3 replies to this topic

[Nightside]

I've been trying to isolate the exact cause of this problem, regarding a particular graphic issue I've been noticing while playing RO.

The best way I can describe the problem is that on certain textures, striped lines appear, and if I move, they begin to flash repeatedly. Once I stop, they keep moving for 2-3 seconds, then stop.

To give a better idea of what I'm talking about, here's a few screen shots I uploaded to ImageShack:

Under the Guard's sprites in Juno:

http://imageshack.us...ymirvip000.jpg/
http://imageshack.us...mirvip001k.jpg/

Outer top frame of tower outside GH entrance:

http://imageshack.us...ymirvip002.jpg/
http://imageshack.us...ymirvip003.jpg/
http://imageshack.us...ymirvip004.jpg/

Inside GH entrance, outer top frame of tower

http://imageshack.us...ymirvip006.jpg/
http://imageshack.us...ymirvip008.jpg/

I'm at my wits end with this problem, and have tried the following to fix it:

Reinstalling video card drivers for my NVidia 9800 GTX+
Reinstalling RO client
Updating Direct X
Updating drivers
Running RO in compatibility mode

At this point, I've been considering just reformatting the computer, but I'd like to avoid that unless absolutely necessary.

Another thing to note: I did a clean RO client install on another computer and didn't notice this problem occurring at all.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Edited by Nightside, 16 June 2011 - 09:49 AM.

[DrAzzy]

Can you mark on those screenshots where you're seeing the visual artifacts?
You say you see "flashing" - can you spam screenshots from a single cell, while it's flashing, so you can get a few screenshots that show it in both states? I can't see any issue in those screenshots, is why i'm asking this.

Have you tried choosing a different rendering mode (first menu in Setup program in your RO folder - note that if you run RO as admin, you need to run setup as admin, and if you don't run RO as admin, you must not run setup as admin)?

I've seen odd graphical artifacts with RO; hardware+driver dependent, and newer drivers are not always better. Comes down to poor support for DirectX7, which RO uses. DirectX is up to version 10 or 11, and device manufacturers are getting sloppy about supporting DX7.

Edited by DrAzzy, 16 June 2011 - 07:43 AM.

[Nightside]

Can you mark on those screenshots where you're seeing the visual artifacts?
You say you see "flashing" - can you spam screenshots from a single cell, while it's flashing, so you can get a few screenshots that show it in both states? I can't see any issue in those screenshots, is why i'm asking this.

Have you tried choosing a different rendering mode (first menu in Setup program in your RO folder - note that if you run RO as admin, you need to run setup as admin, and if you don't run RO as admin, you must not run setup as admin)?

I've seen odd graphical artifacts with RO; hardware+driver dependent, and newer drivers are not always better. Comes down to poor support for DirectX7, which RO uses. DirectX is up to version 10 or 11, and device manufacturers are getting sloppy about supporting DX7.

I updated the screen shots, indicating where the problems are happening. The best example is the third set of screen shots: notice how the black box has lines through it in the first screen shot, then on the second, it's completely solid.

I've tried different rendering modes, different screen sizes, turning off the fog, light map, effects, everything. The only thing I haven't done yet is replace my video card or reformat my computer.

[DrAzzy]

Oh, that. I get that too sometimes. It looks like it's having trouble deciding which texture should be on top. Never gave it much thought. Nothing i ever did seemed to make an impact on it, and it didn't happen on all systems.
Personally, I wouldn't waste much time trying to fix this. It's probably going to take swapping out the graphics card or downgrading the graphics drivers or both to resolve, and it's a purely cosmetic bug - and, well, if you're playing RO, you're not playing for the graphics ;-)