ATI video cards with KotOR2

[Lupus]

By the way 5.2 and 5.3 catalyst drivers don't make a difference to KOTOR2 performance. I have tried 5.1-5.3 with KOTOR2 and they all had the same problem. The only thing that fixed it was putting the atioglxx.dll file in the KOTOR2 directory. *shrug*

[Dire]

these so called fixes don't work and I'm getting constant system lockups playing KOTOR2 even the while watching the bink movies it crashes my computer.

 

The fact that my local game shop do not allow PC games to be returned anymore I've got a

[Master Dahvernas]

Theorhetically... You should actually be getting better performance on an ATI card than an Nvidia card. Especially, if you have a 9xxx and up and not a FX Nivida card.

 

Why?

 

Yes. ATI's OGL drivers aren't that great... But a lot of the effects and shaders... Like the gases on Peragus and dynamic and diffuse lighting (energy shields, lightsbaber effects)... Are using a DX9 warper and ATI does better in DX9 shader effects than Nvidia.

 

The basic problem is that the engine is literally using two API renders (D3D for effects and lighting; OGL for everything else) and ATI has problems with OGL due to its poor driver support.

 

This is why in Peragus mines (particle and shader effects) you won't get any real slow downs with an ATI card... But will on the Dantooine planes because of the VBO error in the code (VBO caches objects in the video cards memory, thus speeding up rendering things; this version of the Aurua engine has an error where this does not happen on ATI cards due to their architecture and hence, why you get massive slow downs without the DVBO command in the swkotor2.ini).

 

The solution to all of this?

 

Obsidian has to optimize the engine and take care of the VBO error as well as just optimize how the code is read to speed things up. They did this with the original KOTOR after three patches for most people... Even those with ATI cards like myself who can run it maxed out and it be smooth as silk... So, we just have to wait patiently until they release this coming patch and hope they took their time to really get what needs to be fixed for a more stable gaming experience.

[Snow]

Obsidian has to optimize the engine and take care of the VBO error as well as just optimize how the code is read to speed things up. They did this with the original KOTOR after three patches for most people... Even those with ATI cards like myself who can run it maxed out and it be smooth as silk... So, we just have to wait patiently until they release this coming patch and hope they took their time to really get what needs to be fixed for a more stable gaming experience.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

They never fixed KOTOR1, the OGL driver included in cat4.11 is the only one that makes the game playable in outdoor areas. Luckily copying said driver into the KOTOR folder works perfectly.

[kalimeeri]

They never fixed  KOTOR1, the OGL driver included in cat4.11 is the only one that makes the game playable in outdoor areas. Luckily copying said driver into the KOTOR folder works perfectly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I had the same experience. I remembered that even in K1 Dantooine ran choppy, so I wondered if the new ATI drivers had fixed this, went back and played. Nasty nasty. But dropping the 4.11 openGL in the game directory still worked. A problem in the game engine, no doubt, one which was not patched. Obsidian used and enhanced the same engine (which I have no problem with, I like it). But in so doing perhaps enhanced its faults as well. Before adding the line to the .ini file, Dantooine was nearly unplayable, and there were other places where Atton and Exile had polygon spikes sticking out of their heads!

[elhefe]

im reading through the whole thread

i have a sempron 2400 (170fsbx10 1.7ghz) 512mb and RX9800PRO (R360), and i feel the games is tooooo slow. I used to play Kotor1 with 1024x768 - AA2x and AF4x with NOOOO problems. now even if i put everything on low with no AA and AF the game runs too slow in some parts.... it would be cool since SLOW is reaaallly relative that people posted the computer specs and do a little benchmark while running around i dont know, nar shadaa and see how many FP/S do u get so we can compare... so far i'vent tried anything so today im gonna try the DVB in the INI and also the OGL drivers thingy

ps: dont come and say my pc is old bla bla cuz i played doom3 and hl2 which are way better than KOTOR2 (graphics-wise) both with AA4x 1024*768 with no probs....

[Keiran]

I don't know if this is of any meaning for u, but they say that those drives fixes open gl2. Maby that's way it dosen't work for u. Is there any diferens betwin open gl 1 and 2.

[Killuminati]

I don't give a damn about the stability dudes, I can't even start it.

[Kaijin]

I have a RADEON IGP 320M 64MB for video according to the games scanner that is under configuration, but I cannot downlod from ati. It says in error or something like that. I tied getting 4.11 but no luck. What should I try to download and where from to fix this? Also omega drivers site is down so dont suggest that. It says I need the following for video:

 

32 MB Open GL 1.4 compatible PCI or AGP 3D Hardware accelerator

with hardware transform and lighting (T&L) capability required.

