CombinedArms Posted October 14, 2002 Share Posted October 14, 2002 My brand new G4 17"-iMac is running CMBB fine except for one thing: I get some intermittent but WEIRD visual effects. Sometimes lines of VL flags march down the edges of the screen or pop up in clusters midscreen. This happens most often when I'm opening a PBEM turn for the first time. On other occasions, the screen image dithers like mad or else it turns all black and white--or a Borg-like black, white, and red. This happens not when I'm opening a new turn, but when I've escaped to the desktop to do something else and then return to CMBB. In either case, the solution seems to be to quit CMBB and then reopen the game. The problem then usually goes away. It's not an impossible to live with problem but the VL dance is distracting and the dithered or black & white screens are unreadable till I reopen the game. Has anyone else been having either of these problem? Is this a bug that might be fixed with a patch or some kind of video driver fix? For the record, I've got an nVidia GeForce4 MX graphics card with 32MB DDR video memory. CMBO works just great, BTW. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 I have this problem too was there ever a solution posted? -tom w 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmead Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 No solution that I know of was posted. Did either of you install the Nvidia driver update from last month? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 Originally posted by kmead: No solution that I know of was posted. Did either of you install the Nvidia driver update from last month?OK! thanks Karl I did not update any drivers yet I was looking for a link or a specific ('cause I'm lazy today) spoon fed solution I will look for the latest n'vdia driver when I get a chance I'm just trying to help out a friend/student with a tech support problem so it is not really a burning issue for me BUT I am still curious to see the solution thanks Karl -tom W 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 I've had exactly the same thing happen on my iMac. I suspect it has to do with the drivers and memory usage, but can' t prove that. I've just gotten in the habit of closing and re-opening the game between each file. I'd love to know if the new drivers eliminate the problem. I'd also love to know if anyone has figured out how to make the skies look right. I tried reducing their resolution, and it made the skies clearer in one quadrant, but not all around. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 Originally posted by Buckeye: I've had exactly the same thing happen on my iMac. I suspect it has to do with the drivers and memory usage, but can' t prove that. I've just gotten in the habit of closing and re-opening the game between each file. I'd love to know if the new drivers eliminate the problem. I'd also love to know if anyone has figured out how to make the skies look right. I tried reducing their resolution, and it made the skies clearer in one quadrant, but not all around.I was hoping someone had come up with a solution. I have some screen grabs I can post but I 'think' (I hope ) that we all know what the problem looks like. I have Flags going sparkly white and Clown tanks too, some Pz IV but not all in one scenario, and then when the abandoned crew graphic turns to the nationality icon it goes into a digital pixel puke sparkly fit as well are those the same symptoms on the iMac G4? -tom w 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 does anyone know where I can download the VERY latest Nvidia driver for my friends iMac? its a GeForce 2 MX and we are running 9.2.2 the nvidia web site seems to have NO mac drivers or software on it?? I'm stumped? :confused: thanks -tom w [ December 22, 2002, 12:29 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 has anyone seen this: http://www.cybercoment.com/macgeforce.htm Flashing a PC GeForce (2, 3 and NOT 4) or Radeon 8500 card with a Mac ROM Image. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ***This project voids your warranty (DUH!) and might **** your system up, I assume no responsibility** * Seems that the new G4 Firmware 4.1.8 lets some GeForce 2 MX cards work WITH OUT flashing them, BUT only a few low resolutions in OS X * Does not work in pre-B&W G3s (to my knowladge) * All links on this page are direct downloads off my site, they wont go away unless lawyers get involved. * Geforce 4 cards require a hardware modification. So good luck. The following cards are known to work with this method(Get Retail Cards, OEM and bulk cards have slow RAM [>5.5 ns], and might not work, possably causing artifacts. See utillity in D/L section for a fix): from: http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=30&Page=11 To Flash or Not to Flash At this point, let me reiterate my disclaimer. Flashing a PC GeForce2 MX and using it in your Macintosh is not supported by Apple or NVIDIA. Driver, and especially ROM, updates released in the future may be difficult to apply. Mac OS X and DVD playback may work now, but there is no telling what will happen in the future. If you decide that you want to perform this procedure on your own, realize you are taking a risk. You are risking your own money and possibly your computer and video card. It is unlikely that using an unsupported video card will render your computer useless, but stranger things have happened. On the upside, a PC GeForce2 MX is inexpensive. You can find them for around $80 to $100, nearly half the price of a Radeon AGP. Flashing the video card in a PC is not particularly difficult, even if you don't know much about PCs. There is not