Author Topic: 32bit mode on ATI rage128 (Read 562 times)

Sparks · « **on:** June 06, 2000, 07:39:00 AM »

I have tried to run Ah in 32 bit colour but although it displays a frame rate of 20 ish it is unplayable because each frame swaps with a jerk as if it is running at about 1fps.
System is:-
Celeron 500
Shuttle 440Bx M/board
128mB Ram running at 66mhz
ATI Rage128 with 32mb video Ram
13Gb c drive

Is the system still not up to it ??

Sparks

Fatty · « **Reply #1 on:** June 06, 2000, 02:47:00 PM »

Sparks, how high is the resolution on that? I run a rage 128 at 1024x768x32 with FPS keeping anywhere from 30-60, usually in the 40s.

Make sure it's not converting 32 to 16 bit color, other than that they released new drivers last weekend.

btw that's running on:
k6-2 500
epox MVP3 Apollo chipset MBoard
256k PC100
13 Gb C, 8 Gb D

bloom25 · « **Reply #2 on:** June 07, 2000, 02:15:00 AM »

I'm getting 45 fps at 800 x 600 32 bit.

My system:
366 Cel
64 Mb ram
ATI Xpert 128 16 MB AGP

I've had terrible luck finding a single ATI driver that isn't FULL of bugs. Their drivers (especially the newer ones) are the biggest piece of downloadable garbage I've ever seen. After trying literally 5 different versions (6+ MB each you know.

), I finally found one that is acceptable for AH. Since you have the same chipset on your card as me I suggest you also use it. The version is .6063. (Can't remember the first digits, but I know it ends in .6063.) This is the last driver that did not list DX7 on it's readme. All of the other drivers I tried had missing texture problems or a terrible framerate.

Note that .6063 is not free of bugs itself. AH will work nearly perfectly, but there are problems with the radio buffer text. The text will "tear" as the radio buffer scrolls, but it is a pretty minor problem. In addition IExplorer 5.0 has a minor bug using .6063 that I have noticed as well. Down at the bottom it tells you the status "Connecting to *", "Web site found..." etc. This text will flicker as you move the mouse around the screen.

I'd recommend trying this version. When you install it, make sure you do NOT keep the newest files if it asks you to. (A clean reinstall is best of course.) I also had some problems getting the driver to recognize which card I had. It kept trying to install the drivers for a Rage Magnum, even though I have an Xpert 128. Make sure you check and see which card is identified when you try to install the driver.

Good Luck.

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

Sparks · « **Reply #3 on:** June 07, 2000, 03:21:00 AM »

Thanks for your replies guys - I'm running 800*600 - went to the frame rate site on the AH links page and ran the test - 18fps

Going to try the drivers Bloom - will let you know how I get on.

bloom25 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 07, 2000, 03:27:00 AM »

In case you have trouble finding it, here is a link: http://support.ati.com/drivers/win98_4116263.html

Good luck!

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

Sparks · « **Reply #5 on:** June 09, 2000, 03:27:00 AM »

Thanks for the link Bloom but it now shows version .6269 - I tried them but it was worse and also parts of the graphics were missing (hangars were corners only, spinning lines in prop arc and all sorts).
Removed ATI in "Add/Remove software" and then removed driver in safe mode and re-installed the latest one from the special purpose page - shows in "Build" in the options tab of the Display Properties dialog as 06.33-A2M. This has got rate up to 30-40 in flight but only at 800x600 16 bit - near the ground it is down to 20's. My system should be capable of way more than this surely (Celeron 500 with 128mb RAM and 32mb Video).
I have read the repost on ATI bugs but can't find anything of help.
Fatty - how on earth did you get that performance ?? Also what do you mean by "Make sure it's not converting 32 to 16 bit color.." ??
Thanks for continued help guys.

Pyro any ideas ??

bloom25 · « **Reply #6 on:** June 10, 2000, 03:31:00 AM »

No, .6269 is ABSOLUTELY the worst driver you could have. You need the .6263 from the above link. When you install the driver it may ask you to keep a newer file. If it does, say no, you want the older (ie .6263) files. (I had to do this many, many times btw.) One of my systems is a cel 366 with 64mb ram that uses an xpert128 (16 mb AGP). It gets 40+ fps continuously. You should be getting much better framerates.

ATI's driver page is hard to find anything but the newest driver, that's why I put the link above.

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

Sparks · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2000, 04:17:00 PM »

Thanks again Bloom

Tried the link again and sure enough it pointed to .6263
Loaded those and got much better rates. Problem now is that blackout occurs instantly - no tunnel vision first. Going to experiment a bit more and see what I find.

bloom25 · « **Reply #8 on:** June 11, 2000, 10:18:00 PM »

I hadn't noticed that. I have noticed that the blackout effect looks different depending on which version of DX you have though. Using 7.0 compared to 7a makes the effect look pixelated rather than smooth.

Do you have Direct X 7a?

If you only have DX 7.0 a 250k patch can take you to 7a. It's at www.microsoft.com/directx

Good Luck!

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS

Sparks · « **Reply #9 on:** June 12, 2000, 03:23:00 AM »

Hi Bloom,
Using DirectX7.0a definitely.
Thought to myself "I wonder what would happen if I install the latest beta driver over .6263 ..." so I did.
Frame rates went down a bit but not disasterous, Blackout now works properly and I've noticed the haze effect is much more pronounced (that's not the 'Hazed' effect which usually leaves me in the tower

) I think the extra effects are probably dragging the fps down a bit - the earlier driver probably doesn't support them properly and so is not taking processor time to render them. Just my guess though.
Rates do drop close to the ground still, and last night I did get this peculiar effect where the picture stalls for a fraction of a second even though fps is showing at 25-35. A lot of a/c were around at the time so I'm wondering if it is a network problem - waiting for server info to update positions?

Thanks again Bloom

Sparks

Fatty · « **Reply #10 on:** June 12, 2000, 02:50:00 PM »

Sorry Sparks, lost this topic for a bit there.

Actually I use 6.33CD21 (.6281), from the special purpose drivers section. It's beta, but seems to work pretty well, and is optimized for AMD 3DNow.

If you look in display properties, it will have performance OpenGL and Direct3D options. One of those convers 32bit to 16bit for performance. I do remember a bad version somewhere around there, I think it indeed was .6269, but I tend to get the beta drivers anyway.

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Fatty
Fat Drunk Bastards
"Never before in the field of human conflict was so little owed to so few that weighed and drank so much."

bloom25 · « **Reply #11 on:** June 12, 2000, 05:46:00 PM »

I've noticed that little stutter when icons get painted too. If you look at your hard drive indicator you'll see that it runs for a second when an icon gets painted as well.

None of the drivers I've tried have made a difference with this, but it isn't too big of a deal IMO.

(Note, my other computer with a V770 Ultra doesn't do this, so it's likely something to do with ATI cards.)

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bloom25
THUNDERBIRDS