Monster 3D II delivers awesome, high-powered 3D acceleration for software developed with the industry’s leading APIs, including Microsoft’s Direct3D, 3Dfx’s Glide and OpenGL. With support for the most games on the market, Monster 3D II is capable of performing all major 3D functions at record-setting speeds to produce 3D visual effects that are incredibly realistic, fluid and ultra-smooth without compromising overall system performance. Diamond Multimedia also provides a MegaMonsterÔ option which allows customers to potentially double their 3D game speed to six times that of the original Monster 3D by using two Monster 3D II accelerators simultaneously (2x X100 or X200). Monster 3D II’s pass-through design is compatible with virtually all VGA and 2D Windows accelerators, making installation a snap.

"Diamond took the 3D gaming market by storm in 1997 with its Monster 3D accelerator. In 1998, we intend to do the same by offering the next-generation Monster 3D II which delivers industry-leading 3D performance for the next-generation of 3D games hitting the market this year," said Scott Vouri, general manager of Diamond Multimedia’s core graphics business unit. "Unlike other 3Dfx-based products, Monster 3D II goes beyond the traditional reference board design with added power, enhanced driver support and an awesome game bundle, making it one top-notch solution."

At the core of Diamond’s new accelerator is 3Dfx Interactive’s Voodoo2 3D chipset which features two texel engines supporting multiple textures per pixel and has been highly-touted among the industry’s leading game developers and top PC game publications as the 3D graphics engine of choice. The combination of 3Dfx’s new chipset allows Monster 3D II to achieve 3D rendering rates more than 60 frames-per-second (fps) without slowing down overall system performance. In addition, Monster 3D II supports Z-buffering in resolutions up to 800 x 600 with 16-bit color.

Monster 3D II includes a dedicated hardware triangle setup engine which enables faster 3D rendering; rapid processing of multiple textures per pixel for added realism and color images; and single pass trilinear filtering to provide smoother, more defined visuals. Other key functions include edge anti-aliasing, gouraud shading, alpha blending, texture mapping and more. The Monster 3D also features a specialized version of Diamond InControl Tools, enabling users to adjust refresh rates and power levels, depending on the performance requirements of the 3D game or application. Additionally, the Diamond Monster 3D II comes equipped with exclusive high-performance drivers.

For PC gamers who want the ultimate entertainment experience, Diamond Multimedia’s specially-designed Monster 3D II X100 features 8MB of dedicated, on-board memory (4MB frame buffer and 4MB texture memory). Given this superior subsystem design, Monster 3D II is capable of resolutions as high as 800 x 600 while performing intensive Z-buffering effects, which is considered a key function for running today’s hottest 3D games, such as Turok or Hexen II. Z-buffering improves the speed of game play by skipping the rendering of objects which appear behind others. With Monster 3D II’s handling of Z-buffering on-board, the software application is freed from having to perform intensive algorithmic computations, resulting in smoother game play that moves with the player in real-time. Other 3Dfx-based solutions that rely on the reference board’s 6MB design give less support for performing advanced 3D functions, such as Z-buffer, while running at optimum resolutions.

Diamond Multimedia’s MegaMonster option allows users to run two Monster 3D IIs at the same time for double the 3D processing power. To use Diamond’s MegaMonster option, otherwise known as scan line interleave (SLI), the user simply installs two Monster 3D II game accelerators in two separate PCI-bus slots and connects them with a ribbon cable. The MegaMonster configuration delivers blistering-fast 3D rendering with performance as high as 300 million pixels per second and support for resolutions up to 1024 x 768 with 16-bit true color. Users of Monster 3D II with the MegaMonster option will experience a totally immersive 3D environment. With Diamond’s MegaMonster, fog and water images take on life-like appearances; jaggies, sparkles and artifacts truly disappear; and dramatic scene changes transpire in the blink of an eye.

The retail model of the Monster 3D II X100 will come with an impressive selection of popular 3D games in in the European markets: a full version of Heavy Gear and Interstate 76 by ActivisionÒ ; Need for Speed II SE by Electronic Arts, Tomb Raider II (OEM version) by Eidos InteractiveÒ . Monster 3D II will also be bundled with a special game demo CD featuring a selection of hot new titles from Eidos Interactive, including Final Fantasy and Flight Unlimited II.