furan wrote on 2021-04-30, 16:13:LGR's 3D Blaster VLB video is up: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=18W_LBNg2_8
Great video! And I like too that he mentions Vetz and the 3D Accelerated Games List topic.
Awesome video 😀
I didn't expect to be mentioned three times in that video. After furan and stiletto gave me a heads up I got in contact with Clint and I helped him out with some info and the bundle.
I just cross my fingers this video brings out someone with that memory board, would really like to see it in action.
Interesting with Starfighter 3000. I'll see if I can setup my Socket 5 VLB system (where I intend to really see were that bottleneck is) and give SF3000 a go. Would be great to add it to the list of supported games!
furan wrote on 2021-04-30, 16:41:Gona wrote on 2021-04-30, 16:31:Which menu has you started? How get you exactly textures? (I press space three times and the game starts.)
Glad you got it running - I looked around the menu without running it using /3dblaster, and tried some of those things while I was running it with /3dblaster. Everything was so blocky, that I'm honestly not sure if I ever got textures.
I have tried to switch to the low resolution by F9 in the demo version without /3dblaster. It has done, than I have exited and start with /3dblaster but starts with high resolution too. And everything (which works) looks full the same as the normal 2D in high res (but with bugs):
I have tested VLB again and the same:
Note that the sky is full missing, the starry sky remained from the launch mission background.
Than I have tested the not-demo version the same way: 2D set low res, exit, but with /3dblaster starts in high res. I have tried switch to low res in game by pressing F9 but I got full black screen... It is interesting, because uses the driver but really undeveloped the 3D Blaster part. In the meantime, I ordered an original CD for cheap, but I think it will be the same. As it arrives, I'll test.
Gona wrote on 2021-04-30, 19:19:I have tried to switch to the low resolution by F9 in the demo version without /3dblaster. It has done, than I have exited and start with /3dblaster. I planned to set to low res here too, but now starts in low res by default. And at last I see something, but everything looks which works looks full the same as the normal 2D in low res (but with bugs):
I thought I was clear about the bugs - no text rendering, and no fog rendering (instead the framebuffer goes stale). Was hoping that they fixed it in the final shipping game. 🙁
furan wrote on 2021-05-01, 01:32:Gona wrote on 2021-04-30, 19:19:I have tried to switch to the low resolution by F9 in the demo version without /3dblaster. It has done, than I have exited and start with /3dblaster. I planned to set to low res here too, but now starts in low res by default. And at last I see something, but everything looks which works looks full the same as the normal 2D in low res (but with bugs):
I thought I was clear about the bugs - no text rendering, and no fog rendering (instead the framebuffer goes stale). Was hoping that they fixed it in the final shipping game. 🙁
Today the original retail CD has arrived.
EDIT: First when I have tested and with /3dblaster and I got blank screen before intro movie, I have believed that it freezes, but I forget that this not handle that 3D Blaster PCI is a 2D/3D card, so it is needed to install a primary VGA too. Now I see is works similar as the demo: no sky and what is visiable looks the same as in the normal high resolution version:
Now it seems to me by switching to low resolution, the signal go back to the normal VGA (but needs to go back to the main menu blindly because there is no signal on either cards).
Anyway this was a good finding that the demo has some CGL code. Unfortunately they not continued the CGL work.
Thanks for confirming Gona!
What a pitty, I was very impressed by visuals of Starfighter on 3DO.
sorry for offtopic, try Starfighter on 3DO using Phoenix Emulation Project where you can force any resolution, anisotropic filtering and bilinear filtering with antialias and etc + additional effect = mind blowing
One thing I want to put to rest about the 3D Blaster VLB - there are 6 memory ICs so I wondered, why do people say it has 2MB. The answer is... because it has 2MB. Four of the chips (the lower ones) are 8 bit fast page EDO ram.
Siemens HYB514171BJ-60; 256k × 16-Bit Dynamic RAM x 2 = 1024k
SEC KM428C257J; 256k x 8 FAST PAGE WITH EDO x 4 = 1024k
I am guessing I am the only one who had this question, but just in case, there you go. One is the "localbuffer" and one the "framebuffer" (to borrow 3Dlabs 500tx terminology) - it does not have unified memory for textures and framebuffer (also something probably known). It appears that the upgrade module expands both separately.
furan wrote on 2021-06-07, 05:51:One thing I want to put to rest about the 3D Blaster VLB - there are 6 memory ICs so I wondered, why do people say it has 2MB. T […]
One thing I want to put to rest about the 3D Blaster VLB - there are 6 memory ICs so I wondered, why do people say it has 2MB. The answer is... because it has 2MB. Four of the chips (the lower ones) are 8 bit fast page EDO ram.
