Radeon 8500 users running Nascar 4 or the N2k2 demo...please read.

[moocat]

The two lastest nascar releases from Papyrus no longer run on my 8500. I'm currently running the 9012 (win98se) drivers, 4.37a via 4in1s, and DX8.1. N2k2 won't even run the video configuration routine and N4 locks up in OGL and runs at a nice solid 15fps in D3D. I can run Nascar Heat, Grand Prix Legends, and 3DMark2k1 without issue. I've tried reinstalling the demo but it didn't make a difference. I'm going to try reinstalling N4 right now but don't hold much hope that it's gonna make a difference. I'm not sure what happened...one night they just stopped working.

Could you please tell me what drivers you are using and any other potentially useful info? Thanks.

 

[Jolt2]

What do you expect from "leaked" beta drivers. Over at Rage3d there are post about the "leaked" 9012 beta drivers screwing up alot of different games. ATI is cracking down on sites and people who release or leak these beta drivers to the general public. Don't be looking for many of these beta driver updates in the future. If ATI holds to their past supported driver updates, we will be getting like 3 or 4 offical ATI supported drivers a year to work with as the "leaked" beta drivers get cut off.

I have a regular Radeon card and the 9005 drivers run Nascar4 and Nascar3 fine. I have not used openGL with these drivers in a long race, so I do not know if they are stable.

The last offical ATI supported driver for the Radeon 8500, running Win98, is the:

Official Display Driver - ONLY FOR RADEON 8500
Version: 4.13.7206
Size:10.92 MB Date: 11/14/01

ATI has made a lot of talk of better driver support for over a year since I had my Radeon, and I do not think I will buy another ATI card. I am sick of the ATI driver talk with no action.

 

[EMAN]

I'm using win2k using leaked drivers and Nascar 4 works fine on my system. Try reinstalling the drivers.


ATI has made a lot of talk of better driver support for over a year since I had my Radeon, and I do not think I will buy another ATI card. I am sick of the ATI driver talk with no action.

While I can understand why you are upset but you got to realize when radeon came out it was very advanced and had new technology. The drivers are decent with radeon now but was horrible a year ago. It ain't perfect but it works now. If you think Nvidia or PowerVR makes perfect drivers think again. Nvidia has the infinite loop bug that people are having problems. It's really minor here and there.

I wish 3dfx was back. They made perfect scaling good drivers that worked with all games.

 

[Jolt2]

Eman,

I to wish 3Dfx was still around. I guess I expect working drivers from these other companies like 3Dfx use to provide. Yes, my Radeon works fine now but it has been over a year. It does not seem right that you buy a card, it takes a year for the company to get the bugs out of the drivers, but by then you have a old working card that is not the fastest or best performing any more. Plusyou payed top dollar for the card when you bought it.

I had hopes for ATI but now I think all current video card manufacters stink. The trash they turn out that people buy with hopes that the product will work is a shame. No card is perfect but I think 3Dfx had the handle on getting problems fixed without causing other problems.

 

[maddmax]

That demo would not run correctly for me till I updated the drivers for my Turtle Beach Santa Cruz. Not sure what sound card you're using but it's something to look into. BTW I use a regular Radeon. Good luck.

 

[moocat]

For whatever reason re-installing BOTH games fixed the problem. Funny, Nascar Heat and Grand Prix Legends were unaffected by whatever was causing the problem. Just the two Papy Nascar sims were broke. Performance seems to be better in both games. I can run 1600x1200x16 with high detail and never drop below 30 fps. I don't know if it's just me or what...the n2k2 demo seems much smoother even at frame rates that would usually look a little "pagey". If you shut the frame counter off you'd never know that the inevitable dips in frame rate are even occurring...could just be my eyes arent' very fussy

Jolt2...I've been following the ATI driver saga since I bought my 8500. I really don't think that the drivers are that bad. I've been through worse with other hardware. The 9012s work very well and the issues I was having had nothing to do with them. Some file got corrupted I'm guessing. I think ATI should have at least released a new official beta driver set by now. I'm not sure what the hold up is. The 9012s and 9008 sets both seem to be pretty solid.

The whole 3dfx thing is funny...My V5 is supposed to be obsolete and have no support and it still is more reliable in all OSes than most cards I have to admit it's getting too slow even for me though.