LGR - 3DFX Voodoo 1 3D Accelerator Overview

The one, the only, the original Voodoo1. Back when 3D acceleration was a new thing, the 3DFX cards blew away home consoles and set the PC apart as THE gaming machine to own for maximum awesomeness. And one of the most iconic is the Diamond Monster 3D 4MB PCI card.

A quick overview of the card and a direct comparison of 2D software modes and 3D accelerated modes using Glide and Direct3D. Footage of Quake, Need For Speed II SE and Tomb Raider 2, all on Windows 95. Now *THIS* is hardcore gaming, 1997-style!

Hardware used:
Intel Pentium II 233MHz
32MB SD RAM
Windows 95 OSR2
DirectX 6
Diamond Monster 3D 4MB PCI (Voodoo card)
ATI Mach64 2MB PCI (2D card)

Huge thanks to Dayv99 for the Voodoo card!

[PikaStu]

I remember getting a Pentium 2 300mhz with a Voodoo Banshee when I was at college. That thing was amazing! The card came with a copy of Unreal. I used to load up the intro in software then hardware mode just to see the amazing difference.
Stepping outside in Unreal for the first time to see the amazing graphics, particularly the water effects, is one of my fondest PC gaming memories!

[Lunchpacked]

3dfx had the best commercials.. like "we have the computing power to end world hunger, but then we thought, HEY, why not use it for games?"
and similar commercials..
watch?v=ooLO2xeyJZA

[LGR]

Nvidia bought 3DFX properties when they went out of business, that's about it. The only technology of theirs they really used was SLI, not the 3DFX/Glide graphics modes.

[hkoizumi]

I was 16 years old back in 1998. Rather than going ape shit over Nintendo 64, I was going ape shit when my step dad got me 3dfx Voodoo Banshee 16MB at Xmas. I still remember vividly when I replayed all my games and it was truly like playing another game. I first tried it on Unreal. The graphics from 640x480 was boosted to 1024x768. The graphics were super sharp and everything where much more responsive because it ran at 60fps. Then soon after homeworld and cataclysm. Then I tried playing half life. I remember I used to minimize the graphics aspect ratio so it had thick borders around the gameplay before the upgrade. Now I was playing in full screen and I was totally stoked about it. Because of that, I got into multiplayer online shooter and I am super glad that I took part of that because it was the golden years for multiplayer online back in 1998-2002.

[dsn]

i bought a voodoo 3 3000 back in 1999 or 2000 when quake 3 1st game out... i remember my pc coudlnt play quake 3.then after i asked my grandfather after 100 times he got me the voodoo3 at bestbuy and man every game i played on it was butter smooth...the good old days... how i miss them...gaming was alot better too back then.

[TheMentalRelapse]

Unreal, Quake, and Half-life: 3 reasons to own a Voodoo back in the day.

[Marine]

That Nine Inch Nails music from Quake is still the best.

[craggercragger]

Computing was infinitely more exciting during this era.

Good, solid nostalgia right there.

[TheLambLive]

This takes me by. My first ever 3D card along with the reason I bought it (well, my grandparents did) sitting on the shelf behind.

[rowanrobinson]

When I got my Voodoo 2 it changed my life. What a difference it made from my old 3D ATI card! I also can't believe this video is nearly 10 years old.

[jhj]

Looking back....i still think that LGR is timeless :)

[LGR]

@TheTallGuy1985 Thanks for mentioning that. I wasn't sure if it was just my TFT LCD monitor or what, but there was definitely a somewhat fuzzy image using the pass-through cable. Not a problem at all on later Voodoo cards, like the Voodoo3, which are single-card solutions with no extra cables.

[ianedmonds]

Great channel.
Proper old school geek stuff.
Takes me back.

[breceeofficial]

Anyone else hear the high pitch noise on the Quake 1 3DFX capture? Love the video, btw. Brings back memories. I still have my Voodoo 1 and 3 kicking around.

[ericparent]

LOL! Trident! That's what I had! A Trident 2D card that I got for about $35. I then added a Voodoo 1 card (coincidentally enough). That was like going from a Chevette to a Lambo Diablo! (figured I'd stick to the era there). And then I eventually upgraded my 4MB Voodoo 1 to twin 12MB Voodoo 2s in SLI! Forget the Lambo, I was now driving the freaking Space Shuttle! Thanks for another great trip back to my teens!!!

[LGR]

@serginietor Could have something to do with the fact that the version of Quake shown in this comparison (WinQuake vs GLQuake) use different texture maps, I think. And, in fact, the 3D-accelerated GLQuake uses OpenGL to render, unlike the other two games shown. Googling "GLQuake Gamma" gives some info on the matter.

And thanks, glad you enjoyed!

[BestGameShowEver]

I had that exact 3d card! I was the hit at the LAN party when I first got it. My games looked and ran so much better than the other computers that were there, even if they had better specs. I did forget the patch through cable once and I had to disconnect the monitor cable from the 2d card and plug it into the 3d card every time I launched a game. Good times.

[itsgruz]

Nice! I still have my Voodoo 3 3000, I loved that card and still occasionally bust it out. 3DFX was so awesome back then.

[AndreasVictorsson]

The noises of Quake reminds me of countless hours of bot matches and TeamFortress on QuakeWorld via GameSpy ;D

[LGR]

@thatsistheguy Quite welcome. Also thank Dayv99 for providing the Voodoo1 card! I hope to have more 3DFX videos in the future as well.