Thinking About Nvidia.

[Kimosabi]

I'm getting restless again. The kind of restless when hardware needs to be replaced without much reason to back it up. I've listened to all this talk about how great Nvidia cards are with IL-2(possibly SoW as well)and wondered if there's any truth behind it, or if it's just drunken sailor stories? I've never played IL-2 on a green card so I have no idea. Is there any difference besides less hassle running perfect landscape?

~S~

[Jabo]

Personally, I think nVidia cards are fab Kimo, I've used them for ages now and will in all probability continue to do so into the future. As far as I'm concerned, I've always found them to be really good - fast, reliable and reasonably straight-forward. The lack of issues with drivers is also a big plus - each time a new one comes out, I chuck it onto the machine and everything runs as it should. Windows 7 even handles the download for me...doddle.

Only slight downside is the fact that they do run quite hot so you need to consider the cooling, but that may well be the same for ATI.

Jabo

[delta7]

If its just for IL2 I would wait and save my pennies until BOB comes along as I dont think that the newer graphics cards will enhance this significantly

my machine is nowhere near top spec now - dual core pentium with an nvidea 8800GT card that I bought second hand from a friend- and I can play perfect at full resolution 1680*1050 on my 22" monitor at high fps

However when online I use the resolution the game is optimised for; 1024*768

I like nvidea , I have used both ATI and Nvidea and the only real difference I found was that the nvidea was brighter and sharper out of the box but with all the available tweaking options both drivers offer Im sure I could have set up the ATI the same way with a bit of effort.

[DD_Brando]

Respectfully, I have to say that my ATi HD5870 and 28" monitor show Forgotten Battles just beautifully and make "full switch" really viable. I got so excited that I went out and grabbed myself a TrackIR 5 to complement the visuals. That's a distinct improvement over the 3 Pro I've used for years too.

B

[FoolTrottel]

That's a distinct improvement over the 3 Pro I've used for years too.

Could you tell us a bit more Brando? In what way is it better?

I'm using a 3 Pro, and perfectly happy with it. (Only need to center once when starting the game)

(Oh wait, I think I get it, I'm only using the 2DOF.... not the 6DOF that it's capable of, as I have the Vector expansion)

(Sorry for the hijack!)

[DD_Brando]

That's a distinct improvement over the 3 Pro I've used for years too.

Could you tell us a bit more Brando? In what way is it better?

I'm using a 3 Pro, and perfectly happy with it. (Only need to center once when starting the game)

(Oh wait, I think I get it, I'm only using the 2DOF.... not the 6DOF that it's capable of, as I have the Vector expansion)

(Sorry for the hijack!)

Ditto on the hijack, Kimo, but it may be of interest to the thread I hope.

FT. <S> Basically I had always found that the 3Pro would find a way to disconnect itself on the way into a game. Not every time, but at least once every session and often more. I'd checked out the start options and everything, but I couldn't find a way to stop it from happening.

Of course, there's nothing more annoying than finding your TIR isn't functioning as a coop starts - except perhaps when you're hosting and it happens.

Anyway, I think there are two ways in which TIR 5 is better. One is the software (the version 5) which seems totally unfazed by Windows 7 and/or IL-2 Mods, and the hardware which has been improved in many ways. From a much easier form of attachment to the monitor, right onto the improved field of reception and the complete eradication of the problem I mentioned above, this is a definitely improved piece of kit.

Back at the ranch, I still feel called to defend ATi's rep. I've fielded a series of ATI cards right along since I flew in Warbirds and then IL2 Sturmovik up to now. It's true to say that Ati have always taken a while to refine their drivers after the release of new hardware, and one may feel forced into the position of a beta tester sometimes. Fiascos like the blocky text issue and the purple flashes and similar artifacts have put quite a few people off - but the company have always come through with the appropriate adjustments eventually. With a monthly issue of drivers it's important to follow developments and send feedback to the writers if there is a problem. This feedback does get acted upon.

Anyway - with the latest drivers installed the 5870 certainly displays IL2 better than I've ever seen it. Better than the 4890 I switched from, and I didn't think it would be like that.

B

[FoolTrottel]

Thanks B!

