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CogNative

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Posts posted by CogNative

  1. 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' solution for the MacBook Pro

    Solution = Setting 'Alt-W' to "Shadows OFF" appears to defeat the 3D image freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ issues I had in my MacBook Pro!

    I look forward to advice on how to fine tune the game image further using NVIDIA Control Panel Settings. I am not clear on how to best set these parameters but I do now Antialiasing is working w/o the audio / image problems thank to setting 'Alt-W' to "Shadows OFF"

    CogNative

    Below are the test files I used the last several days as time allowed. (YMMV) These .btt files were tested over @ 3 hours of play w/o any image corruption or sound issues.

    Wadi Scouts

    Factory Outlet

    ATGM Ambush

    Al Huqf Engagement

    MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz

    System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.4 (9E17)

    Apple BootCamp V2.1 Build 210A12

    CMSF V1.08

    I should not the GPU processor: GeForce 8600M GT is in single display mode driving an external: Apple 23" Cinema Display 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hertz

    FRAPS-FPS were in the low range of 15-25 FPS close up at level 1-2 but still playable in Single Player mode.

    ------------------------------------------------------

    CMSF Settings

    Sound: ON

    Display: Desktop

    Vertical Synchronization: ON quality

    3D Model Quality: BEST

    3D Texture Quality: BEST

    Antialias / Multisample: ON

    Higher Priority Process: ON faster

    ------------------------------------------------------

    NVIDIA Control Panel Settings for CMSF

    Anistropic filtering: 8X

    Antialiasing - Gamma correction: ON

    Antialiasing - Mode: Override any application setting

    Antialiasing - Setting: 8X

    Antialiasing - Transparency: Supersampling

    Conformant texture clamp: Use hardware

    Error reporting: Use global setting(Off)

    Extension limit: OFF

    Force mipmaps: Use global setting(None)

    Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration: Single display performance mode

    Stero-Display mode: Use global setting(Use vertical interlace monitor)

    Textrue filtering - Anistropic sample optimization: ON

    Textrue filtering - Negative LOD bias: Clamp

    Textrue filtering - Quality: Quality

    Textrue filtering - Trilinear opitmization: OFF

    Threaded optimization: OFF

    Tripple buffering: ON

    Textrue filtering - Anistropic mip filter: OFF

    Vertical sync: Use the 3D application setting

    ------------------------------------------------------

  2. May have an 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' solution for the MacBook Pro! The short is setting 'Alt-W' to "Shadows OFF" appears to defeat the issue I had in my MacBook Pro: 3D image freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ, etc. I used this tactic yesterday and today w/o any image corruptions... so far. I can attest to the real Antialias effects. The Bradley barrels are w/o jaggies! Since I am in Boot-Camp I will have to go back and record the exact settings to post them here.

    CogNative

    -----------------------------------------------

    MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz

    System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.4 (9E17)

    Apple BootCamp V2.1 Build 210A12

    CMSF V1.08

    -----------------------------------------------

    NVIDIA System Information

    Processor: IntelĀ® Core2 Duo CPU T9300 @ 2.50GHz (2493 MHz)

    Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2)

    DirectX version: 9.0c

    GPU processor: GeForce 8600M GT

    ForceWare version: 167.63

    Memory: 512 MB

    Video BIOS version: 60.84.49.03.00

    IRQ: 16

    Bus: PCI Express x16

    -----------------------------------------------

  3. I did try the suggestions for performance and stability: "Threaded Optimization" is turned OFF, "Extension Limit" is OFF, and "Triple Buffering" is ON...set the Processor Affinity so that only one CPU is running CMSF.

    With 'Antialias / Multisample: ON'. No fan whine in the MacBook Pro! For a 15 minutes all was beautiful in CMSF. No problems and pretty. Then, BUZZ! Image corruption, video card stall and rebuild.

    Set 'Antialias / Multisample: OFF' again but the 15 minutes of 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' is much longer maybe 10 minutes longer than before performance and stability settings change.

    Hope this feedback may help others. Maybe the two CPUs in BootCamp are an issue for MacBook Pros and the 8600M GT card?

  4. Before I changed any settings I grabbed a demo of FRAPS and did a quick check. @ 20 FPS with the CMSF setting to 'Antialias / Multisample: OFF'.

    Tried the latest driver 175.19, with the "modified INF" file. Got several 'files not found' messages. I could not find them in the NVIDIA 175.19 folder so I tried the 'skip' option. Bad idea on my part. Had to go back to the last working XP system so I am back to NVIDIA ForceWare version: 167.63... where I started... NVIDIA 167.63 version in BootCamp.

