Hello
Is there a special version of Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries(1996) for Riva cards ?
Or is it only for these 4: 3dfx, Ati Rage, Matrox Mystique, PowerVR.
If I have a riva\geforce card will it play the Windows version as software rendered ?
Will I get 60 FPS(=good performance) with a riva TNT 1, 16mb PCI from 1998 ?
+ Pentium 200 MMX.
There's no proprietary API for the Riva128, and the Titanium edition was rolling out around the 128's time
A TNT/Geforce won't help your Mech2 software framerate issues on that processor, especially not 60fps.
Is there a special version of Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries(1996) for Riva cards ?
No, there isn't. The Riva had no proprietary 3D api anyway.
The game doesn't look much different with or without 3d acceleration.
I can remember how blown away I was by Mech 2 when I had my Mystique. I'm thinking it came with it? But then I also remember how sad I was when I got my Riva128 after that and found that both Mech 2 and Motoracer now looked like crap since those were two games with specific support for the Mystique and not D3D as the Riva128 was using.
Luckily a few months later, OpenGL would become supported on the Riva as I recall and I was then able to play some games using that card in OpenGL mode that previously had to be played in Software render mode.
Midi Modules: MT-32 (OLD), MT-200, MT-300, MT-90S, MT-90U, SD-20
CrossBow777 wrote on 2020-02-06, 15:36:I can remember how blown away I was by Mech 2 when I had my Mystique. I'm thinking it came with it? But then I also remember how sad I was when I got my Riva128 after that and found that both Mech 2 and Motoracer now looked like crap since those were two games with specific support for the Mystique and not D3D as the Riva128 was using.
Luckily a few months later, OpenGL would become supported on the Riva as I recall and I was then able to play some games using that card in OpenGL mode that previously had to be played in Software render mode.
it's funny you mention being upset at moto racer on the riva... i have played it the last few months on a voodoo 3, a banshee and a 9200se in different setups. they all played it smoothly and the graphics look great in both d3d and glide modes.
then the other week my riva 128 arrived so i slapped it in and now motoracer feels like the playstation version with all of the texture issues 🤣. I kinda like the old charm but i can see why you'd be a bit annoyed.
If you really mean Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries(1996), then you can patch it all the way to get Direct3D hardware acceleration on Win9x, which should work for Riva128/TNT/TNT2.
If you mean Mechwarrior 2 31st, then the 3Dfx Glide version can be made to work through dgVoodoo1 with hardware supporting Direct3D. I used to get it working with Matrox G200/G400 on Win98 box. TNT/TNT2 is pretty much an equivalence of 3D capabilities for Matrox G200/G400.
Motoracer does not have 3Dfx Glide support. There is only Direct3D, so it should be running well on any retro-PC boxes with DirectX 5+ capable hardware. I wished it had a true 3Dfx Glide version though.
Mercenaries != MW2. Not the same game at all. It's an attempt at a new game within license restrictions
I have this "essential collection CD" reprint from the end of 1990s maybe I bought it around 1999-2001.
- I haven't looked what version it is.
It definitely looks like Mech2 Mercenaries 1.00/1.05 PC for DOS/Windows. The fake "3Dfx" version (which is still Direct3D) has a grey CD cover. If my guess is correct, then yes you have the option to patch it for Direct3D hardware acceleration. Patch up to 1.06 to retain DOS/Windows version without hardware acceleration and you can still play the DOS version in DOSBox. Version 1.08beta is the 1st version of Direct3D patch, it kills the DOS version after patch and retains the original scripted salvage gameplay. Patch 1.1 is the final Direct3D version and it alters the gameplay to dynamic salvage (but buggy somehow...)
However, Pentium 200MMX/Win98SE/TNT2 may not play the game at 30FPS with the Direct3D version but rather low FPS, especially when particles and chunky explosions are enabled in graphics details. You can disable that 2 graphics options for significant increase in FPS.
Yes I have both:
-Pentium 200 MMX + Pro 200 256kb.
Pentium ones with PCI are suprisingly slow for 3D games best seems to be 30FPS or below looking at some reviews.
Looks like I will have to use my other newer AGP (socket A\754): Duron,Athlon XP,64: 600-2200mhz for better FPS.
