Conflict On Graphic Standards Hurting PC Gaming? 39
Thanks to GameSpot for their editorial discussing graphics card manufacturers, and how their race for revenue could harm PC gaming. The piece discusses the days when "3dfx's Glide standard was the only thing going", and "3dfx even secured deals with retailers to create separate sections for 3dfx-compatible games." However, the author laments: "I thought hardware-specific games were a thing of the past. Then I booted up the demo for Bridge It", an Nvidia-sponsored title which "will not run unless you have an Nvidia GeForce 4 Ti or GeForce FX graphics card installed." The article ends with a hope that "clearer heads will prevail and PC gaming can take new steps toward improving ease-of-use, not balkanizing the platform for business reasons."
From the BridgeIT FAQ (Score:5, Informative)
Q: Why does Bridge It only run on NVIDIA video cards?
A: Bridge It is a collaboration of three great companies - NVIDIA, Auran and Chronic Logic. As much fun as Bridge It is to play, it was also developed as a great technology showcase for NVIDIA and Auran. Bridge It was designed to utilize NVIDIA hardware and the Auran Jet software to achieve its outstanding visual quality. We would like Bridge It to work on all cards (obviously), but Bridge It was specifically designed as graphics demo to show off NVIDIA graphics cards. Bridge It is based on Chronic Logic's game Bridge Construction Set. Bridge Construction Set has very similar game play as Bridge It and supports all brands of OpenGL video cards, you can check it out here.
Q: What role did NVIDIA, Auran and Chronic Logic each play in the development of Bridge It?
A: Bridge It is the brainchild of Chronic Logic. Bridge It's design is based on Chronic Logic's game Bridge Construction Set. Auran's artists and programmers, armed with the Auran Jet software engine, consulted with Chronic Logic to transform the original Bridge Construction Set into a new gaming experience. NVIDIA joined these two companies together and provided its 3D graphics expertise, as well as moral support, and turned Bridge It into one of the most compelling 3D games on the market today.
Q: How is Bridge It different from Bridge Construction Set?
A: Bridge It is a much more graphic-intense version of BCS. While the gameplay in Bridge It and BCS is similar, the intended audiences for the two games are slightly different. Bridge It was designed with casual gamers in mind and is designed for gamers of all skill levels. BCS is slightly more flexible and challenging and is geared towards the more experienced gamer. Hence, the change of name of BCS to Bridge It (and not BCS 2). See below for more information.
Q: Will your future games require NVIDIA cards?
A: No, Bridge It's graphics are based on technology developed by Auran and NVIDIA. Our current projects are all OpenGL based and will run on all brands of OpenGL cards. They will also support Linux and OSX. However our current projects will look great on NVIDIA cards, because of their excellent developer support.
Q: I understand that Chronic Logic was not involved in the decision to develop Bridge It for NVIDIA cards only. I understand that Chronic Logic did not sell their souls. I understand that without NVIDIA's participation Bridge It would not exist. I understand that serious problems face this world such as wars, nuclear proliferation, world hunger, and Ben and J-Lo's wedding. However I still want to write Chronic Logic and complain about Bridge It (a game developed for NVIDIA) only working on NVIDIA cards. I also want to tell them I will no longer support them by purchasing their products even if I never did (if you have purchased games from Chronic Logic, we appreciate your support very much and feel free to send us your comments). I understand that everyday I purchase products from huge corporations that exploit other humans worldwide while destroying the environment, but I think Chronic Logic is worse and deserves my personal attention. I want to tell Chronic Logic I am so pissed off I won't even support them by pirating their games anymore, what can I do?
A: Then please send your comments to hatemail@chroniclogic.com
The game was developed as an NVIDIA demo. (Score:5, Informative)
This whole story should be modded as -1, RTFFAQ.
The game was made primarly as a graphics demo for NVIDIA cards. It makes sense, then, that it should be for NVIDIA cards, no?
From the Bridge It FAQ [chroniclogic.com]:
Bridge It was specifically designed as graphics demo to show off NVIDIA graphics cards.
Re:Ummm... (Score:3, Informative)
That's what I seem to remember from Carmack's comments here in his
ATI Wrapper (Score:5, Informative)
The D3D wrapper might make this game playable with few tweaks.
Re:Ummm... (Score:2, Informative)
ATI runs D3 faster than nVidia in the standard ARB2 codepath. In order for D3 to be faster on nVidia hardware Carmack has had to optimize the hell out of the nVidia specific codepath.
If it was anyone but nVidia they'd be screwed -- why the hell should I, as a programmer, spend far more time optimizing a codepath for one specific group of cards? Especially a codepath that diverges from the standard? Well, obviously if ~50% of your target audience may be using that path it makes sense. But given that no such tricks had to be done for ATI utilizing the standard ARB2 path, you can hardly say that ATI isn't supporting the standard.