The Multiplayer Demo version for the game Red Faction offers a benchmark mode (Benchmark function is in the MP demo only. The readme file explains how it works. Just write -timedemo dm15demo or -timedemo dm16demo in the Misc setup option and start the demo). I tested several NVIDIA based cards, a KYRO II and RADEON DDR with the new Direct 3D game:

• GeForce 3 64MB - driver: NVIDIA v12.90
• GeForce 2 Ultra 64MB - driver: NVIDIA v12.90
• GeForce 2 Pro 64MB - driver: NVIDIA v12.90
• GeForce 2 GTS 32MB - driver: NVIDIA v12.90
• Kyro II 64MB - driver: PowerVR v7.114
• ATI RADEON 64MB DDR - driver: v4.13.7115

Testsystem: Pentium 4 1500MHz, 256MB RAM, Windows 98SE

Screenshots from the Single Player Demo:

Download MP demo(45MB): Bluesnews (Mirrors) / 3D Files

Benchmarks - Level: DM16DEMO (Standard Settings, 8MB Texture Cache)

In 16 Bit colors GF2 Ultra and GeForce 3 are pretty close first but NVIDIA´s newest baby takes a clear lead at higher resolutions. The slowest card here: ATI´s RADEON. That´s a surprise!

In 32Bit color depth only memory bandwith counts. The slowest card here is the GF2 MX400. Again pretty bad for a DDR card the RADEON 64MB. It´s even behind the Kyro II!!

The GeForce 3 performs very well in this game. It can outperform the GeForce 2 Ultra although both cards run with the same memory clockrate. The Kyro II als runs pretty fine. It looks like the game has some problem with ATI cards. There are no glitches or other things but the performance is pretty bad - driver problems !?

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Copyright: 17.08.2001 -   RIVA Station 2001 - Lars Weinand
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