Graphics glitches

[Defend]

Hi,

I've just got a new Macbook with integrated Iris Pro graphics. On running AO I'm met with loads of textures (particularly the ground) missing/flickering and a red "grid" that keeps coming across the screen.

All other games seem to work fine.

Any idea what might be causing this?

Thanks.

[superfastone]

Hi!
I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Hope someone can help. AO is unplayable as of now.


I've sent a message to techhelp, awaiting answer. Here is my techrequest:

"I have just upgraded to Windows 8.1 on my portable computer (see tech.spec under)
While playing AO under Windows 8.0 I had no major technical problems. After upgrading the game is unplayable becuse there are major graphic bugs. The graphics are flickering, and I see "red spider webs" occuring along with other solid graphics flickering. The GMS is bugged, and the menues is sometimes loosing its borders.
To have AO running as smooth as possbile I am using the following configuration:
Run in native resolution (1920x1080), run in window, and borderless.
After the problems have occurred, I have tried changing these settings, but no success.


Here are the technical specs of my computer:
Multicom Xishan w370es
Intel i7 processor
12GB ram
SSD disk
Windows 8.1, 64 bit
Graphic cards:
Nvidia Geforce GTX 660M (not used with AO, because it gives poor FPS). Driverdate: 13. august 2013 (newest)
Intel HD graphics 4000 (used with AO settings: Direct 3D, T&L HAL). Driverdate: 1. october 2013 (newest)"


rgds
Superfastone

[Honorbound]

Try all the rendering options in the launcher settings. If none of those help, you can try to collect as many older drivers for your video hardware as you can and try stepping backwards until you find one that works.

If still no luck, chances are your hardware/driver provider silently dropped proper Dx7 support, which means no AO for you until the new render engine comes out, possibly some time still in this decade.

[RedWatr]

Hi!
I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Hope someone can help. AO is unplayable as of now.


I've sent a message to techhelp, awaiting answer. Here is my techrequest:

"I have just upgraded to Windows 8.1 on my portable computer (see tech.spec under)
While playing AO under Windows 8.0 I had no major technical problems. After upgrading the game is unplayable becuse there are major graphic bugs. The graphics are flickering, and I see "red spider webs" occuring along with other solid graphics flickering. The GMS is bugged, and the menues is sometimes loosing its borders.
To have AO running as smooth as possbile I am using the following configuration:
Run in native resolution (1920x1080), run in window, and borderless.
After the problems have occurred, I have tried changing these settings, but no success.


Here are the technical specs of my computer:
Multicom Xishan w370es
Intel i7 processor
12GB ram
SSD disk
Windows 8.1, 64 bit
Graphic cards:
Nvidia Geforce GTX 660M (not used with AO, because it gives poor FPS). Driverdate: 13. august 2013 (newest)
Intel HD graphics 4000 (used with AO settings: Direct 3D, T&L HAL). Driverdate: 1. october 2013 (newest)"


rgds
Superfastone

I'm just guessing at this, but I helped with a similar problem a while back, the solution was to disable the intel graphics, and work on getting the 660m (same setup as yours) to run at native desktop res. also, HDMI cables can be serious headaches as well, and cause all kinds of weird problems. I'm not a techy as I used to be, but it seems the trick with getting AO to run correctly on newer setups, is to record all of your default or startup setting/configurations, and just start disabling disabling disabling until something works. most systems will allow you to prfile a setup for startup as well, so if something does work for AO, but hinders performance elsewhere, it may be as simple as profile management, and changing and HDMI cable.

I'm a hater of intergrated CPUGP's, they never like to play well with others for some reason.

I just love my Win 7 more and more

good luck to you guys!

[RedWatr]

Hi,

I've just got a new Macbook with integrated Iris Pro graphics. On running AO I'm met with loads of textures (particularly the ground) missing/flickering and a red "grid" that keeps coming across the screen.

All other games seem to work fine.

Any idea what might be causing this?

Thanks.

I think you get 90 days of the absolute best support available for a new Apple, you payed for it, I'd keep the geeks up all night until they solved this for me. good luck!

[RedWatr]

Hi!
I'm experiencing the exact same thing. Hope someone can help. AO is unplayable as of now.


