No more 3Dfx--I'm genuinely sad.

[Dputiger]

I'm really going to MISS this company. Both my Voodoo2 and my Voodoo5 have provided me with a ton of fond memories and GREAT gaming experiences.

Here's to 3Dfx, pioneer of 3D acceleration and manufacturer of some **** good products in their day.

[RobRich]

I agree with your thought on this development. However, I'm hoping for a future collaboration of 3dfx and nVidia technologies, as this scenario could lead to an exciting series of new products.

BTW, a similar thread has been started in General Tech:

http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/Forum1/HTML/010231.html

Later,
Robert Richmond

[OuTpaTienT]

I'll certainly shed no tears over losing 3dfx, but I do know how you feel. I lost a video chip maker too, long ago. But I still have a special place in my heart for Rendition. The first widely utilized 3D acceleration (VQuake) that started this whole thing. And even though the Voodoo soon came along and beat Rendition's Verite 1000 silly, it never touched Rendition visual quality. The 2nd generation Verite 2x00 has visual quality equal to that of the TNT & TNT2 cards (but they were wouldn't hit the market for months to come).

3dfx NEVER touched Renditions visual quality, not with Voodoo1 or Voodoo2. But speedwise, 3dfx kicked some serious **** in it's heyday.

Oh well, despite many hard feelings I'll still miss you 3dfx. Now pay off your debts and go home to a well deserved retirement. Go on! Get outta here you knucklehead. (drat, & I said I wouldn't shed a tear...[sniff] http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/frown.gif ).

[batmeat]

3dfx was the pioneer into the realm of 3d accelerators. I guess Nvidia is going to aquire most of the company. What does mean to shareholders?

[seti]

I still us a Verite 1000 as a back up card. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Aleph1]

I sure hope Nvidia doesn't make the mistake of using Voodoo technology or VSA-100 at that. Id like to see a NV20/Rampage (VSA-200) mix...could be interesting, I bet their next chip will have 3Dfx's hardware FSAA renderer.

[seti]

We do not have plans to produce VSA-100 chips at this time.

Brian Burke, Nvidia PR guy

Firing Squad has a little interview (http://firingsquad.gamers.com/features/nvidia1215/)

[Dputiger]

Multi-chip technology isn't a bad thing, necessarily--it all depends on how the technology WORKS with itself.

For example, let's say you had to produce a chip with a core running at 500 Mhz in order to do X--but 500 Mhz was VERY hard to hit consistently and therefore expensive. It might be easier to design a card using 2 250 Mhz cores or 2 300 Mhz cores, yield greater performance than your 500 Mhz chip, and cost LESS. Multi-chip technology is neither good or bad inherently, just depends on how you design and implement it. Had the V5 carried the same GPU's that the Radeon and GeForce do, plus its other qualities, we might have seen a VERY different picture.

At any rate, I'm hoping NVidia works with 3Dfx's T-buffer technology. I'd like to see hardware FSAA over software any day.

[darrelld]

I too loved the 3dfx cards, but my biggest concern is what's going to happen to pricing without the competition. Sure there are other card manufacturers, but when it comes to gaming there really was only two, now one.

[Dputiger]

Competition may come from ATI. The Radeon is a good product and a worthy alternative to a GeForce--if the Radeon2 is also a good card, Nvidia could have a serious competitor on their hands.

I would like to see Glide support from future NVidia products--it'd be nice for them to continue the legacy support that 3Dfx does so well.

[phecky]

Ah yes....the silicon evolution marches on.

The video card market reminds me of what happened to early auto makers. Only in this industry the whole process is vastly accelerated. look back in the history of autos and see how many good cars have come and gone or were eaten up by bigger co's. Olds just announced no more after 100 years.

And here's another thought nVidia is getting cozy with Microsoft.

[phenious]

RIP 3DFX some will miss you.......some wont.....but I for one..........will........

-: phenious :-

[storm2k]

ati cards are extremely good (i have an xpert 2000) but let's face it, when it comes to games, 3dfx was one of the best. there is just no denying it.

[Navin]

I'm with you Dputiger - 3dfx did invent some neat technology in their T-buffer. It would be a shame if Nvidia didn't at least consider using it.

A GeForce with hardware FSAA...mmm...

[falcompsx]

nvidia now owns SLI technology...imagine how freakin powerful a 4way SLI geforce2 ultra with 256DDR mem would be....

[JayMan]

They do have a geforce with hardware FSAA i beleive, its called a "geforce turned into a quadro", just re-solder a couple resistors and bang u have hardware FSAA. And as for nvidia owning SLI, i actually thought 3dfx sold that to quantum3d, or did they just sell the v5 6000? I will miss 3dfx, but if nvidia starts to support glide with there stuff, i spose i will live.

JayMan

[Dputiger]

3Dfx doesn't own the rights to multi-chip technology, any more than Intel owns the rights to CPU's. 3Dfx sold Quantum the right to produce multi-chip solutions based on the Voodoo5 6000 design.

Since Nvidia still owns the Voodoo brand name and considers it one the the most powerful in the market, I think we'll see products marketed under it. Hopefully, yes, we'll see Glide support, Hardware FSAA, and some other 3Dfx innovations. I, for one, was really looking forward to the HSR technology in their latest drivers.