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`f
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`(cid:31) About this capture
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`DEC JAN MAR
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`14
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`1999 2000 2001
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`First off, let me give you an example of what kinds
`of advantages texture compression offers. Suppose
`we have a texture that is 2048x2048 and 32-bit per
`texel. That texture will require a whopping 16 Mbytes
`of total memory space to store it locally in the texture
`memory of the video card! Keep in mind that this is
`only a single high-resolution texture!
`
`3dfx's FXT1 could compress this texture to a size of
`2048 Kbytes and thus free all the extra bandwidth for
`storing more textures! Since these textures are stored
`in the local memory of the video card, we have almost
`instantaneous framerate transfer and much higher fill-
`rates from the video card to your monitor!
`
`Since 3dfx is using greater compression than S3's
`S3TC, we can look at this chart and see how 3dfx's
`FXT1 will be compressing textures:
`
`Another advantage to 3dfx's texture compression is
`that it will be FREE to anyone. The code (open set
`source code) will be released to the public and is
`available to anyone. 3dfx is encouraging everyone to
`use the code and perhaps even tell them how they can
`improve upon the code.
`
`There will be no license or royalty fees charges to
`use the technology. Plus, the new technology will be
`open to any OS, Windows, Mac, Linux and, hopefully,
`BeOS. Of course, 3dfx is making FXT1 available to all
`three major API's as it will be standard on Glide and
`open to D3D and OpenGL.
`
`Go to Part II: How It Works
`
`FXT1: 3dfx Texture Compression (www.combatsim.com)
`
`http://www.combatsim.com/htm/sept99/3dfx-tc1.htm
`
`Go
`
`31 captures
`14 Jan 2000 - 13 Oct 2008
`
`FXT1: 3dfx Texture Compression
`
` by Bubba "Masterfung" Wolford
`
`Introduction
`
`Every week it seems we are getting a new
`announcement about 3D technology. Recently, Nvidia
`and S3 both announced their chip specs.
`
`While S3's Savage 2000 was taken with some
`skepticism at first because the specs looked so strong,
`others simply dismissed it as being another S3
`offering that would never amount to anything,
`insisting that the rumored NV10 would, "blow it
`away." The next day, Nvidia announced their next
`generation chipset, the GeForce 256. Yesterday, over
`a conference call, 3dfx announced another new
`technology that will be implemented in their next
`generation chip.
`
`3dfx Texture Compression: FXT1
`
`My questions about FXT1 were very similar what
`you are all probably thinking right now: what is FXT1,
`what will it do for me and how is it different from what
`S3 has done with their own texture compression,
`S3TC?
`
`FXT1 is a new technology that uses texture
`compression to compress textures using a four point
`encoding algorithm (as opposed to a single point
`algorithm used by S3) to condense textures to as
`much as 1/8th their size. The texture is coded into the
`game, flagged to be compressed by the hardware, and
`then compressed into memory using one of the 4
`algorithms that decide the best way to encode the
`scene to minimize any loss in visual quality.
`
`Next the texture is decompressed after identifying
`which algorithm was used to compress the texture,
`and is rendered on the scene all the while improving
`framerate and leaving more memory bandwidth open
`to be used as storage for more textures or by texture
`mipmaps. This encoding and decoding is done through
`hardware allowing the card and CPU to continue
`rendering frames as fast as possible.
`
`The following chart demonstrates the three 3dfx
`texture compression algorithms and how they might
`be implemented. You can also see here the S3TC
`algorithm. FXT1 provides the most accurate image
`
`https://web.archive.org/web/20000114134331/http://www.combatsim.com/htm/sept99/3dfx-tc1.htm[6/15/2017 4:25:24 PM]
`
`Microsoft Corp. Exhibit 1023
`
`

`

`FXT1: 3dfx Texture Compression (www.combatsim.com)
`
`reproduction when measuring the Root Mean Square
`error of each encoding algorithm. Without question,
`since 3dfx uses a variety of measures they are always
`going to see superior image reproduction.
`
`Click to continue
`
`Copyright © 1997, 1998, 1999 COMBATSIM.COM, INC. All Rights Reserved.
`
`Last Updated September 14th, 1999
`
`https://web.archive.org/web/20000114134331/http://www.combatsim.com/htm/sept99/3dfx-tc1.htm[6/15/2017 4:25:24 PM]
`
`Microsoft Corp. Exhibit 1023
`
`