https://youtu.be/ZWYKN3_VCvA

That is a video I just posted showing the older system put together and showing what happens when I try to run Tomb Raider Gold - Unfinished Business with a Voodoo2 card. It's also an intro video to the retro system itself, so if you like system bragging, you can ignore the 2nd half of the video. If you want to see what happens with Tomb Raider, skip to the 2nd half.

So, environment variables.

This uses quite a lot of environment space, so you can run out if less than 512 bytes is defined. Windows probably defaults to plenty enough, more like 2048. It's set in the SHELL line in CONFIG.SYS, as in "SHELL=C:\DOS\COMMAND.COM C:\DOS\ /E:512 /P". If the /E:xxx parameter is left out, the default is only 256 bytes.

Something like the following (basically what you already had) should be perfect for the Voodoo 2:

1SET SST_GRXCLK=90
2SET SST_FT_CLK_DEL=0x4
3SET SST_TF0_CLK_DEL=0x6
4SET SST_TF1_CLK_DEL=0x6
5SET SST_VIN_CLKDEL=0x1
6SET SST_VOUT_CLKDEL=0x0
7SET SST_TMUMEM_SIZE=2
8SET SST_SCREENREFRESH=60
9SET SST_RGAMMA=1.30
10SET SST_GGAMMA=1.30
11SET SST_BGAMMA=1.30
12SET SSTV2_FASTMEM=1
13SET SSTV2_FASTPCIRD=1
14SET FX_GLIDE_ALLOC_COLOR=3

I wouldn't put any of that crap into my AUTOEXEC.BAT. Game specific batch files are a lot nicer.

After reading the nicely documented Glide source code a little, it seems you can force a higher resolution using "SET SST_SCREENREZ=800" for 800x600, unless the variable wasn't yet implemented in statically linked stuff. I'll try it out sometime.

FFXIhealer wrote:

https://youtu.be/ZWYKN3_VCvA

That is a video I just posted showing the older system put together and showing what happens when I try to run Tomb Raider Gold - Unfinished Business with a Voodoo2 card. It's also an intro video to the retro system itself, so if you like system bragging, you can ignore the 2nd half of the video. If you want to see what happens with Tomb Raider, skip to the 2nd half.

That FMV error comes up when the game can't find the TR CDROM I kept getting that when I had the TRUB CD(the two eidos and core FMVs are on both CDROMS after than the rest differ) in instead of the TR1 CD, also the executable file should be called Tomb.exe, there's also a tombub.exe for 3dfx hardware support. Should be on your CDROM also.

tumbrush confirmed working under Windows 98SE with voodoo II 8 mb.

I think perhaps something is wrong with your CD-ROM or CD Drive ?

I can't see what it could be. I can burn CD-Rs, read CD-Rs, read CDs, etc. All other games can see the CD-ROM fine. The game doesn't even start if it can't see the CD-ROM to even get to the point where it would crash. So....yeah, not the CD-ROM drive.

I see what it is. You're using the Unfinished Business expansion pack CD to try to launch the main game - or more accurately, main game 3dfx executables with the stand-alone UB.

As synrgy87 said, you need a UB executable for UB. There's a 3dfx release of that as well, and it should be found on the UB CD (X:\3DCards\3DFX\tombub.exe). It uses the external glide2x.ovl like the Voodoo Rush type executable for the main game, but may require environment variables for V2 compatibility.

FFXIhealer wrote:

I've been trying to find on-line the required environment variables to make the Voodoo2 act like a Voodoo1 (for Tomb Raider). I was going to set up a BAT file to run them all on the off-chance I want to play that particular game, but I can't find anything other than a master list of all environment variables for either Voodoo1 or Voodoo2 cards. It doesn't tell me which ones I need.

.Bat file with environment variables included in the zip files here: Voodoo 2 DOS Glide compatibility matrix

There are no file directly for the static linked patch, but the batch file for Descent 2 or Whiplash should work (as long as you change the .exe filename)

I know this is slightly off topic, but is there a Tomb Raider Voodoo (the original) no-cd exe somewhere?

I was not sure if I should open a new topic or post on this one, but since the search led me here, it might do the same to others too.

My case is very similar to the 1st post, except for the hardware that in my case is a Voodoo 3 2000 AGP. I'm using GOG's Tomb Raider, followed Phil's instructions to create a bin/cue from the gog/dat/audio files, and installed using the original INSTALL.EXE with Daemon Tools 3.47.

It resets the computer if I use the TOMB.EXE (873.739 bytes) from the PATCHES\VOODOO\ folder, but it runs fine at the default low resolution with the default TOMB.EXE or the ones in the PATCHES\3DFX\ folder. I tried using the variables posted above, added the SHELL line to CONFIG.SYS so Windows 98 had 512 bytes for environment variables, and copied the .OVL from the Windows folder to the game folder, but nothing worked. Nothing in the CONFIG.SYS or AUTOEXEC.BAT was touched since the Windows 98 installation (except for the SHELL line), just using whatever Windows and the Soundcard drivers wrote in there.

I can't run it under DOS because I'm emulating the CD, I even tried copying the entire CD to a folder but it still asks for it. It's really annoying!

My hardware:
- BOARD: ECS P4VXASD2+ v5.0
- CPU: Pentium 4 @ 1.7Ghz (maybe, not sure right now)
- VIDEO: 3Dfx Voodoo 3 2000 AGP with 2.15.11 BIOS, also failed with original 1.00.01 BIOS and another card with 2.15.09 BIOS
- AUDIO: Creative CT4830 Sound Blaster Live!
- RAM: 1x512MB DDR

Not sure about the GOG version, but my retail copy of Tomb Raider works fine under Win98 with a Voodoo 3 2000 using the Glide patch from the Voodoo Rush folder.

