Why don't IHVs make two sets of drivers?

[Anarchist420]

One for compatibility/IQ and ones like the existing ones for performance?

There are too many image quality killing optimizations, not enough options to increase image quality, 16 bit color still hasn't been fixed (I do appreciate the games devs that do it on an app-basis), and a 24 bit z-buffer isn't linear in eye space (some games were designed with a w-buffer implementation in mind) and some games would look a lot better if they used a more linear depth buffer.

Correct me if I'm wrong about this, but the latest laptopvideo2go custom drivers for nv GPUs force optimizations that reduced image quality and I think nvidia's official drivers do the same thing now.

OTOH, I see that there may not be much of a market for it as benchmarking frame rates and frame times is a hobby for some people, but I think an IQ/compatibility driver would be a good idea nonetheless. The GK110 architecture is fast enough and has the feature set to emulate enough old features with 100% accuracy.

Anyone else think that a IQ/compatibility driver set in addition to the performance-biased ones we have today is a good idea from a non-business standpoint?

 

[Tempered81]

Nspecter, Nhibitor, RadeonPro, SweetFX

 

[Anarchist420]

Nspecter, Nhibitor, RadeonPro, SweetFX

Those only allow changing of what nvidia and AMD allow. I'm sorry.

Just one example, if I want to clamp negative lod bias for DX games, it won't work because the driver doesn't allow it.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Because almost no one will pay $25 extra for their cards to fund this.

It's the magic of the free market

 

[AdamK47]

Why make a separate driver for something that can be implemented in existing drivers? There are a multitude of things that have been added to drivers over the years to increase or reduce image quality. There has to be enough users who want a feature implemented for a driver team to implement it. Otherwise it's a waste of time, effort, and money.

 

[Kenmitch]

Why make a separate driver for something that can be implemented in existing drivers? There are a multitude of things that have been added to drivers over the years to increase or reduce image quality. There has to be enough users who want a feature implemented for a driver team to implement it. Otherwise it's a waste of time, effort, and money.

Don't forget the more options = more bugs to deal with.

 

[ElFenix]

AMD's WHQL drivers (the ones for compatibility) are several version numbers behind the latest driver.

 

[AdamK47]

AMD's WHQL drivers (the ones for compatibility) are several version numbers behind the latest driver.

And completely useless as a measurement for stability.

 

[Anarchist420]

Don't forget the more options = more bugs to deal with.

That's partially true, but it's really not all that true. I guess they would have to rewrite a great deal of their drivers though.

It's the magic of the free market

Really it's not. Nvidia and AMD hold IP that's why there hasn't been a newcomer and that's why nvidia's awful drivers haven't been opened up more.

In other words, I don't see how we wouldn't have just as good of hardware drivers within 10 years after the elimination of IP and bureaucracy. It's just like drugs. They could change their business model to an X-prize or something like that and still make a profit maybe even more than is made now if they're really creative.

 

[lamedude]

We kinda had that back in the day with Omega drivers and others like them.

 

[24601]

They don't do it because the .01% extra effort to put Boolean switches to turn off each optimization brings no extra profit.

 

[Anarchist420]

They don't do it because the .01% extra effort to put Boolean switches to turn off each optimization brings no extra profit.

I don't know that it wouldn't if people saw how much better it would make the graphics.

 

[24601]

I don't know that it wouldn't if people saw how much better it would make the graphics.

Considering your average consumer purchasing one of these add-in cards probably thinks the "graphics box" only makes his computer run his games in such a way that it "looks somewhat better" than games on XB360 and PS3, I highly doubt that.