Comparison of Mechwarrior 2:31st CC 3D accelerated versions

[vetz]

I've been doing some videos for my 3D Acceleration Comparison series ( http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL ... ature=plcp ) on Youtube and due to requests I am now editing the Mechwarrior 2 video based on the OEM 3D accelerated versions of the game. I've recorded with a VGA capture card with the following original hardware:

- 3DFX Voodoo 1 (mainly in 640x480 as 800x600 doesn't co-operate well with my capture card)
- 3DFX Voodoo 2 (It's a bitch to get running with this game! Just some 800x600 footage to show that the framerate is better with a Voodoo 2 and than Voodoo 1 in that resolution)
- ATI 3D Rage II - 512x384 resolution (also some on ATI 3D Rage Pro to show that it is not completely compatible with card)
- PowerVR PCX2 - 640x480 resolution (without doubt the best version and the best framerate!)
- S3 Virge GX2 - 640x480 resolution (Fastest S3 Virge card released, showing 640x480 as this is actually playable. Can do 800x600 as well, but I call it unplayable. This version can also do 1024x768 if you got the S3 Virge VX with 8MB ram (which I just bought, but haven't got in the mail yet), but I would expect below 5 FPS though)
- Matrox Mystique 220 - 640x400 resolution.

I've also included some footage of the 3DFX version running under nGlide in Windows 7 64bit. I've captured 300gb with footage, so there should be enough for a 5-6 minutes long video. I've not captured anything so far on the DOS version or the Titanium as this will just make the comparison out of scope with too many versions. If you are wondering about the quality of the footage, I've uploaded some test footage of the S3 Virge version here (720p available): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mag6bBV6mIM

Of the experts in here, is there anything I should include or essentially not miss out on? This is mostly a graphically comparison, not gameplay wise.

[Sir MMPD Radick]

Nope, generally seems you have most of em covered.
Only one I can think of that you missed is the Battlepack edition. This version is similar to titanium, but it is only 256 colors.

I am glad someone is doing this. I had considered doing something similar for a long time, but didn't want to spend the time.

[vetz]

Nope, generally seems you have most of em covered.
Only one I can think of that you missed is the Battlepack edition. This version is similar to titanium, but it is only 256 colors.

I am glad someone is doing this. I had considered doing something similar for a long time, but didn't want to spend the time.

I thought the battlepack was just a bundle of 31st CC, Netmech and the expansion? What kind of 3D support does it have?

It's going to be the biggest video so far, and it's definitely the one which has taken the most time. I hope you are aware that if you would have done it yourself you would have needed a Windows98 system, all the 3D cards and a VGA capture card as FRAPS (or similar software) does not work with anything else than Direct3D and OpenGL.

[Sir MMPD Radick]

I thought the battlepack was just a bundle of 31st CC, Netmech and the expansion?

Battlepack was a a generic 3d version of the game that used only 256 colors at 640 x 480. It worked with any graphics card.
It also had GBL in the package, but it lacked Mercenaries.

It's going to be the biggest video so far, and it's definitely the one which has taken the most time. I hope you are aware that if you would have done it yourself you would have needed a Windows98 system, all the 3D cards and a VGA capture card as FRAPS (or similar software) does not work with anything else than Direct3D and OpenGL.

Yup, I am aware. I actually went and bought all the video cards and versions of the game needed to complete the project a few years back. I just never got around to it. All I have to do is just have to hook the system back up.
I did finish one comparison video though of Titanium and DOS. Basically I just used the video out on the graphics card to send it to my pc's tv tuner card for the Titanium side. It worked pretty well.

[vetz]

I did some research on the Battlemech version and found this from Kanajana's website:

Battlepack was released in March of 1997 and like the later Titanium Trilogy, it included three CD's that had revised versions of the MW2 series, in this case: MW2, GBL, & Netmech. (Unlike Titanium, the third CD was not Mercenaries, but just Netmech packaged seperately). Also differing from the later Titanium Trilogy/Series, it was *not* hardware accelerated, with the main change for the Battlepack Edition being the use of the Mercs 1.0 game engine in MW2 and GBL. This gave these new versions some visual enhancements, but they still were only software rendered.

