Issues with some games on a Voodoo 3 \ VOGONS

Issues with some games on a Voodoo 3

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First post, by stealthjoe

Posted on 2023-01-26, 08:04

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I am having issues with running some 3Dfx games on a Voodoo 3. Have installed the V3 on a slot 1 MB (Asus P2B). Then installed the v1.07 drivers. Have set the display resolution to 1024x768. Didn't notice any graphical artifacts/corruption with the windows 98 desktop and display.

1) Interstate '76 Nitro
After installing the game and choosing 3Dfx mode, it simply refuses to run under hardware acceleration. Getting an error "Failed to initialize 3D hardware acceleration" immediately after the 3Dfx splash screen. After downgrading the drivers to 1.03, restarting the PC and trying to run, the game only gives the option of software mode. Is this the expected behaviour for this game using V3?

2) Mortal Kombat 4
The game install and runs. However it works in only a windowed mode. Tried to resize to full screen but in vain.

3) Need for Speed 2 SE
After installing the game first with v1.07 drivers and trying to run it, the race track was completely distorted. Then after downgrading to 1.03, the game now works but not sure whether it is hardware or software mode as I didn't get the 3Dfx splash screen.

Need help in fixing the above issues. Thanks!

~~Intel 845GEBV2, Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz, Geforce FX5600 256MB, 512MB RAM, 160GB HDD, Sound Blaster Live! SB0100 - Win 98/XP~~ Finding a replacement.

Reply 1 of 14, by Joseph_Joestar

Posted on 2023-01-26, 08:53

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stealthjoe wrote on 2023-01-26, 08:04:

2) Mortal Kombat 4
The game install and runs. However it works in only a windowed mode. Tried to resize to full screen but in vain.

It's probably running in software mode. Try pressing F6 to activate Direct3D mode. I think pressing either F1 or F2 will show a complete list of options and hotkeys.

Also, note that static linked Glide games probably won't work on a Voodoo 3. See here for more details. Not sure if MK4 falls under that category, but I seem to recall only being able to run that game in Direct3D mode on a Voodoo 3.

PC#1: Pentium MMX 166 / Soyo SY-5BT / S3 Trio64V+ / Voodoo1 / YMF719 / AWE64 Gold / SC-155
PC#2: AthlonXP 2100+ / ECS K7VTA3 / Voodoo3 / Audigy2 / Vortex2
PC#3: Core 2 Duo E8600 / Foxconn P35AX-S / X800 / Audigy2 ZS
PC#4: i5-3570K / MSI Z77A-G43 / GTX 970 / X-Fi

Reply 2 of 14, by bloodem

Posted on 2023-01-26, 09:01

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Sounds to me like a broken Voodoo 3... These cards should just work out of the box, without any tinkering whatsoever.
To be sure, try a fresh Windows 98 installation and only install DirectX 7 and the latest reference Voodoo 3 drivers (1.07.00). If you still have issues, then your card is definitely faulty.

Last edited by bloodem on 2023-01-26, 16:15. Edited 2 times in total.

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Reply 3 of 14, by appiah4

Posted on 2023-01-26, 09:01

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These may be related to the heatsink mounting issues you are having and asking about in the other thread.

Reply 4 of 14, by stealthjoe

Posted on 2023-01-26, 10:19

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bloodem wrote on 2023-01-26, 09:01:

Sounds tot me like a broken Voodoo 3... These cards should just work out of the box, without any tinkering whatsoever.
To be sure, try a fresh Windows 98 installation and only install DirectX 7 and the latest reference Voodoo 3 drivers (1.07.00). If you still have issues, then your card is definitely faulty.

I was thinking of that as well. However there are no other issues with the display. Drivers installed properly. Will probably try a fresh 98 installation.

~~Intel 845GEBV2, Pentium 4 2.4 Ghz, Geforce FX5600 256MB, 512MB RAM, 160GB HDD, Sound Blaster Live! SB0100 - Win 98/XP~~ Finding a replacement.

Reply 5 of 14, by bloodem

Posted on 2023-01-26, 11:08

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stealthjoe wrote on 2023-01-26, 10:19:

I was thinking of that as well. However there are no other issues with the display. Drivers installed properly. Will probably try a fresh 98 installation.

Drivers will actually install and appear to work properly with most faulty cards (until you try to access a 3D app, at which point the problems will appear).

Reply 6 of 14, by BEEN_Nath_58

Posted on 2023-01-26, 11:49

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You might as well try some demos and if they run. Faulty cards and dead cards are different in the sense one will install driver and work partially while the other won't.

It could also be related to thermals as another user mentioned

previously known as Discrete_BOB_058

Reply 7 of 14, by Meatball

Posted on 2023-01-26, 13:32

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Try installing Unreal Gold. Select the Glide option on initial startup. If this game doesn’t work, you really have problems as it works with all 3dfx cards without trouble.

For Need for Speed 2 SE, did you copy the Glide EXE, nfs2sea.exe, from the CD into the installed directory and run this? nfs2sea.exe is not installed with the rest of the game by default.

Are you having any trouble running Direct3D games?

Reply 8 of 14, by eddman

Posted on 2023-01-26, 14:04

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Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2023-01-26, 08:53:

Also, note that static linked Glide games

I'm not well versed in glide. How can I check if a game is static linked?

Reply 9 of 14, by Joseph_Joestar

Posted on 2023-01-26, 14:15

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eddman wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:04:

I'm not well versed in glide. How can I check if a game is static linked?

I'm not sure if there's a list of those. Might be worth making one.

As to how to check for them, maybe someone else can chime in on that and give you the technical details.

Reply 10 of 14, by Gmlb256

Posted on 2023-01-26, 14:15

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eddman wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:04:

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2023-01-26, 08:53:

Also, note that static linked Glide games

I'm not well versed in glide. How can I check if a game is static linked?

Those are DOS games that doesn't require an external GLIDE2X.OVL file to run.

Additional note that isn't yet mentioned on this thread: Earlier Windows games that uses the Glide renderer requires both GLIDE.DLL and SST1INIT.DLL files and those are also very unlikely to work on a Voodoo3.

Reply 11 of 14, by subhuman@xgtx

Posted on 2023-01-27, 04:23

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Gmlb256 wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:15:

eddman wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:04:

Joseph_Joestar wrote on 2023-01-26, 08:53:

Also, note that static linked Glide games

I'm not well versed in glide. How can I check if a game is static linked?

Those are DOS games that doesn't require an external GLIDE2X.OVL file to run.

Additional note that isn't yet mentioned on this thread: Earlier Windows games that uses the Glide renderer requires both GLIDE.DLL and SST1INIT.DLL files and those are also very unlikely to work on a Voodoo3.

Which do you think is the actual reason? multiple deviceid checks across the libraries?

Reply 12 of 14, by Gmlb256

Posted on 2023-01-27, 05:02

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subhuman@xgtx wrote on 2023-01-27, 04:23:

Gmlb256 wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:15:

eddman wrote on 2023-01-26, 14:04:

I'm not well versed in glide. How can I check if a game is static linked?

Those are DOS games that doesn't require an external GLIDE2X.OVL file to run.

Additional note that isn't yet mentioned on this thread: Earlier Windows games that uses the Glide renderer requires both GLIDE.DLL and SST1INIT.DLL files and those are also very unlikely to work on a Voodoo3.

Which do you think is the actual reason? multiple deviceid checks across the libraries?

I assume that with later Voodoo cards, the registers aren't 100% compatible. These earlier games using the Glide renderer doesn't check the device id anywhere.