nVidia to Eidos: Pull the Tomb Raider AOD DX9 Benchmark Patch

[Pete]

I'm seeing DX9 benchmark after DX9 benchmark released, only to be followed by nV's well-financed and connected marketing arm pulling every string possible (invoking mutual contracts, tricking loyal reviewers) to discredit said benchmarks. This elaborate and disappointing form of, "Wait, wait, we're not ready yet!" is getting tiresome, and appears to be actively retarding the development of titles and enjoyment of gamers. Sad.

The picture painted on this page only gets bleaker. :\

 

[Adul]

Dave from beyond 3d has this to day

That type of thing has already happened. Have you heard of the problem with the water shader in Tiger Woods 2003? It works on NVIDIA's boards, but not any others. Evidently there is a device ID detect in there - if you change another shader enabled board to an NVIDIA device id it runs the NVIDIA shader, not only that but it runs it fine - change the device ID of an NVIDIA board to a non-NVIDIA board and it breaks. Ask EA who wrote that shader code.

 

[Adul]

from Reverend

I am just totally amazed by the lengths NVIDIA are going through to try and limit the defiency between their hardware and ATI's. I understand it but I am amazed they are actually doing it. This TRAOD/Eidos incidence is just very probably the last straw for me when it comes to any remaining respect I may have for a company that I once admired.

Even Microsoft isn't so obviously blatant in doing dirty tactics.

At the moment, I am thinking about refusing to review any NVIDIA-based products, not because I don't like what NVIDIA is doing, but because I honestly do not know how to review their products accurately anymore.

I really want to say much more about this because I am very angry about this TRAOD incident, and I want to post this on our front page as a mini-editorial, just to make it an "official Beyond3D stance" but I am not sure this idea is endearing to Dave, nor appearing respectful to his position.

As my anger with NVIDIA subside, disappointment will take over. Maybe it may even turn to pity.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Powerful stuff there.

 

[wetcat007]

lol messed, well i dun care, the game was horrible anyhow..

 

[Wingznut]

Originally posted by: wetcat007
lol messed, well i dun care, the game was horrible anyhow..

I'm not sure how much you comprehended, but this issue has practically nothing to do with the game.

 

[Adul]

http://www.beyond3d.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7942&start=20

 

[Luagsch]

damn. if they cripple S.T.A.L.K.E.R for non-nvidia cards i'll (any comment here would be handled by the fbi and the nsa, so it's covert with this bleh) !!!!!

I DARE YOU NVIDIA!!!!!! MAY GOD HAVE MERCY WITH YOU, CAUSE I DON'T !!!!

 

[Nebor]

Nvidia is just ensuring that they'll be able to continue to bring us great video cards in the future. They're all about the consumer.

 

[Corporate Thug]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Nvidia is just ensuring that they'll be able to continue to bring us great video cards in the future. They're all about the consumer.

my god, arent u past the denial stage yet?

 

[OddTSi]

I think after seeing all of this come to light, it's safe to say that those with nVidia stock might want to sell first thing tomorrow if they don't want to lose a lot of money. I seriously don't see this ending in a good way.

The best thing that nVidia can do now is to admit to the wrongs they have done and do things legit from now on. It's not going to win them back into the consumers' hearts right away, but it'll be a lot faster than if they continue with these deceitful PR games and bribery tricks. If they continue down the path they're currently on they might easily find themselves out of business, whether through loss of customers or a formal investigation into their actions by whichever body of government is supposed to be monitoring this type of behavior (think Enron).

 

[Adul]

Originally posted by: shady06

Originally posted by: Nebor
Nvidia is just ensuring that they'll be able to continue to bring us great video cards in the future. They're all about the consumer.

my god, arent u past the denial stage yet?

:wine:

 

[jorojr]

This is beginning to smell like 3dfx all over again...especially since they bought out 3dfx.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: Nebor
Nvidia is just ensuring that they'll be able to continue to bring us great video cards in the future. They're all about the consumer.

I actually think he is genuinely embarassed of his beloved company and poking fun at himself.....Read his recent post all about it is full of humor and blatant sarcasm....Someone sell him at leats a 9700 radeon and help this poor loast soul....

