Fan-Made 3dfx Driver Permits Widescreen Gaming

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(Photograph: Dolenc090 on YouTube)The title 3dfx actually warms a whole lot of, um, mature avid gamers’ hearts. For lots of us, the Voodoo 2 was our very first 3D graphics card. And it was superb. Despite the fact that we have been gaming at 800 x 600, we liked it. Going from software program rendering to {hardware} rendering for the primary time was completely unimaginable. For the youthful readers, it was just like going from a tough drive to an SSD for the primary time. The distinction in efficiency left us speechless. Since then a whole lot of hobbyists have recreated an identical retro gaming setting to bask within the nostalgia. The one downside is to really expertise old fashioned gaming, you want a CRT monitor. These are very exhausting to search out, and till now, 3dfx drivers didn’t assist widescreen shows like we use at this time. Now a 3dfx discussion board consumer has uploaded a brand new driver that enables widescreen gaming, lastly.

It’s known as the 3dfx Vast Driver, and in the event you’re into this form of factor you must seize it now. It would solely be hosted on the discussion board for 15 days, so don’t hesitate. It is perhaps moved to a extra everlasting house, ultimately. In response to Hothardware, a consumer named Dolenc at 3dfxzone modified the driving force, and posted it for obtain. It would enable for widescreen show utilization each within the Home windows desktop and in gaming. It helps Direct3D, OpenGL, and even Glide video games, however Glide won’t all the time work completely. Observe that is Home windows 98 and Me we’re speaking about right here. You’ll be able to strive it on Home windows XP however nothing is promised. OpenGL and Direct3D video games ought to work as anticipated, however Glide video games have some limitations. The side ratio 16:9 has a most decision of 1600 x 900. For 21:9 it would max out at 1920×800.

The motive force permits assist for 16:9, 16:10, and 21:9 side ratios. The motive force-maker uploaded a video (above) exhibiting 1080p gameplay in a number of historical (however much-loved) titles. They embrace the unique Unreal, Unreal Match, Half-Life: Opposing Power, and a number of other others. As you may see within the video gameplay is clean and seemingly with an excellent body price. He’s utilizing a Voodoo 5 5500 although, which is probably the most highly effective GPU 3dfx ever launched, and likewise its final. It sported two VSA-100 chips and 64MB of 166Mhz SDRAM. One fascinating word is the VSA-100 was constructed on a 250nm course of.

After the 5500’s launch the corporate folded, with the IP ultimately being bought by Nvidia in 2001. Its fabled Voodoo 5 6000 with its quad-chip VSA-100 design was by no means launched. Nonetheless, it stays a a lot sought-after collector’s merchandise even to today. At one level there was an “announcement” {that a} group of individuals have been going to carry the corporate again to life and launch the Voodoo 5 6000, however that by no means got here to cross.

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