Doom 3 and nVidia's "UltraShadow" technology.

[Draco]

I was just reading The Firing Squad article about Doom 3 and high end cards... I found this interesting.

NVIDIA?s GeForce 6800 cards dominate ATI X800 PRO and X800 XT Platinum Edition in DOOM 3 performance, with NVIDIA?s GeForce 6800 GT outperforming the X800 XT Platinum in a lot of cases. The most startling part about it is that NVIDIA?s ace in the hole, UltraShadow, isn?t even enabled currently in DOOM 3. With the extensive use of stencil shadows throughout DOOM 3?s dark levels, UltraShadow could play a huge role in improving NVIDIA?s current performance even more. Could you imagine if NVIDIA?s $300 GeForce 6800 one day outperforms ATI?s $500 RADEON X800 XT Platinum Edition in a benchmark as important as DOOM 3? This engine will be the basis of many titles for the next few years, just as Quake 3 was in the past for id and their Q3 licensees, Call of Duty being the most recent example.

I didn't even realize this. When do you think we'll see Doom 3 take advantage of this new 6800 feature?

 

[vshah]

Originally posted by: Draco
I was just reading The Firing Squad article about Doom 3 and high end cards... I found this interesting.

NVIDIA?s GeForce 6800 cards dominate ATI X800 PRO and X800 XT Platinum Edition in DOOM 3 performance, with NVIDIA?s GeForce 6800 GT outperforming the X800 XT Platinum in a lot of cases. The most startling part about it is that NVIDIA?s ace in the hole, UltraShadow, isn?t even enabled currently in DOOM 3. With the extensive use of stencil shadows throughout DOOM 3?s dark levels, UltraShadow could play a huge role in improving NVIDIA?s current performance even more. Could you imagine if NVIDIA?s $300 GeForce 6800 one day outperforms ATI?s $500 RADEON X800 XT Platinum Edition in a benchmark as important as DOOM 3? This engine will be the basis of many titles for the next few years, just as Quake 3 was in the past for id and their Q3 licensees, Call of Duty being the most recent example.

I didn't even realize this. When do you think we'll see Doom 3 take advantage of this new 6800 feature?

who knows...it'd be nice though. I havn't heard anything about future support for it though.

and remember, just bc a game will use the d3 engine, doesn't mean it will necessarily have complex shadows.

-Vivan

 

[rbV5]

Is "ultrashadow" simply not enabled in Doom...or is it MIA like the Programmable Video Processor?

 

[g3pro]

I read about this before. The 5900 also has ultrashadow technology, but the first generation of it. Supposedly you can enable it in the game, and people have been reporting 20-30% increase in performance. Check out the www.nvnews.net forums. I think that's where I read it.

 

[Aharami]

g3pro, link?

 

[g3pro]

Try this: http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=34182&highlight=ultra+shadow

 

[rbV5]

Does that enable legacy ultrashadow..or enable the new ultrashadow ll?

 

[Genx87]

Why do I have a feeling this game is going to have custom mods for performance tweaks?

Is carmack that sloppy of a programmer or that genius of a man to have the community do his work?

Might be a question we will be talking about for months to come.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: rbV5
Is "ultrashadow" simply not enabled in Doom...or is it MIA like the Programmable Video Processor?

Vivoli keeps teasing about the PVP in the short interview@Tom's and it's driving me nuts! He talks about it like the best thing since sliced bread and that they plan to concentrate on it even more in future products but I haven't seen a danged thing so far that it's supposed to be doing!

Also, one of our best kept secrets is our Video Processor. It is an amazing and unique technology that provides consumers with the highest quality video solution on the market. And it's only getting better. Look for lots more video goodness from us soon!

THG: Where does NVIDIA currently see opportunities for innovation?

DV: We have just scratched the surface of programmability. It will take several more generations to achieve the kind of fidelity you see in the movies in real-time. Also, you will see us invest more and more in our Video Processor.

 

[Juice5557]

Im still waiting for coop dammit

 

[rbV5]

Also, one of our best kept secrets is our Video Processor. It is an amazing and unique technology that provides consumers with the highest quality video solution on the market. And it's only getting better. Look for lots more video goodness from us soon!

LOL...shhhhhh, its a secret

I know, I've been waiting since last September for Forceware Multimedia suite and now I'm reading at AVS that NVDVD3 won't be offered for sale, only bundled....I'd sure like to know what is up with the multimedia division.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: rbV5

Also, one of our best kept secrets is our Video Processor. It is an amazing and unique technology that provides consumers with the highest quality video solution on the market. And it's only getting better. Look for lots more video goodness from us soon!

LOL...shhhhhh, its a secret

I know, I've been waiting since last September for Forceware Multimedia suite and now I'm reading at AVS that NVDVD3 won't be offered for sale, only bundled....I'd sure like to know what is up with the multimedia division.

I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya

 

[rbV5]

I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya

Then who'd do the review for my shiny new HDTV Wonder?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: rbV5

I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya

Then who'd do the review for my shiny new HDTV Wonder?

Nice! What HDTV do you have? or is this for a HTPC with monitor?

BTW, You know how it goes beta-testing, you hear juicy chit sometimes but can't say anything :brokenheart:

 

[rbV5]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: rbV5

I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya

Then who'd do the review for my shiny new HDTV Wonder?

Nice! What HDTV do you have? or is this for a HTPC with monitor?

BTW, You know how it goes beta-testing, you hear juicy chit sometimes but can't say anything :brokenheart:

I hear you, but yea, I've got a Philips 55" widescreen I've been using a MyHD in an HTPC for over 1 1/2 years now so it'll be interesting to see how ATI's software solution compares. I'm also getting an e-home wonder hardware card that I'm buiding a networked SageTV box around. It should be here Thursday FedeX. I'm taking a bit of a vacation for the rest of the month, and I'll try to get something thrown together between camping trips and what not...should be a busy August around here

 

[Draco]

well this thread got hi-jacked.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: Draco
well this thread got hi-jacked.

My apologies, it does bump your thread though :light:

 

[Schadenfroh]

does enabling ultra shadow in doom 3 degrade IQ?

 

[BlvdKing]

It did nothing for me - 5900 XT

 

[darkswordsman17]

Has anybody else tried this?