Game Flickering

from Stardock Forums
After a few turns my game interface starts to flicker.  The font and charecter items are so unreadable it make playing the game impossible.  Any ideas at all.  I am using windows XP version 2002 with a ATI Moblility Radeon x1300.
4,558 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from PolMach Forums Top

Hmmm...you're the second ATI Mobility Radeon that is having this problem. Can you turn off anti-aliasing and the map glow to see if you can get through a whole game?

Also, can you copy your 'my documents/my games/polmachine2008/debug.err' file here? I'd like to get a better peek under the hood :)  Thanks!

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
I have already turned off the map glow, it seemed to help but did not slove the problem. I can not find the anti-aliasing option is. Thanks for the help so far, hopefully we can solve this. Please see below for the debug file:

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Debug Message: Version 1.02 last updated on: Wed Jun 18 10:47:55 2008
Debug Message: sig.bin file located at: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Stardock\The Political Machine 2008\sig.bin
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/21/2008, 09:38:40
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: D9JV30B1
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: MM061
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A12
Processor: Genuine Intel(R) CPU T2300 @ 1.66GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 514MB used, 1944MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI Mobility Radeon X1300
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: ATI Mobility Radeon X1300 (0x7149)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_7149&SUBSYS_20031028&REV_00
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6587
Driver Date: 2/16/2006 00:39:16
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SigmaTel Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8384&DEV_7690&SUBSYS_102801BD&REV_1022
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: sthda.sys
Provider: SigmaTel
Driver Version: 5.10.4823.0000
Driver Date: 11/16/2005 15:36:00
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Using 0 samples for multisampling.
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768 (full screen mode)
Debug Message: HAL (hardware vertex processing)ATI Mobility Radeon X1300
Debug Message: Presentation Interval: Immediate.
Debug Message: Refresh Rate: 0hz.
Debug Message: Back Buffer Bit Depth: X8R8G8B8.
Debug Message: 32-bit z-buffer using 24-bits for the depth channel and 8-bits for the stencil channel.
Debug Message: ** Checking Direct3D 9 Device Capabilities ************************************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: Bump mapping is supported.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: The Political Machine 2008 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: No files found matching mask fonts\*.otf
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Data\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Campaign\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Gfx\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Maps\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Snapshots\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Gfx/Candidates\*xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008/Maps\*.PM2MapListXML
Debug Message: Map list file loaded successfully!
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding FullScreenBink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Campaign\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Candidates\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Gfx\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Maps\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Snapshots\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Campaign\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Candidates\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Gfx\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Maps\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Snapshots\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Campaign\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Candidates\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Gfx\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Maps\.PM2Save
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Dave\My Documents\My Games\PolMachine2008\Snapshots\.PM2Save
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing World
Debug Message: Killing World: Completed
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: ResourceManager::Invalidate
Debug Message: effect: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\fx\Candidate.fx has 43 refs
Debug Message: effect: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\fx\CandidateOutline.fx has 16 refs
Debug Message: effect: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\fx\ScreenSpace.fx has 9 refs
Debug Message: effect: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\fx\basic.fx has 29 refs
Debug Message: effect: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\fx\scene.fx has 22 refs
Debug Message: Resource Manager leaked resource: texture wrapper: C:\Program Files\Stardock Games\The Political Machine 2008\Gfx\Scenes\CandidateCreate.png 1 refs
Debug Message: IDirect3D9 object not cleared; 41 ref counts still remaining.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally
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Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I was in the same boat with my Dell laptop.

You need to just update your video drivers to the new ones. Problem solved.

 

Cheers.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I tried to update my ATI Radeon x1300 and the software is not recongzing my hardware. So I can't update through ATI website. Any other ideas? I never really had this problem before.
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Since ATI website did not work to update driver, i went to www.dell.com and they had a working updated driver. Thanks for the help.
Reply #6 from PolMach Forums Top
Cool...let us know if that does the trick :)
Reply #7 from PolMach Forums Top
I can not find the anti-aliasing option
End of quote

It's actually called "Multi-sampling" on the options screen.