("Improved field of reception" might be the one interesting thing for me, as in the past 5 years using the 3Pro, I've only had to disconnect/reconnect it maybe three times...and.... mostly due to my Guillemot stick I'm still on XP)

[Kimosabi]

I have to say that my ATI cards have been very little troublesome, and since I got the 5870 and newer drivers starting with 10.3 and up, all the earlier issues with Perfect Landscape is more or less gone(especially after your setup help in an earlier thread Brando!). I'm now running 10.7 and IL-2 runs very good on it, so with Brando's words in mind, maybe the Nvidia plans should take the backseat for now. Haven't tried the 10.8 drivers yet though, Brando, any need for them? Here's my conf. right now:

[Render_OpenGL]

TexQual=3

TexMipFilter=2

TexCompress=0

TexFlags.UseDither=1

TexFlags.UseAlpha=0

TexFlags.UseIndex=0

TexFlags.PolygonStipple=1

TexFlags.UseClampedSprites=0

TexFlags.DrawLandByTriangles=1

TexFlags.UseVertexArrays=0

TexFlags.DisableAPIExtensions=0

TexFlags.ARBMultitextureExt=1

TexFlags.TexEnvCombineExt=1

TexFlags.SecondaryColorExt=1

TexFlags.VertexArrayExt=0

TexFlags.ClipHintExt=0

TexFlags.UsePaletteExt=0

TexFlags.TexAnisotropicExt=1

TexFlags.TexCompressARBExt=1

TexFlags.TexEnvCombine4NV=0

TexFlags.TexEnvCombineDot3=1

TexFlags.DepthClampNV=0

TexFlags.SeparateSpecular=1

TexFlags.TextureShaderNV=0

HardwareShaders=1

Shadows=2

Specular=1

SpecularLight=1

DiffuseLight=2

DynamicalLights=1

MeshDetail=2

VisibilityDistance=3

Sky=2

Forest=1

LandShading=2

LandDetails=2

LandGeom=3

TexLarge=1

TexLandQual=3

TexLandLarge=1

VideoSetupId=17

Water=2

Effects=1

ForceShaders1x=0

PolygonOffsetFactor=-0.0625

PolygonOffsetUnits=-1.0

I'll try to enable UseVertexArrays tomorrow and see if the purple colors have disappeared.

[gec]

one more plus on the Ati side not less important is the price tag. In the same price range Ati beats NVidia by far.

[DD_Brando]

The 10.8 drivers seem to work fine Kimo. I think I detected a slight improvement in colour, but it's rather subjective and hard to quantify. I haven't run any tracks to collect fps no's, but I know te game runs very smoothly now. Definitely reinstate the Vertex Array settings - that problem has gone.

Obviously most of us are waiting (more or less) patiently for SoW:BoB to be released. A lot of people are rattling on about the machines we're going to need in order to run it - multicores, multi-gpu's and so on - and getting in a sweat about it. I feel quietly confident that Oleg & Co will be able to make good use of the potential that is locked up in rigs like mine. I'm considering grabbing another 5870 to use in Crossfire when the time comes. It isn't necessary for FB - but who knows what the 4.10 patch will bring?

[Kimosabi]

Yeah, I don't think we'll need monster rigs to run SoW but maxing it out is going to take a bit of horsepower, I think. Maxing out IL-2 is no problem at all with my Q9550/5870 on 1920x1200, and if you want to sell lots of games like a combat sim with so many adult players and not that many up to date geeks,you can't make it too demanding either. If I have problems it's usually that I go bonkers with forced AA/AF/AI etc. on the graphics card.

[Kimosabi]

The 10.8 drivers seem to work fine Kimo. I think I detected a slight improvement in colour, but it's rather subjective and hard to quantify. I haven't run any tracks to collect fps no's, but I know te game runs very smoothly now. Definitely reinstate the Vertex Array settings - that problem has gone.

Yep, 10.8 is better than 10.7, no doubt. Reinstated Vertex arrays(which was the ONLY beef I had left with running OpenGL) and it looks awesome now. Even vertical refresh is smoother now on my system. I downloaded the 10.8b hotfix as well, maybe I'll install that later and see if it does anything for my card. It's supposed to be a hotfix mainly for 4870x2 and 4850x2 though.

[BadAim]

I'd wait for the new card too, mate. I recently bought a GTX 470, and there is little difference between it and the 4850 it replaced in IL2. I only upgraded because my 4850 croaked from all the abuse I lavished on it. While the 470 is a fine card, IL2 just can't use the extra horsepower. I hope SOW runs well on it. On the plus side ROF looks fantastic with the 470, but I'm now bottlenecking on the processor. It just goes to show you how demanding flight sims are, and how necessary a well balanced machine is.

[Kimosabi]

It's important to have a nicely balanced machine for sure. What's even more important is how the game is coded. Seeing how IL-2 is coded with a nice balance between cpu/gpu load, I expect something similar to that in SoW, even though it's a freshly developed game engine.