Nokia talks 3D hardware (finally!)

February 19th, 2008, 21:49 Posted By: wraggster

Nokia has finally given a clear statement that there WILL be enhanced versions of N-Gage games for phones with 3D acceleration chips. Phones without the chips will get the same games, but because they use software to generate 3D their graphics will be less snazzy-looking.



No 3D-enhanced games have been released on N-Gage so far, though the original 2006 demo of System Rush Evolution did use the N93 and N95 3D accelerator.

Nokia haven't said which games will receive chip-enhanced versions, or when, but this is the first time they have said directly that there will be two versions of some games. Previously they'd umm-ed and ahh-ed on the topic, possibly concerned about alienating owners of phones without the chip, but it seems they've now made up their minds to go down the two version route.

As older readers may remember, this dual-version approach is how 3D acceleration hardware was first introduced on the PC, with games using the hardware if it was present but managing to do without it if necessary. The N-Gage platform is arguably much closer in spirit to the PC than consoles, because new phone models are being released on a constant basis rather than generational basis. It therefore makes sense to use the PC model when introducing new hardware technology to N-Gage games.

Which N-Gage phones have a 3D accelerator chip?

The following N-Gage phones DO have 3D accelerator chips: Nokia N82, N93, N93i, N95, N95 8GB and N96.

The following N-Gage phones DO NOT have the chips: Nokia N73, N81 and N81 8GB.

Some other Nokia phones do have the chips, but haven't yet been added to the N-Gage platform so we haven't listed them.

http://www.allaboutngage.com/news/it...are_finall.php

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