what do you think yourself ?

I have no idea...I suppose the answer is no, but perhaps in FreeDOS, which I think has been "updated" they could perhaps be used...am I ok?

This is rather confusing question in itself. The answer is no. Anyway state what you precisely mean...
If it is a version of FreeDOS with included Glide wrapper then nothing like that exists (at least I do not know about a DOS based Glide wrapper - all need Windows).

Mirek

no old dos game is designed for new hardware... no new software can force old dos games to use new hardware...

Oh...So if I were an expert programmer (which as you see I am not), would it be possible to improve DOS by adding that Glide Wrapper...and anything else? (I mean, similar drivers to Direct X, etc...)
Or is it also possible (in theory) to make JUST ONE certain game I design to work with my PC, which has an ATI card?
I don't mean whether something like this exists, but if it'd be possible to create it.

By the way, do ATI cards work with Linux?

Thanks mates.

you might want to read into some stuff about glide first.

In theory you could make one game that makes maximum use of your ati card.
Provided you get all the technical specs of your card (which is unlikely)

Ati cards work in linux. Please search before asking trivial things like that(tyhat linux question). We aren't google.

Oh, OK. I am sorry. It won't happen anymore.
However I did it cuz I get sometimes confused by what I read so I preferred a more "personal" answer.

Thanks to all, by the way.

Probably, if you mean DOSBOX, modern graphic card can really help in regards to image scaling and such.

Qbix: what about being more polite when it comes to hajime, since he is only asking a normal simple question. And well we all need to start some where about our knowledge. hajime: I am on your side, by the way. So don´t worry.

And well we all need to start some where about our knowledge.

Wolverine, this isn't really a "start some where" site. We focus more on fixing DosBox problems and helping people help themselves to get their games working. Not to explain the basics of PC's/OS's. This site cannot be all things to all people. If it was then DosBox wouldn't be as good as it is.

The thread topic is actually pretty lame. There's nothing holding DOS back from doing things that the latest operating systems can do. Only time/money/documentation/programming software/interest. It's not an OS/Hardware limitation.

hajime: I am on your side, by the way.

Nice 😀
Group therapy 😀

DosFreak wrote:

And well we all need to start some where about our knowledge.

Wolverine, this isn't really a "start some where" site. We focus more on fixing DosBox problems and helping people help themselves to get their games working. Not to explain the basics of PC's/OS's. This site cannot be all things to all people. If it was then DosBox wouldn't be as good as it is.

The thread topic is actually pretty lame. There's nothing holding DOS back from doing things that the latest operating systems can do. Only time/money/documentation/programming software/interest. It's not an OS/Hardware limitation.

Of course you are right, but there are more polite ways to give out the comments, than give a person in some ways a cold icy shoulder. Just because he is perhaps asking a question that is more easy. If you are putting the search words in google.

There are numerous ways around a problem, instead of giving a person a textbook kick in the groin area, just because he is asking a textbook google question , that he can easily get answered by a few searchwords on google. That is what I am pointing out, and not being a pain in the backside of a person.

That is my point of view on the matter right now anyway.

Hey, thanks Wolverine. You are a very nice dude.
Yeah, you are right, it is not something bad to ask newbie questions, cuz this might help other newbies who read the thread.

But it's OK for me. I think QBix is also right.
I don't want you guys to think I was offended or something.
Everything is OK, man.
But I thank you a lot, Wolverine. 😉

hajime wrote:

Hi, I was wondering if some version of DOS could use the capacity of modern graphic cards (like ATI) 100% if a game designed for DOS needed it.

Frankly, I'm not sure what hajime actually means, because if he's talking about 3D acceleration, the answer is quite obvious: the only DOS games ever designed for 3D acceleration is those games supporting 3dfx (like Tomb Raider, EF2000 V2.0 / EF2000 TACTCOM, Carmageddon, and Archimedean Dynasty).

But... hold on; if what he means is actually "are modern graphic card beneficial for DOS games", then here's the answer (but anyone please correct me if I'm wrong in certain parts):

Many DOS games, especially the ones using SVGA graphics, rely much on VESA BIOS Extension (VBE) instead of 3D acceleration. Examples are the first System Shock, Privateer 2: The Darkening, Jane's Advanced Tactical Fighters, and Dawn Patrol.

To make such games run fast, you need a video card with good VESA support, and a fast processor of course. Such video cards are usually called "2D video cards".

