15.9.3 and ATI cards - possible work arounds

[Razaphysics]

I like many others are having problems with my ATI card (X800XT in my case) and the 15.9.3 patch it seems. The symptom you will see is that randomly your AO client will just fold and drop you back to desktop. If you are unlucky this will result in one or more of your toons stuck in a crash loop

For fellow sufferers I just wanted to let you know there has been some good discussion over on the Tech Help forum and some suggestions about possible work arounds:

Option A (from Marzaii): download an old DNA driver version 3.0.4.9 : http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=865 Of course you might not want those drivers for any other games you play

Option B (from Prikje): in the AO start up screen select D3D HAL mode - unfortunately you will take a big fps hit for not using the hardware T&L

[EDIT June 3rd added option C]

Option C (from dodger6): try the latest Omega drivers : http://www.omegadrivers.net/ these are based on the 5.4 catalyst drivers so pretty current

[EDIT June 27 added option D]

Option D - 4.12 catalyst drivers seem to be safe and stable for all ATI users previously reporting AO problems - of course they are old drivers and you will miss all the recent performance enhancements of the newer drivers You can get the 4.12 drivers by looking in the old drivers section on the ATI website - an alternative direct link is : http://drivers.softpedia.com/get/GRA...lyst-412.shtml

Cheers,

Raza

[Malik]

Ugh, neither one is good. That's somewhat surprising , considering the share of the vid card market ATI has. Hopefully they will address it soon.

[draghixia]

http://www.omegadrivers.net/

Had no problems with my ATI card last night after patching the client and logging in. May want to give the Omega drivers a shot. Also they have some very nice options like a FPS throttle (you can set your min. acceptible FPS and the drivers will on the fly reduce your FSAA and other settings in order to maintain the min. FPS you assign).


Good luck.

[Octopuss]

these drivers made me lag a bit less some time ago. definitely better than original catalyst.

[Bori]

Funcom: You have an ATI Video Card. We would like you to cancel your account and take your money elsewhere.

Bori: Wow ! Now that's customer service !

[Katth]

Funcom: You have an ATI Video Card. We would like you to cancel your account and take your money elsewhere.

Bori: Wow ! Now that's customer service !

I have a nvidia gforce 4 gfx card and I have the same problems.

[Warhead]

9700pro with catalyst 5.1 and no problems.

I think there was alot of fuss with ATI cards in the past as well, but I never had any issues with this card and AO for 2 years now. Must be some other hardware that causes hiccups in conjunction with an ATI card.

[Mestipholes]

"Ugh, neither one is good. That's somewhat surprising , considering the share of the vid card market ATI has"

90% of the pc's I build and/or repair are powered by Nvidia not ATI and I work on alot of machines.

[Warhead]

"Ugh, neither one is good. That's somewhat surprising , considering the share of the vid card market ATI has"

90% of the pc's I build and/or repair are powered by Nvidia not ATI and I work on alot of machines.

I suggest you google for recent market share figures.

[Aletto]

I have an ATI AIW 9700PRO and I have had no problems with AO over the last year or so I have played. I am using the latest Omega drivers, but had no problems with the Catalyst ones from ATI.

[Mestipholes]

I suggest you google for recent market share figures.

Step back, and realize everything you read in the internet isnt true. Just because ATI may show larger numbers on a global market doesnt mean that it is so in every section of the world.

Nine of of ten gaming rigs that I custom build have nvidia based cards and 70% of those are at the customers request, 20% what I suggest and 10% because they never gave me a specific just a budget. I am 1 of 2 PC stores in the capitol city of our state.

[Gralmuph]

Well I gues this is what happen when the 3d engine gets to old
Don't know if we can blame the Funcom or the 3dcard developers tho ;P

anyways keep up the good work

[Warhead]

Step back, and realize everything you read in the internet isnt true. Just because ATI may show larger numbers on a global market doesnt mean that it is so in every section of the world.

