Graphic problems

[Suicider]

Hey all.

Having played the game without a problem since I got it (oh well, almost without problems), I've gotten a really annoying problem after updating the software for my graphics card.. When I'm moving I get several problems:

1) Green stuff randomly appearing in the distance
2) Connected pixel's. Someones helm might get "connected" to a tree in the distance, drawing a line between them, usually widening on the middle
3) parts of terrain flashing. mainly in the distance, I get parts of the terrain loaded, then it goes away, then it comes back and so on. this terrain is usually alot brighter than it should be.

When I'm standing still, i get all of the above but also a black triangle flashing in the lower left corner.

Really can't see the reason for this stuff as I'm still running the game with the same options and so on.

Hope anyone can help me solve this...

Suicider.

[Kalos]

Revert to your old drivers. If they worked fine, keep them. If it's not broke, don't try to fit it, in this case the attempted fix broke it.

[Suicider]

Well, the thing is with the old ones I had graphical lockups. First the screen locked, then the sound went off and then the comp restarted. With new drivers I don't have that problem but the graphic is messed up instead.

[Kalos]

Perhaps another version entirely might be better. It could just be the card is a little glitchy too, what is it and what company put it together. Nvidia made the chips in it but they didn't assemble it or produce any of the other components. If this is the work of Sparkle, I'd strongly recommend a replacement. There are few others that do more dodgy work.

If it's a weak card anyway, it shouldn't be too much of a loss to replace.

[Suicider]

Nvidia Gforce 6800 iirc.

[Kalos]

Nvidia Gforce 6800 iirc.
Please read my post fully above. I already know Nvidia is involved, every Geforce had a Nvidia GPU in them. Nvidia doesn't make graphics cards, just the GPU chips. Another company, a third party, actually manufacturers these things, purchases the chips from Nvidia and parts from elsewhere, whacks them all together and sells them. I need to know, who were the guys who whacked the thing together, not where did the driving GPU of the graphics card come from.

[Suicider]

And where can I see that? :P Sorry for the stupid questions >_<

[Kalos]

Is it a pre-fabbed computer you bought from the shop or did you peice it together yourself? If so, the original packaging and the relivant components inside such as the manual and the company driver CD should be able to tell you. Opening the case and studing the graphics card is also an option to which might reveal an answer, several of the higher makers stamp thier logo over it for identification.

[Suicider]

It is a computer which my father got through his job, they got some offer they could rent a computer for 3 years, basically no documentation included at all.. I'll have a look at the card inside once I've turned it off though.

[Eonblue]

I had a similar problem to this...mobs models where inverted (faces pushed to back of head, legs on back...it was funny to watch bears run) and i simply check the box under video options (triliner filterin? i think) where it says to check if you have excessive screen tearing.
fixed it
no more issues.

[Suicider]

So, done some checking around and here's what I've found:

The graphics card is from Nvidia who has made all of the parts.
Winlogon is working at 20-30% all the time, causing lagg.
The problem only occures at higher resolutions, diminishing at lower (When I got down to the worst, it was impossible to see, might have been due to bad resolution though).
It does not happen when I stand still.
It came after updating my graphic card drivers, which I had to update due to a different lockup.
having a 20" fan directed at the graphics card does not help, meaning that it probably isn't overheating
This is annoying as hell..

Now, Kalos.. HELP ME! :cry:

Suicider.

[Kalos]

At this point put a new graphics card in. This one sounds like it's core has just gone. You can hope it unwigs itself but it doesn't seem likely. Can't give a cause of death but it sometimes happens to some cards when they get older.

[Suicider]

So.. Will an Nvidia 8600 be good enough? I think father talked about getting a whole new computer with that card in, think it had only 256MB memory or something like that, sounded abit low to me.. Any thoughts about it?

[Kalos]

So.. Will an Nvidia 8600 be good enough? I think father talked about getting a whole new computer with that card in, think it had only 256MB memory or something like that, sounded abit low to me.. Any thoughts about it?
Try a 7600 GT. It's more powerful that an 8600, performs better in games. If you're going with the 8 series, 8800 or nought, the old 7 series cost less and perform better with anything below the 8800 GTS.

[Suicider]

Ah, I'll have a word with my father then..

Just one last question, WHY are those cards better?

[Kalos]

Ah, I'll have a word with my father then..

Just one last question, WHY are those cards better?
In two words, beats me. Nvidia just weren't all that fussed. However, you can see the difference in benchmarks like up on Tomshardware.com

There's a longer answer, but it won't be very nice. It involves much of the 8 series potential being wasted on features and new compatibility standards instead of the status quo. While the 7 series was focused on the very dominant here-and-now, the games that are actually already out. Low end 8 series great if you actually use nothing but DirectX 10 games I suppose, other than that, those new features aren't even making a sniff or a whisper in games that don't have such new technology to take advantage of a new API.

And then there's the whole no competition, market monopoly thing. Why waste money improving the middle range cards when you could simply boost the high end? It's not like there's anyone else to release reasonably priced and higher performing middle ground.

[Suicider]

I didn't understand much of what you said but I'll assume that you know what you are talking about and try to get my father to get a 7600 card.

[Kalos]

That's ok, that's why I didn't go into great detail. Benchmarks are a measurement, a way of comparison. The 7600 GT shows up as faster than a 8600 of any class on the tests, therefore it's faster.

The 8600 just wasn't an award winning, five thumbs up design, just a cheap whimpy first step they didn't want to make too powerful so they could make the 8800's cheaper when the 9 series comes out later this year. It just doesn't work as well. If we truely knew why, we could be graphics card designers outselves.