[ut2004] Weird graphics Issues with Radeon 9000

[Gian Paolo Mureddu]

Richard wrote:

>I have a Radeon 9500 Pro running with  FC1 all updated to shyza and i
>havnt been able to play ut2k4 OR Americas Army for more than 5 mins with
>out getting this issue (the graphic gliching issue) ive tried EVERYTHING
>and still nothing works, even when i do "flush" in console, it fixes it
>for about 2 seconds, and then it goes right back to gliching, sometimes
>i even get a kick out if not a lock up.
>
>any one got any ideas on THIS one?
>
>Boris
>
>On Sat, 2004-05-01 at 12:31, Nathan Van Eps wrote:
>  
>
>>I get this rarely when the texture level is set to low. I have a
>>9500pro.
>>
>>On Sat, 2004-05-01 at 16:52, Gian Paolo Mureddu wrote:
>>    
>>
>>>Ben Zeigler wrote: 
>>>      
>>>
>>>>Archives for this list seem to be down, so don't yell at me for a
>>>>repeat.  Anyway, I recently purchased the DVD version of UT2k4 and
>>>>installed it on my linux box.  I have an IBM T41 with a Radeon
>>>>9000.  I'm running unstable debian with kernel 2.6.5, and have the
>>>>3.7.6 version of the proprietary ATI driver that I downloaded from
>>>>http://xoomer.virgilio.it/flavio.stanchina/debian/fglrx-installer.html . I am using Xfree 4.3 
>>>>
>>>>Anyway, here's my issue.  The menus work perfectly.  SOME maps work
>>>>perfectly.  Specifically, I can run the first DM mission in single
>>>>player fine at 640x480 (at around 70 fps, even).  However, somewhat
>>>>randomly at higher resolutions, the screen will totally screw up. 
>>>>It displays a variety of grey triangles that seem to extend in
>>>>completely random directions.  The weapon model still draws
>>>>correctly.  These triangles even extend in front of the menu when I
>>>>press EScape, occaisionally.  On other maps, this corruption or
>>>>whatever happens as soon as the map loads.  I can't figure out what
>>>>exactly causes it.  When this doesnt happen, the graphics look
>>>>perfect and run at accelerated speed.  Any idea what's up? 
>>>>
>>>>-JZig 
>>>>
>>>>        
>>>>
>>>AFAIK this is a problem with the ATi drivers and some early Z tests...
>>>However I'm not sure... does it look something like this? (See
>>>attached image)
>>>
>>>If so you can correct this with the console command "flush", I've
>>>noticed this on my 9500 when texture level is anywhere beyond normal.
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>
>
>  
>
As I said in the message with the image, this problem is with the ATi 
drivers, not the game per se. According to some speculation from the 
Linux ATi community at 
www.rage3d.com/board/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=61 
<http://www.rage3d.com/board/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=61>, this is 
due to some math errors when performing Z buffer tests on the card, 
however I do not know why the problem appears, really. This artifacting 
of the UT200x based games is nototrious since the introduction of the 
3.2.x drivers, being less notorious (in my *personal* experience) in 
drivers versions 3.2.8 (which add other type of artifacting, not so 
dramatic, and not so often at least).