PCem's biggest limitation for 3D accelerted games

[vintagegameQT]

PCem is fantastic when it comes to compatibility I mean what is more compatible with Windows 95 games than a Windows 95 machine? however it's limited to the era-appropriate hardware, I know getting high FPS on higher resolutions wasn't as big as what it is now but if we had an emulated GPU in PCem supporting 3DFX that was hugely more powerful than a regular Voodoo 3 it could massively increase the performance of these old games and it also helps people experience these game at their very best shape that wasn't attainable when they came out. developing such GPU requires engineering genius that I don't have but even the thought of it was intriguing.

[Greywolf]

The people who created PCem and programs like it have done an amazing job and the quirks of 3dfx even in its era were a nightmare. I’m already grateful I can play many of my old games even the ones with glitches.
Tho I would love to see an electronics project like pi or ardunio but a pentium win98 with integrated 3dfx rather than emulation
With modern hardware rather than cobbled together old tech that’s dying.

[leilei]

Voodoo3's among the fastest of the pre-Geforce256 GPUs in 1999, the most widely supported (primary Direct3D+OpenGL device, Glide3, plus the bunch of prior Glide2 games), and it had the most technical information available for longer so it's the most logical to emulate. The issue for years are today's CPUs not having the IPC to play along with the fast cycle of moore's law (and the high entitled expectations wherein while forgetting there's more odd GPUs to tackle that's never seen a chance)

[tr.StEalTH]

Voodoo3's among the fastest of the pre-Geforce256 GPUs in 1999, the most widely supported (primary Direct3D+OpenGL device, Glide3, plus the bunch of prior Glide2 games), and it had the most technical information available for longer so it's the most logical to emulate. The issue for years are today's CPUs not having the IPC to play along with the fast cycle of moore's law (and the high entitled expectations wherein while forgetting there's more odd GPUs to tackle that's never seen a chance)

and besides all this, a lot of old game brake just going up to v3, so it's v2 or bust =p

and need I say little to none of these game will run right outside of software mode on a gf..

So in closing you'll need a new platform for that era of games =] not that I wouldn't want to see that someday...

[Arjen42]

How should such platform look like? Does it need to be an emulator like PCem? Or could it be a compatibility layer like Wine or Proton?

[tr.StEalTH]

It will look like a shining beacon in the night, with such power as not to be spoken of in these forms. one that will bind them, the one that will rule them all.

[vintagegameQT]

How should such platform look like? Does it need to be an emulator like PCem? Or could it be a compatibility layer like Wine or Proton?

in my opinion we need new hardware supporting old platforms like Windows 95/98, powerful enough to plow through these games specially in software mode however I also believe that a maintained software based solution like PCem is better in the long run. the reason I'd like to see some emulated GPUs more powerful that Voodoo 3 supporting 3dfx is because even with faster Pentium CPUs of early 2000s you'll be limited to the power of a Voodoo 3 that cannot run these old game as good as modern gamers expect them to run.

[tk421]

PCem is one of the best programs out there for win95/98 compatibility. In so many cases it is the best, indeed the only PC emulation solution. If you need more emulated PC power, then you can try VMWare, which is good for most programs that would need a Pentium 3 or Pentium 4.

The need for emulated hardware that exceeds PCem's capabilities depends on which programs you are trying to run.

If you want to run Rome: Total War, then Steam is probably your best bet.

For most Win95/98 tasks, PCem is a great option. It is easy to use and very stable, even on Windows 11.

Happy New Year everyone!

tk421