Hard Light Productions Forums
General FreeSpace => FreeSpace & FreeSpace Open Support => Topic started by: ScottForster on July 06, 2011, 02:26:25 pm
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Hi new here and am having problems. I have checked and cannot find a solution. What happens is this. I am trying to play Blue Planet AoA, and the only way I can play it is if I uninstall and reinstall the retail exe. The problem is, it runs smoothly for a while and when I shut it down and come back to it, it runs very slow. I am using the launcher and the Inferno exe. If I launch the retail version with the launcher, it runs perfect, but cannot access the mods. If I run any other exe file, it runs like crap, lag everywhere. The only way I can play the mods is to uninstall and reinstall the retail exe. This is starting to annoy me, and cannot find any solution to my odd problem ANYWHERE. I have followed all advice, tweaked settings, checked computer settings, everything IS updated and I have plenty of space on my HD.
If anyone could help me out here, that would be greatly appreciated. Again, this problem only happens when I leave the game, and restart later.
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Please read this FAQ (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=56279.0). Use the info therein to generate and post an fs2_open.log
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I already looked at that and could not find an answer to my problem
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Which is why you should generate and post an fs2_open.log. Using that, we can determine if there's something wrong with your setup as far as FSO is concerned.
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Okay I hope one of these two will help
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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Found root pack 'C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\MODS\blueplanet\bp-audio1.vp' with a checksum of 0xcc452f9dMay I inquire as to what made you install Blue Planet into \freespace2\MODS\blueplanet\ ?
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I heard some one say you should put all mods into a sub-folder, I moved them back to the main folder. Still did not help
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I would recommend to increase the video resolution to something equal to or above 1024x768 at 32 bits of colour depth.
In addition, you should activate the -glow, -normal and -spec maps, your card should be able to handle those.
Also note that, on Windows Vista or 7, windowed mode is noticeably slower than -fullscreen_window or just plain fullscreen mode.
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@ The E: I have already tried changing configurations such as graphics, game speed, etc... Nothing helps but a complete re-install of the retail exe file. I have tried advice I have seen on here and other forums/websites, but nothing for my problem. If I uninstall/re-install the game, it runs okay for a while, but when I exit out of the game and come back to it after say, a couple hours, that is when it starts to run like crap. If I use the launcher with the retail exe file, I cannot access the mods, yet it runs perfect, yet if I use the open or fred exes it slows down to the poinnt of being utterly unplayable. The de-bug log is like Greek to me, and I have no idea as to why it would only run well after I reinstall the main game and not when I try to play the mods on following attempts
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System specs; got any?
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I will do that when I gewt home tonight as I am currently at work
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As far as the specs, here is what I can remember off the top of my head, it is a 2008 HP pavilion 8530, intel dual core, something like 2 gigsd of ram, onboard Nvidia graphics. But like I said before, I have NO problems playing the retail version at the highest settings, thisd ONLY happens with the Open version. That is what is so weird about all this. Because nothing changed from the time install it and play the mods for the first time to the next time where I get the problem...
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Anyone???
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To clear up that subfolder confusion, all mods are supposed to go in their own respective subfolders, as opposed to having a mod's VP files in the root level folder with Freespace 2's. They don't go in one combined mods folder, although that is a setup I would like to see some day.
Retail is Direct3D, which probably has passable drivers using your on board nvidia graphics if you've never installed updated drivers. FS2 Open uses OpenGL for graphics, and if you've never installed updated Nvidia drivers you're asking for trouble trying to run any OpenGL game. So, please make sure you have installed the latest drivers from Nvidia.com.
I'm still not entirely sure what the problem you're having is, based on your description I'm still confused as to what is actually happening. So far it doesn't sound like anything I've seen. Screenshots might help.
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I think you were right, I DID need to update my drivers, as the latest one for my graphics supports OpenGL. Still not quite sure WHAT my original problem was, but if it happens again, I will do a debug log again.
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I am using the launcher and the Inferno exe. If I launch the retail version with the launcher, it runs perfect, but cannot access the mods.
