INFO: Common graphic problems with XWA

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Re: INFO: Common graphic problems with XWA

Reimar
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Post by Reimar » Thu Feb 13, 2014 6:18 pm

koolio wrote:Are Radeon cards generally better than the NVidia cards for the X=Wing series?
I'd say it's pretty much hit and miss. Radeons were as far as I remember first to have issues.
On the other hand the response from AMD to bug reports was "we'll look into it", whereas NVidia's was more like "we know, we don't care".
Of course the former response only has any real value if they really fix it, which they have not so far (drivers after early last year break AMD cards as well), and considering how they are struggling and get bad PR for not managing to get their own Mantle API to work properly I expect it's very low on their list.
Or in short, be happy to if it works, but you really have no reason to expect much in backwards-compatibility from either vendor.
(less useful advice because you can do little about it: if you want a game that's still playable 10 years later make sure it gets its source released or at least supports OpenGL)

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Post by Darth_Flesh » Tue Feb 18, 2014 6:35 pm

I'm getting a super pain in the ass.
Win 7 64; Rad R9 200; game .02 worx in lowest setting (didn't bother with highest).
Then I apply Darksaber's total shippatch and get the Selu all white. Game immediately CTD after purple loading screen. The game does work in software and without Darksaber's shippatch I guess, but I really really want it.
Apply hack for 32bit and still get the same. Even with or without Darsaber's AID file.
NO setting accepts hardware either; no doubt for the reasons already given elsewhere in this thread.

WTF am I sposed to do? Plug in an old XP comp and figure out the warp to upper left corner issue?? Rolling back AMD stuff wouldn't be too good for new games, right?


As an aside, I also noticed that now when I run Hacker, the window blips in and out of existence! wtf is THAT from?!?
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Post by Reimar » Tue Feb 18, 2014 9:30 pm

Darth_Flesh wrote:I'm getting a super pain in the ass.
Win 7 64; Rad R9 200; game .02 worx in lowest setting (didn't bother with highest).
Then I apply Darksaber's total shippatch and get the Selu all white. Game immediately CTD after purple loading screen. The game does work in software and without Darksaber's shippatch I guess, but I really really want it.
Apply hack for 32bit and still get the same. Even with or without Darsaber's AID file.
NO setting accepts hardware either; no doubt for the reasons already given elsewhere in this thread.
Without hardware 3D the shippatches will (as far as I know) just not work.
The 32 bit hack will even break software mode.
None of the xwahacker things make any sense or work in software mode.
Darth_Flesh wrote: WTF am I sposed to do? Plug in an old XP comp and figure out the warp to upper left corner issue?? Rolling back AMD stuff wouldn't be too good for new games, right?
Probably not, but so far going back to a driver from the start of last year is the simplest solution. Though even that might require Windows 7 instead of XP.
There are people who have managed other solutions, for example Linux+Wine, but they all have their issues and pains.
Darth_Flesh wrote: As an aside, I also noticed that now when I run Hacker, the window blips in and out of existence! wtf is THAT from?!?
Not sure what you mean, but if you mean the xwahacker.exe: that is a command-line program, and it just displays a help text. However Windows defaults to closing command-line windows directly without giving you a chance to read. You'd have to run it from a command prompt to avoid this. However that's why all the .bat files are there for, to automate the stuff you should need.

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Post by Firebiro » Tue Mar 25, 2014 5:37 pm

Hey, reading through these last few pages and it seems like there is still an interest in XWA, which is great! I Just Downloaded DSUP v2.1 and tried running it, I then noticed a glitch in the inflight text (everything else working perfectly) So I rolled back out od DSUP and uninstalled XWA, reinstalled XWA and tested (my god that has dated seriously!) but no text issues, reinstalled DSUP and presto the text is all messed up again, I think the DSUP is astounding dont get me wrong, but I cant really get into the missions if I cant really see the mission text or nootifications, any suggestions?

Win 7 64bit
AMD Radeon HD 7900

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Darksaber
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Post by Darksaber » Wed Mar 26, 2014 12:48 am

When installing the DSUCP you probably selecting the Font Fix for Nvidia Cards, by default it is not selected, therefore your text should be fine.
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Post by Firebiro » Wed Mar 26, 2014 2:31 pm

Thanks so much for the quick reply Darksabre, only things I physically selected were nocd and A new hope Tie fighters

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Post by Darksaber » Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:03 pm

Not sure why there is a problem with the text after you install the DSUCP as it doesn't change anything for the text, other than the font fix for Nvidia card, but that has to be selected before install. You could always try selecting the font fix, other than that I don't know :(
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”
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Firebiro
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Post by Firebiro » Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:18 pm

Will give that a shot :D

ODH88
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Post by ODH88 » Sat Mar 29, 2014 12:10 am

Hello

Using a windows 8 laptop computer, running intel i7. Graphics card = Nvidia Geforce 670GTX-MX

Game runs fine. Have it on widescreen, no issues thus far. No texture pop ins, no problems at all.

