First post, by PhaytalError
- Rank
- Member
Okay, it's been YEARS [1999 or 2000] since i've done anything with DOS, also i've not used Windows since 2006 [i'm a complete Linux convert].
[The PC i'm about to mention is strictly for DOS gaming ONLY, NO WINDOWS 3.x, Win9x, nor WinNT usage whatsoever!]
Anyways, recently I found on the curb [literally, someone had tossed it out for city dump!] a nice little Gateway Performance 550 Pentium III 550Mhz system! It came with 256mb of RAM, a Radeon AGP card, Internal 3.5in 1.44mb Floppy, Internal ZIP Drive, SB Live! soundcard , a crappy PCI 56k modem, a CRT monitor, mouse, and keyboard however had no ethernet card, and no hard drive [for privacy reasons i'll assume].
I was lucky enough to locate and purchase a brand new [factory sealed] AWE64 Gold and D-Link DLE-530TX+ PCI Ethernet Card, and I slapped in a 13GB HDD.
I have elected to install and use FreeDOS v1.1 [as of this posting] because FreeDOS is friggin' AWESOME and MS-DOS gaming compatible.
So anyway, I was doing some testing [Diamond Stealth 64 Video PCI + 4mb RAM module vs. ATI Radeon AGP] and to my suprise the AGP card rendered DOS games; I honestly didn't even know that DOS games would "see" the AGP card. DOS games, [especially 3D titles such as Quake] run VERY fast... achieved 2x - 3x the performance with the Radeon compared to the Diamond Stealth 64 card. The Radeon even allows for VESA mode in Quake up to 1920x1080, where as the Diamond Stealth 64 card doesn't allow for VESA modes in Quake so VGA only; but does allow VESA modes in Duke3D, and other Build Engine titles.
HOWEVER 2D in alot of games with the Radeon on the horizontal movement plain was "jerky" [best I can describe it], and some games in VESA Mode [Shadow Warrior to name one] gave a horrible rainbow effect on all graphics and pixles in VESA mode.
So I have replaced the Radeon AGP card with the Diamond Stealth 64 Video PCI card for now...
What is the best graphics card for DOS, that will allow for a nice FPS in Quake [40-60fps is perferred if at all possible] in VGA mode, and at least 30+ FPS in VESA 640x480 mode? Is there even such a card that can do this? [Those are the speeds I was achieving with the AGP Radeon].
I want something that is fast in 2D, fast in rendering 3D engine games such as Quake + VESA mode, and that has great DOS compatibility.
My question is this, does such a thing exist? If so, what are my opions?
I'm just looking for something better than the Diamond Stealth 64 I currently have; I mean yeah the Diamond Stealth 64 is very fast in 2D, and fast in 3D [I can do 800x600 VESA in Duke3D, Shadow Warrior, etc and can run Grand Prix 2 [GP2] with all settings maxed out + SVGA and get buttery smooth framerate] but can't do any VESA in full-3D engines such as Quake.
What do you all suggest as a replacement or recommend? Many thanks in advance! 😁