Weird screen darkening

[Alwarren 2766]

Hello.

I keep having a weird problem that is driving me slightly insane. The following happens:

After a while of playing (see below), the screen goes dark. Not completely dark, but it looks like a black semi-transparent polygon is rendered across the screen, but behind the UI (meaning, squad display, menus, everything non-3D still looks normal). Map screen looks fine, as well as the menu; it's only the 3D view.

The darkening effect varies between occurrence. Sometimes it goes pitch black, sometimes it's just like there's a cloud in front of the sun, or you wear sunglasses. Depending on the darkening, switching on NVG's might work. Also, these seems to be thin lines at x=0 and y=0 (i.e. the left and top screen pixel rows). It seems like there is a full-screen filtered transparent black rectangle drawn as an overlay with x=0.5 and y=0.5, so that the borders lighten up slightly.

What's also weird is that there is no scheme behind it. Sometimes it doesn't happen at all for hours, sometimes it happens after only a few minutes. It *seems* be connected with Multiplayer, because I do not remember having seen it during single player, but it does not matter whether I host or play as a client.

I am quite positive it isn't a problem of overheating or a broken graphics card, since it only happens in ArmA 2 Operation Arrowhead (not in ArmA 2), and it isn't specific to a version since I have been getting it since a good while already.

I do use addons, but they vary, although there are some that I have always loaded, but I cannot say whether it depends on addons since the problem only happens so sporadic.

My system info

Windows 7 64 bit

AMD Phenom II X4 945 3Ghz

4 Gigabytes of main memory

Radeon HD 4850 (Catalyst 11.5, but it has been around for longer) on PCIe x16, 512 MB onboard memory

Nothing is overclocked, temperatures are well within limits.

My Arma2oa.cfg:

language="English";

adapter=-1;

3D_Performance=48387;

Resolution_Bpp=32;

Resolution_W=1920;

Resolution_H=1080;

refresh=60;

winX=23;

winY=35;

winW=1872;

winH=989;

winDefW=1872;

winDefH=989;

Render_W=1920;

Render_H=1080;

FSAA=0;

postFX=3;

GPU_MaxFramesAhead=1000;

GPU_DetectedFramesAhead=3;

HDRPrecision=8;

lastDeviceId="";

localVRAM=529510400;

nonlocalVRAM=1878616064;

Windowed=0;

vsync=1;

MinErrorToSend=0.0049999999;

AToC=7;

Does anybody know that problem? And by chance has a solution too? I've looked over the forums but I haven't found anything; it's difficult to search for it though since it's hard to attach keywords to it.

~~ Alwarren

[Gunter Severloh 3952]

Sounds like HDR to me, thats normal if Im getting what your saying, maybe a small vid of your issue would better demonstrate what your talking about.

[Nicholas 5]

Where did you get the game? (This is important). Make sure X-Contrast is off on your monitor as well. (This option is if you have an LCD screen)

Edited July 11, 2011 by Nicholas

[Alwarren 2766]

Sounds like HDR to me, thats normal if Im getting what your saying, maybe a small vid of your issue would better demonstrate what your talking about.

I can try, but usually, it happens quickly and without warning. The screen also doesn't go down gradually, but all of a sudden, from one frame to another. I would suspect that if it where an HDR issue (like, whith WarFX when you look at a burning chopper) the screen would darken gradually ?

Recently, I had one incident where part of the screen remained, like a 60 or so pixel stripe on the right of the screen. I had made screenshots.

Right, I forgot to mention that it persists even to the main menu, I have to quit the game to get it back to normal.

Here's screenshots of the effect. If you look closely at the black areas, you can see some very faint stuff:

Screenshot #1

Here's the effect with NVG's enabled:

Screenshot #2

Note that this is in bright daylight. Also notice the remains of the wall on the left side of the picture.

Where did you get the game?

On CD. I got BAF and PMC from Sprocket but I don't think this is related.

Make sure X-Contrast is off on your monitor as well. (This option is if you have an LCD screen)

Don't think it has anything to do with the monitor, the map is displayed correctly, as are the icons and text. It's certainly not a general darkening, it's the 3D view only.

[Gunter Severloh 3952]

What do you have your HDR set too?

I personally dont see a problem, seems like typical HDR BS to me.

[EDcase 87]

Definitely looks like graphics card problem.

Have you tried updating to latest or even going back to a previous WHQL?

[Alwarren 2766]

What do you have your HDR set too?

I personally dont see a problem, seems like typical HDR BS to me.

HDR and Post Processing are both set to Normal. AA is off.

Definitely looks like graphics card problem.

All other games work, I never had any issue with e.g Fallout 3 which I played a lot recently as well.

Have you tried updating to latest or even going back to a previous WHQL?

I had recently updated to 11.5, there is only one newer version (11.6). I believe thought that AMD will probably not fix too much anymore with the 4xxx series. I might try going back to a WHQL, though, but then, I haven't seen any problem with the card or the driver with any other game I play.

[EDcase 87]

All other games work

Arma isn't like any other games ;)

Have you tried with PostProcessing Dissabled?

No mods?

[Alwarren 2766]

Arma isn't like any other games ;)

True :)

Have you tried with PostProcessing Dissabled?

No mods?

When the problem happened, it doesn't help to turn everything off, the effect will persist. Other than that, I don't know, it happens too sporadically to say anything.

I'll try an extended session tonight with no mods loaded to see whether that helps.