[sammmy28]

For some reason, I am getting a black engine exhaust effect instead of a "glow".  Basically once I get behind a target fighter, the "black" exhaust makes it hard to see the ship.

Has anyone ever experienced this, or better yet have a solution?

Thanks in advance.

Sam

[MatthTheGeek]

Please post your fs2_open.log file.  Instructions on how to do this can be found in this post.

[Cyborg17]

I'm not on my FSO comp, but I get this graphical error too.  I'll try to remember to post a log as well.

[perihelion]

Am I the only person who thought, "Hey, that actually sounds like a pretty cool effect!"?

[Mito [PL]]

Maybe your graphics card needs driver update or you've got a damaged game file.

And I also Thought about it as a cool effect. Gimmie the screen! 

[sammmy28]

Ok.  I have followed the instruction and am attaching the requested log file.  At one point in time, this problem did not occur and the game looked fine.  It happens and different builds as well as different mods.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[yuezhi]

And I also Thought about it as a cool effect. Gimmie the screen! 

pics or it didn't happen

[sammmy28]

ok.  here is picture.

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Yarn]

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Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport-mediavps\mv_fsport.vp' with a checksum of 0xb5009f03
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport-mediavps\mv_fsport_music.vp' with a checksum of 0xeb795f15
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\fsport-missions.vp' with a checksum of 0xfa6606cf
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\fsport3_2.vp' with a checksum of 0xfd80cf91
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\fsport3_4.vp' with a checksum of 0x27404416
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\odeon_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x6b0eb146
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\sparky_hi_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x39438fdb
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\stu_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x060994cb
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0xac31d566
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi1_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x110c971c
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi2_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0xe3c8d13b
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi3_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x5ddd28f7
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi4_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x52d85c46
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi5_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0xf615f6be
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\tango_hi_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x44e81e9f
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\fsport\warble_fs1.vp' with a checksum of 0x0b608285
Usually, when you update a mod, you're supposed to delete everything in the mod's folder before downloading anything. This includes the FreeSpace Port.

Delete every file listed above except mv_fsport_music.vp, fsport3_4.vp, tango_hi1_fs1.vp, tango_hi2_fs1.vp, tango_hi3_fs1.vp, tango_hi4_fs1.vp, tango_hi5_fs1.vp, and warble_fs1.vp. Then, go to the release thread and redownload everything that you deleted (except fsport3_2.vp and tango_hi_fs1.vp; those are obsolete).

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Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Advanced.vp' with a checksum of 0x4b8b0f5a
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_AnimGlows.vp' with a checksum of 0x6a554026
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Assets.3612.vp' with a checksum of 0x59649c21
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Assets.vp' with a checksum of 0x529cc70f
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Effects.3612.vp' with a checksum of 0x9c510aa0
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Effects.vp' with a checksum of 0xb9a9a485
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Music.vp' with a checksum of 0xb3e21469
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_RadarIcons.vp' with a checksum of 0x31dd7781
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Root.3612.vp' with a checksum of 0x7c9d7e74
Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\MV_Root.vp' with a checksum of 0x6ffd5c78
The MediaVPs must be installed to a folder called mediavps_3612; failing to do this can cause problems. Create that folder in your FS2 directory and move all of these files and any files named FSU-MVP.bmp and mod.ini to that folder.

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Found root pack 'C:\Games\FreeSpace2\Root_fs2.vp' with a checksum of 0x747372cc
You did not install the retail 1.20 patch, which is required. Get it here. (If you can't run that for some reason, get this and extract root_fs2.vp to your FS2 folder.)

[sammmy28]

Checked / did all 3.  Still have problem.  Do you need the log file again?

[Yarn]

Yes.

[sammmy28]

Here is something I just noticed.  If I select no mod and play the original FS2 campaign, it is fine.  If I select a mod, and play the original FS2 campaign OR the mod itself, I have the problem.  I have attached both of the log files.

[sammmy28]

log files

[attachment deleted by ninja]

[Yarn]

The only thing that I see that might be a problem is this:

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OpenGL Version   : 2.1.7165 Release

If you haven't done so already, please make sure that your video driver is up to date.

[The E]

Or pick up a new GPU for cheap. Even low-budget ones from a current series will be better than the one you're using now.

[sammmy28]

I'll be damned. it was the drivers.  I am guessing the newer files required me to update.  Thanks for all the help.

[Kolgena]

The black exhaust effect is failed rendering of the heat-shimmer code in the distortion shader. I experience the same thing, but my game's smart enough to just ignore the effect entirely. If I force heat shimmer on in F3, I get the same black thruster bug. I blame my mobility 3650, since it also hates and does not properly render other Valathil updates like the ship loadout animated grids and stuff.