Siemens HYB514171BJ-60; 256k × 16-Bit Dynamic RAM x 2 = 1024k
SEC KM428C257J; 256k x 8 FAST PAGE WITH EDO x 4 = 1024k
I am guessing I am the only one who had this question, but just in case, there you go. One is the "localbuffer" and one the "framebuffer" (to borrow 3Dlabs 500tx terminology) - it does not have unified memory for textures and framebuffer (also something probably known). It appears that the upgrade module expands both separately.
There are some drivers for some Windows versions (Win 3.1x; NT3.5x; Win9x/ME) and with these drivers 3D Blaster VLB can works as a 2D videocard. I think 1 MB for this 2D and the another 1 MB for the 3D.
Of course, the dual-ported KM428C257J is used for the frame buffer.
800x600x16 then have to run single-buffered? Was it tried with CRT display?
Putas wrote on 2021-06-09, 17:37:Of course, the dual-ported KM428C257J is used for the frame buffer.
800x600x16 then have to run single-buffered? Was it tried with CRT display?
You mean we should compare 800x600 with 640x480? Actua Soccer and Euro 96 can run in CGL in 800x600 too but I think they are not 16-bit but 256 colors. Why important test this on CRT?
CRT screen should flash wildly. Probably 8 bit then.
Putas wrote on 2021-06-11, 06:21:CRT screen should flash wildly. Probably 8 bit then.
I have compared Actua Soccer low resolution = 720x400 with the high resolution 800x600 on CRT monitor. I cannot see difference in flashing or any unusual with the 800x600 resolution.
Single ported memory is mostly fine for dual use with CRT controller/graphics rendering in the chip. It is the responsibility of the memory controller in the graphics chip to arbitrate access to the memory and not "starve" the CRT controller.
Hi folks,
I have a few related questions and queries. Initially, most notably in PC Zone 30 ( https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_30_September_1995 ), Grand Prix 2 (MicroProse) was announced to be supportive of GLINT but I see absolutely no reference that this actually happened anywhere. Is GLINT, CGL??
I just acquired this card: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125053599132
It seems to have some additional chips to the one shown here: http://vgamuseum.info/index.php/companies/ite … 0-elsa-gloria-l
Any idea what those are?
Also, just to verify, this is a card that you guys believe will not run the creative.exe version of NASCAR Racing, right?
Thanks!
Sorry that my message not a answer to your question.
I assume you probably can try to put *.cgl files to folder with game it needed, and maybe if it luck it will work.
Actua Soccer has source code with 3d blaster cgl headers and usage.
Hi,
You have bought a ELSA GLoria-L/MX card. The big chip with heatsink is the 3DLabs GLiNT MX, the left next is the Glint Delta geometry processor (triangle setup processor), the blue IBM chip is the RAMDAC and the S3 Virge chip is the "DOS copmatibility" chip. By default the Virge chip will boot and work (you only access 3Dlabs chips by Win9x or NT4 driver). The 16 IBM memory chips (8 on front side and 8 on back side) are 516 KB VRAM chips, so all are 8MB (access by only 3DLabs chips), the SIEMENS EDO memory chips are localbuffer chips updated by socketed memory chips (also access by only 3DLabs chips). The two MT (Micron Technology) memory chips are 2x 512 KB EDO video memory belongs to Virge chip, so this is the "DOS mode" video memory (I don't think S3D API games can work with 1MB).
The card on VGAmuseum is the ELSA GLoria-L-88 the big chip is not GLiNT MX but the older GLiNT 500TX, and on that card has no upgraded memory chips for localbuffer. Other chips are the same or similar.
As we has written before no GLiNT (300SX; 500TX; MX) cards can run CGL games (I have tested all of them).
I don't think that exist GLINT version of the Grand Prix 2 (or other games).
For your card you can still download the drivers from 3DLabs, selecting "GLINT-based 3rd party card" and selecting "Windows 95" (os NT4):
https://3dlabs.com/content/Legacy/drivers/driverSelect.asp
On Win95 you can run early Direct3D games on the GLiNT MX, might GLQuake too (someone has witten it not works on 500TX).
88mphTim wrote on 2022-09-10, 06:22:Hi folks, […]
Hi folks,
I have a few related questions and queries. Initially, most notably in PC Zone 30 ( https://archive.org/details/PC_Zone_30_September_1995 ), Grand Prix 2 (MicroProse) was announced to be supportive of GLINT but I see absolutely no reference that this actually happened anywhere. Is GLINT, CGL??
I just acquired this card: https://www.ebay.com/itm/125053599132
It seems to have some additional chips to the one shown here: http://vgamuseum.info/index.php/companies/ite … 0-elsa-gloria-l
Any idea what those are?
Also, just to verify, this is a card that you guys believe will not run the creative.exe version of NASCAR Racing, right?
Thanks!
Gona wrote on 2022-09-10, 19:56:....
Awesome information and reply, thanks so much for covering everything! I really appreciate it!