Nine of of ten gaming rigs that I custom build have nvidia based cards and 70% of those are at the customers request, 20% what I suggest and 10% because they never gave me a specific just a budget. I am 1 of 2 PC stores in the capitol city of our state.

Ooops

Well, if you only care about your sales, say so, dont respond with your own figures on a general market share comment.

[Juggernat]

For once the problem isn't AO, this issue first raised its head on 15.8 when cat5.3 came out, ATI won't fix the issue if you don't report it. So they fix issues when they have enough complaints, which after 2 driver revisions they obviously haven't had.

So reg an account with ati and submit a ticket

[sternrav0r]

Ooops

Well, if you only care about your sales, say so, dont respond with your own figures on a general market share comment.

Ganiscol, how about you now post links to reports with sales numbers to end users? Thats a Shipments report. All it proves is Intel and ATI can flood werehouses faster than nVidia.

[Warhead]

Ganiscol, how about you now post links to reports with sales numbers to end users? Thats a Shipments report. All it proves is Intel and ATI can flood werehouses faster than nVidia.

Edit:

Why do I even bother, educate yourself on how these statistics (for 60 million units per quarter) are made and you'll find out how silly your request is.

[sternrav0r]

Don't be rediculous, I know exactly how supply and demand works. I've worked in the Food mfg industry for years prior to my current profession. Not to mention my 10 years in Munitions Supply(thats bombs and bullets to the layman) in the USAF.

The demand is primarily measured by resellers and wholesellers. If the end product isn't selling it's sitting in a werehouse. Let me explain.
End user sales are measured by those sales from the Wholeseller or reseller to the Retailer. And yes Dell, Best Buy and Apple Store and the like are Retailers. Now what happens is the Retailer reports back to the wholeseller/reseller werehouses how high they want to keep there stock level on particular items. Customer sales are tracked by re-order amount on like or same items by the Retailer.

Again, shipped does not = Sold.

The reports out there, I'll let you find it.

[Mestipholes]

Xenixa hits the nail on the head. Not how I was aiming but the same point.

[Warhead]

Don't be rediculous, I know exactly how supply and demand works. I've worked in the Food mfg industry for years prior to my current profession. Not to mention my 10 years in Munitions Supply(thats bombs and bullets to the layman) in the USAF.

The demand is primarily measured by resellers and wholesellers. If the end product isn't selling it's sitting in a werehouse. Let me explain.
End user sales are measured by those sales from the Wholeseller or reseller to the Retailer. And yes Dell, Best Buy and Apple Store and the like are Retailers. Now what happens is the Retailer reports back to the wholeseller/reseller werehouses how high they want to keep there stock level on particular items. Customer sales are tracked by re-order amount on like or same items by the Retailer.

Again, shipped does not = Sold.

The reports out there, I'll let you find it.

So you're basing all that on the assumption that hardware is being stockpiled and not sold by retailers/resellers. You crack me up.

Do you honestly think they stockpile these pieces for fun? You said it yourself, they have in stock what they think they can sell. And that is exactly why manufacturer shipment figures for these parts can be used to estimate market share, even more so in the light of the fact that overall shipment went up compared to Q4 2004. So, now you tell me how shipment goes up for all 3 companies if somebody somewhere is just "flooding warehouses".

And about these reports.. no sir, you bring that link. I provided a link that supports my point, you cant just claim something and not back it up. Bring it on. I'm fairly certain that they're in essence the same as the numbers of my link.

And Sellerofstuff, I think your original point was "nvidia has a much bigger market share because the shop I work for sells more of their cards". No more, no less. I just pointed out the flaw in your first post by hard numbers, which neither of you two could refute. Flowery phrases like "not everything you read on the internet is true" just dont cut it. I've read your post on the net as well, mind you..

[Gralmuph]

Xenixa & Ganiscolactualy how is this helping the player base of Anarchy Online to improve the game? maybe time to stop.. do it in PM etc? lol