Catalyst 3.8

[Chrono_Wanderer]

LOL@UtwigMU

I think its because most Matrox users have swapped to ATI for the good 2D it offers (close to Matrox) and its much better speed.

Matrox gotta do something fast to win back its fanboys

[UtwigMU]

IMO it's Matrox>nV>Ati.

(not in terms of performance, but allround stability, Ati is getting there though, or so I hear)

Perhaps, because of the endless rages I had to use at warious jobs, where stingies wouldn't splurge for decent cards.

[Gurm]

nVidia is inferior to ATI clear across the board now. And game developers are finally starting to realize it. The problem is that nVidia still has a lot of money, which they're more than happy to use to buy game developers' loyalty (and code).

- Gurm

[3dfx]

There was a rumour going around that nvidia were trying to push sierra to make HL2 Nvidia exclusive so you needed a nvidia card to run it.

[Gurm]

Sierra wouldn't do that, but they MIGHT be pushed to do what Bioware did - which is make the game run so poorly on ATI cards that you might as well say "nvidia only".

Neverwinter Nights STILL runs like mud on ATI cards. And it's been out for a year. It actually runs WORSE the better the ATI card. It runs acceptably on my 8500, but people with 9600's say it's crap, and people with 9800's get like 4fps!

- Gurm

[J1NG]

Originally posted by Gurm
Neverwinter Nights STILL runs like mud on ATI cards. And it's been out for a year. It actually runs WORSE the better the ATI card. It runs acceptably on my 8500, but people with 9600's say it's crap, and people with 9800's get like 4fps!

- Gurm

Don't know what their problem is then. I've got NWN and the expansion for my systems here. I've used 9000Pro (64MB) and 9600Pro (128MB), all on max details and I get a respectable 23fps for the former and 40fps for the latter.

J1NG

[Gurm]

It's certain situations, J1ng. Shadows are bad. Outdoors is bad. Water is VERY BAD.

- Gurm

[J1NG]

Oh, you mean when certain environments are met upon, like reflective water and thw hole thing stutters for a second? Yeah, that happens. I usually focus into my character near those parts. Keeps the fps high. (Playing a Monk who relies on speed and reactions to kill, you can see how low fps will kill me )

Yeah, Shadows(lighting) and Water are horrid when encountered with other things happening. But Outdoors doesn't seem too bad. I don't recall a problem with Outdoors. The others yeah, but not outdoors.

J1NG

[Helevitia]

Originally posted by J1NG
Oh, you mean when certain environments are met upon, like reflective water and thw hole thing stutters for a second? Yeah, that happens. I usually focus into my character near those parts. Keeps the fps high. (Playing a Monk who relies on speed and reactions to kill, you can see how low fps will kill me )

Yeah, Shadows(lighting) and Water are horrid when encountered with other things happening. But Outdoors doesn't seem too bad. I don't recall a problem with Outdoors. The others yeah, but not outdoors.

J1NG

This pretty much sums up my experience with nwn, although I haven't tried 3.8's yet.

Dave

[The PIT]

Well I've still got four monitors ATI haven't fixed that yet. At least I've got less than some people who've six or eight even.

I feel the 3d setup needs separating out again. Otherwise nothing much to comment about. Oh game gamma seems higher than previous drivers.

[Paddy]

I got a 7.7% increase in 3DMarks 2003 with these drivers.

[The PIT]

Originally posted by Paddy
I got a 7.7% increase in 3DMarks 2003 with these drivers.

No change here under 3dfart

[Gurm]

Looks like this build (Cat 3.8) is HORRIBLY ****ING BROKEN for Radeon 8500's and 9000's (R200 core). Games that are missing almost all textures:

- Neverwinter Nights
- Once upon a Knight
- Battlefield 1942
- Warcraft 3

ARGH!

- Gurm

[dbdg]

OK so far for me, no real change either way.

3.7 introduced an 'issue' with Lightwave and two monitors on my mates 8500 and Millenium rig, 3.8's seem to fix it or unbreak it.

He hasn't tested battlefield yet, and we don't have the rest.

[The PIT]

Considering the problems 8500 owners are having it makes you wonder how well they tested these.
The four monitors is the only bug I've got so far.