    I used this opportunity (defeat is an opportunity:-) to install a new NVIDIA Control Panel file for CMSF. Everything set to "Application Controlled".

    I dropped 3D Model Texture and Quality within CMSF from Best to Balanced. FRAPS almost doubled to @ 40 FPS!

    So I decided to tempt fate and turn 'Antialias / Multisample: ON'. For a few minutes all was beautiful in CMSF. No problems and pretty. I turned the sound of and heard the fan whine in the MacBook Pro increasing.

    BUZZ! Image corruption, video card stall and rebuild.

    I think Cpl Steiner & Schrullenhaft have the problem identified. The 8600M GT card may not be getting enough juice or have enough juice.

    I was thwarted in my driver test but learned that "Balanced" 3D Model Texture and Quality within CMSF makes a huge difference in FPS. This might be good to know for folks playing RT (not turn based) CMSF.

    I have not had time to do any "HD" audio codecs testing but will and report here.

    Thanks

  5. Have not had any Realtek HD audio on-board audio or minimize problems with the MacBook Pro. I really do not have any other audio issues with the laptop connected to speakers, or headphones, etc..

    Do the "Override" or "Enhance" settings within the Nvidia control panel make a difference within CMSF ?

    I have tried systematic changes across most of the Nvidia control panel settings. I think you are correct about ..."If they don't, then they are NOT applying antialiasing within CMSF." If the Nvidia control panel settings improve the image it is not by much. It is clear that the CMSF setting to 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' greatly improves image quality.

    "The "buzzing" MAY be the audio chip overheating and causing an "interrupt" to the system, which stalls the videocard from drawing further."

    This "interrupt" to the system" sounds like it could be the answer. The video card stalling appears to be what is happening. Once the card starts drawing again it is as if the 3D images have to be created from stick figures. The game will play for 30" or sometimes a couple of minutes and the video card stalls again. The only way I have found to avoid this is set the CMSF setting to 'Antialias / Multisample: OFF' which noticeability decreases image quality.

    Yes, the laptop is plugged into an AC adapter.

    Thanks for the suggestions and tips on the drivers and locations. I will try them and post my results here. Hope this works as using the in game 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' certainly makes the game look great.

    BTW: The audio BUZZ issue occurred in the Demo of the game on the same laptop.

  6. Had not thought of this option. I thought (guessing actually) it might an NVIDIA driver issue within BootCamp.

    The odd part is the I can eliminate the very loud buzz and image corruption by simply NOT selecting the in game video option of 'Antialias / Multisample: ON'. If it were a power issue with the 8600M GT card wouldn't it show up using "Override" or "Enhance" within the NVIDIA control panel? Would there be that much more power called for using the in game video option?

    I was surprised at how much better the game looks using the built in video option 'Antialias / Multisample: ON'.

    Thanks

  7. Hello,

    Within the game, when I set the CMSF setting to 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' the image quality is greatly improved. No jagged Bradley muzzles is an easy to spot benchmark I use. The games overall appearance is much better using the in game 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' setting.

    The problem is with 'Antialias / Multisample: ON', eventually all images will freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ will occur. Maybe a few seconds later, the very loud BUZZ will stop, the images will corrupt and then rebuild as a 3D image. The game is playable till the next image freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ, etc. .

    To date, the only solution is to set the CMSF setting to 'Antialias / Multisample: OFF' which creates a noticeable degradation of the image, regardless of the NVIDIA control settings I select.

    To be FAIR, CMSF V1.08 is very playable and enjoyable without 'Antialias / Multisample: OFF' from within CMSF. I would recommend (and have) other enthusiasts purchase CMSF.

    I am searching for a tip to improve the game's visual experience if possible.

    I hope that the CMSF Mac OS X version will solve this problem. Possibly a new Intel "Snow Leopard" version with associated Apple BootCamp Version improvements / Drivers will work?

    Thanks in advance for any advice on how to solve this video issue.

    CogNative

    BTW: The "Quick Battle" remains 'broken' but that is a reported problem and hopefully functional in CMSF V1.0... ?

    -----------------------------------------------

    MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz

    System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.4 (9E17)

    Apple BootCamp V2.1 Build 210A12

    CMSF V1.08

    -----------------------------------------------

    NVIDIA System Information

    Processor: IntelĀ® Core2 Duo CPU T9300 @ 2.50GHz (2493 MHz)

    Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2)

    DirectX version: 9.0c

    GPU processor: GeForce 8600M GT

    ForceWare version: 167.63

    Memory: 512 MB

    Video BIOS version: 60.84.49.03.00

    IRQ: 16

    Bus: PCI Express x16

    -----------------------------------------------

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