'Quake II RTX' update delivers more realistic ray-traced visuals

[erek]

The upgrade expands just where you'll see ray tracing kick in, too. It's now visible on security monitors, and you can even see hall-of-mirrors recursive reflections on certain surfaces.

Performance might also improve depending on your system. You now have the choice of dynamic resolution scaling that will try to maintain 60 frames per second by lowering the resolution when necessary. You can boost speed by limiting the number of reflection and refraction bounces, or by turning off temporal anti-aliasing.

The 1.2 update will install automatically if you have Quake II installed through Steam, but you can download it separately if you're using a stand-alone copy. The Quake II RTX three-map demo remains free -- you only need to buy something if you want to finish the fight with the Strogg and don't already have a copy of the game hanging around.


https://www.engadget.com/2019/11/26/quake-ii-rtx-1-2-updates-ray-tracing/

 

[aliaskary77]

wtf, nvidia domain down.

 

[kirbyrj]

$1.49 in steam right now, so it isn't exactly breaking the bank.

 

[aliaskary77]

I have the collection, was just checking link and domain. isitdown says its up, but I cant access it. did update drivers this morning.

 

[TheBuzzer]

Here is more information about what the update changed:
https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/quake-ii-rtx-v1-2-update/

 

[HeadRusch]

They need to release an update that magically turns it into Doom III, a game that would still look 'modern enough' with RTX applied to get people buying RTX core-laden cards.........

 

[Nenu]

$1.49 in steam right now, so it isn't exactly breaking the bank.

I got the large update today for my free version.
I cant remember why it was free though, was it an early freeby or an offer someone posted?

 

[Youn]

They need to release an update that magically turns it into Doom III

yea, that little bit of bounce light and also AI-enhanced textures would go a long ways

 

[aliaskary77]

I got the large update today for my free version.
I cant remember why it was free though, was it an early freeby or an offer someone posted?

the free quake II demo from nvidia is only the first 3 levels. If you have the full version, then you get the quake II RTX from steam.

 

[Nenu]

the free quake II demo from nvidia is only the first 3 levels. If you have the full version, then you get the quake II RTX from steam.

Ah righty, thanks.

 

[notarat]

This is what everyone needs...a $1000 video card to run a 20 year old game from the 90s

 

[Auer]

This is what everyone needs...a $1000 video card to run a 20 year old game from the 90s

it's fun, you should give it a try.

 

[1_rick]

it's fun, you should give it a try.

And miss out on yelling at those kids to get off his lawn?

 

[Derangel]

This is what everyone needs...a $1000 video card to run a 20 year old game from the 90s

Yes, how dare someone actually make use of their tech and spend their own money making a FREE update to show it off. What a heinous crime, they should be burned at the stake for it.

 

[cybereality]

It actually works on Linux. That's pretty cool Nvidia did that.

 

[notarat]

And miss out on yelling at those kids to get off his lawn?

Lawn?! I paved it and painted it green years ago.

 

[notarat]

Yes, how dare someone actually make use of their tech and spend their own money making a FREE update to show it off. What a heinous crime, they should be burned at the stake for it.

I'm glad you agree!








j/k

da hell you guys think I been playing all day today?

 

[serpretetsky]

https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/geforce/news/quake-ii-rtx-v1-2-update/

I'm glad they're improving the rendering system, but maybe they shouldn't mess with the textures as much. The one the left is not an improvement.

 

[serpretetsky]

This one is an interesting excercise in making the scene overall worse and worse with each iteration

(left most image is the new 1.2 update, right most image is original)

 

[serpretetsky]

Okay, gotta admit that's pretty cool.

 

[Youn]

1.3 is available via command r_fullbright 1

 

[LaAaZ]

I remember reading somewhere online that Nvidia was hiring people to work on these older games to enable RTX features. I think Quake 2 looks pretty cool and I played the game a couple of hours. I'll fire it up again and play some more this weekend. I hope that they go back a bit further and work on Quake 1.

 

[Mega6]

Marketing Gimmick.

the cool kids won’t bother to play quake and the boomers already played it years ago.

 

[cybereality]

Some of the effects are uncanny.

Especially the mirror reflections, they look so strange after seeing low-res/blurred reflections for so long in games.

Gameplay didn't age very well, sadly.

 

[GoldenTiger]

Marketing Gimmick.

the cool kids won’t bother to play quake and the boomers already played it years ago.

Won't be once amd does it though, right?

 

[Mega6]

Won't be once amd does it though, right?

Nope, it will be the same gimmick. No matter who does it. Can’t wait until intel throws in.

 

[GoldenTiger]

Nope, it will be the same gimmick. No matter who does it. Can’t wait until intel throws in.

Shows your lack of knowledge of it. It is no mere gimmick.

 

[Mega6]

Shows your lack of knowledge of it. It is no mere gimmick.

Great comeback.

RTX on a 22 year old game everyone has played that might already. Gimmick.

 

[GoldenTiger]

Great comeback.

RTX on a 22 year old game everyone has played that might already. Gimmick.

This isn't the only game lol.

 

[Mega6]

This isn't the only game lol.

That’s the thread subject dad.

Q2 and RTX.

So now this is where you introduce all the other RTX games, derail the subject and declare victory? Carry on.

 

[Auer]

Marketing Gimmick.

the cool kids won’t bother to play quake and the boomers already played it years ago.

It's a lot of fun, and looks great. Give it a try.

 

[Auer]

Some of the effects are uncanny.

Especially the mirror reflections, they look so strange after seeing low-res/blurred reflections for so long in games.

Gameplay didn't age very well, sadly.

Liquid reflections are nice too. I dont mind the outdated gameplay much, it's still entertaining enough.

 

[PeaKr]

It's pretty cool for nostalgia sake. Not into the changing textures thing, maybe upscale a bit. I still play the classics on occasion. They need to move on to id Tech 3 and unreal 2.

 

[LaAaZ]

One of the best gaming experiences i had (last year) was playing the addon Machine Games made for Quake 1.

 

[eclypse]

Can one still play this bad boy in multiplayer???

That would be like building a time machine and traveling back!

 

[eclypse]

Btw.. to those that dont have a clue. Quake and quake II were the shit back in the day. I blew an easy 10+ years playing quake 2/3 FFA!

I have never have as much fun with an online game again since. Doom online has a close feel but still not the same.

 

[Hagrid]

So they upgraded a fast paced game? Nice....

 

[KazeoHin]

Gotta admit... This is one of the only reasons I want a proper RTX card....

 

[Revdarian]

My issue with quake 2 RT is that they messed with the original look of lots of scenes. Look, the software renderer was the original feel intended by the artists and the developers, so making everything bright, and not giving the proper hues to the light sources takes away from the atmosphere.

You were supposed to feel in an oppressive alien world with the dark red blood sky for example, that sensation is lost.

 

[Auer]

My issue with quake 2 RT is that they messed with the original look of lots of scenes. Look, the software renderer was the original feel intended by the artists and the developers, so making everything bright, and not giving the proper hues to the light sources takes away from the atmosphere.

You were supposed to feel in an oppressive alien world with the dark red blood sky for example, that sensation is lost.

Setting the time of day to permanently dusk or evening helps out with that. I have it set so that it follows my local time.