Good to see I hadn't missed out on something big. I was planning on just doing the 3D enhanced versions of Mechwarrior 2 and leave out DOS, Battlemech, Titanium and Mercenaries. The amount of footage required (I plan to show all almost all of the scenarios and the first mission of each clan) to do all of the versions will be huge and the video will loose it's scope of the 3D enhanced versions a bit. Mercenaries are easy to leave out of it, but I might consider adding DOS, Battlemech and Titanium for the first mission just to show some of it (all in 640x480).

Yup, I am aware. I actually went and bought all the video cards and versions of the game needed to complete the project a few years back. I just never got around to it. All I have to do is just have to hook the system back up.
I did finish one comparison video though of Titanium and DOS. Basically I just used the video out on the graphics card to send it to my pc's tv tuner card for the Titanium side. It worked pretty well.

So it's you that have made that video. Nice one! I can add that my capture card (Avermedia GameBroadcaster HD) records the VGA signal in the progressive native resolution at 60fps which gives a bit better quality than using the TV output/inputs. Youtube has a cap of 30fps at the moment, but I'm sure they'll allow 60fps content in the future and I capture and render all my videos in that format. If people are really interested I don't mind sharing the original rendered file which should be a couple of gigabytes.

[Sir MMPD Radick]

Yes, that is correct its not accelerated, but the graphics gut bumped up considerably.
Looks as good as the enhanced editions with few exceptions. I would give you an example, but no one has recorded it on youtube which is surprising... I guess I should make that a new project.

Battlepack Edition being the use of the Mercs 1.0 game engine in MW2 and GBL

Looks like I was wrong on that one though. Never knew that. thx

[vetz]

I own the Win/DOS, ATI, Matrox and Titanium versions of the game, but I do not have the Battlepack. I can't find any conversion files online either that is available for the PowerVR, 3DFX and S3 (http://vogons.zetafleet.com/viewtopic.p ... highlight=) versions which I do not own a physical copy of. Is it possible to convert the regular Windows version into Battlepack at all? Would love to include some footage of it as I've decided on doing DOS and Titanium on the first mission of each clan.

[Sir MMPD Radick]

I think it is a completely different beast in alot of respects you probably won't find any conversions for it.
It is the only version of the game that forces the user to use 256 bit graphics before even launching the shell.

[vetz]

I played some scenarios on the Titanium edition and it surprised me that some levels actually look worse on the Titanium version than on the PowerVR (which is the best of the 31st CC 3D versions). Add that together that I now have to wait a week for shipping of my Battlepack copy I got for 6 dollars on Ebay I've now decided to split DOS, Battlepack and Titanium into it's own video. In that video I'll also be adding some of the PowerVR footage for comparison sake. I think that is the best way to do it. It also avoid delays.

[vetz]

Video is online:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWzWdwj9 ... e=g-high-u

Some short guides included in the description, posted here as well:

How to run the 3DFX version on Windows 7 64bit (and other Windows versions). This is if you have the 3DFX version. See next page for how to convert from Windows retail.

1. Download nGlide and install it. http://bit.ly/ZmbtbR
2. Install MechVM http://www.mechvm.org/
3. Set Windows 95 compatibility on mechvm.exe
4. Install Mechwarrior 2 through MechVM
5. Copy dplay.dll from your Mechwarrior 2 disc /directx folder to the Mech2 installation folder.
6. Set Windows 95 compatibility on mech2.exe
7. If you are using Windows XP, you might need this mw2shell.dll: http://www.zeus-software.com/files/nglide/mw2_patch.zip
8. Run the game with mech2.exe and enjoy!


-If you have the hardware for the other 3D accelerated versions, conversion files are available here: http://bit.ly/Q50UJZ

-How to run the game on a Voodoo 2:

1. FastVoodoo drivers does NOT work. Install these from 3DFX (3.03): http://bit.ly/RM62kJ
2. Copy Glide.dll and ss1init.dll from the driver to the game installation directory.
3. Make a .bat file using notepad with the following: http://bit.ly/SXxAo1
4. Enjoy!