3Dfx is the brain of the "right card" for 3D computing, (just like the Intel's pentium/II is the brain for PCs), according to the front page story of San Jose Mercury News (this sunday's computing section).
With this influential story, more people in the Silicon Valley will buy the 3D cards with "3Dfx" chipset. Especially for those just bought or get computers in this holiday season. This certainly will translate good sales for 3DFX. looks great for 3Dfx.
Enjoy.
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The right card can take your PC to another dimension
BY MARK GLASER
Special to the Mercury News
Santa was kind to you this year, and stuffed your stocking with the latest computer games. Lucky you. But when you read the game boxes, you kept seeing things like ''3D accelerator support,'' ''built for 3Dfx'' and ''Direct3D compatible.''
HOW TO INSTALL A 3D CARD
Here's where we separate the technophiles from the technophobes. Those who are afraid of messing around with the intestines of their computer can opt to hire a computer repair center to install a 3D card. A quick survey showed that shops will charge for one hour of labor, which can be anywhere from $50 to $100. You might also try to convince a techie friend or relative to do the task.
After I got my Diamond Monster 3D accelerator card, I decided to have my friend Willem around for insurance, because he had already installed a 3D card on his own machine. You'll need a screwdriver and maybe a flashlight.
Basically it took six steps for my Windows PC:
1. Open the computer case. This varies from model to model and usually requires removing a bunch of screws.
2. Find an open slot for the card. This is important. If you don't have an open slot, you can't add a 3D card and have to replace your old 2D card with a 2D/3D combo.
3. Remove the bracket and screw from the open slot.
4. Insert the card into the slot firmly. This can cause the most hassle. It might not seem like the card fits. You sometimes have to push really hard to get it in. If you don't get it to snap in place completely, it won't work. My buddy Willem helped on this part.
5. Close the case and then run a cable from the back of the new card to your 2D card, and then run the monitor cable to the new card.
6. Load the software drivers. This installation varies depending on the card. Don't worry -- the instructions, cables and software will come with the card, and should be straightforward.
If you have any problems, call the manufacturer or check its Web site for updated drivers.
If you're not sure which 3D card to purchase, or which features you'll need, there are several online 3D card comparisons that will help sort through the morass of choices. One is at GameSpot and covers 24 cards; another is at CNET's GameCenter and covers seven new cards along with explanations of jargon and the various chip sets.
-- Mark Glaser
It quickly put a damper on your holiday gaming spirits, and begged the question: Do you need a 3D card?
That depends on what games you play and whether you have about $200 in holiday gift money lying around. Some current action games look much better with 3D acceleration, and future games will demand it. To install a card, you'll have to deal with opening up your computer, or paying someone to do it.
First, it helps to understand the basics about the guts of the typical Windows computer. The video card -- also known as the graphics controller or video controller -- translates commands from the computer into pictures on your monitor. As games become more complex graphically, the demands on video cards are more intense. Graphics accelerator cards are separate circuit boards that help alleviate the stress on the video card by processing commands faster and adding more video memory, known as VRAM.
Find out what kind of video card your computer has by consulting the manual, visiting the PC maker's Web page, calling tech support, or just opening up the computer. If it's a vanilla 2D card, you have two choices: Upgrade the video card itself to a 2D/3D combo, or add a 3D accelerator. The first choice is a bit dicey, and might be almost impossible if the video functions are built into the computer's motherboard.
These 2D/3D card combos do cost a bit more than 3D accelerators, and involve a lot more to install. You might have to connect cables to the card from inside the computer, and you'll have to change your Windows settings as well. If you have an older video card already in need of replacement, and don't mind messing with the innards of your computer, you can try a combo card. Otherwise, stick to 3D accelerator cards, which sit alongside your existing card, won't mess with your operating system, and come with easy-to-load software drivers.
Only need it for games
Right now, the only reason PC owners need a 3D card is games; 3D acceleration won't significantly help other visually-intensive applications such as photo editing. There are however, high-end accelerators for the professional market, which speed up certain professional graphics and computer-aided design programs.
Before going for 3D acceleration, make sure your system can handle it. You must have a Pentium chip at minimum, and most new games require at least a 100MHz chip. Plus, you should have 16MB of RAM minimum to play most new action games, with 32MB often recommended.
Macintosh owners can also make the leap into 3D. There are fewer 3D cards for the Mac, but the prices and installation are similar. You need to have one PCI slot open. Tech Works makes a 3Dfx card for the Mac, and ATI has cards that also let you do video capture for home video work. Unfortunately, the game selection is more sparse, with the first version of Quake just now coming to the Mac.
The current crop of games comes in four main flavors: 3D only, 3D enhanced, 3Dfx native and 2D. The first category requires 3D acceleration, and the last category doesn't require anything. Very few games require 3D cards now, but LucasArts' Shadows of the Empire and Interplay's VR Baseball are two notable ones. Though analysts believe most games won't require 3D cards for some time, the industry is moving toward more support for more types of cards.
In the low-tech holdout category, there are a variety of games, some quite surprising. You can play ''Riven: The Sequel to Myst'' without 3D acceleration and the game runs just fine. Also, Westwood Studios' recent ''Blade Runner'' game doesn't require hardware acceleration, even though the interactive adventure relies on fast-moving graphics and immersive environments.
With games that are 3D enhanced, a 3D accelerator improves the look and feel. Exactly which 3D cards will help the most is up to the game designer. Some games, like Psygnosis' ''G-Police'' and ''Origin's Wing Commander: Prophecy,'' list the 3D cards or chipsets supported right on the box. That list is subject to change, though, so the best bet is to buy a card with a popular chipset like 3Dfx's Voodoo Graphics or ATI's Rage Pro.
