You guys might find this video interesting!

The PC version of Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow is based on the original XBox version. It uses a technology called shadow buffers which only GeForce 3, 4 and FX cards support.

On newer cards the game does not correctly display lights and shadows.

In this video I am showing the visual differences using around 50 scenes from the first few levels of the game.

Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow Lights and Shadows

I saw the video and I undestand what you mean. It's a great difference. And for a game like this, where lights are very important, it makes a HUGE difference.

This has been known for years.

I actually managed to play through the whole game again a couple years ago, but many areas were totally broken. It makes sense they don't want to sell it and deal with the complaints, even though it is playable.

Quality Ubi work

So e.g. the ATI/AMD graphics cards of that time would display the game wrong too? Good then I never bought the game, as I had an ATI Radeon card. Then again, I think I opted not to buy certain Splinter Cell games due to their copy protection systems (I think they had Starforce and whatnot?).

I'm hoping this project to pick up:

http://virgil3d.github.io/

Not sure if it will help with this special case, but at least configuring the exact feature set of a virtual graphics card should be far easier than swapping between different physical graphics cards (and/or driver versions), based on what the game is expecting.

A bit like WinUAE (an Amiga emulator) lets you choose which kind of CPU, what graphics and audio chipset, how much and what kind of RAM, which Kickstart ROM etc. exactly your emulated Amiga system has. That is the only way to make certain finicky Amiga games work fine (or at all), e.g. Phantasm or Archon 2.

As a sidenote, I really liked the music in Phantasm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42LS6iMgp-4#t=47

So, there is really no solution to correctly display lights and shadows with newest cards ? I mean, it's playable when I watch this video but some areas are totally in the darkness ! No patch, no tip with a notepad ?

Bad thing about that is that the first Splinter Cell trilogy are great games and they'd be right at home @GOG.

Also the original Xbox version of Double Agent is good, developed by the same people who made Chaos Theory. X360/PC version was made by different studio.

That is a great question regarding ATI cards.

Quoting the readme file:

Graphics Cards Supported:
Radeon 9800 - Tested (Pro)
Radeon 9700 - Tested (Pro)
Radeon 9600 - Tested (Pro)
Radeon 9500 - Tested (Pro)
Radeon 9200 - Tested (Pro)
Radeon 9100 - Not Tested
Radeon 9000 - Tested
Radeon 8500 - Tested
GeForce FX 5900 - Tested
GeForce FX 5800 - Tested
GeForce FX 5600 - Tested
GeForce FX 5200 - Tested
GeForce 4 Ti 4600/4400/4200 - Tested (4200)
GeForce 3 Ti500/Ti200 - Tested
GeForce 3 - Tested

And:

Problems may be experienced with ATI Catalyste Version 4.2 drivers. Use version 4.1, or an earlier version than 4.2.

I have Radeon 9700 and 9800 cards and will test them down the track. Still want to do some more videos with the GeForce though :)

Oh, so that's the reason!

I've always wondered why the game was not available anymore. Now, you would think that UBI would be able to spare a programmer or two to fix that thing and re-release it.

Anyway, thanks for sharing.

I have the original and Double Agent, both from a local magazine that comes bundled with games. I enjoyed the first a lot, but could never get myself into Double Agent.

I always thought the game looked right on my old 9800 pro... but damn.

In all this time has no one been able (or even tried?) to develop an interpreter for the shadow buffer?

Sad truth. Always wondered why the game looked so awful on my R7 260X.

Heh, so that's why the game always looked weird whatever system I played it on. Btw, I originally played it on a Radeon 9800 SE and IIRC also on that one the game didn't look quite right, definitely not as well as on the system I saw my buddy play it on. Can't wait to see the results you will get on your Radeon 9800.

Unfortunately there is no solution. The options are playing it on an XBox (maybe 360 as well) and on a period correct PC with GeForce 3, 4 or FX.

Had a Radeon 9800 way back in the day. First Video card I ever bought.