So much for Nvidia's internal guidelines

[K.I.L.E.R]

FUDie, under maximum filtering the IQ of the NV2x/NV3x line of cards are identical. Max IQ would be 64-tap anisotropic filtering which requires full trilinear with 8x AF.

 

[Pete]

Disappointing, but perhaps nV thinks this is the only way they can compete with ATi's more-adaptive AF (ATi's varies by angle, but nV can't do that in hardware, so they're forced to compete another way: with MIP-map transitions).

Errm, ATi's AF is not more adaptive than Nvidia's AF. It is more the "lowering the image quality to get higher framerates"-category.

By "adaptive" I meant "faster and uglier." That applies to both ATi and nV, BTW. I'm waiting for one of these companies to implement prettier and equally-fast AF in hardware, if it's possible (as ATi did with R300's sparse + gamma-corrected AA).

 

[Exxtreme]

Disappointing, but perhaps nV thinks this is the only way they can compete with ATi's more-adaptive AF (ATi's varies by angle, but nV can't do that in hardware, so they're forced to compete another way: with MIP-map transitions).

Errm, ATi's AF is not more adaptive than Nvidia's AF. It is more the "lowering the image quality to get higher framerates"-category.

By "adaptive" I meant "faster and uglier." That applies to both ATi and nV, BTW. I'm waiting for one of these companies to implement prettier and equally-fast AF in hardware, if it's possible (as ATi did with R300's sparse + gamma-corrected AA).

It is possible. You need a tmu, which can output anisotropic filtered texels. But you need much bandwith too.

 

[StealthHawk]

FUDdie, I know nV's AF is also "adaptive," but it seems to me their "adaptivity" is focused more on MIP-map transitions, whereas ATi's is on angle relative to viewport.

I don't know if you're aware of it, but the GeForce FX chips have a completely different AF mode, unlike anything in the previous GeForce chips. See http://www.beyond3d.com/previews/nvidia/gffxu/index.php?p=20.

-FUDie

Those algorithms are outdated and outmoded.

What are you talking about? They are still in the hardware.

-FUDie

Yes, yes, I agree with you. NV3x is definitely flexible when it comes to AF. Just pointing out that the AF doesn't work like that anymore with current drivers, because I still see people referencing old material and saying "this is what NVIDIA's IQ looks like." And it's rather bothersome.

I would think after the UT2003 filtering stuff we would all realize that NV3x is very flexible in what it can do. Although RV350 seems to also have a lot of flexibility...problem not as much though, who knows.

 

[jb]

The ultimate judge lies in the collective voices of gamers. I'm certainly not the ultimate judge, nor you, or any single person. It's when websites and gamers posting in forums all lend their voice and say no trilinear filtering in UT2003 = not good.

Matt,

I agree with you. But sites like yours and others have the power to stop if you folks choose too. Well techincally not yours as you dont normally do shoot outs. But if you really want to stop this then the next time you have a UT2k3 bench in a "shoot" out style of review, give the nV cards a nice big 0 in the high IQ part of the UT2k3 testing. Make a statement that in the HighIQ setting we demain full trilinear. Thus NV cards dont give us that option and receive a 0. Again I am sure if the HardOCPs/AnandTechs/TR ect do this once, we will see a change almost over night. Is this fair for NV? Not really. But look at this ATI Q3 thing. It was not really fair for the way ATI was treated. They got bitch slapped. And you know what? It made them much better as from that point on they started to get their head in the game and make better drivers. Some times you just gotta use some tough love......