SimHQ.com - Technology Zone - Review: Matrox TripleHead2Go

While Lock On provided the most beautiful images in triplehead operation, GPL far and away gave me the biggest wow factor. Even at 1920x480 (another example of the DirectX 7 limitation), the heightened immersion and sense of speed gained by running GPL across three screens is amazing. At this resolution framerates are definitely not a problem, either; I never saw a single dip below the GPL maximum framerate of 36 fps. With this older title full AA and AF can be used to improve image quality at low resolution.

To get GPL running in triplehead mode, you need to do two things. The first is to download a custom rastd3d7.dll file that offers a 1920x480 resolution. The best way to do this is to download a file pack (discussed here at RaceSimCentral) that offers tools and DLLs for any imaginable resolution in GPL. Then backup your rastd3d7.dll file and rename the rastd3d7_12_3.dll file rast3d37.dll. This changes GPL's available resolutions to 640x480, 1920x480, 2400x600, and 3072x768. If 2400x600 or 3072x768 are selected, GPL will not CTD like Jane's F-18, but it will revert to 640x480 because of the DirectX 7 limitation. 1920x480 is the only triplehead resolution that will work with GPL and the TripleHead2Go.

The second step is to alter GPL's field-of-view. By default the FOV is set so that you can see the edges of your front tires at the edges of your screen. In triplehead mode, this limits your vertical viewing angle a great deal. So, you'll want to expand the field of view so that you can restore your vertical FOV and greatly expand the horizontal FOV to make use of the screen area of all three monitors. To do this, download a program called FOVed and follow the instructions in the readme. You want to set the FOV as large as possible, which is a value of 180.

GPL's interface remains on a single screen even when a triplehead resolution is used while driving.

The above procedure will give you a GPL that looks like this:

Grand Prix Legends

The only potential problem I can see with triplehead GPL is that even a 180-degree FOV does not restore the full vertical range present in single-screen mode. This is only a problem when crossing the start-finish line, when the pit board is displayed. Using TrackIR, it is possible to glance up to see the entire pit board and then back down to see the car's dash and the shifter position. However, without TrackIR this could be a problem.

Raven Shield

TripleHead2Go Support? Yes

I tested Raven Shield with the 1.56 patch. Although there was no SGU entry, all 4 TripleHead2Go resolutions were available for selection in the Raven Shield graphics options. Framerates remained good at 3072x768 with 4xAA and 8xAF, but there are a few problems with the Raven Shield triplehead image (these are the fault of the game, not the TripleHead2Go). First, the HUD showing your weapons and team status, as well as the action icons, are stretched in the horizontal. Second, operating a scoped weapon in zoomed mode presents an oval-shaped sight picture instead of the circular sight picture you would get in a standard resolution.

Raven Shield's interface remains on a single screen even when a triplehead resolution is selected.

I felt like I was way too close to everything when playing Raven Shield in triplehead mode. This should be solved by setting a wider field of view, but I do not know how to do this in Raven Shield (or if it is even possible).

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