[Aardwolf]

I'm getting two bugs (or possibly three) in 3.6.9, and I don't know what's causing them. First, yes, my custom flag lighting arguments are ridiculously huge, I realize, but I think it looks good this way (except for medusa, triton, and a few others).

First, occasionally random polygons are drawn with messed up textures. This often happens when things explode, and almost always happens when viewing a Ravana, even in the techroom (although it didn't happen the last time I played The Great Hunt, or I couldn't tell before a beam from the Ravana took out my fighter). See first attached image.

The second bug happened when I skipped training in the first training mission that isn't part of the initial three or so, and then again when I exited FS2. It looked like the second attached image.

Any ideas on what might be causing this?

[attachment deleted by admin]

[CP5670]

Those kinds of artifacts are characteristic of a defective video card. What are you using? Does it happen in other games?

[Aardwolf]

I believe it's an ATI of some sort. To be honest, I don't really know. It came with the computer, but it's worked just fine until relatively recently. I haven't tested it with any other games yet.

[PotzUK]

I get those effects if I use Direct3D on my ATI card, have you tried using OpenGL?  D3D is a lost cause where the SCP is concerned

[castor]

The first one looks like a media VP problem to me.
Make sure you have the correct ones (3.6.8. zeta +patches), installed correctly (in a mod folder, used with the -mod option).

[CP5670]

I believe it's an ATI of some sort. To be honest, I don't really know. It came with the computer, but it's worked just fine until relatively recently. I haven't tested it with any other games yet.

See if you can get it to happen in other games or programs like 3dmark. The thing in the first picture is especially typical of an unstable video card core.

[Cobra]

I believe it's an ATI of some sort. To be honest, I don't really know. It came with the computer, but it's worked just fine until relatively recently. I haven't tested it with any other games yet.

I know how to find out. Click on "Run" in the start menu and type in "dxdiag" (without the quotes) and click on the video tab. it should tell you what you;ve got.

[Pnakotus]

That is a signature of a video card that's toast.  You could try a diagnostic of the video memory to confirm, but it looks like what happens when your VRAM is damaged.

[Scooby_Doo]

Actually he's not the only one having problems...
I'm having that happen on a Saga ship too... and I'm running an old geforce 2 in opengl mode only.  It's the first grey invalid poly error.  I've seen this happen also in Homeworld too. I'm guessing there seems to be a problem with either opengl or fs2 code or the model.

[CaptJosh]

Or a problem with a now antiquated video card...

[Scooby_Doo]

Strange considering this happens to just one ship and at a certain lod level..

[Aardwolf]

It turns out I do NOT have an ATI card... it is an NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200. The problem is now also ocurring with a model I have created (see GD Deva in the Modding forum), but I contacted thesizzzler and he experienced no such problems using the same model (although it was a different version than the one uploaded earlier). It isn't ONLY with the Ravana, it's just that it's ALWAYS with the ravana and sometimes with other situations.

[Scooby_Doo]

You know if this was happening with multiple ships and more importantly in different games, I'd be more convinced it was a hardware fault.  The fact that this seems to only occur in Opengl makes me wonder if theres some other software problem.

[taylor]

Run with the -noibx option and see if that fixes it.

[CaptJosh]

Or, here's an idea. Replace that piece of crap with a REAL video card.  Sadly, the Geforce 5 series is the first misstep nVidia has made since the disaster that was the Vanta.

[Scooby_Doo]

Your not talking about my Geforce2 are ya? 

Btw, the -noibx didn't solve it, so it's not a cache problem then.

[Aardwolf]

Problem solved--for me at least--it's just that OpenGL sucks. But now that I'm using d3d, the shiny things (like glass parts of ships) show up as white!!!

[WMCoolmon]

D3D is not really supported right now...the only serious graphics programmer with time right now is taylor, who works on keeeping OpenGL bugfree, optimized, and up-to-date (and has been, for the last several months).

Following through on bugs has a much better chance of getting them fixed.

[CaptJosh]

Um, did I not just say the geforce 5 series?

[Scooby_Doo]

Well I suppose now-a-days mine would be considered "piece of crap" LOL Actually I think it'd be considered nearly an antique..