Until I use the targeting computer and select a target. Then the cockpit, game models, etc dissapear. All thats left is the HUD and visible space, but no backdrops, etc. However, when I switch to the exterior cam, everything reappears. When I go back to cockpit cam, everythings gone again.

AND, when I enter combat, everything works JUST fine. Weird right? Anyone encounter this and have any suggestions? Im running version 2.02 with widescreen support.... as I said, the game runs perfectly, except when I use the targeting computer and I have NO idea why.

Thanks

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Post by TheBakken » Sat Apr 05, 2014 6:23 pm

I'm having pretty much the same problem as ODH88, the XWAHacker fixes don't seem to work for the problem, the only way to get it to work normally is to play with Hardware mode turned off, but then i am forced into 640x480.

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Post by Reimar » Sun Apr 06, 2014 10:22 am

See the "Targeting Computer Glitch" thread, supposedly the 32 bit patch does fix it.
Last edited by Reimar on Sun Apr 06, 2014 4:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by TheBakken » Sun Apr 06, 2014 2:58 pm

perfect, that fixed it. Thank you

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Post by GodsGameFreak » Fri May 09, 2014 5:36 pm

Hi, not sure if I'm beating a dead horse here, but I've been skimming through this thread for a day now trying different things, and nothing's worked.

I've been trying to get 3D Hardware mode to work, but I think I've given up on that, it just won't on my video cards and drivers from what I can tell. What I would like to get working is my full 1920x1080 resolution using the xwahacker. My problem however, is that it crashes the game once I enter a mission. It's getting tiresome to play at 640x480, heh.

Anyway, if there's a known fix for this, that'd be great. If not, I guess I'll deal with it. Just thought I'd ask.

Specs:
Radeon HD 7870
Intel i7-4770K
Windows 7 64-bit

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Post by FBK » Fri May 09, 2014 8:58 pm

The ati problem is driver. Last versión that works in most atis is 13.1, if does not work try 12.10.

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Post by Bman » Mon May 12, 2014 9:10 am

I think I've stumbled on a solution that "might" help some people who have used the patches, but XWA crashes to desktop when a mission is loaded. The "POV settings" being used by the player. Using BinHexEdit Tool and changing the players' cockpit X,Y,Z coordinate settings in the game engine-- in relation to the cockpit opt file and display resolution maybe the solution. Usually when XWA crashes to desktop, it's because of a conflict from within game, a condition string, or a incompatible setting(s). I remember an instance in the past where I had a custom craft opt and my POV coordinates had me way outside/behind/to the right of, the craft's cockpit while in the hangar. Took a number of trial and error corrections to get back to what seemed appropriate. No problems after that.
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Post by GodsGameFreak » Mon May 12, 2014 3:43 pm

Is it possible to change those values using the XWAHacker? I've tried using hex editing tools before and gotten completely lost, I wouldn't even know where to begin using it. I also don't have any custom crafts or anything installed, it's a fresh copy of XWA.

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Post by Lancelot747 » Tue Aug 12, 2014 8:54 am

Hello everyone.
First post here, sorry it's a tech question.
I have the same problem as quite a few guys had the last few months, according to these boards :
I have installed XwA the correct way, I have patched it to 2.02, I have ran it in many many configurations and it always comes to the same point : if I play in software mode it works (fugly tho), if I turn 3D hardware on, the game works fine to briefing screen, then crashes to desktop upon entering the mission.
I have tried many of the solutions listed here, Reimar's patching, tweaking the .exe with a hexeditor, turning on and off the graphic options, rolling my card's drivers back.. Still no luck.
Has anyone encountered the same problem lately, and how did they fix it ?
Gear :
I7 3770
16go RAM
Geforce 680GTX
Win7 x64 ultimate

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Post by DTM » Fri Aug 22, 2014 1:52 pm

Try skipping the briefing (Launch the mission before the map birefing).
I have the same problem when I see the map briefing that contains 3d animation (display of an object). If I see the briefing, the game crashes during the mission loading.

