CogNative Posted July 20, 2008 Share Posted July 20, 2008 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: Intel® 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 ----------------------------------------------- 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpl Steiner Posted July 21, 2008 Share Posted July 21, 2008 Well it sounds like an obvious graphics card issue to me. I see you have an 8600M GT card. Maybe this isn't getting enough power or something when you crank up the graphical quality. I know some cards make a loud noise when they aren't getting enough juice. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted July 21, 2008 Author Share Posted July 21, 2008 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 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 Do the "Override" or "Enhance" settings within the Nvidia control panel make a difference within CMSF ? If they don't, then they are NOT applying antialiasing within CMSF. Often most of the antialiasing controls are set to "Application Controlled" which is where CMSF's option setting would actually turn that feature on. Antialiasing / Multisampling WILL draw additional power since it makes the GPU work harder (provides additional "load" with the multiple passes of textures). I assume that your laptop is plugged into an AC adapter when you play CMSF; if not, then I would highly recommend it. You can also experiment with the Nvidia control panel's 3D Settings and possibly set the Antialiasing setting to 2X or whatever settings are offered (varies by videocard/GPU). The latest driver is175.19, though I don't know if it is any sort of improvement over the 167.63 version you're currently using (you'll also need a "modified INF" to update to this newer driver, get one here). The "buzzing" MAY be the audio chip overheating and causing an "interrupt" to the system, which stalls the videocard from drawing further. There have been "audio issues" with Macbooks in the past and I don't know if this is one of them. I don't know what driver updates may be available for the AC97/HD audio codec. I assume you're using whatever Bootcamp has provided and there may not be anything newer, though there MIGHT be an update via the Intel Chipset Installer (here). 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapHappy Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I have the exact same problem periodically and I'm on a Windows System (XP). I do have the 8800GT video card, but I also had the same problem with my older 8600 GTS card. Sometimes after it buzzes it launches the audio control software to desktop (Realtek HD audio on-board audio). The game never crashes, but I have to click on the tab for the game to get the screen back up. It keeps saying I've plugged something into my line input (which I haven't). Sometimes the game doesn't minimize and the screen simply redraws. Could this be a problem with the Realtek HD drivers or hardware? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 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. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schrullenhaft Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I couldn't find exactly which audio codec hardware is installed on the newest Macbook Pros. If it is a Realtek, then there is a generic driver for their "HD" audio codecs which you can download here. I don't know if this will fully take on a Macbook Pro, but it may be worth installing. Deep a copy of your old driver just in case, possibly setting a "restore point" before installing this driver. If it is like previous Macbook Pros, it may be Sigmatel. You can try (though it may not work) this driver from Dell for a SIGMATEL STAC 92XX C-Major HD. The "Intel Chipset Installer" mentioned in my previous post may also work. Intel may install a driver that generically works from their side (the southbridge chip that provides audio via the hardware codec). In fact this may be the easiest route if the Sigmatel driver doesn't want to install. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted July 22, 2008 Author Share Posted July 22, 2008 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 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted July 23, 2008 Author Share Posted July 23, 2008 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? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 The Intel Chipset Installer made no difference in the MacBook Pro. Maybe a slightly less loud audio BUZZ occurs with 'Antialias / Multisample: ON'. Only work around so far is to forgo the in game antialias option and hope a Mac version of CMSF is in the works. Thanks for the suggestions. CogNative 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted August 3, 2008 Author Share Posted August 3, 2008 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: Intel® 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 ----------------------------------------------- 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 '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 ------------------------------------------------------ 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted August 5, 2008 Author Share Posted August 5, 2008 Update: I was able to create the 3D image freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ issues in my MacBook Pro shortly after my post last night. As noted the scenario file sizes I used to test the 'fix' were @ 900 KB in size. I got 'cocky' and opened "Hold the Line V3 Elite Ed.btb" @ 6.4 MB file size. The scenario loaded OK. I issued a few orders and hit GO. Within @ 30" the 3D image freeze, audio BUZZ issues appeared. This time they were so bad I had to use Task Manager to exit CMSF. I was able to reopen CMSF and play the original scenarios w/o 3D image freeze, audio BUZZ issues. I assume my MBP video setting work for all the CMSF original size scenarios <1MB. It appears the larger files may overload the GPU? Hope this helps. CogNative 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted August 10, 2008 Author Share Posted August 10, 2008 Update: I was able to create, yet again, the 3D image freeze, a very loud audio BUZZ issues in the MacBook Pro. Adding "Syrope Mod v1.1" was the culprit today. I reset (decreased quality) to Anisotropic filtering: 2X and Antialiasing - Setting: 2X w/o any graphic improvements. Same problems experienced. I was able to play CMSF by setting the in game CMSF option to :Antialias / Multisample: OFF. It appears that ANY larger files (Scenarios / Campaigns / Modifications) may overload the current MacBookPro GPUs? Those of you who are 'GPU Gurus' please chime in as I am stuck with a visually basic (playable) version of CMSF with simple scenarios on the current MacBookPro. Hope this Mac information helps. I have to agree with a recent CMSF-Mac version post. As much as I would enjoy the CMSF Marines Module... it may not be a functional MacBook Pro option? I purchased all the Mac versions of CM1 and would generously support the Mac versions of CM2. CogNative BTW: Syrope Mod v1.1 Description:Very good looking MOD and must be an enormous amount of hard work by El_Terrifico. "a terrain retexture to give the game a European look." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted October 17, 2008 Author Share Posted October 17, 2008 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' solution for the MacBook Pro Solution = ForceWare X 177.79 drivers with INF for the MacBook Pro. Set 'Antialias / Multisample: ON' and for several hours over two days while testing QBs and some Scenarios / Campaigns. in regards to the "CMSF 1.10 QBs - Not improved very much?" thread. All in game settings maximum! The game looks great! This is a major improvement in how the game looks. I think the FPS may have improved a tiny bit a well. FPS are not stellar but as long as the scenario is not too big the v1.10 patch seems with the new drivers work. MacBook Pro Intel Core 2 Duo 2.5 GHz System Version: Mac OS X 10.5.5 Apple BootCamp V2.1 CMSF V1.10 GeForce 8600M GT is in single display mode driving an external: Apple 23" Cinema Display 1920 x 1200 at 60 Hertz Thanks BFC:D:D:D CogNative 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flanker15 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Sort of sounds like overheating. Try opening your case and pointing a desk fan into and see if it stops. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CogNative Posted October 24, 2008 Author Share Posted October 24, 2008 The 177.79 drivers with INF & Plain Jane 1.10 solved the problems for the MacBook Pro (laptop). I recently loaded Armor Attack, the HUGE georgemc scenario that would CTD pre updates and it worked on my laptop! Slow as the map is 2x@3 KM with lots of stuff but it works ... with all in game settings maximum! Ordered the Marines Module this week. Another Happy BFC customer:D CogNative 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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