The bad news is that I'm not sure whether modern video card (like GeForce 7900 GT) has a good VESA support (or a VESA support at all, for that matter). The fastest video card for DOS games is those based on Tseng Labs ET-6000 graphic processor, which is about ten years ago, so good luck finding them on ebay. 😉

The good news is that such games are more processor-dependent than video card -dependent. You can use a lightning fast 2D video card like STB Lightspeed 128 or Matrox Mystique, yet you still get pathetically low frame rate when playing Novalogic's Comanche 3, because you're using Pentium 100.

On the other hand, you can play DOS games with a pathetically slow 2D video card like ATI Mach 32, but get excellent frame rate because you're using Pentium III processor.

Back to your question, as far as modern video cards go, first you should check whether they're compatible with DOS SVGA mode; in other words, you should check whether the video card supports VBE 3.0 or VBE 2.0. If it does not, then forget running SVGA DOS games with the video card.

Voodoo5 5500 is an example of a "modern" video card that support VBE 3.0, but again, I'm not sure about GeForce 8800 or Radeon X1950XT.

So, um, does it answer your question?

GeForce 6200 has VESA 3.0 bios but most of nVidia's bios are larger than usual. Many graphic cards have 32kB bios but nVidia's take up to 60kB, for dos, it means less UMB (memory where you can load drivers and tsr). Modern bios are also more buggy

I had a Elsa Gladiac MX (GeForce2MX) which have 32kB bios and a TNT2 with 60kB. BIOS size and quality depend of the builder of your card.

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

Frankly, I'm not sure what hajime actually means, because if he's talking about 3D acceleration, the answer is quite obvious: th […]
Show full quote

hajime wrote:

Hi, I was wondering if some version of DOS could use the capacity of modern graphic cards (like ATI) 100% if a game designed for DOS needed it.

Frankly, I'm not sure what hajime actually means, because if he's talking about 3D acceleration, the answer is quite obvious: the only DOS games ever designed for 3D acceleration is those games supporting 3dfx (like Tomb Raider, EF2000 V2.0 / EF2000 TACTCOM, Carmageddon, and Archimedean Dynasty).

But... hold on; if what he means is actually "are modern graphic card beneficial for DOS games", then here's the answer (but anyone please correct me if I'm wrong in certain parts):

Many DOS games, especially the ones using SVGA graphics, rely much on VESA BIOS Extension (VBE) instead of 3D acceleration. Examples are the first System Shock, Privateer 2: The Darkening, Jane's Advanced Tactical Fighters, and Dawn Patrol.

To make such games run fast, you need a video card with good VESA support, and a fast processor of course. Such video cards are usually called "2D video cards".

The bad news is that I'm not sure whether modern video card (like GeForce 7900 GT) has a good VESA support (or a VESA support at all, for that matter). The fastest video card for DOS games is those based on Tseng Labs ET-6000 graphic processor, which is about ten years ago, so good luck finding them on ebay. 😉

The good news is that such games are more processor-dependent than video card -dependent. You can use a lightning fast 2D video card like STB Lightspeed 128 or Matrox Mystique, yet you still get pathetically low frame rate when playing Novalogic's Comanche 3, because you're using Pentium 100.

On the other hand, you can play DOS games with a pathetically slow 2D video card like ATI Mach 32, but get excellent frame rate because you're using Pentium III processor.

Back to your question, as far as modern video cards go, first you should check whether they're compatible with DOS SVGA mode; in other words, you should check whether the video card supports VBE 3.0 or VBE 2.0. If it does not, then forget running SVGA DOS games with the video card.

Voodoo5 5500 is an example of a "modern" video card that support VBE 3.0, but again, I'm not sure about GeForce 8800 or Radeon X1950XT.

So, um, does it answer your question?

You answered my question VERY WELL.
Thanks, it is a very clear explanation.

hajime wrote:

Kreshna Aryaguna Nurzaman wrote:

<snip snip major snip>

So, um, does it answer your question?

You answered my question VERY WELL.
Thanks, it is a very clear explanation.

Glad to help. 😀 Now I hope this thread could be useful for anyone who's planning to boot in DOS and looking for a video card suitable (read: old enough) for the purpose. StickByDOS has also posted a very useful information:

GeForce 6200 has VESA 3.0 bios but most of nVidia's bios are larger than usual....

Speaking of VESA makes me thinking: IIRC a Voodoo5 5500 also support VBE 3.0 instead of 2.0. Is VBE 3.0 backward compatible with VBE 2.0?