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Post by Invalid Username on Dec 31, 2005 6:31:49 GMT -5
Well, lately it seems every time I try and edit an Underdark tile set based region in the Toolset, I get strange graphics behaviour. I say Underdark, as it DOES happen wwhile editing other tileset based areas, but the UD ones seem to be the worst offenders.
Symptoms include, random "flashes" where it looks like one tile is breifly showing through another, often the tileset grid itself. Everything will lock up momentarily, and I mean everything. Then, it will be fine for a second or two, then lock up again. This eventually causes a BSOD, with something about nvd4_disp.dll having an error, being caught in a continual loop? Also, I get "shadow flicker" I guess is the best way to describe it? Both in toolset and game, until I restart the PC. This involves what appears to be numeroud shadows flickering rapidly over the display, similar to a strobe effect.
These symptoms also occur randomly when playing NwN in windowed mode, with the exception of the "shadow flicker", which ONLY occurs in game (so far) if it's also just occured i\n the toolset and I exit to test the area in game, if that makes sense? However, I've never gotten a BSOD from these occurances.
My system is currently about 3 years old, with 512MB of SDRAM and an Nvidia Geforce 4 MX440 (64MB) graphics card. I first noticed this odd behaviour a month or so ago while working on a test module (a whole 2 areas). The screen started to display the shadow flickering, both in toolset and in game. A quick reset, and all was well.
The card is running on a 17" flat screen (NOT LCD) Samsung Syncmaster 793S Monitor at 1024x768 pixles, 32bit colour setting, and a 60Hertz refresh rate (was 75Hertz). Also, from time to time, the screen seems to flicker from top to bottom, almost like there's a scan fault.
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Post by Frome on Dec 31, 2005 10:50:52 GMT -5
My guess it's your video card.
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Post by Mekerek on Dec 31, 2005 13:21:06 GMT -5
You play in windowed mode. Does this happen when you alt-tab to another window (usually after) or when you start a NWN game while the toolset is open?
I have an NVidia card and often and alt-tab out and in causes this messed up video as you described, and I have noticed it also when I have both the toolset and game open (when I test things).
Mek
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Post by slidermike on Dec 31, 2005 13:22:14 GMT -5
Well i can tell you that the mx series is just a renamed gforce2. That is a relic that even 3 yrs ago wasnt a good card. that technology is closer to 4-5 yr range and as such, any and i mean any of the newer gforces will be much better.
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Post by Invalid Username on Dec 31, 2005 17:48:03 GMT -5
You play in windowed mode. Does this happen when you alt-tab to another window (usually after) or when you start a NWN game while the toolset is open? I have an NVidia card and often and alt-tab out and in causes this messed up video as you described, and I have noticed it also when I have both the toolset and game open (when I test things). Mek It does happen sometimes even without game or toolset running. The screen will freeze when I'm browsing the web, for instance. Othwerwise, yes, it is much as you've described here. Edit: Come to think of it, 99% of the time, it IS when I have either the toolset or game running as well as the broswer. The other 1% is usually when a seperate tab is loading a page while I'm looking at another, so may just be network related. |
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Post by Invalid Username on Jan 1, 2006 10:03:21 GMT -5
Well, not too long ago (about an hour), I played around with the toolset, after shutting down everything I could. Still had the lock ups occuring, but didn't cause the computer to BSOD.
I've been checking out reviews for new cards since then, I'm looking to buy one (new or 2nd hand, doesn't matter) until I can afford to buy my new system... sometime before the 2nd coming of christ, I hope.
Strangely enough, in one review I read, the Geforce 4 Ti 4200 actually ranked an average of just 4FPS behind the "newer" FX 5200 Ultra card. Though I'm sure the 4200 does not support DirectX 9, since it's about 2 years old or so. Checking out Ebay, I can get a Ti 4200 for about .. well, the bidding's just started, at $0.99, goes for 6 days, or I can buy a 5200 (non ultra) 128MB, new, for $60.
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Post by Mekerek on Jan 1, 2006 12:15:04 GMT -5
The 440MX has nothing wrong with it as a card. My wife uses it to play the game just fine. It's not top of the line, wasn't ever meant to be, but it's not a bad card. You should be able to do these things without any crashes. It is old at this point, but so is NWN.  NWN is the worst build of software I have ever seen. I have taken alot of time lately to play DS2, and I have probably played an entire week of it, several hours a day over the last month. I have alt-tabbed and done lots of things while the game was still running, it hasn't once crashed the machine. I play nwn and I get crashes and dumps and lately NWN has given me BSOD also. I think trouble shooting the game is a lost cause in my opinion. It wasn't made very well and it's old at this point. I would wait until the summertime, to get the latest and greatest about 75 dollar card. That is what I do when I am trying to get a vid card. I go for 75-100 bucks card, because in 6 months.. the 300 bucks card will be old news anyhow. Just my chips in. Mek |
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Post by Invalid Username on Jan 1, 2006 13:14:23 GMT -5
You're talking $USD there buddy  To give you an example of how the prices are here. The cheapest I have ever seen a 6600GT was about $249. That's Nvidia's mid-range card. The 7800, top of the line can retail for a whisker under $1,000 right now. Cheapest I have seen was bout $839. NwN does tend to crash for stupidest of reasons. Like changing camera angles. Seems to be particularly worse after the 1.66 patch. And yeah, the 440mx is not bad for $60 three years ago. Never had a game that refused to run because of it... had to lower graphics qaulity on some, but they ran reasonably well. |
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Post by slidermike on Jan 1, 2006 14:28:24 GMT -5
In your situation, i also would not spend much on the video card. Simply because your running AGP and that is dead as far as future interfaces go. There are very few choices of AGP in the modern cards. Go cheap, when you buy or build your new system then get something a bit better.
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Post by Frome on Jan 1, 2006 15:17:56 GMT -5
What exactly is BSOD anyways?
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Post by Mekerek on Jan 1, 2006 15:46:30 GMT -5
What exactly is BSOD anyways? Blue Screen Of Death |
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Post by Invalid Username on Jan 1, 2006 18:59:58 GMT -5
In your situation, i also would not spend much on the video card. Simply because your running AGP and that is dead as far as future interfaces go. There are very few choices of AGP in the modern cards. Go cheap, when you buy or build your new system then get something a bit better. Heh, that is exactly why I am checking out ebay for 2nd hand cards. Normally, I won't buy electronic equipment 2nd hand, but in this case, forking out ~$250AU for a new 6600GT, or even more for a more powerful card, would be a waste. Edit: Seems my problem was the card's drivers being corrupted. I updated them a couple of hours ago, and had a quick play with the toolset just now. All seems well so far. Re-Edit: Welp. I'm still getting the shadow-strobe thing happening. It started about 2 minutes after firing up the toolset to do some work earlier. Ah well |
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To give you an example of how the prices are here. The cheapest I have ever seen a 6600GT was about $249. That's Nvidia's mid-range card.