Remember, not every chipset will work with every game. Be sure to take a look at the games that interest you and check which chip they require before buying a 3D card.
How much the 3D card improves performance varies from game to game. With some games, a 3D card with an old chipset might not do much. But using a newer 3D card with a game like LucasArts' ''Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II'' will make a world of difference. ''Jedi Knight'' and id/Activision's ''Quake II,'' are truly the killer applications of 3D this holiday season.
''The game-play experience you'll get from a system with a 3D card is a night and day difference compared to the one without,'' said Steve Klett, editor of PC Games magazine, based in San Mateo. ''Sure you can play Jedi and Quake II software only (without a 3D card), but the game will be slower and nowhere near as visually impressive. Once everyone's seen 'Quake II' on a friend's machine with a 3Dfx card, they'll have to have one too.''
My informal game tests bore out Klett's words. When playing ''Jedi Knight'' without 3D, I found the scenery to be stale and blocky. I couldn't understand what the fuss was about. Then, after loading a Diamond Monster 3D card with 3Dfx's Voodoo chipset, and checking the 3D acceleration box in the game's options, I was blown away by the smooth-as-silk movement and gorgeous graphics. The action jumped out at me, and the higher resolution made it a much more enticing experience.
''Jedi Knight'' was built for Direct3D cards; Direct3D refers to the API (application program interface) used by the developer. Direct3D is touted by Microsoft, while rival OpenGL was developed by Silicon Graphics. 3Dfx's chipsets support both, but are known for OpenGL support. As one veteran gamer said, ''Direct3D is good, but OpenGL is better.''
Built for 3Dfx chipsets
When a game has the ''3Dfx Interactive'' logo on it, that means it was built for 3Dfx chipsets, which use OpenGL. Though you don't have to have a 3Dfx chipset to play the game, it sure looks amazing when you do. ''Quake II'' takes the cake for being a pedestrian, ho-hum game without 3Dfx, and an addictive, eye-popping feast with it. With 3Dfx, you get colored lighting, transparent water, and more realistic scenery and movement. It almost induces motion sickness, it's so good.
A 3Dfx spokesperson says that there are more than 150 games optimized for its Voodoo chipsets. Other than ''Quake II,'' I also noticed a big difference with Electronic Arts' ''Need for Speed II SE'' and Accolade's ''Test Drive 4'' -- both incredible-looking car racing games built for 3Dfx. There are also flight simulations, real-time strategy games, and other shoot-'em-up games that get a boost from 3Dfx.
Over the past year, the proliferation of 3D chipsets, cards, APIs and special graphics ports has led to some serious head-scratching among consumers. Though 3Dfx's Voodoo chipsets have captured the hearts of many gamers, there are competing 3D chipsets from ATI, Number Nine, Rendition, NEC, nVidia and others. And those chips are housed in 3D cards from manufacturers like Diamond Multimedia, Matrox, VideoLogic, Hercules, STB and dozens more. As a chipset gains popularity, the price goes down. This can be a bonus, because it helps you choose a card. You'll be safer choosing a cheaper $150 to $200 card that has gained acceptance among game designers than a whiz-bang $300 card that might not catch on. Many of the high-end cards are intended for graphic designers or architects and not gamers. That's why 3Dfx stresses that they design primarily with games in mind.
As 3D has taken off in the past year, the market has exploded with options but it has also matured, weeding out some of the poor performers.
''The initial 3D cards that came out weren't very good, and then the wars erupted between chip vendors trying to win developer support, which made people reluctant to buy,'' said Klett. ''Now we've got a few strong contenders that are clearly leading the pack, and better Direct3D support and performance, which should really help boost 3D card sales.''
When it comes to API, most game makers would prefer to stay neutral on the Direct3D vs. OpenGL front. Andy Keane, vice president of marketing for San Jose-based 3Dfx, says that his company doesn't push one API over the other, and blames industry politics for the fight. 3Dfx even has its own API called Glide. Recently Microsoft announced a collaboration with SGI that will utilize OpenGL for high-end 3D development.
Continued cooperation can't hurt for the consumer, who is often befuddled by all the choices and lingo. One company that is pushing gamers to choose 3D quickly is Psygnosis. Its action game ''G-Police'' is 3D recommended, but it will be the company's last title that will work without 3D acceleration. All future titles will require 3D, which will either be a precedent for other companies, or a sign that Psygnosis is only interested in luring hard-core gamers.
Adding to the confusion
Another innovation that adds to the confusion is Intel's new Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP). The new architecture is being built into new computers that come with Pentium II chips, and promises faster 3D graphics speed. Then again, so did Intel's MMX. AGP is relatively new, so few games or 3D cards are optimized for it.
Also coming down the pipe is 3Dfx's recently announced Voodoo 2 chipset, which will be included in cards in the next few months. The company says the card will speed up graphics even more, but 3Dfx marketing VP Keane still recommended the first generation Voodoo chips for most consumers.
''You probably won't see Voodoo 2 games until next Christmas,'' Keane said. 'The cards will be at a higher price tag and aimed at hard-core gamers. If you're an average consumer, don't worry about the Voodoo 2; the original Voodoo's great and you won't need a Pentium II. I tend to stay away from the newest of the new.''
With most computer buying decisions, you should try to choose a technology that won't become obsolete in a few months. 3Dfx and other chip manufacturers swear that the 3D card you buy today should last you at least a couple of years. Or until someone comes along with a rockin' Voodoo 2-only game. |