My trick is:
- I see the map briefing with 3d animations
- I exit the briefing and enter in another room of the Calamari Cruiser, for example the family transport room.
- I come back to the briefing room and launch the mission before the 3d animation of the map briefing.
- The mission will be loaded without game crash

I hope someone has a good solution for this problem

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Post by GLRob » Sun Aug 24, 2014 2:42 pm

FBK wrote:The ati problem is driver. Last versión that works in most atis is 13.1, if does not work try 12.10.
I installed XWA yesterday for the first time since 2001. I had a devil of a time getting the right ATI Radeon/Catalyst driver for my HD 7870 but your post finally gave me the advice I needed. I'm posting here to add my experience in hopes of saving someone else some trouble:

- It first helps to understand that there are AMD Catalyst Software Suites, which include the actual display drivers. The version of the Suite is not the same version of the driver.

- Display driver ver. 12.104.0.0 (03/28/13) that is included in Suite ver. 13.4 did NOT work for me. Neither did display driver ver. 14.100.0.0 or 13.152.1.8000

- Catalyst Suite ver. 12.10 did not work for me either (the Suite description does not say which version of the display driver it includes)

- GPU driver ver. 9.12.0.0 (12/19/2012) DID work for me, and is included in Catalyst Suite ver. 13.1. The URL which follows is for the Windows 7 64-bit download: http://support.amd.com/en-us/download/d ... 4&rev=13.1

- One other problem I ran into was actually updating (downgrading) the driver. Even after I uninstalled my existing Catalyst Suite the 14.xx driver was still installed. If you run the setup program from the URL above, it will not install an older driver over a more recent one. I had to go into Control Panel > Display adapters > right click the video card name and select Properties > Driver tab > Update Driver > Browse my computer for driver software (Locate and install driver software manually) > Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer > choose Standard VGA Graphics Adapter

- Windows will now ask you if you want to reset once the Standard VGA Graphics Adapter driver is installed. DO NOT RESET! When I did, Windows automatically updated the driver back to 14.xx. Instead, install the Catalyst Suite which should overwrite the Standard VGA driver with 9.12.0.0 (or whatever version works for you)

- Also, Once you install the default/basic VGA drivers as above, your monitor will be at a low resolution. Because of this, I found it helpful to download the Catalyst Suite to your desktop since it will be hard to navigate things at that point.

I hope this post can save someone the headache I went through yesterday. It's wonderful to play this game again and am especially enjoying playing upgraded versions of the original X-Wing missions that Waylon made.

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Post by Avarice1987 » Fri Oct 17, 2014 4:22 am

where can i the ATI Font fix only that i can install in the darksaber Setup?

I have installed the Nvidia Font fix ( i have a gtx670) but i can see messages and mission goals better with the ATI fix.

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Post by Darksaber » Fri Oct 24, 2014 6:36 pm

Here are 3 font fixes and a Font Fix Guide that I've collected over the years, don't ask me which is better or worse or whether they are an ATI of Nvidia font fix I haven't a clue.

You'll just have to test each and judge for yourself which you prefer

First Font Fix (in no specific order)
XWA_FONT.rar
by Michael "Agetian" Kamensky

From the readme.txt file
Just place the FONTS.DAT file in the RESDATA folder. Currently this fix only works in 800x600 (it MIGHT work in higher resolutions, but I think it won't since I haven't updated the third font file yet).
Maybe I'll release a new version with higher resolution support.
Enjoy!

- Michael "Agetian" Kamensky
Second Font Fix
XWA-AllRFonts.rar
by Ex-TFA_Stranger

From the readme.txt file
*************************
Star Wars X-Wing Alliance
*************************

Title: XWA All-resolution Font Set

Author: Ex-TFA_Stranger

File Name: XWA-AllRFonts.zip
File Size: 12 KByte
Date Released: 09 January 2006

Credits:
Thanks to
Isildur who was kind enough to create and submit the XWA Dat Customizer;
Harrier Brayer - for his great Font Repair Guide;
Jasc Software - creators of the Paint Shop Pro 7.04.

Installation Instructions:
1. Make a backup copy of your original Font.dat file.
2. Copy the file Fonts.dat into the RESDATA subfolder of your XWA main folder
(e.g. C:\Program Files\XWingAlliance\RESDATA).
3. Copy the file Fonttest.skm into the SKIRMISH subfolder of your XWA main
folder (e.g. C:\Program Files\XWingAlliance\SKIRMISH).

Description:
Xwing Alliance Fonts for Nvidia cards for ALL of the screen resolutions with
an additional skirmish file for testing the character displaying quality of
the XWA with the new font set. Place Yourself into Tie Fighter Group Tester
after loading it, then press Fly button and test the new font set.

Comments:
This is my gift for the Nvidia-owner XWA fan society. I have been considering
it my duty to create and submit these fonts since I had downloaded Harrier's
great Font Repair Guide. I think that my font version is more "XWA-like" than
the earlier ones. I have striven to make the characters good-looking and not
just legible.

