Graphical Glitch in 1.71

Ace Garp · Post by **Ace Garp** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 8:42 pm

When I use the test release of 1.71, I get the following mangled characters: -

I think that this is related to my rubbish GFX card (ATI Rage 128 Pro, 16 MB VRAM), and the resolution (1024 x 768) I've set up as I've seen this in other games before . . .

. . . thing is, I used the same resolution in 1.70, and everything was fine!

If I change the resolution down to 832 x 624, the nasty effect goes away, and I can read the text perfectly.

Mac OS 10.4.11, 2x500 MHz G4, 960 MB RAM.

I'll try it on my PowerBook tomorrow - that has a much better GFX card, and far more VRAM.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:19 pm

Did you ever find a resolution for this problem? I'm getting roughly the same problem. V1.65 worked fine for me. Also I'm using 1.71.2 test release on Windows Vist, 512mb intel onboard gfx card on a laptop..

Thanks

EDIT: This is the stderr.txt file contents....

Code: Select all

2008-07-23 18:27:03.942 oolite.exe[2508] Disallowed time zone name `@tzres.dll,-262'.
2008-07-23 18:27:03.943 oolite.exe[2508] Using time zone with absolute offset 0.
2008-07-23 18:27:03.940 oolite.exe[2508] File NSUserDefaults.m: 562. In [NSUserDefaults +standardUserDefaults] Improper installation: No language locale found
2008-07-23 18:27:03.972 oolite.exe[2508] [log.header]: Opening log for Oolite version 1.71.2 (x86-32 test release) under Windows at 2008-07-23 18:27:03 +0000.
1 processors detected.
Note that the contents of the log file can be adjusted by editing logcontrol.plist.

2008-07-23 18:27:03.973 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: initialising SDL
2008-07-23 18:27:04.665 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.JoystickHandler]: init: numSticks=0
2008-07-23 18:27:04.665 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: CREATING MODE LIST
2008-07-23 18:27:04.665 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: Unknown architecture, defaulting to 1024x768
2008-07-23 18:27:04.666 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: Added res 800 x 600
2008-07-23 18:27:04.666 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: Added res 640 x 480
2008-07-23 18:27:04.716 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: drawRect calling initialiseGLWithSize
2008-07-23 18:27:04.716 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: Creating a new surface of 800 x 600
2008-07-23 18:27:04.754 oolite.exe[2508] [unclassified.MyOpenGLView]: no universe, clearning surface
2008-07-23 18:27:04.759 oolite.exe[2508] [rendering.opengl.version]: OpenGL renderer version: 1.1.0 ("1.1.0")
Vendor: Microsoft Corporation
Renderer: GDI Generic
2008-07-23 18:27:04.759 oolite.exe[2508] [rendering.opengl.extensions]: OpenGL extensions (3):
GL_WIN_swap_hint GL_EXT_bgra GL_EXT_paletted_texture
2008-07-23 18:27:04.760 oolite.exe[2508] [rendering.opengl.shader.support]: Shaders will not be used (OpenGL extension GL_ARB_multitexture is not available).
2008-07-23 18:27:04.793 oolite.exe[2508] [searchPaths.dumpAll]: ---> OXP search paths:
(oolite.app/Resources, AddOns)
2008-07-23 18:27:04.793 oolite.exe[2508] [dataCache.upToDate]: Data cache is up to date.
2008-07-23 18:27:11.241 oolite.exe[2508] [script.load.world.listAll]: Loaded 5 world scripts: "oolite-cloaking-device" 1.71.2, "oolite-constrictor-hunt" 1.71.2, "oolite-nova" 1.71.2, "oolite-thargoid-plans" 1.71.2, "oolite-trumbles" 1.71.2
2008-07-23 18:27:17.184 oolite.exe[2508] [dataCache.willWrite]: About to write data cache.
2008-07-23 18:27:17.307 oolite.exe[2508] [dataCache.write.success]: Wrote data cache.
2008-07-23 18:27:44.261 oolite.exe[2508] [gameController.exitApp]: .GNUstepDefaults synchronized. Exiting.

