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Last
Updated on March 01, 2002
by Thomas
McGuire
Check for NVIDIA
GeForce based videocards prices here.
Now
select the Miscellaneous option from the drop-down menu.
Buffer
region extension.
Ticking this option will enable the use of the
GL_KTX_buffer_region (Dual planes) extension. This will provide improved
performance in Applications/Games that support it by allowing an area of
an OpenGL window to be saved in off-screen memory for quick restores,
though is mostly only used in 3D modelling Applications, e.g. 3D Studio
Max. You shouldn’t have any adverse effects to having this Ticked
even if it will be unused, so I’d recommend leaving this enabled.
Buffer
region use video memory.
Leave this Unticked if you previously Unticked Buffer region
extension or your Graphics Card has less than 32MB Video Memory
(This shouldn’t be an issue unless you have a TNT 1/2 still), those
with 32MB or greater of Video Memory should Tick this for optimal
performance of the GL_KTX_buffer_region extension.
Disable
3D enhanced CPU optimisations.
Ticking this setting will disable the use of CPU specific
instruction sets, e.g. SSE, 3D Now, etc., which in most cases would lead
to best 3D performance. Leave this option Unticked unless you are
experiencing compatibility problems with some Applications/Games.
GeForce
accelerated lines.
Similar to the Buffer region extension this option will mostly be
of use to those using 3D modelling Applications as it will only really
have a beneficial effect on rendering wire-frame models. Tick
this if that fits into your description of regular usage of your
GeForce, though as before there shouldn’t be any adverse affects to
leaving this enabled.
TNT2
compatibility.
If you are having serious problems trying to get an OpenGL
Application/Game to work you might want to consider Ticking this
option to disable the more advanced features of the GeForce. Leave this Unticked
if your Applications/Games run fine – which they all should if they
are remotely modern.
Leave
this option Unticked at all times. Should you have some old
OpenGL Application/Game that you just can’t get to run correctly/at
all then you might want to Tick this in a desperate attempt to
get it to work.
Allow
StereoVision API.
Should you wish to use 3D Stereo Glasses with your Graphics card then be
sure to Tick this option to enable support for the StereoVision API
(Application Programming Interface), otherwise
leave it Unticked. You can check Stereovision.net
for more information about this also.
Force
16 Bit Z-Buffer.
Ticking this option will force the use of a 16-bit Z-Buffer
regardless of the colour depth being used, e.g. if running a Game in
32-bit colour a 16-bit Z-Buffer will still be used rather than a 24-bit
one. This is best selected if you are experiencing strange clipping (or
other) errors in OpenGL when using a 24 or 32-bit colour depth. At all
other times you should leave this option Unticked for best image
quality, as it can reduce rendering errors as it allows the use of a
higher Z-Buffer precision for performing depth calculations at 24/32-bit
colour depths.
Our Game Tweak
Guides section will take you through configuring your games for best
quality/performance & more with your NVIDIA Graphics card. These
cover most popular games of all types, everything from Half-Life/Counter
Strike to Tribes 2, Combat Flight Simulator 2 & Serious Sam. These
also contain further Troubleshooting tips.
By now you should have
fully configured your NVIDIA Graphics cards for best Performance/Visual
quality or a combination, or perhaps even solved some Compatibility
issues you had with such Games/Applications.
This
guide will be updated in the future for further Driver releases for
these Graphics Cards as well as cover other topics/settings. If you have
any problems be sure to check out our Audio
& Video Forum or Email
me with any Suggestions/Comments about the guide.
A Printable version of this
article can be found here.
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