Well, the origin and the goal of this Archive was quite simple :
When the main 3dfx Download Archive was closed, many Users quickly discovered, that the established Fan-Sites apparently never cared to offer a complete Backup/Mirror of the Files found on
www.3dfx.com...
Commonly, only the latest Versions were found for the most widespread 3dfx Cards, but that was it.
As slowly many other 3dfx Sites died off, they usually also took all their Files with them...
So what was initially considered widespread and abundant (Drivers, Utilities, Readme Files, Documentation etc.) was in danger of disappearing forever.
This Archive was one of the first (actually probably the only one) that was already at that time targetted at tackling exactly this upcoming Problem :
Offer ALL relevant Files for ALL 3dfx Hardware in ALL Versions possible, including ALL Documentation still existing.In the past, Sites like
www.voodoofiles.com were found to carry alot of Stuff, basically all that was needed.
But eventually, it became nothing but a hollow framework for a collection of Links. As mirrors were closed down, alot of Files were lost, since noone over there cared to secure them in time.
After 3dfxgamers and eventually 3dfx closed their hughe archives, it was too late, leaving only this Archive as a place where almost everything was still in place.
It is also the only place existing (to my knowledge) that attempts to offer really ALL Driver releases ever made.
Games like GTA3 (and there were others in the past) much later showed, that this was the right thing to do
And don't be mistaken, still, far from all Files are OnLine in the 3dfx Archive... Putting the puzzle back together (seeking and securing 3dfx Files from servers scattered all over the world) took the longest time, and still is sort of a never-ending Task.
Mostly, besides a few other User's helping submissions, it is thanks to the Submissions from Patience, Procerus, and of course myself, that all you can find here is where it belongs.
Overall, I consider this a hobby, with the help of the Archive I do what I can do best : help people.
And ever since 3dfx was crushed by NVidia back in time, I felt it was nothing but fair to support the 'underdogs'...
...the 3dfx Users left behind by remorseless marketing politics...
There's really no business or official connection between me and any company out there, although I did have EMail contacts related to 3dfx issues with some.
All in all, that's also the reason you see no Advertising Banners anywhere around, not a single penny is made by the Archive.
(Although there were a few funny occasions I have been offered money just to answer support questions
Of couse, nothing was ever taken by principle... )
The future :
Well, complete the collections where applicable, and one day hopefully give a Archive the well-needed Face-Lifting
Mostly, future engagement will focus around issues evolving from new Games, as well as sorting the Good 3rd Party Drivers from the useless ones as usual.
At one day in the future, all work will likely start shifting to just preserve the Files for the 3dfx legacy, and keeping the servers open; and certainly still provide 3dfx User support.
Greetings
FalconFly
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