For those whos computer includes an Nvidia based graphics card, and who haven't yet switched to a flat screen monitor, I've an item which might be of interest.
With most TVs now digitally conversant, their manufacturers have been scratching their collective heads, and wondering how to sell more units, before the glut of digitals eventually wear out. The new gimmick for some, will be their ability to display programs/films made for them in 3 dimensions. Most of us have by now seen 3D in a Cinema, but for a few of us at home, this is nothing new.
Allow me to elucidate, as there's no need to hallucinate!
For several years, I've been racing with the aid of a pair of unusual glasses. What they do, is to transform my 2 dimensional screen, into a window through which an illusionary 3D world can be seen. What this means, is that when driving in GP Legends, the track actually appears to extend away from the car, the cockpit has depth, and the horizon seems distant.
How is this done? As I understand it, Nvidia graphics are programmed with the ability, to render 3D models from 2 different angles, and with suitable software installed, these 2 views can be combined to create a stereo image. This is done by flickering between the 2 views very fast.
The easiest way to see the effect in action, is with a pair of cardboard glasses, with coloured filters, usually red & cyan (blue/green), which are cheap and plentiful. But this 'anaglyphic' method looses those 2 opposite colours in the process, so Ferraris for instance, suffer. A better way (though more costly), is to obtain a pair of LCD shuttered glasses, as they can flicker in unison with the screen, and display the full rainbow of colours. These are what I use for video games.
Here's a link to an installation guide :
http://www.flightsim.com/main/howto/3dflying.htm
Nvidia Gforce and Stereo drivers (both are needed), here :
http://downloads.guru3d.com/ towards the bottom of the list.
On the negative side, a CRT monitor needs to refresh at 100hertz or more, to prevent noticeable flicker, and work properly. Most flat screens won't do this. And there's some loss of brightness when viewing, because each image is only displayed for half the time. Also, if your system is a few years old, you'd notice a framerate drop. I don't do 3D online for that reason. Most importantly, the stereo drivers Nvidia provides, modify your graphics software. So an escape plan would be wise, in case the screen goes blank after installation. I've used them on several systems, both Win98 and XP without problems, but one never knows.
If this is old stuff to you racing fanatics, apologies offered, but I thought it worth a (long-winded) mention. Reactions seem to vary, when viewing the effect - I think it looks great, and I've been surprised not to see discussions on the subject online. Is there anyone else with prior experience, out there?
I've several hi-res videos uploaded to the flightsim site, in case an anaglyphic glasses test is of interest to anyone curious - simply search my name. These will work on any screen. A more blurry GPL example is at:
http://www.vimeo.com/9621669
Cheers and good luck!
Martin Hunt.
