Re: Insuficient computer power

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Angus Dorbie (dorbie++at++bitch.reading.sgi.com)
Wed, 7 Feb 1996 11:04:51 +0100

On Feb 6, 7:44pm, Nicolas Gauvin wrote:
> Subject: Re: Insuficient computer power
> I agree with Javier and Angus that comparing DOOM to SGI applications and
> toolkits is out of context.
>
> However I can't help myself to think that it would be nice that have a simple
> mode of texturing on Indys and Indygo 2 that would give crude results like
some
> PC games without any fancy features like filtering, transparency and 24 bit
> capabilities for example. There are games running on PC that offer impressive
> texturing performance in 640*480 resolution when run on a 100 Mhz Pentium.
> Alright they are running in 8 bit mode and their textures are not filtered
with
> mip-maps when zoomed in but they still give very interesting results.
>
> Euro Fighter 2000, Indycar 2, Flight Unlimited are a few examples. Some
> of these sims even manage to draw complex terrains with levels of details.
>
> With SGI, when it comes to texturing you either have it all at a very high
> price or you are stuck with nothing usable. Take lighting for example; Indys
> and Indygo 2 can produce good lighting effects at reasonable performance. Why
> not offer something similar but scaled down for texturing? Simple texturing
is
> still better than no texturing at all even in 8 bit mode.
>

But this wouldn't be OpenGL, and the vast majority of our developers
wouldn't use it.
Theres a bigger picture here, look at your low end SG systems, see how
easy it is to use & develop 3D apps with. Consider that you can implement
your own CPU based renderers on the system and these will compare very
favourably with renderers on other platforms, then ask why our customers
don't do this. We need OpenGL renderers which support cross platform
functionality and a _broad_ range of applications. On top of this you
can use Performer, Inventor, RapidApp the Mindshare products etc.
These are not unrelated to the fact we have an underlying no compromises
OpenGL (& IrisGL) implementation.

Also, youre not making a balanced comparrison of scene content (polygons)
and resolution (pixels). Vague terms like "Some of these sims even manage
to draw complex terrains with levels of details" aren't helpfull. Some
of the best software terrain renderers employ terrain specific scanline
algoriths which wouldn't map to any sory of polygon engine.

Like other responses to which I have replied off line, they go along the
lines of, "OK, the resolution is crap, the scene content is crap and the
quality is crap but it's fast!!!".

I'm sorry, we don't do crap.

> Simple texturing is
> still better than no texturing at all even in 8 bit mode.

Not for all markets.

> At least now with the introduction of the Impact this is changing a bit but
> I still believe that SGI is neglecting the low end 3D market.

This depends on how low end you mean and doesn't hold water when you
look at the Ultra64 effort. There's more to an Indy than just the
graphics subsystem, we sell lots of chalenge S machines for good reason.
This is a very respectable machine and that's the sort of equipment
Silicon Graphics is in the business of supplying.

Rgds,
Angus.

>
>
>
> --
> ___/ | ___/ Nicolas Gauvin e-mail: nicolas++at++cae.ca
> / / | / Software Developper voice: (514)
341-2000 x2275
> / / | __/ CAE Electronics Ltd. fax: (514) 340-5496
> / ___ | / 8585 Cote De Liesse, P.O. Box 1800
> _____/ _/ _| _____/ Saint-Laurent, Quebec, Canada, H4L-4X4
>
>-- End of excerpt from Nicolas Gauvin

-- 
Angus Dorbie,
Silicon Graphics Ltd, UK
dorbie++at++reading.sgi.com

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