Visual CVARs Names, Values(Range or Toggle), Default Values, Explanations and Performance considerations |
based on 3Dfx Interactive's Voodoo2 running 3Dfx's MiniGL driver |
by )))Reverend((( |
Excuse me...but can you speak in English? |
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The technical terms (clicking each
one will bring you back to where you encountered the term in this
page). Please understand that I'm attempting simple explanations
here and if any of you propeller-heads (said in the nicest, most
respectful way) thinks/knows that some of these explanations are
just plain wrong, let me know and I'll gladly give credit where
it's due and rectify. And so, alphabetically :
1. alpha-blend
Rendering pixels as invisible, solid
or transparent (or partially so).
2. BSP
Short for binary space partition.
Separating different datas into a branch-like structure for
efficient searching.
3. dither
Lowering of an image's color depth.
4. driver
Software used by the operating
system to "talk" to hardware.
5. game engine
A bunch of routines called by the
software for rendering polygons and texture maps (mostly
overlayed) to create a 3D gaming world.
6. gouraud (shading)
Shading of polygons to make them
look smooth.
7. GLiDe
3Dfx Interactive's native
Application Program Interface (API). There are several APIs, most
notably Direct3D and OpenGL. An API is a basically a set of
programming protocols.
8. ICD (and MiniGL)
Short for Installable Client Driver.
Original driver model which allows full API implementation. For
example, 3Dfx's miniGL for Half-Life is a partial implementation
of OpenGL that allows just Half-Life to run and not something
like 3D Studio Max which requires an ICD. If you used 3Dfx's Beta
OpenGL ICD instead of the miniGL, you'd still need 3Dfx's GLiDe
drivers installed as the Voodoo2 chipset cannot perform OpenGL -
period. The miniGL basically converts GL calls into GLiDe calls.
See above for GLiDe explanation.
9. multi-texture
Multiple textures in polygons. The
process of applying multiple textures to polygons itself is
called multi-texturing or blending and doing such in one pass is
a feature of the Voodoo2 (called single-pass multi-texturing).
10. OpenGL
Short for Open Graphics Language.
Silicon Graphics' graphics API.
11. occlusion
A process of building solids and
thus preventing lights/lighted objects behind the solid to be
seen(in the case of objects) or passed through(in the case of
light).
12. polygon
The building block of a 3D object.
This is usually a triangle-shaped figure. Hundreds/thousands of
these make up a 3D object.
13. perspective correction
The process of correctly applying
textures on a polygon which appears in 3D air without taking in
account position.
14. texture
A graphic component used for mapping
onto polygons.
15. z-buffer
A buffer for the z-axis (front to
back) to track positions in real-time. Calculations of this
determine whether pixels are drawn or not relative to new pixels
appearing in real-time in a 3D environment.
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HALF-LIFE game guide proper....plus something to try out for Single-Play |
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If you're looking for a
comprehensive game guide with explanations of weapons, monsters,
walkthroughs and even cheats, go to http://www.hellzgate.demon.co.uk/rookiesguide/ . Excellent stuff.
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My own modified HALF-LIFE Difficulty/Skill levels |
Here's something to try out for Single-Play. I've modified all three difficulty levels to make life even more tough for those who found the game ,er, "a bit" easy. You can get this modified difficulty mode (which now has a "SUICIDE" level) by clicking here. Mad Dog's blurb at his site :
A new Half-Life tweak from the Reverend.
This one replaces the 3 single-player skill levels with new ones:
Normal, Hard, and Suicide. (Who plays "Easy" skill
anyway?) On the Suicide setting, the enemies are tougher, your
player is a bit more fragile, and location damage is enhanced.
Normal and Hard settings are tweaked a little too. This is a real
professional job, with a new menu to go along with it. Easy to
set up and easy to revert to previous settings if it's too much
for you. Get it and play the game again.
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Instructions are included in the zipped
file on how to use this. Now, let's see how good you really
are !!!
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