Graphics Problem

[pirate_pete]

Hi, I'm having a problem with the graphics in the game: images are smeared and darkened, with coloured bands running across the screen. Gameplay is possible, but seeing things like resources and building sites is nearly impossible.

It looks like the area to the left of the screen is casting a 'shadow', as bands often emenate from the new building controls, and the display flickers when the cursor is to the right of the screen.

My drivers are up-to-date and DX9.0c compatible; I have patched the game to v. 1.2 and tried different graphics settings and uninstall/reinstall.

Any ideas?
A DXdiag log is attached.

Many thanks.

[imhotep3147]

I realize that you've said your drivers are up to date.....but are you sure? Your video drivers are from '03 and your sound drivers from '02. I am unfamiliar with both the video and sound card but it seems like they would have newer drivers available? That's really the only thing I can see in your dxdiag. Maybe a more technical member will spot something. Hope you get it figured out. :D

[Keith]

Like Imhotop said, your graphic drivers are dated 2003, and two years old. They probably need updating. Unfortunately, the Herculese site (http://ts.hercules.com/eng/) only offers the same driver you currently have.

You may have to try a driver from ATI directly.

[pirate_pete]

OK, have found new version of catalyst drivers direct from ATI dated Feb., but graphics in-game, if anything, are worse.

Also - curiously - it seems to run slower, although this could be illusory.

[pirate_pete]

Come to think of it, it strikes me as being very familiar to when Civ III forced the monitor refresh rate to 68Hz (it throws a wobbly over 60Hz, being a reasonably cheapo TFT type). However, Alt+Tab'bing out and a quick shufti at the graphics settings with the game running shows no such messing about.

Throw any light on it?

Thanks thus far,
Yrs., &c..

[Keith]

Hmmm...I'm not sure what else to tell you there.

Did you make sure to uninstall the old Hercules driver and any Hercules video control panel files first, before you installed the ATI files?

Changing the refresh rate was a good idea.

Under the ATI control center or panel, depending on which set of drivers you installed find the section that contains SMARTGART and disable FASTWRITE. See if that helps.

You may want to tinker a bit with the other video card settings if disabling FASTWRITE doesn't help. Try them one at a time. You'll need to reboot between most changes.

Are you using the default video settings from the in-game video control menu?

[pirate_pete]

Ah, got it. The catalyst control centre had an option for forcing down the maximum refresh rate allowed by apps. Problem solved! :D

Thanks for the help!

[Keith]

I'm glad you got it worked out! :D http://community.vugames.com/Images/emoticons/ltdance.gif