- Did you have activated the mod option at the launcher, when you tried to load the mod?
- Is the mod in a seperated directory (e.g. C:\Games\FreeSpace2\data\mods\blueplanet)?
It's better when the mods are in a seperated directory, because you don't need to deinstall every mod you would like to play.
If I run any other exe file, it runs like crap, lag everywhere. The only way I can play the mods is to uninstall and reinstall the retail exe. This is starting to annoy me, and cannot find any solution to my odd problem ANYWHERE. I have followed all advice, tweaked settings, checked computer settings, everything IS updated and I have plenty of space on my HD.
- What about your computer?
Is you computer/notebook passing the recommend sytem-requirements?
System Requirements:
AMD Athlon XP/64/X2, Intel P4/Core 2 Duo, or similar
Windows 98/2000/XP/Vista, Mac OS X 10.4+, or a recent Linux distro
GeForce 5xxx or Radeon 9xxx or other OpenGL-compatible video card.
An OpenAL-compatible sound card
1 GB RAM, 2 GB recommended.
A working FreeSpace 2 install
OpenAL 1.1
Removed an extra quote tag for readability. --Vader
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What? data\mods\blueplanet? That's incorrect. Each mod should be in its own subfolder in root, like Freespace2\blueplanet\, Freespace2\WoD\, etc.
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What? data\mods\blueplanet? That's incorrect. Each mod should be in its own subfolder in root, like Freespace2\blueplanet\, Freespace2\WoD\, etc.
thats an example...
Freespace2\blueplanet\, Freespace2\WoD\ is the same like data\mods\blueplanet\, data\mods\FSPort...
and "C:\Games\Freespace 2\data\mods\" is MY directory for the FS-Mods. I only used it as an example :nono:
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That's true. In fact I have it set up that way as well. However, all the mod.inis (needed for correct setup) cross-reference each other with the assumption that they are in their own folders in your FreeSpace 2 directory. You can either move them to FreeSpace2\blueplanet\ or you can try edit the mod.inis yourself in Notepad. Find the directories specified in secondarylist= and correct them so that they point the game to the right directories.
(but ignore this since this doesn't actually seem to be the problem in the first place)
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\freespace2\data\mods\ ? I'll admit, that was a new one for me.
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Turns out I needed to update my graphics drivers, the most recent for mine has OpenGL support, so it seems to have cleared up the problem
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Yuzuki, you can set up your folder structure however you want, but if you intend to disregard the suggested settings of the mods themselves, and the support teams, you're not likely to get a lot of help. I'd also request that that particular structure not be recommended to those having problems, as the conflict between that and the standard structure is just going to create confusion.
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Well, it has started again. Updated my drivers, restarted computer, ran fine last night and this morning, even shut down a couple times between plays. Just tried to start it up again and got the same problem, this is about a 12 hour space of time when I shut down the game before leaving for work and when I started the launcher again( I did not close the launcher and I did not change any settings in that 12 hour period. :confused: I have a log, but again, I don't know which line I am looking for as the smoking gun. Again, the retail exe file works perfectly, but any Open exe files cause the problems. So please in simple terms, someone please tell me what I can do to fix my problems.
[attachment deleted by ninja]
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I'm a little concerned about the following lines:
Searching root 'C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\MODS\blueplanet\' ... 1 files
Searching root 'C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\' ... 18 files
I feel like you might have some random files hanging around inside the data folder of blueplanet or FS2. The players folder in the FS2 one is fine, but I don't think there should be a whole lot else. It looks like it crashed loading a Loading.ani, so you might want to try looking for that.
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I guess what my question at this point would be, the loading ani, how does it crash after coming back to it after a few hours? What changes between the time I restart the computer to the time it starts playing poorly?
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I mean, I have updated my video drivers, tried everything I have seen on this forum and around google, and I am STILL having this problem, I really would appreciate a solution. Thanks
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It looks like you are running under Windows 7 64bit, is that the case?
