenGL, maybe that has something to do with it? Once after about 1/2 hr playing q2 it stopped, and it was smoother than silk, but only for about 1min....then it started again. Some programmers are such retards.

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>>Has anyone noticed a lot of hard drive thrashing using GPL with the OPen >>GL/TNT2 setup. Adjusting the mirror setup I managed to get up 36fps with >>my PIII 450mhz but the poor old hard drive was overworked causing some >>graphic slowdown. >TNT2/OpenGL beta/SB Live/128megs ram. No hard drive access. Is it possible >that you have a small amount of ram and windoze is using virtual memory on >your hard drive to store replays ? >SBK runs beautifully, it's the best LOOKING motorsports game to date.

says...

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> I have the same hard drive thrashing problem. I have 128Meg, OpenGL, > TNT (not TNT2). I noticed it also in Quake2. These are both OpenGL, > maybe that has something to do with it? > Once after about 1/2 hr playing q2 it stopped, and it was smoother > than silk, but only for about 1min....then it started again. Some > programmers are such retards. > >>Has anyone noticed a lot of hard drive thrashing using GPL with the OPen > >>GL/TNT2 setup. Adjusting the mirror setup I managed to get up 36fps with > >>my PIII 450mhz but the poor old hard drive was overworked causing some > >>graphic slowdown. > >TNT2/OpenGL beta/SB Live/128megs ram. No hard drive access. Is it possible > >that you have a small amount of ram and windoze is using virtual memory on > >your hard drive to store replays ? > >SBK runs beautifully, it's the best LOOKING motorsports game to date.

I don't think SBK runs in Open GL mode but instead Direct 3D because it too looks fantasitc on the 3dfx. Notice that you don't have to choose a chipset when start or install the game. -- Rob Yates Found in the Land of OZ http://users.netcon.net.au/ryates/index.htm

>I have the same hard drive thrashing problem. I have 128Meg, OpenGL, >TNT (not TNT2). I noticed it also in Quake2. These are both OpenGL, >maybe that has something to do with it? Doubtful; I don't think the TNT OpenGL drivers take up that much memory. It's just that both games are potential memory hogs. What are you running the the background? Do you have your GPL replay buffer cranked up in size? What Quake 2 mods are you running? Now, now. Both GPL and Quake 2 are more extensible than the average game, and so have harder-to-predict memory requirements. If you need more memory than you have, you're going to swap. Either use less memory, or buy more. I also have a TNT and 128 MB. I don't see disk thrashing in either GPL or Quake 2. -- spamgard(tm): To email me, put "geek" in your Subject line.

ixnews4.ix.netcom.com>: What is the replay buffer ? Can it be adjusted for longer replays ? I have 128megs and can only save about 1 1/2 laps at the Ring. -- Don Scurlock Vancouver,B.C.

Hi Don, Append this to the end of your core.ini file... [ Replay ] replayMemoryOverride = 16000 You could certain handle more than 16MB of replay space so try changing 16000 to 32000 or 64000. Jason. > What is the replay buffer ? Can it be adjusted for longer replays ? > I have 128megs and can only save about 1 1/2 laps at the Ring. > -- > Don Scurlock > Vancouver,B.C. -------- Jason Monds "My other car is a Ferrari" http://members.home.net/gpl.mondsj/gpl - For my combined gas/brake setups (Please remove 'no extra spork' when replying)