Drivers
The first driver kit released by 3dfxzone.it to support graphics hardware based on 3dfx Interactive technology is named FastVoodoo2. Dedicated to Voodoo2 graphics accelerators in single-card and SLI (Scan Line Interleave) configurations, this driver is known for its ability to increase the frame rate of video games in the Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows ME environments, both compared to the reference releases developed by 3dfx and those customized by the board maker partners of the Californian company, such as Creative, Hercules, and Diamond.
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Unreal Tournament in Windows XP with Voodoo2 in SLI and FastVoodoo2 1.0 driver |
Subsequently, FastVoodoo2 became the name of a series of software packages for Voodoo2 cards, also available in a Gold Edition version and aimed at operating systems such as Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT4.0, and Windows XP. It's interesting to note that 3dfx Interactive never officially released any drivers for Voodoo2 support in the Windows XP environment.
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Unreal Tournament 2004 in Windows XP with Voodoo5 6000 and Amigamerlin 3.1 R11 driver |
In close temporal proximity to the availability of the first build of the FastVoodoo2 series, the first driver in the Amigamerlin series was released. Its name reflects the nickname of its creator and is designed for Voodoo3 graphics cards, especially those equipped with a 3dfx VSA-100 graphics processor, including Voodoo4 4500, Voodoo5 5500, and Voodoo5 6000. It's worth noting that the Voodoo5 6000 was never officially marketed by 3dfx; however, the company produced a significant number of pre-production samples. The Amigamerlin driver series significantly expanded the range of video games that could be used with Voodoo4 and Voodoo5 graphics cards. This is a significant achievement, considering that 3dfx never completed the development of drivers for these graphics cards due to the company's closure. Moreover, these drivers allow more advanced utilization of the hardware's capabilities compared to the reference drivers released by 3dfx for officially supported operating systems.
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The SFFT Tools tab for configuring Direct3D applications |
The extension of compatibility with video game software and operating systems, on one hand, and the more effective utilization of hardware features, on the other hand, were also the strengths that characterized the drivers for Voodoo3, Voodoo4, and Voodoo5 in the SFFT series, an acronym that stands for "SuperFurryFurryThing," the nickname of the developer who implemented them. The development of the SFFT drivers required an extensive and continuous alpha testing process, conducted through the aggregation tool represented by the forums of 3dfxzone.it in both English and Italian, and the release of 55 alpha releases before the major release 1.0, and 9 minor releases 1.x leading to the final version, 1.9. These drivers allowed tuning-oriented configuration through the control panel called SFFT Tools. They enabled gaming with 3dfx Voodoo3, Voodoo4, and Voodoo5 graphics cards on Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7, including both 32-bit and 64-bit editions.
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A screen from the 3dfx hardware tweaker called V.Control |
The presentation of drivers published by 3dfxzone.it cannot fail to highlight the diverse software from KoolSmoky. This is the nickname of a developer who made significant contributions for almost all 3dfx graphics cards, providing drivers for Voodoo3, Voodoo4, and Voodoo5 on one hand, and for Voodoo2 on the other. The drivers for Voodoo2 graphics accelerators probably represent the best release ever for this graphics accelerator and boast full support for "mismatched" SLI configurations, meaning they work with two Voodoo2 cards produced by different manufacturers. KoolSmoky's versatility also manifested through the development of a 3dfx hardware tweaker called V.Control and the implementation of updated versions of Glide graphics libraries.
However, the number of contributors who have collaborated with 3dfxzone.it over the years is incredibly high. This is evidenced by the availability of a wide range of driver kits created by experienced users, each dedicated to a specific 3dfx graphics card. This category includes the MojoMotion driver series for Banshee, the AmigaSport driver series for Voodoo3 3500 TV, and the Mikepedo driver series for Voodoo5 5500.