Graphic Issue

[BDF]

I've been playing SH3 off and on for years now. I uninstalled the game when I got SH4 but I've come back to SH3.

I installed the game and downloaded the latest patch (1.4b) and for some reason whenever I play the game there are black squares all over the ocean. You can see down the squares and if I'm submerged I can see my sub at all times (if running the free camera). Also the sun and moon are gone there is just a transparent box where they should be. Inside the command room my crew have no legs and the transparent squares are inside the sub as well.

Does anyone know how to fix this? I've never had the problem before and I have the same computer I've always had. SH3 was my first subsim and I can still remember the first time being on the bridge in a mission and how perfect the game looked... now it's a checkers game... not to mention that stalking merchants has become a pain because of the graphic issue.

Thank you for any help you can offer.

[irish1958]

BDF,
Welcome aboard; some one will know what to do, but we need a bit more info. What are your computer specs? Did you do a fresh install and then patch? There are several patches; do you have the correct one? Are you running any mods? If so, which?
The problem is usually with the scene.dat file.

[mookiemookie]

It could be conflicting mods or a video card issue. What mods are you running? Have you updated your video card drivers?

[Annatar]

I recently had an issue with another game that sounds somewhat like you describe - little squares all over the screen. That was caused by my using forced anti-aliasing through my Catalyst Control Centre. Once I disabled it the game ran fine, but it wasn't SH3 and SH3 has never had any issues with forced AA for me. Still, might be something to look into.

[irish1958]

MookieMookie: I like my women just like I like my torpedoes to run: hot, straight and normal!
What is the world is a "normal woman"?

[Laufen zum Ziel]

Try the below link "SHIII Stuff then Q & A" under graphics.

[BDF]

Thanks for the welcome. I've checked out this site off and on for a while and decided to join and make a donation to keep this site running.

I'm not extremely computer savy so here are the specs as best I know:

CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz
System Ram: 2GB
Operating System: Windows XP Pro (Service Pack 32600)
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS (GeForce 7600 GS)
Disk Space: 201.4 GB


I unistalled the game and just reinstalled it and I'm having the same problem. For this try I haven't installed any patches or the GWX3.0 Mod.

Hopefully it's something simple like uncheck this box next time you start SH3.

Thanks for the help and let me know if I need to provide any more system information.

[FIREWALL]

Welcome Aboard :salute:

[Mittelwaechter]

Hi BDF,

post a DXdiag, please.

It shows your relevant computer components, your OS, your installed drivers and the codeces you run.

(START -> run -> "dxdiag" -> Enter)

Work through the tabs and run the tests (Direct3D, Direct Draw, Sound tests...)

Save the information and post it here.

Two more things to try first:

- set the graphics acceleration one notch to the left.
(rightclick the Windows desktop and choose Properties from the popup menu,
click the Settings tab and then click Advanced,
in the next dialog box, click the Troubleshoot tab,
under Hardware acceleration, move the slider one notch to the left.

Click OK as many times as needed to return to the desktop.


- clean your computer! Sounds silly, but a vac is sometimes the only necessary tool to get the hardware running. I guess your computer is old enough to be opened without losing any "warrant". :) But be careful and backup your files first.

[BDF]

I hope this is what you were looking for because it's a lot of info:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 2/8/2009, 17:29:22
Machine name: BRANDON-SR165O0
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: BIOS Date: 01/06/06 12:18:42 Ver: 08.00.10
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz
Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 350MB used, 5638MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found. DirectDraw test results: All tests were successful. Direct3D 7 test results: All tests were successful. Direct3D 8 test results: All tests were successful. Direct3D 9 test results: All tests were successful.
Sound Tab 1: DirectSound test results: All tests were successful.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: The registry information for the DirectPlay application 'Populous: The Beginning' is missing or damaged. You should reinstall that application.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 7600 GS
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_02E1&SUBSYS_0380196E&REV_A2
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.7824 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 10/7/2008 13:33:00, 6058112 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 10/7/2008 13:33:00, 6133856 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-41A1-11CF-4E64-8B2303C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x02E1
SubSys ID: 0x0380196E
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Revision ID: 0x00A2
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: All tests were successful.
D3D7 Test Result: All tests were successful.
D3D8 Test Result: All tests were successful.
D3D9 Test Result: All tests were successful.



Also, I the inside of the computer cleaned out a couple weeks ago... our IT guy who does the networking at my office has me bring in my computer every 6 months for him to clean the inside and clean out old files and folders that aren't being used (he also checks for virus and spyware).

Thanks for the help.

[Mittelwaechter]

That's a great service of your IT guy.
Your system looks fine to me.
There is a new certified graphics driver available, but that should not be the problem.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_181.22_whql.html

Did you try to reduce the graphics acceleration?

[Foghladh_mhara]

I'm not sure this will be of any use but the same thing used to happen to me last year with my nVidia 7000 series card (cant remember the exact one now!) I used to get black squares and kinda like black spikes appearing across the screen. When I'd go to the control room there wouldn't be any background just the figures against a black screen. It got progressively worse until I couldn't even access the game properly. I left the game thinking it was a problem there until it started affecting other games. Turns out it was a corrupted video card although it passed every diagnostic I ran on it. Changed to a 8600 GT and had no problems ever since

[irish1958]

BDF,
Also, I the inside of the computer cleaned out a couple weeks ago... our IT guy who does the networking at my office has me bring in my computer every 6 months for him to clean the inside and clean out old files and folders that aren't being used (he also checks for virus and spyware).
In that case, get a new video card as they are very cheap, and have your friend help with the install, if you can't do it yourself.
I agree with Foghladh_mhara; it sounds like your video card is going.