 

and this for open gl:

 

Non-Windows Generic OpenGL 1.4.0 drivers

 

and I have ATI Technologies Inc. - 1.3.4276 WinXP Release

[Taerdin]

I have an ATI card and I think I may be having the same problem as described in this thread... but I can't find a place to download the 4.11 drivers. I tried some of the links in this thread... and search engining, but I still can't find a place to download 4.11

 

Can someone help me please...? I'd really like to play this game past telos... thanks

 

EDIT: Nevermind... I found it after looking into some foreign sites

 

Leave it to the Germans to solve my problems hehe

 

If anyone else still needs that 4.11 to run this game with their ATI card... I got mine from here: http://www.au-ja.org/files-aticatalyst.phtml

 

I haven't actually installed or tested it yet... but it should be ok :D

[milbot]

I've got the newest drivers from Ati and I've got an radeon 9800. I've got the best visual preferences and the whole game runs smooth until I go to dantooine and I suddanly have huge lag.

[Bathrone]

Me too, X800 PE and MAJOR unpalayable lag on Dantooine....Cat 5.2 and 5.3 both have this.......

[Kiwegapa]

On Dantooine or in smoky areas, the game can slow to a crawl. This can be fixed by adding the line

 

Disable Vertex Buffer Objects=1

 

Under the [Graphics Options] section in the swkotor2.ini file. This restores performance to normal levels and once again makes Dantooine playable.

[Master Dahvernas]

Tip:

 

Put the atioglxx.dll from Catalyst 4.2 in your KOTOR directory as well as the DVBO command in the swkotor2.ini file.

 

I can now run both KOTOR games with 4x AA and 4x AF with very smooth frame rates even on Dantooine.

 

4.2 is a VERY old Catalyst driver... But it seemed to do the trick for my system (below). I don't know if it will help anyone else, but 4.2 has also been tested over at the Bioware Forums and gives the highest FPS in not only KOTOR, but any OpenGL based game such as Counter-Strike and others.

 

System:

 

AMD 64 3200+

1024 MB PC 4000 DDRAM

NF3-250 Chaintech Pro

ATI 9800 @ XT Speeds

Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS

 

---

 

OpenGL 2.0 specification is no different from 1.5 in that a few two-sum-vertecie(?) commands were added that just make ATI's latest OGL driver compliant with the 2.0 standard. That's all that means...

[MaglorD]

Tip:

 

Put the atioglxx.dll from Catalyst 4.2 in your KOTOR directory  as well as the DVBO command in the swkotor2.ini file.

 

I can now run both KOTOR games with 4x AA and 4x AF with very smooth frame rates even on Dantooine.

 

4.2 is a VERY old Catalyst driver... But it seemed to do the trick for my system (below). I don't know if it will help anyone else, but 4.2 has also been tested over at the Bioware Forums and gives the highest FPS in not only KOTOR, but any OpenGL based game such as Counter-Strike and others.

 

System:

 

AMD 64 3200+

1024 MB PC 4000 DDRAM

NF3-250 Chaintech Pro

ATI 9800 @ XT Speeds

Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS

 

---

 

OpenGL 2.0 specification is no different from 1.5 in that a few two-sum-vertecie(?) commands were added that just make ATI's latest OGL driver compliant with the 2.0 standard. That's all that means...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This won't work if you have a newer card belonging to the X series.

[Snow]

Tip:

 

Put the atioglxx.dll from Catalyst 4.2 in your KOTOR directory  as well as the DVBO command in the swkotor2.ini file.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No need to put that line in the .ini if you put the OGL driver in the KOTOR folder. Both the 4.11 and 4.2 DLLs work fine, apparently 4.11 is a bit more stable but 4.2 is the only driver that gives bloom effects on ATI cards.

[Dire]

Tip:

 

Put the atioglxx.dll from Catalyst 4.2 in your KOTOR directory  as well as the DVBO command in the swkotor2.ini file.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No need to put that line in the .ini if you put the OGL driver in the KOTOR folder. Both the 4.11 and 4.2 DLLs work fine, apparently 4.11 is a bit more stable but 4.2 is the only driver that gives bloom effects on ATI cards.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

I've noticed no bloom effects using the 4.2 dll in the KOTOR2 folder.

 

*shakes head*

 

I also hope we get bloom effects once this patch it out.

[Kiwegapa]

I can only verify that glows work with Catalyst 4.3 through 4.11. I myself have chosen to use the latest 5.3 drivers and live without glows in trade for better performance and less bugs.

 

 

I have contacted ATI with examples of the non-working glow and according to their driver development department, the issue is being reviewed. Not sure when a fix will be out, but I would guess Catalyst 5.4, possibly 5.5 at the latest.

[Snow]

I've noticed no bloom effects using the 4.2 dll in the KOTOR2 folder.