FS2Open (and FS2 retail) currently write most of their settings (including pilot settings) to the folder it is running inside.
It is not generally recommended to have FS2Open (or Freespace 2 Retail) in Program Files under Windows 7 and Vista as writing to this folder requires Admin privileges, which are not available by default.
I don't think this is the cause though, as that's more related to saving stuff rather than loading. (Also, Win7 has virtualised folders that often cover up for this.)
Something else that *might* be happening is running out of space for the filename string - it's still a limited length, and putting the game in a long path "C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\" and then mods in a further subfolder makes it more likely that you'll hit the limit.
ANIs tend to involve very long filenames, so that seems plausible - though the way the error turns up is a bit odd.
(Both of these are known issues that are 'on the list', but finding someone with the time and expertise to sort them out is tough, especially as it's very easy to break something.)
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I am running Vista 64 bit Ultimate.
I moved the files from Program files to a non program files folder.
And if it were a case of a long file string, would it not do it ALL the time, even when I restart the computer and not just when I come back to it after a few hours? As nothing was changed in the settings from the time I start the computer up, shut down the game and come back to it a few hours later, unless my cat is changing settings on me when I am at work( lol).
That is basically what has me stumped. NOTHING has been changed in the settings from turning the computer on, when it runs as intended, to when I come back to it and runs poorly.
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I'm not sure anyone currently knows exactly why you had problems with your setup, but did moving it to a non-Program Files folder seem to help?
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No, the problem still exists
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Started happening again tonight after not doing it for a couple weeks... Will SOMEONE PLEASE tell me what I need to do to make this problem go away once and for all?????? :banghead:
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Alright, I am about ready to say to hell with this game and the whole modding thing. I can't seem to find an answer ANYWHERE to my problems and cannot get them to go away no matter what I do... Thanks for all the help...
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You know, maybe your GFX card is overloading... other games work fine? Try a stress testing program, maybe you'll find it is bugging out under heavy load. Retail doesn't exactly stress any modern configuration.
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:banghead: Makes sense, but if that were the case, why would it run fine occasionally, and then start lagging with no warning, I played everything fine for the last week or two, and I come back to it tonight, not 24 hours after the last time I play and suddenly, BAM! Unplayable again... If overloading was the case, why would it not do it EVERY TIME??? That is my problem, it works fine for a while, and then it runs like ****...
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Intermittent errors are the hardest to troubleshoot...
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Is there ANYTHING I can do to get this piece of crap to work correctly? Apparently you guys don't seem to have any issues like this...
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Anyone?
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Settle down. Most of us have other things we are doing (jobs, personal life, eating etc).... sometimes you get lucky and people that can help you are only checking HLP looking to solve problems, but, not as often as you seem to expect. Give it time. If your card is ATI, they did just release new drivers (11.7, released July 27th). Try those.
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My card is Nvidia...
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Since it's intermittent, it leads me to suspect external causes. Check to see if there are any other programs running that you could close to free up resources, and make sure that nothing decides to auto-update while you're trying to play.
Also, what specific video card are you running? I have heard that certain, specific ones can have seemingly random issues or bottlenecks. Google it, and see if anybody else is having trouble. And what's the processor in your computer?
Sorry I couldn't be more help, but be patient, give lots of information when requested, and be patient while the smart guys work on this. (hmm, semi-ninja'd)
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1. Please do not double-post unless there is a good reason. If it's been 5 minutes since you posted, and no one has yet posted after you, and you feel like you have something to add, MODIFY your post and add the thought that came to your mind.
2. If I knew what was going and how to fix it, I would have told you at the very beginning. I'd dare say that the same thing goes for quite a few people here.
My card is Nvidia...
That's great but with Nvidia having released probably hundreds, or at least dozens, of GPUs, saying "it's Nvidia" doesn't quite narrow it down.
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Sorry for getting all pissy, I have had a pretty rough week...
