Major clue to Mac quit to desktop/No tranparency bug

[chrisl]

I finally had a bit of luck and figured out what I changed when I started getting proper fog, transparent buildings, fancy smoke, and stopped quitting to desktop:

I turned off the intro movie.

I realized that today, and tried turning it back on. Boom--quit to desktop while loading 3D graphics. Launch CM again, loads ok, high quality smoke doesn't show up transparent. If I turn off the movie, then restart the machine, CM works fine, over and over. I'm still stuck with 640x480, but I have nice smoke, beautiful fog, and transparent buildings. It also doesn't quit to DT when I go to load my email files.

It's a little complicated but here's some of the systematics of what happens if the movie is on:

Movie on Case A) If I change to 640x480 before launching CM:

CM loads

lets me pick multiplayer

lets me pick the file

starts to load 3D graphics

loads for a while

boom, crash to DT. (error 2)

I launch CM again

go through picking the file

loads and shows me the game

everything plays ok, except that I don't get transparency effects

Movie on Case If I don't switch to 640x480 before launching CM

lets me go through picking a file

boom, dies to desktop

I launch CM again

lets me click on multiplayer

lets me choose load an email

gives me a dialog box full of gibberish (dingbats) with cancel, save, discard as options

I cancel, CM dies to desktop (usually error 3).

Movie off, CM hasn't been run with the movie on:

Everything is beautiful, it automatically switches resolutions on start and quit, full transparency, and I kick grunto's butt.

This ought to be a useful clue to what's going on.

My system is:

PB G3/300 192MB

OS 8.5

ATI RageLTPro w/4MB

ATI 3D Accelerator 4.3.6

ATI Driver Update 1.4.6

ATI Graphics Accelerator 3.4

ATI video memory manager 7.5

[Guest Big Time Software]

Thanks for the troubleshooting tip, Chris.

Charles

[Tom Voltz]

Chris,

I'm having the same sort of trouble. My Mac is a G3/300; 128 Ram; ATI Rage Orion with 16 MB; my screen is set at 640 x 480 at 120 mhz.I have yet to check the various drivers and accelerators that you listed.

I have had no trouble with the smoke or anything. Many occasions, I set my various tank and infantry movements and press GO. BLIP, I'm at the desktop. Whatever movements I've programmed in are saved. However, I'm getting frustrated with having to re-start so often.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Other than that,the game is terrific. Thanks, Tom

[chrisl]

Sounds a little different from the bug I observed--mine never dies on the calculations, only when loading the 3D graphics. Can you change the speed on your graphics card? I think there were some people with problems on their PCs when they ran the graphics cards at top speed.

[gibsonm]

Tom,

I've have a similar problem with a "home grown" operation. Its big (two Mech Bn groups and a big map) so I think its to do with the RAM allocation. I'm going to up it tonight but for scenarios / operations supplied with the game I haven't had a problem.

Don't know if that helps at all.

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

Regards,

Mark:-{)

Anxiously awaiting the G4 PowerBook

[toshiro]

I have been having a similar problem, when ever I select a battle I quit back to the desktop when the graphics load. Its strange because yesterday I turned off the backside cache and it seemed to solve the problem. Now it is quiting to the desktop every time Strange?

any Ideas? How do you turn off the intro movie? I bypassed it by holding the space bar.

I am running a g3 334mhz

system 8.5.1

thanks

[chrisl]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by toshiro:

How do you turn off the intro movie? I bypassed it by holding the space bar.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

hold down shift right after you double click on combat mission to launch it, and keep it down until you see the main menu screen.

[Tom Voltz]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chrisl:

Sounds a little different from the bug I observed--mine never dies on the calculations, only when loading the 3D graphics. Can you change the speed on your graphics card? I think there were some people with problems on their PCs when they ran the graphics cards at top speed.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Chris,

I haven't figured out if I can change the speed, yet. Found out that just running the game and the desktop, I was using all the 16 MB of ram for the card. I was surprised at that. Nothing further in the way of progress, yet. Thanks for the suggestions from you and the others. Tom

[Guest Big Time Software]

Tom,

What is telling you the card is all full up? CM itself takes up very little of the card's VRAM, with the scenario specific stuff taking up a variable amount. I can't think of any scenario that exceeded 16MB since that is all my wittle card can hold too.

I suspect that whatever is telling you the card is full is either incorrect or telling you something slightly different. Perhaps your drivers need to be updated?

Steve

[Tom Voltz]

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Big Time Software:

Tom,

What is telling you the card is all full up? CM itself takes up very little of the card's VRAM, with the scenario specific stuff taking up a variable amount. I can't think of any scenario that exceeded 16MB since that is all my wittle card can hold too.

I suspect that whatever is telling you the card is full is either incorrect or telling you something slightly different. Perhaps your drivers need to be updated?

Steve<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Steve,

Could be, although I seem to have more recent drivers than Chris. The ATI Displays program is what is showing me that it is using the 16 MB. Perhaps I am reading it wrong. In the meantime, I'll look into new drivers. Thanks Tom