doubt that the GeForce2 MX is an impressive performer at it's price point, which is why it is so popular on the PC. If you are seriously thinking replacing your Rage 128 with a GeForce2 MX, I would recommend the Hercules Prophet II MX I used in this article. It's 5.5 nanosecond memory guarantees that it will run at 183 MHz and the PCB is a cool indigo color! http://www.insidemacgames.com/features/view.php?ID=30&Page=1 [ December 22, 2002, 12:23 PM: Message edited by: aka_tom_w ] 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 22, 2002 Share Posted December 22, 2002 more tech geek stuff here: http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/G4ZONE/G4firmwareMXrom.html Nvidia Card Support in G4 Firmware Update? First Posted: 4/9/2001 Last Updated: 2/19/2002 for OS X 10.1.3 update report ------------------------------------------------------------------------ OS X 10.1.3 Update Note: A reader that had been running a non-flashed retail (PC) GeForce2MX AGP card fine with OS 10.1.2 reported problems after installing the OS X 10.1.3 update: " After installing 10.1.3 and rebooting my GeForce 2 MX 400 [The PNY verto] stopped working. After the happy mac goes away the screen just goes black. The card worked great with out flashing it or anything in every other version of 10. I would try flashing it but I can't get the flash app to work in os 9 and I can't get the pc to recognize it, it is as if it was already semi-flashed by os X or something. I have the original ati rage 128 pro in here now... 400mhz agp G4 -WiredSoul" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (Original article text follows) Two readers have written in the last week to note the 4.1.8 firmware update for G4s included rom support for GeForce2MX cards, saying they no longer needed to flash a PC card with the Mac firmware. (latest report first) " You no longer need to flash GeForce2MX AGP PC cards. If you upgrade your G4 firmware to 4.1.8 it will load it's own copy of the GeForce2MX ROM. No more flashing! I noted this on your forum Strobe The first report of this from last week: " hi mike sorry for my worst english. Last week i bought an Elsa Gladiac 2MX for my G4 500. When i tryed it on my computer, it didn't work. I had to flash it with a PC to work. Today i bought exactly the same card (same serial, same 3.11.00.18.33 firmware) to make some tests. I put it on my mac... and the card is working without flash !!!! I assume that the new firmware 4.1.8 allow now to boot with 2Mx PC firmware. It will be very good if the Geforce 3 can make the same thing. Lionel, www.macbidouille.com (late the same day he wrote) Mike i found it. There is the 3.11.00.15.03 2Mx firmware in the 4.1.8 firmware see the screenshot 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 23, 2002 Share Posted December 23, 2002 nobody has anything to say about this issue??? -tom w 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted December 26, 2002 Share Posted December 26, 2002 I guess this is just another stinking nvidia problem -tom w 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sordftr Posted January 1, 2003 Share Posted January 1, 2003 Thought I'd chime in with my situation and demostrate my lack of knowledge. I' m using a Mac G3 beige with OS 9.1, and with whatever the default graphics hardware and software might be (ATY?). I'm getting the black/white/red crazy quilt and dancing flags whenever I start the BB demo. Is there any hope for my poor old machine? And what do folks have that does work for the game? Now that I'm employed again, I might spring for a new Mac... Thanks for the help! Sordftr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmead Posted January 1, 2003 Share Posted January 1, 2003 Sordftr: ensure that you are running OpenGL 1.2.1. It can be found here: http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/3338 Hope that helps. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aka_tom_w Posted January 2, 2003 Share Posted January 2, 2003 this is IT Mr Marcom GOT IT!! its works I just tried it!! "marcom Junior Member Member # 11293 posted January 01, 2003 05:56 PM Just in case it helps other people, here is how I've solved messed-up texture problem on my iMac G4 15'' flat screen. It was caused by the nvidia drivers v2.6 I had. I've downloaded v3.0 on Apple site (http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=120110 ) However, the install program checks if the computer is a PowerMac and refuses to install on an iMac... So, I've downloaded TomeViewer (http://www.versiontracker.com/moreinfo.fcgi?id=4561&db=mac ) and used it to manually extract the 6 driver files from the v3.0 dsitribution (file 'Tome' found in 'NVIDIA Driver Update:Installer Files: NVIDIA Driver Update:Installer File'). And finally I've copied those files into the "Extentions" folder of the OS 9 System folder and rebooted. And that's it : I've the new drivers and no more problems with CMBB !! MM PS : I think you should try this only if your drivers are lower than v3.0 and I advice you to make a copy of your 6 former driver files before, just in case you want to roll back... " from: http://www.battlefront.com/cgi-bin/bbs/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=8;t=003389#000001 Thanks to marcom! -tom w 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sordftr Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Thanks for the help Karl, but while it's a bit better and certainly different (what an odd shade of blue we've discovered...) it's still pretty much multi-colored LSD dream. I did the Oen GL download and install but nothing else. Do I need to make any adjustments/configure the software? Thanks