I've sent a message to techhelp, awaiting answer. Here is my techrequest:

"I have just upgraded to Windows 8.1 on my portable computer (see tech.spec under)
While playing AO under Windows 8.0 I had no major technical problems. After upgrading the game is unplayable becuse there are major graphic bugs. The graphics are flickering, and I see "red spider webs" occuring along with other solid graphics flickering. The GMS is bugged, and the menues is sometimes loosing its borders.
To have AO running as smooth as possbile I am using the following configuration:
Run in native resolution (1920x1080), run in window, and borderless.
After the problems have occurred, I have tried changing these settings, but no success.


Here are the technical specs of my computer:
Multicom Xishan w370es
Intel i7 processor
12GB ram
SSD disk
Windows 8.1, 64 bit
Graphic cards:
Nvidia Geforce GTX 660M (not used with AO, because it gives poor FPS). Driverdate: 13. august 2013 (newest)
Intel HD graphics 4000 (used with AO settings: Direct 3D, T&L HAL). Driverdate: 1. october 2013 (newest)"


rgds
Superfastone

for DESKTOP only
http://us.download.nvidia.com/Window...ease-notes.pdf

for NOTEBOOK only
http://us.download.nvidia.com/Window...ease-notes.pdf

it's certainly worth a browse, and also update to the 331.65 (if you haven't) drivers instead of banging your head against the wall ^^

[superfastone]

Hi again!
Looks like I have overcome my problems. (and I don't know how :-) )
First of all: thx to RedWatr for pointing me in the right direction. I have tried many things, but these moments helped out:
* When I disabled the Intel 4000 gpu, the graphics was ok again, but with 1-2 fps it was unplayable.
* Enabled Intel 400 again and installed driver 9.17.10.2857 (dated 13/9-2013) then AO worked ok again, but I hadn't the choice of T/L (transform and lightning?) when choosing graphic card in AO. When I started the game I had around 15-20 FPS, not good.
* Installed newer driver, 9.18.10.3257 (dated 29/7-2013). With this driver AO wouldn't start at all... :-(
* Asked windows to search for new driver and it installed 10.18.10.3316 (dated 1/10-2013, in other words the same driver as when the problem started. AND there I had the problems again...

* Then I installed the newest nVidia drivers, but still no result.

* Then I started an alternate installation of AO, which was on another disk-drive. It patched up to latest version. AND THEN..... for some odd reason, the problems was gone.... On both my versions of AO install.

* Now the system runs fine with the newest drivers for both Intel and nVidia.


Conlusion: It might be the patching that did the trick, but Im not sure.
I will now keep an close eye to Windows update trying to update my drivers... (and deny every update :-)

Bottomline: If your computer runs AO "ok" don't thouch it :-)
Fold your hands and prey for the arrival of the new engine.


Cheers
Superfastone

[RedWatr]

Hi again!
Looks like I have overcome my problems. (and I don't know how :-) )
First of all: thx to RedWatr for pointing me in the right direction. I have tried many things, but these moments helped out:
* When I disabled the Intel 4000 gpu, the graphics was ok again, but with 1-2 fps it was unplayable.
* Enabled Intel 400 again and installed driver 9.17.10.2857 (dated 13/9-2013) then AO worked ok again, but I hadn't the choice of T/L (transform and lightning?) when choosing graphic card in AO. When I started the game I had around 15-20 FPS, not good.
* Installed newer driver, 9.18.10.3257 (dated 29/7-2013). With this driver AO wouldn't start at all... :-(
* Asked windows to search for new driver and it installed 10.18.10.3316 (dated 1/10-2013, in other words the same driver as when the problem started. AND there I had the problems again...

* Then I installed the newest nVidia drivers, but still no result.

* Then I started an alternate installation of AO, which was on another disk-drive. It patched up to latest version. AND THEN..... for some odd reason, the problems was gone.... On both my versions of AO install.

* Now the system runs fine with the newest drivers for both Intel and nVidia.


Conlusion: It might be the patching that did the trick, but Im not sure.
I will now keep an close eye to Windows update trying to update my drivers... (and deny every update :-)

Bottomline: If your computer runs AO "ok" don't thouch it :-)
Fold your hands and prey for the arrival of the new engine.


