Help with Mac G3 PBk display/play problem(s)

[B.B.Toys]

Hi, I don't quite know how to search this forum but I imagine a similar question has been asked before. So apologies in advance for asking it again.

Can anyone help with these two problems I encountered?

Problem One: external monitor doesn't work--

I have installed CMBB on a PowerPC G3 powerbook (8MB videocard, 128MB RAM, 400 MHZ) and it worked wonderfully for a month. Then the screen went caput (my fault) and so as a quick fix I hooked up to a PC 17" monitor (Princeton Ultra 72) with a mirroring setup. This works really well for all normal computing (websurfing, wordprocessing) but does not work for loading up CMBB (from the same original installation). I set and reset the monitor resolution (including to 800 x 600) but to no avail. If I use screen default the splash screen loads off center to one side (I can read only "Battlefront.c" etc.) and the game does not load after that and a screen pops up saying "this game requires minimum 800 x 600 video display). If I set to 800 x600 then the splash screen is okay and I can access the inside panels, but not the maps (okay in edit more but not in map preview mode or in normal game play). The seems to be running at this time just fine though on the original G3 screen (which is mostly gone but still shows faint images); perhaps I just don't have the right driver for the external monitor? Any ideas how to fix this one?

Problem 2--Game quits on another G3.

Be that as it may, I need to ship off my broken G3 to be fixed or replaced and in the interim I have an older second generation Mac Powerbook G3, which aside from being a lot slower and having much less memory has the same screen size as the other. After installing CMBB this machine (after I found 1.2 GB on the hardrive) and manually selecting the 600x800 resolution I can load game and select scenario, make unit purchases .... but the game simply quits and reverts to the finder after that.

I looked at my video driver (ATI RAGE 128) and it seems okay. Could it be a memory problem? I have about 200MB still free at present.

Any ideas how to make Problem 2 go away? Most frustrating since it took an hour or two to install game on the older processor.

Many thanks again,

Richard

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by BBToys:

Problem One: external monitor doesn't work--

I have installed CMBB on a PowerPC G3 powerbook (8MB videocard, 128MB RAM, 400 MHZ) and it worked wonderfully for a month. Then the screen went caput (my fault) and so as a quick fix I hooked up to a PC 17" monitor (Princeton Ultra 72) with a mirroring setup. This works really well for all normal computing (websurfing, wordprocessing) but does not work for loading up CMBB (from the same original installation). I set and reset the monitor resolution (including to 800 x 600) but to no avail. If I use screen default the splash screen loads off center to one side (I can read only "Battlefront.c" etc.) and the game does not load after that and a screen pops up saying "this game requires minimum 800 x 600 video display). If I set to 800 x600 then the splash screen is okay and I can access the inside panels, but not the maps (okay in edit more but not in map preview mode or in normal game play). The seems to be running at this time just fine though on the original G3 screen (which is mostly gone but still shows faint images); perhaps I just don't have the right driver for the external monitor? Any ideas how to fix this one?

I'm guessing that you have enought VRAM on the G3 (either Lombard [bronze Keyboard] or Prismo [FireWire]) to run the Laptops LCD but not the larger screen. Can you try plugging it into a smaller (say 15" ) monitor?

Problem 2--Game quits on another G3.

Be that as it may, I need to ship off my broken G3 to be fixed or replaced and in the interim I have an older second generation Mac Powerbook G3, which aside from being a lot slower and having much less memory has the same screen size as the other. After installing CMBB this machine (after I found 1.2 GB on the hardrive) and manually selecting the 600x800 resolution I can load game and select scenario, make unit purchases .... but the game simply quits and reverts to the finder after that.

I looked at my video driver (ATI RAGE 128) and it seems okay. Could it be a memory problem? I have about 200MB still free at present.

Any ideas how to make Problem 2 go away? Most frustrating since it took an hour or two to install game on the older processor.

Many thanks again,

Richard

How much RAM (as opposed to free hard disk space) does the older G3 have? CMBB needs a fair bit.

Try selecting a very small battle (very small map, squad Vs squad) and see if that works, then slowly add units to get an idea of the older machines limits (don't leap straight into a 9 square km battle between two battalions with fog and rain though).

Sounds like getting the Laptop's screen fixed is a priority.

