I dunno why…but there's something about the concept of a 3D accelerator (or GPU) in action, running a game that only _it_ can run, coupled with that Windows 95-esque title bar, or maybe the black background, that triggers some difficult-to-describe feeling in the back of my head… Could that be nostalgia for the old days of computers and 3D graphics, or something?
I used a capture card (Avermedia GameBroadcaster) and the software that came with it. Lately I've gotten a new card Epiphan DVI2PCIe which has better compatibility and better quality.
It's such a pity that NV1 architecture was only utilized as a PC expansion card, Nvidia and Sega could've developed a PC based arcade machine utilizing the NV2, so that the works of Sega Technical Institute programmer Don Gobbard and Nvidia director Michael Hara, wouldn't be in vain.
I don't know if it's worth it? There isn't even a tech demo of the advanced features of the NV1 chip like quadratic surfaces, nowhere that i know of, not even shipped with Diamond Edge. Nvidia quickly abandoned it and rushed to develop the Riva 128, which was actually the correct choice, it was very good and laid the foundation for long term success of the company, while NV1 did nothing. Probably realised the future lies in UV mapped rendering, not surface patches; and that you have to pursue Direct3D and OpenGL compatibility at priority. There is not actually standard artist software to generate even quadrilateral models and less so quadratic patch models - production is difficult. In the interim SEGA had their own very powerful arcade architectures, SEGA Model2 was current and Model3 was about to come out. Model3 is scary, even Naomi has difficulty keeping up with it. Pursuing anything for sunk cost carries itself opportunity cost, which can cause bankruptcy.
Yay, new video! I've always found the history of this game to be really exciting. The recent developments have brought a huge smile to my face, a great reminder of what could have been. Very interesting to see this running on an actual NV1!
I want to find an old PC (90s era), and just play as many 90s era multiplayer/singleplayer goodies that can run on it. I want to know where to find an Nvidia NV1 so I can play not only Sonic X-treme, but the few other Sega Saturn titles.