Try using the latest official drivers and see if that makes a difference. That's version 1.07.00 (not beta) from November 2000. It can be downloaded from here: http://falconfly.3dfx.pl/voodoo3.htm

I think I tried from 1.03.00 to 1.07.00, but I'll check again tonight. I have a clean backup of Windows 98SE folder without the graphic card installed just for these kind of problems. I'll also have to see where I can find different versions of the .OVL file in case that's the problem, but I don't know how I can check the version. Hexedit?

johnyept wrote on 2021-03-08, 10:15:

I'll also have to see where I can find different versions of the .OVL file in case that's the problem, but I don't know how I can check the version. Hexedit?

The stock OVL file that the 1.07.00 driver installs worked fine for me. I didn't need to copy it to the Tomb Raider folder either.

In case it matters, this is the system that I played it on: Retired build - Celeron 466 / Abit ZM6 / Voodoo3 / AWE64 Gold / YMF744 / SC-155

Ok, I tried a few more things:
- restored Windows 98SE without graphic drivers and installed v1.07.00
- renamed AUTOEXEC.BAT and CONFIG.SYS to confirm if some line in them was the cause
- disabled L2 cache in the BIOS
- changed AGP to 4x, 2x and 1x in the BIOS
- tried on another desktop which also has a (faster) P4 CPU

Yep, it still reboots. I'm thinking it's either some P4 CPU instruction or the CD image I created from the GOG version. I'll have to try the CD image on a P3 or Celeron to confirm.

An annoying update:
I picked up my old and faithful P3 1Ghz running on a decrepit Matsonic MS7157C (all fan headers are dead, no fan running on the CPU), inserted it in a tower, added 2x256MB SDRAM, network/USB2 cards (no sound card at hand) and a 40GB HDD, installed Windows 98SE + Windows XP on dual boot, made a backup of Windows 98SE clean installation (just in case), then installed latest 3Dfx v1.07.00 drivers, PowerStrip 2.78 and Daemon Tools 3.47. And guess what? Game booted at first try! It doesn't show the 3Dfx logo but the quality is noticeably better, and detail levels menu now has normal/mip mapping instead of low/medium/high. I also tried adding SET SST_SCREENREZ=800 but didn't noticed any difference in the resolution.

So, problem is either an incompatibility with CPU/motherboard (chipset?), or the sound card since the P3 is running with no sound card. Back to the drawing board...

EDIT: as a bonus, while messing around with other old computers due to the problem above, I found a Matrox Millennium MGA G400 32MB AGP! If I'm not mistaken that's the only Matrox I own right now. I remember having a Matrox card when I was younger, I think it was (maybe) a Matrox M3D, it came with a racing game which looked beautiful, but all I can find on Google relates to Ultimate Race, and that doesn't seem the same racing game... or maybe it is, almost everything back then looked better than it looks today.

EDIT2: it's not the sound card. I removed all PCI cards, reinstalled Windows, added no chipset drivers, just 3Dfx + PowerStrip + Daemon + Tomb Raider like I did with the P3, and it still rebooted, so it's either the P4 CPU or the motherboard that causes the reboot. I just wanted to make sure the CD image worked and I confirmed that with the P3, the P4 setup just made me lose time I could have spent trying other stuff. Oh well, that's retro gaming for ya...

Today I brought home a bunch of old hardware that was occupying space at work, one was an old Dell Optiplex GXa desktop that I had for years collecting dust, and I noticed a black pass-through VGA cable on the back. It had a Diamond Monster 3D II inside! I tested it in the same computer that rebooted when trying to play Tomb Raider with the Voodoo 3, this time with a GF4 MX440 AGP + Voodoo 2 PCI and it ran fine! So the problem is limited to the combination of the Voodoo 3 and the motherboard/CPU, since it works with a Pentium 3. I have several P4 computers so when I find some free time and patience I'll see if the game runs with the Voodoo 3 on one of them.

Now let's hope lightning strikes twice and someone brings me an old computer with another Voodoo 2 PCI inside!
What do we want? SLI! When do we want it? As soon as possible, please...

Play TR-Series on RAVE and you always have the high-res 😉

This thread helped me out. I have a pentium 1 233 MMX . I did have a voodoo 3 2000 installed. First I had a PCI voodoo 3, but tomb raider would just go to a blank screen . Using an AGP voodoo 3 , tomb raider would run fine (this is with the 3dfx exe patch) but was very slow .
I now realize I was using the wrong EXE thanks to the first page of this thread. So anyway , I installed a 12 MB voodoo 2 today and used the 3dfx exe and was getting wierd colour in the game. It led me to look up a solution which ledme here showing me I was using the wrong patch. SO now using the correct one, the game runs great. The voodoo 2 also seems to run better in other games as well . Like Unreal and Monster Truck Madness. I cant get 3d mark 99 to work though so I cant benchmark it to compare

there is obviously something wrong...

Law212 wrote on 2023-06-21, 04:42:

I cant get 3d mark 99 to work though so I cant benchmark it to compare

Which driver for the Voodoo2 card is installed? The last ones for Windows 9x need DirectX 7 runtimes libraries.

Gmlb256 wrote on 2023-06-21, 12:36:

Law212 wrote on 2023-06-21, 04:42:

I cant get 3d mark 99 to work though so I cant benchmark it to compare

Which driver for the Voodoo2 card is installed? The last ones for Windows 9x need DirectX 7 runtimes libraries.

Late last night I was thinking maybe it was DX related and I think DX 5 is installed and I was thinking i need to update it. Ill try that tonight.