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In my signature there is a link to GPUZ. It tells you what your GPU is. Also, CPUZ tells you what your processor / mobo / memory is. ;)
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Ok I have an Nvidia GeForce 7100/ nForce 630i
I also tried disabling start up menu options as suggested. Worked fine for a while, couple days, and now it is back to doing it again. My question remains, if it WERE hardware related, why does it only do it intermittantly. Sometimes if I don't play it for a week or two, it runs fine for a couple days, then it is back to the bad performance... I recently installed a new HD and put the Freespace folder on the new hard drive. Hoping maybe THAT would help.
I just don't understand that if it were hardware related, why doesn't it do it all the time and not intermittantly... Kinda like if I have a battery that is too small for the car, it would be slow to start ALL the time, not just SOME of the time...
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Anyone?
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Would the game run for me if it were able to run in Direct3D???
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That's like asking if your car that needs a new distributor would work if it ran on diesel.
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So then how do I fix it?
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Okay, Scott...please stop making multiple posts in a row and bumping the thread after only a couple of hours. This is a forum, not a chat room. If someone reads this thread and has a new idea for you to try, they'll post it. The fact that your issue is very intermittent and may potentially be on the hardware side of things means that it may be a difficult one to pin down. I know you're probably really frustrated at this, but please try to be patient.
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You most make an update.
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That's not helping.
Anyway, I'm going to go ahead and move this over to the Support board, since there may be a couple of people who look there but haven't seen it here.
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I was bored. Or maybe not bored but I guess I have a dash of OCD. So I went and googled around (and read old posts regarding this issue).
1. I could not find any sensible information about HP Pavilion 8530 that would have had a GeForce 7100 (the GeForce 7100 bit could be found from your fs2_open.log).
2. I did find out some sad things about that GPU. From Wikipedia: "Although the 7300 LE was originally intended to be the "lowest budget" GPU from the GeForce 7 lineup, the 7100 GS has now taken its place. As it is little more than a revamped version of the GeForce 6200TC, it is designed as a basic PCI-e solution for OEMs to use if the chipset does not have integrated video capabilities." So you basically have a very basic GPU that was, by no means, designed for gaming. If it doesn't work all that well in gaming, that is certainly not the SCP's fault.
If the computer in question is not a laptop, consider investing into even a semi-decent graphics card. If the computer is a laptop, consider investing into a new computer. I know, I too hate it when the offered solution is "buy something new", but really, there is not much that can be done on FSO's side, especially since the card in question was not designed for real gaming and the computer manufacturer is unlikely to provide any significant driver updates.
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This is certainly a pickle... hmmm :(
Searching root pack 'C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\mediavps_3612\multi-mission-pack.vp' ... 110 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Program Files (x86)\GOG.com\Freespace 2\mediavps_3612\multi-voice-pack.vp' ... 307 files
I dont think they should be under the mediavps folder, but under the \Freesoace 2\ folder. with the launcher and everything else. But problably not related to the problem.
Initializing OpenGL graphics device at 640x480 with 16-bit color...
As The E previously said, that needs to be changed to atleast 1024x768 at 32 bits of colour depth. Which you did and didnt fix the problem.
Sorry about the problems, I'm sure the problem will be identified soon.
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Hmm... Jeff said what I was thinking. a very basic GPU that was, by no means, designed for gaming. If it doesn't work all that well in gaming, that is certainly not the SCP's fault.
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But like I have said, if it were GPU related, then why does it not do it all the time and not only some of the time
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If I knew why, I'd tell you. But if it was FSO-related, it would definitely be more common.
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Could be overheating. You have a desktop or laptop?
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Desktop
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i would say it must be overheating and just reaching the top of the GPU, i run with a GTS 250 1gb with factory overclock and sometimes it chuckles on very heavy scenes of BP, same for a 5870 from ati i have on another rig, BP uses a lot of extra features that just aren't used in retail version, much higher textures, effects and processing that can easily kill some medium, low and EVEN some high end video cards, also the dual or N cores won't help given freespace dosn't uses multithreading. so your procesor might as well be getting to it's top.