[kmead]

I suspect the older powerbook doesn't have enough Vram. CMBO will run on as little as 6 mb, but I think that 8 is the minimum for CMBB. If you run System Profiler under the Apple menu you will be able to find out the amount of Vram. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Depending on how bad the repair bill is you might consider a new iBook, the base model now has 16mb of Vram and is only 999. The next model up has 32mb of Vram.

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by kmead:

I suspect the older powerbook doesn't have enough Vram. CMBO will run on as little as 6 mb, but I think that 8 is the minimum for CMBB. If you run System Profiler under the Apple menu you will be able to find out the amount of Vram. Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Depending on how bad the repair bill is you might consider a new iBook, the base model now has 16mb of Vram and is only 999. The next model up has 32mb of Vram.

Both the Lombard and the Prismo come with 8Mb (indeed my Ti PB has 8 as well - that's why I'm drooling over the new 1Ghz - 64Mb version)

[chrisl]

Originally posted by BBToys:

I looked at my video driver (ATI RAGE 128) and it seems okay. Could it be a memory problem? I have about 200MB still free at present.

Any ideas how to make Problem 2 go away? Most frustrating since it took an hour or two to install game on the older processor.

If the older machine is a Wallstreet (I think they were all 300MHz or less, and have an opaque black keyboard, and are slightly thicker than the later ones) you won't be able to get it to run. The Rage128 driver may be there just because the video driver package includes it, and it may not be doing much for you.

I have a Wallstreet and despite many attempts to fake out both CMBB and the machine into thinking they were compatible, am unable to run CMBB.

I'm drooling at both the newly release machines and the new prices on the machines being dropped...

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by chrisl:

</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by BBToys:

I looked at my video driver (ATI RAGE 128) and it seems okay. Could it be a memory problem? I have about 200MB still free at present.

Any ideas how to make Problem 2 go away? Most frustrating since it took an hour or two to install game on the older processor.

If the older machine is a Wallstreet (I think they were all 300MHz or less, and have an opaque black keyboard, and are slightly thicker than the later ones) you won't be able to get it to run. The Rage128 driver may be there just because the video driver package includes it, and it may not be doing much for you.

I have a Wallstreet and despite many attempts to fake out both CMBB and the machine into thinking they were compatible, am unable to run CMBB.

I'm drooling at both the newly release machines and the new prices on the machines being dropped...</font>

[B.B.Toys]

Many thanks, guys. Really helpful info and advice.

If it is a matter of not enough VRAM on the machine (the think the one I have is the 333 MHZ one, not sure if it's the same as the "Wallstreet" --BTW why that name?) then I think I will just have to wait for the repaired powerbook to return or get a new ibook (almost worth it just to play the game!). Maybe in the meantime I can try loading CMBO instead.

All best, Richard

[gibsonm]

Originally posted by BBToys:

Many thanks, guys. Really helpful info and advice.

If it is a matter of not enough VRAM on the machine (the think the one I have is the 333 MHZ one, not sure if it's the same as the "Wallstreet" --BTW why that name?) then I think I will just have to wait for the repaired powerbook to return or get a new ibook (almost worth it just to play the game!). Maybe in the meantime I can try loading CMBO instead.

All best, Richard

"Wallstreet" (came in 233, 250, 266, 292 or 300MHz) was the 1st "new" G3 Mac Laptop - black case - upside down white Apple on lid, black keys with white writing. It also has an ADB port (Apple Desktop Bus - old Apple keyboard and mouse connection) last powerbook to have ABD. If I recall correctly its named after a street in New York (which in turn was named after where perimeter wall for the Dutch settlement ran).

"Lombard" (which here in Aust is an acronym for "Lot Of Money But A Right Bast**d") came in 333 or 400MHz and was similiar in design but had keys with a bronze colouring.

"Prismo" (I think named after some beach in the US) came in 400 or 500MHz and was similar to Lombard but had FireWire built in (connection on the back).

BTW: Try CMBO, my Ti PB (with 8Mb of VRAM) will run this on a 21" monitor so you should be OK.

[ November 11, 2002, 10:03 PM: Message edited by: gibsonm ]

[chrisl]

Originally posted by gibsonm:

"Prismo" (I think named after some beach in the US) was similar to Lombard but had FireWire built in (connection on the back).

That's "Pismo", but you're right about it being a beach.

A 333 MHz wouldn't be a Wallstreet.