Cheers
Superfastone

I'm happy you found a fix the best thign i ever did was re install AO on it's own partition, weird stuff. happy gaming buddy, make up for lost time, and knowledge gained

[Lomad]

I as well was having this problem. Also with nVidia 660 M and Intel integrated. Disabling intel also solved the problem but caused a large framerate drop.

I decided to skip right to the end of your journey and try a fresh install. It seems to have fixed the problem. My install is on the same partition in the same location as the old one.

[unarmedfix]

I am getting the same issues on a Surface Pro 2. (Intel 4400 GPU) I updated it to the latest drivers and have reinstalled the game 4 times. The missing ground textures and red grid-like glitches have persisted.

[Infall]

Same issue on bootcamp on macbook air with intel HD 5000. a crazy red techno grid and a lot of walking on water.

I contacted funcom about this issue and got following reply:

Intel HD 5000 isn't perfectly compatible with Anarchy Online due to the age of the game and this is causing textures in game to not be rendered correctly (the red lines you are seeing are usually associated with missing textures). With the new engine, that should be going into beta soon for player testing, this issue may disappear. In the meantime it doesn't appear that this issue can be resolved. If it isn't the technology difference it's likely the drivers.

So they "might" support newer intel graphics in AO when beta is ready to release :P and who knows how long that could take?

[Wyoming]

Can someone sum this up for me?

[geturmoney]

one question, are those bugs in any way harmful to the graphic card? thats probably the most stupid question ever but i have no idea about that

is it safe for me to play ao with those weird glitches?

[sannz]

one question, are those bugs in any way harmful to the graphic card? thats probably the most stupid question ever but i have no idea about that

is it safe for me to play ao with those weird glitches?

Bad programming of applications *can* kill graphics cards. I would like to remind you of the countless boards that fell victim to the main menu of StarCraft 2.

However, the SC2 problem of using uncapped FPS is a not related to the OPs issue.

[geturmoney]

mhm so i better refrain from playing like that :O

[RedWatr]

one question, are those bugs in any way harmful to the graphic card? thats probably the most stupid question ever but i have no idea about that

is it safe for me to play ao with those weird glitches?

physically harmful, or having any permanent effect, seriously doubtful, more just a pain in the ass. generally once is gets bad, it's as bad as it will get. the only things that are permanently harmful are generally programs that gain access to the advanced cooling, and hardware speed manipulation abilities of your hardware/software, all of these problems exist on a level that's purely visual as far as I know.

p.s.- this is just an opinion based on many years experience as an A+ certified tech. there are much more experienced people out there, that understand code and it's effects on hardware than myself. do your research, and form an educated opinion for yourself.

[Vhab]

Bad programming of applications *can* kill graphics cards. I would like to remind you of the countless boards that fell victim to the main menu of StarCraft 2.

However, the SC2 problem of using uncapped FPS is a not related to the OPs issue.

I should point out these cards ultimately fell victim to insufficient cooling.
The SC2 main menu was just "very good" at taking all the performance it could get out of a GPU.

A well designed and properly programmed application that intentionally squeezes every last drop of performance out of a GPU would have had the same result.
(For example the carnage of burned down laptops and cheap desktops as the result of people carelessly mining Litecoin with insufficient cooling)


As for OPs issue, playing through glitches caused by bad drivers is not harmful to the hardware, but may cause instabilities which may result in a bluescreen or degraded performance until you reboot.

[sannz]

mhm so i better refrain from playing like that :O

It has been fixed quite soon after release. So no worries there.

I should point out these cards ultimately fell victim to insufficient cooling.
The SC2 main menu was just "very good" at taking all the performance it could get out of a GPU.

A well designed and properly programmed application that intentionally squeezes every last drop of performance out of a GPU would have had the same result.
(For example the carnage of burned down laptops and cheap desktops as the result of people carelessly mining Litecoin with insufficient cooling)

And that is of course correct, too.

[geturmoney]

ah okay, thanks for the responses!

[jorricane]

Set everything to 16 bit. Textures, color depth, and don't forget to make sure the resolution is set to ####x####x16 as well. That eliminates the red grids - some ground textures will still drop out occasionally, but overall it becomes playable.

Source: Working on Dell Venue 8 Pro and my wife's Macbook.

Edit: Assuming this fix works for some/most Intel GFX users, a sticky with this fix would be a good idea.