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:05 pm

Looks like a graphics memory shortage. Try adding this file to your AddOns folder.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 8:29 pm

Thanks for the reply, I tried that file, still exactly the same problem.. I might just go back to 1.65, and try 1.71.2 on my main pc instead.

Thanks

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:56 am

Please try this one as well. (I suspect it will work, in which case I need to add some extra checks during texture loading.)

~~Oops, that’s wrong. Hang on…~~ Fixed.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:37 am

Tried that new file, still not working. I installed 1.65 last night to try again, and it works fine. Reinstalled 1.71.2 test, and got this same problem again. It may just be that the onboard gfx card on my laptop is crap,

Post by **another_commander** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:40 am

How many FPS do you get with 1.65 / 1.71.2? I have a suspicion that your graphics card may not support hardware acceleration.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 7:47 am

That may be the case, but I mainly play Virtual Pool 3, which supports hardware acceleration, and that works fine..
I cannot check the fps because of the failure of it to display correctly. Also the rotating ship rotates smoothly. Here is a screenshot..

Post by **another_commander** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:07 am

OK, another question: What graphics card do you have installed? The "Microsoft Corporation / GDI Generic" thing indicates that you are using the generic Windows OpenGL driver, which may mean that you have not installed the correct drivers for your card.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:14 am

Yes, I noticed that, and went looking for updated drivers for this card. But unfortunately, I cannot find Vista drivers for it, although I'm tempted to try the XP driver anyway.

Its a "Intel 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller (Microsoft Corporation -XDDM)

Obviously it is the MS driver, but is there such a difference between 1.65 and 1.71.2 that would mean that it wouldnt work correctly?

EDIT: I have even changed the .GNUStepDefaults file to run full screen and turn shaders to simple and off. Still no joy...

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:24 am

That’s not the same problem Ace Garp was having. His is specifically a text issue, while in your case no textures are being used at all. (I’d be grateful if Ace Garp could test those two alternative font textures too.)

It’s traditionally another_commander’s job to ask this, but have you swapped between 1.65 and 1.7x without uninstalling the old version first? If so, nuking whatever you’ve got and reinstalling might help.

polomint · Post by **polomint** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:01 pm

I've uninstalled completely and removed the oolite folder too. Still no joy.
I think it'll be a case of using 1.65 on my laptop, and 1.71.2 on my pc if it works hehe. Oh well...

Ace Garp · Post by **Ace Garp** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:24 pm

Hi - sorry for the long time for the reply (busy RL)

Ahruman -- Both of those files work much better.
I can read the text now in all resolutions up to (but not including) 1280x1024.
At least there's a definite improvement.

That's OK for me though as I usually play on my much faster laptop (which has 8 times as much VRAM), and that never has this problem.

It'll also be fine in few months when I get my sweaty mitts on a 3.06GHz 24 inch iMac with 512MB VRAM and 4GB RAM!

Will Oolite run OK on that

p.s. Using version 1.71.2 now

JensAyton · Post by **JensAyton** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 10:23 pm

OK, in that case it’s just a size issue.

Oolite has a hidden preference for this situation, but it’s bypassed for the font texture. Now that the font texture is bigger, I’ve changed it for 1.72 so the font can be scaled down to 512 × 512. You can limit texture sizes at the command line as follows:

Code: Select all

defaults write org.aegidian.oolite max-texture-size 512

(On other platforms, you’ll need to edit your .GNUstepDefaults file.) Any power of two can be used, down to 64, but the font and trumble textures will not be shrunk below 512 × 512. (Note: switching to reduced detail mode will also cause textures above 512 × 512 to be shrunk one step.)

JohnnyBoy · Post by **JohnnyBoy** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:07 pm

I've never had any problems with Oolite's graphics until last night when I installed the following OXPs:
Galactic Navy V4
Localhero_1_05
pirate_coves
RandomHitsV1_2
UPS-courier v1.4.1

When I re-started Oolite, the on-screen text had the fine lines above it that Ace Garp shows in the screen grab in his OP. The lines were vertical and green.

Today the fine lines have gone, but the 'roll' and 'pitch' indicators above the shield bars are still overlapping, just as they are in both screen grabs.

Should I remove the OXPs one-by-one to identify the offender?