 

[Nemesis77]

Originally posted by: GTaudiophile
Core and Eidos believe that Tomb Raider: AOD performs exceptionally well on NVIDIA hardware.[/i] - Paul Baldwin, Eidos[/b]

Here's a pic of Paul Baldwin

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: NFS4
This is starting to get really sad and PATHETIC:disgust:

way past that

 

[skace]

I enjoyed every nvidia card I bought from my TNT all the way to my GF4. But what the HELL IN GODS NAME happened to nvidia when they pulled the GF5 out of their ass. Ok, so your GF5 lineup sucked. Get over it.

Why can't they say "yea, we lost this round, but we arn't out of the game yet". Instead, they are fscking disqualifying themselves before the next round even starts.

I usually take the practices of a company with a grain of salt and assume things got twisted in some manner, but Nvidia is single handedly removing any doubt in their practices this time around. I'd hate to think it will affect my future purchases. I regretted it when 3dfx took a dive and I'm sure I'd regret it if nvidia took one also. Considering, I don't even know what other competition ATI has.

 

[The Sauce]

nVidia doesn't have to pull anything out of any hat except a better card than ATI has...then within a month everyone will be singing their praises again, ATI will be cooking the benches again, and everyone will be ragging on ATI for crappy drivers and whatnot...again.

 

[The Sauce]

BTW, not to introduce any reason to this discussion, but has anyone considered the possibility that there might have actually been a legitimate flaw with the patch resulting in erroneous results? We don't have all of the information.

PS:
<-- = proud 9800pro owner.

 

[AdmiralTiger]

Originally posted by: skace
I regretted it when 3dfx took a dive and I'm sure I'd regret it if nvidia took one also. Considering, I don't even know what other competition ATI has.

So do I, skace - I do miss my Voodoo 3 and 4 cards that I had back in the good days... ah, those days! 32 MB video memory was all you needed!

As for the other competition - have you looked up XGI Tech lately? They're a merger of SIS and Trident graphics division, and they're coming out with new graphic cards with excellent specifications that would make a hardcore gamer drool for months (looks good on paper though but I want the benches, or heck, a picture of it!) - XGI I have a feeling that they will be a staunch competitor to both ATI and (if they're still around by then) nVidia.

 

[BoberFett]

Originally posted by: Snatchface
nVidia doesn't have to pull anything out of any hat except a better card than ATI has...then within a month everyone will be singing their praises again, ATI will be cooking the benches again, and everyone will be ragging on ATI for crappy drivers and whatnot...again.

The problem for Nvidia is that these recent stunts are opening the door for ATI. For the past few years if you wanted the best card, you bought an Nvidia. ATI had problems with speed, quality and compatability. After four generations of the GeForce being the best available graphics chip, Nvidia had a huge mindshare. As much as I hate marketing words like that, it really applies here. Either you had GeForce or you had crap. Even as late as the 9500/9700, ATI had nowhere near the exposure that Nvidia had. It was only with the 9x00 series that the average consumer started looking at ATI.

Now that consumers are seeing Nvidia stumbling in the benchmarks, ATI is looking like a real contender. If enough people buy ATI cards, they'll see that ATI makes chips every bit as good as the competition. Nvidia won't be going out of business anytime soon, but they have lost that practical monopoly they had on high end consumer 3D graphics cards.

 

[1ManArmY]

http://www.apexco.net/misc./dawn.jpg


Damn did Dawn lose some weight! :Q Umm must be da SHADER's

 

[Alkali]

Originally posted by: 1ManArmY
http://www.apexco.net/misc./dawn.jpg


Damn did Dawn lose some weight! :Q Umm must be da SHADER's

OMG OMG

That is so funny

 

[ndee]

wow, Nvidia starts to svck donkey balls. Sheesh, next product will be an ATI.

 

[Cesar]

Originally posted by: ndee
wow, Nvidia starts to svck donkey balls. Sheesh, next product will be an ATI.

Man U will not win the Champions league, Real Madrid baby!!!!!!:beer: