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Hardware ATI "Chuck" Patch On Hold
Anh Tuan Huynh (Blog) - August 4, 2006 2:23 PM
Print 25 comment(s) - last by feraltoad.. on Aug 10 at 2:03 AM
ATI's "Chuck" patch for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion isn't going to make an appearance anytime soon

Elite Bastards reports ATI’s Chuck driver patch has been put on hold until at least October. ATI’s Chuck patch allowed gamers to experience Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in full graphical bliss with high dynamic range and anti-aliasing. The latest version of ATI’s Chuck patch is compatible with Catalyst 6.6 and not the recently released Catalyst 6.7. The reason for the lack of a Chuck patch for Catalyst 6.7 is ATI is spending the time and resources into incorporating the optimizations into the Catalyst driver itself.

When questioned as to when the Chuck patch would be incorporated into ATI’s Catalyst driver set, Terry “Catalyst Maker” Makedon, ATI’s Senior Software Product Manager stated “The answer is - October by the latest.  Terry Makedon's current prediction is that we should see the 'Chuck' patch coded into a WHQL driver set in the next one to three months, so just a little more patience should be required before it becomes part of official driver releases.  The reason for the delay in incorporating this functionality into WHQL drivers is that the driver team has decided to tie the addition of the 'Chuck' patch into other changes and additions to their low-level driver code, which relates to their Windows Vista driver implementation.”

ATI users wanting to experience high dynamic range and FSAA in Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion will have to stick with Catalyst 6.6 till the Chuck patch is incorporated into a new Catalyst driver release.

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sounds nice
By Squidward on 8/4/2006 3:21:56 PM , Rating: 1
but I can't play over 800x600 with my current video card on Oblivion much less even think about HDR and AA.

For those with the graphic power to utilize those features I'm more than a bit envious. :)




RE: sounds nice
By Lazlo Panaflex on 8/4/2006 3:24:36 PM , Rating: 4
I second that...oh, and off topic, the Catalys Control center sucks! Bring back the old Control Panel ! :)


RE: sounds nice
By AMDfreak on 8/4/2006 3:49:05 PM , Rating: 2
They can't really thanks to Microsoft. The .Net stuff like CCC is required for Vista driver development. Developer resources are better used fine tuning one driver that will be used in the future rather than the "outdated" XP control panel . nVidia will have their own CCC type driver as well.


RE: sounds nice
By Lazlo Panaflex on 8/4/2006 3:56:53 PM , Rating: 2
oh yeah...bummer man


RE: sounds nice
By Chadder007 on 8/4/2006 7:21:44 PM , Rating: 4
So far I have hated every .NET Program I have encountered. They run so freaking SLoooWWW.


RE: sounds nice
By PLaYaHaTeD on 8/4/2006 7:36:28 PM , Rating: 2
Don't blame .NET for ati's crappy programming. Their custom UI and all that other crappy eye candy is what slows everything down. If they would use the built in .NET controls (which would accomodate their functionality just fine) then the app would be much faster.


RE: sounds nice
By andrewrocks on 8/5/2006 12:57:11 AM , Rating: 2
ATI's CCC may be slow but at least their hardware is actually capable of HDR+AA


RE: sounds nice
By Alphafox78 on 8/4/06, Rating: 0
RE: sounds nice
By glennpratt on 8/4/2006 8:08:05 PM , Rating: 2
It's no nearly as slow though.


RE: sounds nice
By DigitalFreak on 8/4/2006 9:39:34 PM , Rating: 2
Uh, yeah, right. The Nvidia app is WAY better than that CCC crap from ATI. I know, I've used them both.


RE: sounds nice
By marvdmartian on 8/4/06, Rating: 0
RE: sounds nice
By Alpha4 on 8/4/2006 5:05:30 PM , Rating: 2
hahaha! I think I'll have to refer to every chuck out there as charles & vice versa.


At least...
By gersson on 8/4/2006 5:01:12 PM , Rating: 2
At least 6.6 chucky's are good ones. Glad to see ATI care about this since I love great graphics and I love elder scrolls :)




RE: At least...
By feraltoad on 8/5/2006 11:48:13 PM , Rating: 1
Just curious what kind of setup do you run? I run a 1900xt 690/775 2gb ram A64 3000@2.5ghz and Oblivion w/HDR will jump around in the mid 20s to the 30s in the forest @1680x1050 per Fraps. Everywhere else is fine, and the FPS looks good enough that I don't think of dropping the resolution, but I can't imagine running AA along wif the HDR. So although I do want to see the patch integrated I can't imagine using it. Does anyone else run Oblivion w/AA without Xfire or SLI? If so wut kind of frames do you get and wut resolution do you use?


RE: At least...
By gersson on 8/6/2006 8:11:42 PM , Rating: 2
I'm using Opteron 170@ 2.75, 2GB RAM @ 250, x1900xtx crossfire (OCed), etc, etc

I get about 40-60 fps outdoors OCed, with many tweaks. I use 4xAA+HDR, 16xHQAF.

Try the grass mesh mod that makes the grass simpler -- helps a lot.


RE: At least...
By feraltoad on 8/7/2006 2:24:35 AM , Rating: 2
Nice Setup, def. jealous! At 2.7ghz I can make waffles on my Northbridge Heatsink. I had a feeling that users craving AA would have dual card setups. I think a greater amount of users would appreciate more optimizations to incrse fps (if that's possible). Of course once that happens they will want AA lol. Thanx for responding and thanks for the tip! BTW I was amazed at how much HQAF really ups the image quality, really makes things pop-richer colors and textures.


RE: At least...
By jtesoro on 8/7/2006 6:44:18 AM , Rating: 2
Hahaha, I've got a 2.55 GHz P4, 512MB RAM and a GeForce 6600GT. I guess I shouldn't even think of getting Oblivion!


RE: At least...
By feraltoad on 8/10/2006 2:03:49 AM , Rating: 2
I wouldn't say that! You are a bit skimpy on the RAM, but I played Oblivion with my 6600gt before I got the 1900. I played it@ 1680x1050. Ok so that wasn't very smooth even with most stuff turned down kinda low lol. (I don't remember if I used HDR tho, I think I did once and it look great, and I had time to look as the scene slideshowed past-maybe that was with everything maxed hmmmmm) BUT with my 6600gt it was still fun and if played at a lower res I know it would have ran fine just like COD2 ran great.


On hold indefinitely?
By Hanners on 8/4/2006 3:52:01 PM , Rating: 1
Since when has 'by October' meant 'on hold indefinitely'?




RE: On hold indefinitely?
By Crusader on 8/4/2006 7:07:03 PM , Rating: 1
The PATCH (as it exists today) is on hold for Catalyst 6.7+

If you read the title correctly, and the comments from ATI correctly.. you will notice "by October" means when it will be integrated into the WHQL release.
Indefinitely means you wont see another Chuck -patch-.


RE: On hold indefinitely?
By Hanners on 8/5/2006 3:42:51 AM , Rating: 2
I know that - They changed the article after my post to remove the 'indefinitely' part. ;)


RE: On hold indefinitely?
By Crusader on 8/5/2006 8:19:39 PM , Rating: 2
Either way DT was correct. It is on-hold indefinitely.
You wont be seeing another patch.

You were confused when you connected the October date to the patch at all. Thats the date for the drivers with it integrated.


RE: On hold indefinitely?
By Lonyo on 8/6/2006 10:21:34 AM , Rating: 2
The patch will still exist, it will just be transparent (included in the bundle).


RE: On hold indefinitely?
By Crusader on 8/6/2006 6:29:33 PM , Rating: 2
No. The patch will no longer exist.
Its going to be incorporated into future driver releases.

quote:
When questioned as to when the Chuck patch would be incorporated into ATI’s Catalyst driver set, Terry “Catalyst Maker” Makedon


Not really .NET's fault
By Flunk on 8/6/2006 1:20:52 PM , Rating: 3
As a .NET developer I feel I need say something about the Ati Catalyst control center. It is possibly the worst graphics control center application ever created.

If you think about it a graphic control center has to be able to do one thing well is set the graphic card settings and quickly. Ati seems to have forgotten this and created the most bloated application I've ever seem. The integrated WindowBlinds system they use for themeing is horrible and the 3d effects in the control panel are totally unnessary. I are reasonbly sure the reason it takes so long to start is that it loads up everything at startup.

I think someone at Ati needs to say "Enough with the bloat" and put a stop to this. Pull out some of the extrenous code and concentrate on the basics. .NET is a very good system and performs well but poorly written programs like this are giving it a bad name.




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