3D Vision Discover Provides Free 3D PC Gaming

Here's a way to activate 3D gaming on a Nvidia GPU without the need to purchase the 3D Vision Kit.

Want 3D PC gaming but dont' have the bucks to dump into a new Nvidia 3D Vision kit? There may be a way around the premium setup if you already own a Nvidia-based GPU. Press X Or Die has a small tutorial on how to get 3D up and running, however this method uses the old-school anaglyph technique using red and cyan filters. That said, you may need to make your own specs--finding a pair on the market may be next to impossible outside ordering through Nvidia.

Nvidia calls this method "3D Vision Discover," and apparently it only works on Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems (sorry XP). The minimum specs also reveal that the PC needs at least an Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon X2 CPU, 1GB of RAM (although Nvidia suggests 2GB), 100MB of HDD space, and any desktop display. 3D Vision Discover doesn't work on just any Nvidia-based GPU either--the GeForce 200/100 series, the GeForce 9 series, and the GeForce 8 series are the only supported GPUs.

For those with qualified rigs, the overall setup sounds rather simple. Once the drivers are installed and the CP reboots (if this process is needed), gamers simply go to Start>All Programs>NVIDIA Corporation>3D Vision, then click on "Enable 3D Vision Discover." The setup goes through various processes of testing and depth correction. Once completed, most games should run in anaglyph mode-- each will even report how well it is supported.

"One thing to note is that it can have a hefty penalty on your frame rate," the blog reads. "For example in L4D it dropped from 60fps down to 30fps. But some games don’t take as much of a hit." The blog added that some games work better than others, with FPS titles receiving the biggest visual "boost." However all games seem to have HUD issues, as the HUD isn't 3D and appears to float on-screen.