Have a fun ! X-WING ALLIANCE FOREVER ;-)
Stranger Out.
(Artist name: Frank "Stranger" Rogue; real name: not available)

THIS MODIFICATION IS NOT MADE, DISTRIBUTED, OR SUPPORTED BY ACTIVISION, RAVEN, OR
LUCASARTS ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC. ELEMENTS TM & © LUCASARTS
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC AND/OR ITS LICENSORS.
Third Font Fix
XWA-HRFonts.rar
by Harrier Brayer

From the readme.txt file
***************************
X-Wing: Alliance
***************************

Title: High Resolution fonts for Nvidia Cards
Author: Harrier Brayer

File Name: XWA-HRFonts.zip
File Size: fonts.dat = 251kb / XWA-HRFonts.zip = 13.6kb
Date Released: 30 November 2004

Credits: Created by Harrier Brayer. Inspired by Agetian's version of the same thing. I just didn't feel like waiting until he got around to fixing the higher resolution fonts.

Installation Instructions: Just copy to your \RESDATA folder. As always, scan scrupulously for virii (hey, I wouldn't trust me, why should you?), and BACKUP THE ORIGINAL.

Description: This fonts.dat file provides legible fonts for the higher resolutions in X-Wing: Alliance.

Comments: I started this with the idea in mind that like Agetian's, it would only work for the resolution it was custom made for. In this case, 1024x768. But in testing it appears to work for all resolutions above 800x600. 1024x768 looks the best, but the rest are all perfectly legible.

THIS MODIFICATION IS NOT MADE, DISTRIBUTED, OR SUPPORTED BY ACTIVISION, RAVEN, OR
LUCASARTS ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC. ELEMENTS TM & © LUCASARTS
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC AND/OR ITS LICENSORS.
Lastly the Guide to Font Repair
XWA_Font_Repair_Guide.rar
by Harrier Brayer
***************************
X-Wing Alliance
***************************

Title: Harrier Brayer's Guide to Font Repair
Author: Harrier Brayer

File Name: XWA_Font_Repair_Guide.rar
File Size: 545Kb
Date Released: 11 June 2005

Credits: Again, thanks to Agetian for showing us all that it could be done. And of course to Isildur for the Dat Customizer tool.

Installation Instructions: This is a Microsoft Word Document (created in MS Office 2003 Pro). No installation is necessary, though you'll need a compatible word processing program to read it.

Description: This is a step by step guide to repairing the corrupted text seen frequently with modern Nvidia graphics cards when attempting to play X-Wing Alliance. It walks the reader through the steps needed to modify the FONTS.dat file in order to have legible text in-game. By editing your own FONTS.dat file, it should be possible to achieve nearly perfect results for your own unique hardware/software configuration. Assuming of course that you're seeing the same problem.

Comments: This guide is available in multiple locations. I felt that the more places I put it out there, the more people will have an opportunity to find it, and ultimately be able to play the game once again.

THIS MODIFICATION IS NOT MADE, DISTRIBUTED, OR SUPPORTED BY ACTIVISION, RAVEN, OR
LUCASARTS ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC. ELEMENTS TM & © LUCASARTS
ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LLC AND/OR ITS LICENSORS.
And that's yer lot have fun :D
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Avarice1987
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Post by Avarice1987 » Thu Nov 27, 2014 2:34 pm

Ich kann die xwa hacker exe nicht ausführen. Sie schliesst sofort wieder, wenn ich sie anklicke.

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Post by Darksaber » Thu Nov 27, 2014 7:55 pm

Ja, es wird das tun, müssen Sie die * .bat-Dateien statt klicken

Und bitte dies ist in erster Linie eine englischsprachige Website, würden wir uns freuen, dass Sie Englisch bei der Buchung nutzen.

Dank
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”.”
- John Lydgate

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Rookie_One1
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Post by Rookie_One1 » Tue Dec 02, 2014 5:08 pm

question, i'm looking to uppgrade my GPU, anyone knows which Video Card I should get to keep compatibility (should I go with nVidia 9xx series or the current AMD Radeon R200 ?
Rookie One, is that you?? - Ru Merleen, Rebel Spy at Imdaar Alpha
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Avarice1987
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Post by Avarice1987 » Sun Dec 06, 2015 8:17 pm

Can i play this game with more than 30 FPS or is this the maximum?

I play with Darksabers pack and had bought a 24 Zoll HDMI Monitor from Dell.

I like the Good graphics from XWAU and other Modders :-)
Thanks for your works

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