 

*shakes head*

 

I also hope we get bloom effects once this patch it out.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Checking for the bloom effect can be somewhat hard if you don't know what to look for; once you do see it, however, it will become VERY noticeable. To check, stand in front of a very bright light source, if your character's outline remains solid your driver can't display it. Since it's a driver issue (shame on ATI for lousy driver support) the "soon" to be released mystery phantom patch can't possibly fix it.

[Snow]

I have contacted ATI with examples of the non-working glow and according to their driver development department, the issue is being reviewed. Not sure when a fix will be out, but I would guess Catalyst 5.4, possibly 5.5 at the latest.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Not holding my breath, ATI have been aware of that problem for a long time. A year ago one of their testers was already confident they'd fix things the next patch, or else the one after...

[buddahfool]

I tried copying the 4.11 atioglxx.dll (into the root of the kotor2 folder, right?) and the disable vertex fix and it still hard locks after 5 minutes.

 

I have a clean OS just loaded (Win XP sp2)

Intel® Pentium® 4 CPU 2.80GHz

DX 9.0c

AGP RADEON 9800 PRO with latest drivers

AOpen AX4C Max MBD

Int ac97 audio (also locks with SB creative card I tried)

 

I don't experience this in any other games and I am stumped. Any more ideas?

[^nighthawk^]

Ok I played the first game on both catalysts and on omega drivers and i experienced 0 problems on my 9700. The 9600's had known issues, but then they were quite new at the time of kotor 1 release.

 

I expect any issues to be cleared up in the next release of the omega drivers or the next catalyst release. I have a few issues this time around but mainly to do with characters wanting to enter floors and objects which tends to be a "game" issue in my experience. I have very few issues with the omegadrivers (www.omegadrivers.net), these drivers do not require the highly irritating catalyst control centre or .NEt Framework. and give you far more options that the general cats.

 

Finally a word to all the fanboys:

 

In the end its all about quality of graphics cards, nvidia do some good ones (except for the laughable fx series) and ati also do some good ones. Everyone seems to have the ati vs nvidia war rubbish. My answer: Get over it, if you think you get better picture quality on an ATi card get one, if you get it on nvidia get one. If ati released the daddy of all cards tomorrow like an X27000000 XT PE and nvidia released something similar to a slightly improved 6800GT (of which running 2 in SLI would still get 1/8th the score of the ATi card - just an example dont get all fanboyish on me). There would be some complete idiots who would buy the nvidia card purely out of brand loyalty. My answer: are you nuts?? the other card is 700% better than the other two in SLI....why on earth would you choose the nvidia card? Its like this AMD/Intel supposed war as well, what sort of muppet doesnt realise for games its AMD 64, for multi tasking its P4+Hyperthreading?

 

Just use your brains people.

 

Dont go by brand, go by performance. There is a reason people buy corsair memory, but as soon as they slip up on a product for me..i wont be buying from them..understand?

[Master Dahvernas]

Finally a word to all the fanboys:

 

In the end its all about quality of graphics cards, nvidia do some good ones (except for the laughable fx series) and ati also do some good ones. Everyone seems to have the ati vs nvidia war rubbish. My answer: Get over it, if you think you get better picture quality on an ATi card get one, if you get it on nvidia get one. If ati released  the daddy of all cards tomorrow like an X27000000 XT PE and nvidia released something similar to a slightly improved 6800GT (of which running 2 in SLI would still get 1/8th the score of the ATi card - just an example dont get all fanboyish on me). There would be some complete idiots who would buy the nvidia card purely out of brand loyalty. My answer: are you nuts?? the other card is 700% better than the other two in SLI....why on earth would you choose the nvidia card? Its like this AMD/Intel supposed war as well, what sort of muppet doesnt realise for games its AMD 64, for multi tasking its P4+Hyperthreading?

 

Just use your brains people.

 

Dont go by brand, go by performance. There is a reason people buy corsair memory, but as soon as they slip up on a product for me..i wont be buying from them..understand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I don't think anyone here is being a fanboy about cards. The fact is ATI has bad performance with the Aurua/Odyssey Engine because it is OpenGL. This is due to ATI drivers being inferior to Nvidia in terms of OGL.

 

There is no fanboyism going on here. This is fact.

 

I don't know why you felt the need to give yourself this ego boost other than to try and look smarter than the rest of us, but most of us aren't stupid -- contrary to popular belief on these forums.

[Dire]

I have other games that use opengl, yet the run perfectly fine for me. Yet the KOTOR engine has to be one of the worst i've seen in a fair while.

[McRell@]

I have Radeon 9600 and OpenGL games are running smooth, very smooth. But KotOR I/II isn't. I think it's rather engine's fault, not ATI cards' and if there could be something done about it, better do something with game (patch? will the one we are waiting for change anything with the smoothness? I don't think so...). Fortunately KotOR III graphics will run on another graphics engine, I hope it will be better for ATI cards than Odyssey.