Back in the day when all 3D models and landscapes were powered by the computers CPU alone, something came along and blew the world apart. Games like Tomb Raider were so addictive and it proved that another breakthrough happened overnight. Although a superb game, having the CPU run all the graphical work made the title sluggish and not very pretty.
Then like magic a 3D accelerator card called the Voodoo 3DFX started to appear on retail shelves. After picking one up for the price of £140 virtually everyone I spoke to said something along the lines of “You are mad, how is this going to improve the games?”. However after quick installation something truly wonderful did happen. I was in awe when I saw the smooth textures and frame rate and just the overall clarity the 3DFX 3D card provided.
A little later on another 3D accelerator card appeared on the scene called the Power VR, which was far beyond its rivals at the time, I have to admit now in terms of 3D graphics in a window as opposed to just full screen and far higher resolutions, however the ‘Glide’ API was so fast on the 3DFX in comparison and far more games supported it.
After many arguments with my friend in college Daniel, who had the rival Power VR, he later called me a ‘Glide’ maniac and it stuck. So there you go, I have actually used this tag for many years even before Xbox (1) on PC games such as Unreal Tournament. For a while I went by the shortened ‘GlideM’, but now I use GlideManiac all the time.
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Oh i remember the name well, Never see you but always “You were killed by GlideM”. UT really needed rear view mirrors ;)
Anyway james .. Fav all time pc game ?
Unreal Tournament fav game? ….
Well it was my favourite online shooter, I always thought it was much better than Quake III Arena although plenty of people did not agree.
Fav game on PC was probably Broken Sword or Simon the Sorcerer – prefer point and click adventure in the long run ;)
What is this about rear view mirrors anyway! :P Just because I mostly defended the flag I was accused of camping ;)
Broken Sword is still one of the best point and click adventures, it was one of the first PS games I played along side Soul Blade, and then I has hooked…
“I picked myself up, all I could hear around me was the senseless drone of traffic, but that explosion was to change my life for ever”
Really funny dialogue too (I wanna play it again now)
Grab yourself the PC version then :)
Ahhh I see it all now!! :p
And you thought I wouldn’t read it…… ye of little faith
:o
I stand corrected then Sarin :)