Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

After a looong time I thought I'd see if there are any more patches out for SEV, and lo, there are!

So, with the most excellent Balance Mod and FQM available, I decided to buy SEV. Mostly because I wanted to try making my own mod. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

However, there is a slight problem with SEV on my system. When selecting either D3D HAL or D3D T&L HAL in the setup, I don't see any of the text in the tooltips and message boxes, I do get, however, occasional full-screen flashes of white. Only setting display to RGB Emulation clears this problem.

This is with SE:V patched to 1.44 (non Steam).

Here's the machine info from dxdiag, I hope it helps:



------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 8/14/2007, 18:48:10
Machine name: WOLF
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6000) (6000.vista_rtm.061101-2205)
Language: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 02/07/07 15:12:37 Ver: 08.00.12
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU 6600 @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 2046MB RAM
Page File: 1076MB used, 3236MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows
DirectX Version: DirectX 10
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 6.00.6000.16386 32bit Unicode

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI Radeon HD 2900 XT
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x9400)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9400&SUBSYS_31421002 &REV_00
Display Memory: 1275 MB
Dedicated Memory: 508 MB
Shared Memory: 766 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: PnP-Monitor (Standard)
Driver Name: atiumdag.dll,atiumdva.dat,atitmmxx.dll
Driver Version: 7.14.0010.0503 (English)
DDI Version: 9Ex
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 6/13/2007 21:07:06, 2861056 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes




UPDATE:

Since RGB runs with approximately 2 FPS, I tried D3D HAL again. Seems like whenever a tooltip or right-click popup menu opens, the other controls (menu, map, buttons...) disappear. So I get either the interface OR the popup menu.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Try setting video memory to SAFE.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Tried that, makes no difference. I also updated to Catalyst 7.8, which was released yesterday, still the same problem.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

If you run the game in windowed mode, the white flashes will go away... I've been getting this with my nvidia 7300 go card lately, also on Vista.

Make sure to send a report to Malfador directly so he will hopefully go and fix it (again), to se5 at malfador dot com.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Thanks, I will send the mail.

Windowed mode indeed got rid of the flashes themselves, but any display of popups still makes everything else go black. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Out of curiosity, can I expect some sort of acknowledgement from Malfador concerning this bug? I sent the mail two days ago.

Because even with popups completely disabled, as soon as there is a scroll list (ship designer, choosing hullsize for example), everything except the entries on the list disappears. As soon as I move the cursor, the background and the list keep flickering, either one is displayed or the other, not both. If it were just the popups, ok, but this is hardly enjoyable at the moment. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

It's hard to say whether or not he'll respond, sometimes he does sometimes he doesn't http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif

Rest assured, he reads the messages even if he doesn't always respond.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Several patches later and the game is still unplayable for me because of this... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

On a somewhat related note I am noticing that SEV takes up 90-100% of the CPU. I don't know if this is normal, I would expect not. Is there some way to stop it?. I suspect the game crashes at time when I try things. I haven't done anything like change quality or similar.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

DirectX stuff will suck up everything it can just to display an unchanging menu at 99 frames per second.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Aaron needs to just implement a frame rate limiter...

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

So it's normal? I don't remember it freezing when I tell it to do things before. I wondered if maybe some of my RAM melted. I thought I might have more than it says. Mind you I wouldn't think RAM and CPU usage are the same thing. It's an old version I still use, but the same thing seems to happen with the latest version.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

It even uses 100% of the CPU when minimised!

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

yes even when I minimise it. When it's turned off the CPU usage goes down to about 5-10, but otherwise the physical memory is all but used. I thought I had 1GB RAM but there only seems to be 512MB, of which about 8MB is left even when nothing is really being done.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

100% CPU use is normal for SEV, I don't know about the RAM. If you're trying to do anything else while it's running, it's a good idea to set the priority of the se5.exe process to 'Idle' in task manager. This basically tells windows to let all other programs use whatever cpu they need first (0.1%), then allow SEV to use whats left (99.9%) so SEV runs the same, and other programs run as normal, rather than slow thanks to SEV hogging everything.

I've had the problem with the white flashing too, and found setting it to use 16 bit color instead of 32 fixes it. It seems to occur after minimizing the game - when it's restored it flashes. If you do stuff in the background while running the game, and have to run it in 16bit color like me, it helps to make windows run in 16bit color too - takes less time to alt-tab, and you don't have your monitor changing resolution and carrying on every time.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Ok thanks for the info. Despite my best efforts I think it just can't handle hot temeprature or humid weather even though I keep it on the bottom floor. What with it getting toward summer it's a bother. In a few weeks I should have a new computer so it's not such a problem. I told my sister she could have it next though. It might be a problem since the mainland is hotter than down here.

With the RAM issue, is it possible a RAM chip could be damaged (say by getting too hot) and the computer just keeps going but reduces how much it detects on the system?

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Something seems off about those percentages. It might just be my lack of sleep, though.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

Tried 16 bit instead of 32. No change.

Re: Slight graphic problem with SE V
 

I wouldn't speak too soon. I see reverend is using windows vista and having trouble. Is SEV Vista complaint? Or rather is anyone else using it without trouble?