again! Sordftr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tar Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Re: Built-in Video on Beige G3. This really isn't enough to run CMBB. It is only 6MB memory, and can't really handle it. I tried, and it was very, very, very slow and I got some amusing video effects. One example was suddenly seeing all of the buildings on the map on fire. In reality no buildings were burning, but the textures must have gotten mixed up somehow. Anyway, as for solutions: One is to spring for a better video card. I ended up with an extra 16MB Radeon Orion (the default card in the Blue & White G3) that I moved into a beige G3. That allowed me to play CMBB on that machine, at an acceptable speed. Of course, if you can upgrade your Mac, that will solve the problem as well. You will want to be aware that Apple has annouced that Macs after Jan 1, 2003 will NOT be able to boot into OS 9, and the CM series requires you to boot into OS 9. That means that the new crop of machines coming out cannot be used to play these games. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sordftr Posted January 3, 2003 Share Posted January 3, 2003 Thanks, Tom. That sorta confirms what I had expected. I've upgraded the processor and the RAM to try and keep up. I guess it's time to upgrade the video. After taking a quick look around on the web, there seems to be several choices of video card I could get. Any reccomendations (esp.for a low tech guy)? I doubt I'll put too much stress on a video card (not a real twitch gamer) but if I'm going to get one, it would be nice to have one that would be both flexible and powerful enoungh for somelong term use. Thanks again! Sordftr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 4, 2003 Share Posted January 4, 2003 Sordftr, if your concern is only for CMBB, you won't need a card with more than 32 MB on it. We did a series of tests a couple of months back that showed conclusively that CM on the Mac downsamples textures. So there is no point in purchasing a more powerful card since the game won't use it. This should save you some money. Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sordftr Posted January 6, 2003 Share Posted January 6, 2003 Thanks Michael, that's a help. Do you have any thoughts about the Radeon 7000? From my stumbling research it sounds like that would be enough to meet my needs and a relatively safe choice from a support and install standpoint. Any better suggestion? Sordftr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tar Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 I just installed a Radeon 7000 on my Blue&White Mac (which freed up the Orion to go into the Beige G3 I have on loan from work). The 7000 looks to be a nice card, but I haven't tried CMBB on it yet, since the machine it is in normally runs OS X. One consideration as you look around is that whatever card you get for the beige G3 won't help you in any newer machines, since the newer graphics interface standard uses AGP rather than PCI for its communications. If you are looking to save some money the ATI Rage Orion will work fine. The 7000 is a bit nicer in features, and will give you more detailed visuals. Whether it is worth it is up to you. At the time I bought, i was able to take advantage of ATI's trade-in offer to lower the price of the 7000 board from them directly. It still came out to be about $100 when all was said and done. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sordftr Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Thanks for the extra info, Tom! I'll take a look at the Orion before I decide. And I wish I had an old card to get the rebate! Ah, well maybe next time... Sordftr 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strontium Dog Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 Originally posted by Sordftr: Do you have any thoughts about the Radeon 7000? Hi Sordftr I can't comment on the 7000 or CMBB but I had CMBO running beautifully on my beige G3 with the Mac edition 32MB ATI Radeon PCI card. It actually looked better on this card than it does on my newer G4 with the NVidia G4MX card. The NVidia card downsamples CMBO quite a lot whereas the ATI Radeon didn't downsample CMBO at all (not that I could tell). SDog 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strontium Dog Posted January 7, 2003 Share Posted January 7, 2003 I meant to say I had upgraded the processor to a 466MHz chip and I had 512Mb RAM installed as well. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Emrys Posted January 8, 2003 Share Posted January 8, 2003 Sordftr, I don't have any personal experience with Radeon cards, but the word is that they do not do fog in CM for some reason. If you plan to do a lot of scenarios with fog, that might be something to think about. SDog is right about the nVidias downsampling. My GF 4 Ti with 128MB looks no better than the 2MX with 32MB that I replaced with it . Michael 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Måkjager Posted January 18, 2003 Share Posted January 18, 2003 CMBO and CMBB with a Mac OEM Radeon 32MB = Fog and Weather effects....no "smeary" looking graphics...especially on vehicles( MOST NOTICABLE around the WHEELS ). Downsampling does occur. A Mac 64MB GF3 nVidia card OEM with v3.0 drivers......"smeary" vehicle wheels. No downsampling occurs. Moral of the story....there is a problem with Apples supplied nVidia drivers for GF / MX nVidia cards used in macs. The ATI cards displays CMBO/CMBB vehicles much better..as well as giving you the fog/weather effects we crave Regards Måkjager 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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