What did you think of 3dfx?
- Thread starter Dio
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if you only knew about the never released Ravenous chipset...Tagrineth said:Their only success, with their first and last decent release...
I know it gets 348 fps in quake3 at 1600x1200 with 128bit FP color, 128x AA, and 384tap AF.
Too bad it was never released. BUt it was almost finished, and i heard that some of the engineers from S3 who had worked on this technological marvel went to antoehr company where they are scheming to release their tech into the marketplace. I cannot say anything more about the mystery engineers or the mystery company tho, for fear of reprisals against said people.
I'd vote somewhere between option 1 and 2. I don't think their engineers lack any skills, perhaps they've taken wrong route here and there. I liked them for almost always being fair in their assessments about hardware capabilities. Got eaten alive by hype-masters (despite late tries of hyping instead of releasing a product).
JF_Aidan_Pryde
Regular
Before the Banshee disaster/exodus, I'd probably say 3dfx were tech Gods in the field. But after that, well that's history. At the same time though, their business strategy was equal in magnitude to their technical ability but opposite in direction. From what I keep on hearing about the totally directionless and CLUELESS management I just feel like grabbing hold of Ballad by the collar and screaming into his face with my point sprite siliva cumulating on this over sheen-mapped forehead. Now he shits all over Sonic blue. Great work Ballad. Join Microsoft now so the world can have a level OS market.
Didn't vote but regarding option 4, I'd say 3dfx knew exactly what direction they wanted to take but it just didn't work out for them for various reasons (didn't do it well enough, didn't expect the competition, etc).
The thing I miss about 3dfx more than anything else (yes, even their hardware) was corresponding with Scott Sellers, a very approachable and very smart guy.
The thing I miss about 3dfx more than anything else (yes, even their hardware) was corresponding with Scott Sellers, a very approachable and very smart guy.
Ailuros said:elroy said:
Are we really stripped of ALL alternatives?
What do you mean Ailuros? I'm guessing you're talking about the TBR part, or are you talking about alternative rendering methods? If you're talking about TBR, then the only alternative atm is PVR, and with them I'll believe it when I see it. Although there are rumours that NV40 will use GP tech, so it could be interesting to see how it stacks up against competing IMR's, if the rumours are true.
I meant all kinds of alternatives as in dx9.0 cards, not pointing at a specific rendering approach after all.
If you want to place your money on any bet, than your bet with PVR releasing a new generation card is dozens of times safer, then betting that NVIDIA will swap to TBDR any time soon.
The supposed rumour that NV will finally go for deferred rendering started with NV25, then it was the NV30 and today the NV40. It somehow reminds of the eschatological predictions that the Armageddon will come in 1990, no then in 1999, errr... no that didn't work, say 2000 and it's probably now at 2006....
I'm not saying that there isn't a chance at all that they won't, the "I believe it when I see it" approach applies rather to both cases you mentioned.
If you want to place your money on any bet, than your bet with PVR releasing a new generation card is dozens of times safer, then betting that NVIDIA will swap to TBDR any time soon.
The supposed rumour that NV will finally go for deferred rendering started with NV25, then it was the NV30 and today the NV40. It somehow reminds of the eschatological predictions that the Armageddon will come in 1990, no then in 1999, errr... no that didn't work, say 2000 and it's probably now at 2006....
I'm not saying that there isn't a chance at all that they won't, the "I believe it when I see it" approach applies rather to both cases you mentioned.
Last decent product was Voodoo2 and Savage3D was faster. Nice antialiasing though.
Thats how I feel anyway. The Voodoo3 lacked 32bit color, so overall the TNT2 was the better card (Among other reasons). The Voodoo2 did have speed on itside, so it was a decent 3Dfx product.
However, I disagree with the AA statement in this choice. Maybe it was nice at the time, but now their AA is mediocre at best. It hardly deserves all the praise it gets. :?
Thats how I feel anyway. The Voodoo3 lacked 32bit color, so overall the TNT2 was the better card (Among other reasons). The Voodoo2 did have speed on itside, so it was a decent 3Dfx product.
However, I disagree with the AA statement in this choice. Maybe it was nice at the time, but now their AA is mediocre at best. It hardly deserves all the praise it gets. :?
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