[demon442]

I've got a strange one for you guys, so get your ":wtf:" smilies ready...


I own a POS computer, but I cant get a better one for some time to come.  Part-time job, full time school, and I manage to pay for insurance and the astronomical price of gas in snow-bird country.  The POS graphics card on this POS computer was made by a company that has since shut down, taking all their profits and technical support with them.

With the latest build (355, I think...there's too damn many of 'em), Direct 3D causes a complete crash/restart.  There is almost no way to fix this little bastard, so im not worried about it.  But when S3 went down, they never released the OpenGL code for their card line and im stuck with 1.1 drivers and 1.2+ are unavailable as they do not exist.

I'm using the latest launcher and 355 build.  I doubt there has been any changes that would help me if there is a newer build out, so don't suggest it.

I'm stumped, it started with HT&L (I knew it wouldnt work fom the begining) and hasn't worked since.




PS:  Why dont you guys all come together for one build?  Im getting really tired of the 4-5 different builds of the same version but with maybe a single new addition by a specific coder to make it incompatable with the rest.

[Woolie Wool]

How about, instead of replacing your whole POS computer, replace your POS graphics card as a temporary measure?

[demon442]

With who's money?  I'd be glad to take a loan from you, or anybody that dosent need the money back, but I very much doubt anyone's got that kind of cash just lying around.

Yes, I know PCI vid-cards are cheap as dirt, but with no extra (working) port for it, it's little more than a paper-weight.

[Bobboau]

if you were in walking distance I'd give you thrity bucks for a half decent card

[demon442]

Now, maybe I wans clear on my question.  If there is a 5-minute coding session with my name on it, by all means go ahead.  Of course there isn't one of those miracles in store(there never is), so how about taking a look and seeing just how much would have to be re-written so that I will know that I can't play for a damn good reason.

(I didn't mean for that to sound whiny, but its true...)

[Woolie Wool]

Originally posted by demon442
With who's money?  I'd be glad to take a loan from you, or anybody that dosent need the money back, but I very much doubt anyone's got that kind of cash just lying around.

Yes, I know PCI vid-cards are cheap as dirt, but with no extra (working) port for it, it's little more than a paper-weight.

How much money do you have? All I can say is if you can't get a new card, you're SOL. Sorry.

[demon442]

Originally posted by Woolie Wool
How much money do you have? All I can say is if you can't get a new card, you're SOL. Sorry.

Not enough to buy a new computer with.  I've worked it out and buying new is my only option right now.  Hell, my FDC is out ATM, so all I need is for the power supply to go out and I have a large door-stop.  As I said, most of my PCI's are out and my few working ones are taken.  No AGP port on mobo.

And don't say "just get a new motherboard", this POS was designed for a special mobo from a special company that wount replace it because I opened the case to add more RAM and clean it.

[Bobboau]

if your card doesn't suport the D3D interface we use for HTL, your simply fuct, no amount of codeing in the world is going to make your card work with stuff it's physicly incapable of working with. we still offer the non-HTL mode for people who can't use it

[Triple Ace]

I have an s3 card too so I can understand your problem. Looks like we both need new cards.

[demon442]

OK, well if all the new additions don't rely on HT&L, sure, I might be able to look at some screens or something.  Even without any of the new additions on it still crashes.  I know the main source of the problem but im stumped there too.

My POS graphics card is a S3 Savage4, but when I put 2K on this POS, it started to think it was a ProSavage.  The two are completely different cards but now Savage4 drivers wount even recognize the card.  There's next to no solution for this, belive me, i've tried.

TA, I can guarentee that FSO will barely run, if at all, on your computer.

[RandomTiger]

Originally posted by Bobboau
if your card doesn't suport the D3D interface we use for HTL, your simply fuct, no amount of codeing in the world is going to make your card work with stuff it's physicly incapable of working with. we still offer the non-HTL mode for people who can't use it

Shouldnt it all in theory work through the REF driver even if HAL isnt up to it?

[Triple Ace]

Hey does the specular lighting work right on your card? It does not work right on mine so I can't use that, the glow maps, or the shinemaps.

[demon442]

None of it works, i bet its the spec. causing it too...

[Bobboau]

spec mapping is all being done in two passes, so I find it hard to beleve that the specular lighting is causeing the problem

[demon442]

Well, it worked before spec. but not after(I dug up an old release).  I'd say that the problem is clear.  Something implemented shortly before or with spec. is causing my D3D crashes.  My identity-mistaken vid card has a problem with D3d using a function in the driver it thinks it needs.    There is nothing more to discuss; until I get a new PC, no SCP for me.