Support Note: 232
Product: Apocalypse 3D
Subject: Apocalypse 3D - Getting Started

March 19, 1997

Introduction

This Support Notes contains information for setting up, testing and troubleshooting Apocalypse 3D. If possible, try to read it together with the readme file supplied with the Apocalypse CD-ROM.

Before you start

Before testing the card, make sure your PC can support it. Verify the following:

Testing Apocalypse 3D

When the drivers are installed and you have verified that your PC can run Apocalypse 3D, you can check that your system is ready by running applications designed to use each of the two drivers. Apocalypse 3D has two sets of drivers: Direct3D (D3D, for running applications that use Microsoft's D3D Application Program Interface (API); and PowerSGL, which is VideoLogic's proprietary API for use with titles specifically designed for Apocalypse 3D.

Now try one of the PowerSGL applications provided on the CD-ROM such as Tower4. The application Antworld requires a joystick and the application Tower5 requires a graphics mode greater than 640x480.

Now run any of the D3D applications provided with the CD-ROM. Even if Apocalypse 3D is not working you can still see the application running, because the sample applications can also run using software emulation to simulate a 3D accelerator card. To verify that Apocalypse 3D card is actually accelerating the graphic, click the File menu of the D3D application, and if the entry ‘Direct3D HAL’ is visible with a tick next to it, the card is working. If the ‘Direct3D HAL’ text is missing and instead ‘Ramp Emulation’ is ticked, then Apocalypse 3D is not working.

Troubleshooting

If you have any of the following problems installing, testing or running Apocalypse 3D, try some of these suggestions.

Other relevant Support Notes

If your system has any of the features listed below then refer to the appropriate Support Note:

Matrox graphics controller 231
Award BIOS 230
S3 968 graphics card (such as GrafixStar 700, Diamond Stealth 64 VRAM etc.) 230