Crashes CURED!

[irate_customer]

I WAS getting random crashes and HARD REBOOT LOCK-UPS, but after I DLed the latest catalyst drivers from ATI, not one problem! (w00t)

 

Warning: DO NOT DOWNLOAD THE NEW CATALYST CONTROL CENTER! ( what a piece of CRAP that is... )

As a matter of fact, if you have any version of CCC installed, GET RID OF IT!

 

Just use the original ATI control panel you got with your card and the NEW drivers only!

 

 

Oh yeah, be sure to set VPU recovery to 'on' and pick 'application preference' EVERYWHERE in the advanced settings 3D tab.

 

Worked for me...

:D

[Pa3PyX]

The crash issues with ATI video boards has been going on for quite a while -- ever since first KotOR, and mostly when changing video modes for cinematic playback and back or immediately thereafter (IIRC). I believe it had to do with KotOR games mixing API's and/or changing resolutions for cinematic playback; KotOR uses OpenGL for main engine but could be using GDI/DirectX for cinematic playback. Before calling ChangeDisplaySettings() to change resolution, one needs to completely shut down OpenGL API by deleting rendering context, destroying window and unloading OpenGL32.dll. After changing resolutions, of course OpenGL needs to be loaded again, new window and rendering context created, all OpenGL parameters and matrices reset, and all textures reloaded. Quake 2 does it that way, and this is the only way that works with all OpenGL drivers and video cards (effectively, it's the same as shutting down the application and then starting it up again). But some games, like KotOR and Half-life, appear to just make the OpenGL rendering context inactive before changing video modes, and then making it active again. Few drivers handle this properly.

[irate_customer]

The crash issues with ATI video boards has been going on for quite a while -- ever since first KotOR, and mostly when changing video modes for cinematic playback and back or immediately thereafter (IIRC). I believe it had to do with KotOR games mixing API's and/or changing resolutions for cinematic playback; KotOR uses OpenGL for main engine but could be using GDI/DirectX for cinematic playback. Before calling ChangeDisplaySettings() to change resolution, one needs to completely shut down OpenGL API by deleting rendering context, destroying window and unloading OpenGL32.dll. After changing resolutions, of course OpenGL needs to be loaded again, new window and rendering context created, all OpenGL parameters and matrices reset, and all textures reloaded. Quake 2 does it that way, and this is the only way that works with all OpenGL drivers and video cards (effectively, it's the same as shutting down the application and then starting it up again). But some games, like KotOR and Half-life, appear to just make the OpenGL rendering context inactive before changing video modes, and then making it active again. Few drivers handle this properly.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Okay...

 

Hey, did I mention the new catalyst drivers are working for me?

 

:cool:

[Pa3PyX]

 

Okay...

 

Hey, did I mention the new catalyst drivers are working for me?

 

:cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Which must mean that ATI finally fixed the rendering context problems in their drivers. Was about time.

[irate_customer]

 

Okay...

 

Hey, did I mention the new catalyst drivers are working for me?

 

:cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Which must mean that ATI finally fixed the rendering context problems in their drivers. Was about time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I guess.

All I know is CAT 5.3 is the ONLY driver I've tried so far that lets me play the game without lock-ups.

 

Woo HOO!

:D

 

PS You know, after all this trouble getting the game to run, I'm kinda disappointed with the game itself... It's sorta like a REALLY bad anime DVD.

 

I think I'll go play Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich! ...

 

while I wait for CONTENT patch.