How to FIX ATI graphical bugs

[ShaiCZ 10]

First and foremost, the following may or may not be good to all, yet the results are so fo me good I feel like making it a new thread. If you feel so (admins) move the topic to a more relevant thread.

My specifications:

WinXP 32-bit

SEAGATE Barracuda 7200.10 250GB SATA II NCQ 16MB cache, 7200ot

Sapphire HD 4850 1GB DDR3 (1986MHz), 256bit, Vapor-X

AMD Dual-Core Athlon A64 X2 5200+EE (65W) 64-bit Windsor BOX

3GB DDR2 800MHz PC6400 A.DATA Extreme Edition

CoolerMaster Elite 330, ATX

ASUS M2A-VM HDMI, AMD 690G/ATI SB600, DualChannel DDR2 800, VGA + PCIe x16

Game version:

- patched to 1.03

- latest beta patch ´599

My issues:

- very slow loading textures

- flickering of textures

- silver heads

- other graphical issues

HOW TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES:

1) Apply ATI drivers 9.8

2) In CCC, set "use application settings" wherever possible

3) In BIOS, Maximum Payload Size set to "1024" (previously 4096 for me)

4) Delete the .cfg file and DO NOT temper with it (before, I used to rewrite the values)

5) In the game, set Video mem. = Very High

6) All other settings to High

7) Post-processing = Small, Texture Detail = High, Filtering = Normal, Shadows = Normal

8) View Distance = 2040

Before that, the game was totally unplayable, even after upgrading GPU (from x1950 to 4850). Now, I have no graphical bugs that would jeopardize the game experience AND AFTER TWO MONTHS, I can enjoy the game!

NOTE: I have no idea which of the above mentioned steps is the one to do the trick or wheater its a magic combination of more, nor am I sure about its sequence. Truth be told, changing this setting results in the mentioned issues again.

[thr0tt 12]

Maximum Payload Size

Common Options : 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048, 4096

Quick Review

This BIOS feature determines the maximum TLP (Transaction Layer Packet) payload size that can be supported by the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller. The TLP payload size determines the amount of data transmitted within each data packet.

When set to 128, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller will only support a maximum data payload of 128 bytes within each TLP.

When set to 256, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller will only support a maximum data payload of 256 bytes within each TLP.

When set to 512, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller will only support a maximum data payload of 512 bytes within each TLP.

When set to 1024, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller will only support a maximum data payload of 1024 bytes within each TLP.

When set to 2048, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller will only support a maximum data payload of 2048 bytes within each TLP.

When set to 4096, the motherboard chipset's PCI Express controller supports the maximum data payload of 4096 bytes within each TLP. This is the maximum payload size currently supported by the PCI Express protocol.

It is recommended that you set this BIOS feature to 4096, as this allows all PCI Express devices connected to send up to 4096 bytes of data in each TLP. This gives you maximum efficiency per transfer.

However, this is subject to the PCI device connected to it. If that device only supports a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, the motherboard chipset will communicate with it with a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, even if you set this BIOS feature to 4096.

On the other hand, if you set this BIOS feature to a low value like 256, it will force all connected devices to use a maximum payload size of 256 bytes, even if they support a much larger TLP payload size.

[Gringo85 0]

Well i gotta tell you, i dont know what it is either but it did improve my game visual quality a lot and it did improve my performance when i went i did what was suggested. I got an ATI 4890 with 9.8 catalyst and man it did work, now textures load faster, theres no more flickering textures and man, game looks awesome now plus a range of FPS from 35 to 60 with the bugged vsync on of course, if not it would of go over 60.

Thanks dude, great finding. (I personally think it might be the combination of deleting the messed up/tweaked cfg file and the maximun payload size change to 1024 in the BIOS, I will suggest changing the payload size to whatever your video card supports.)

[ShaiCZ 10]

I am happy I could help and thanks for confirming. After two months of desperate tweaking and trying, when success finally came and bugs disappeared, I wasnt sure wheater I wasnt dreaming:o)))

Hopefully, BIS will read this post and be able to figure out which of the suggested is the key.

PS: thx ohara;)

[InFireBaptize 0]

Maximum Payload Size

However, this is subject to the PCI device connected to it. If that device only supports a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, the motherboard chipset will communicate with it with a maximum TLP payload size of 512 bytes, even if you set this BIOS feature to 4096.

On the other hand, if you set this BIOS feature to a low value like 256, it will force all connected devices to use a maximum payload size of 256 bytes, even if they support a much larger TLP payload size.

Where to change the playlod? in the BIOS? and how to tell if PCI can handle it? would like to give it a try. I have left everything in the game to default and the game runs 25-30fps but i'd like to try the bios thing, can you provide instructions!

Thanks.

[randir14 10]

It depends on your motherboard I guess, mine doesn't have an option to change anything called payload. Btw I think videomem=very high and textures=high are only for 1 gig cards, I tried on my 512 4850 and it caused worse performance and texture flickering.

Edited August 29, 2009 by randir14

[ShaiCZ 10]

Where to change the playlod? in the BIOS? and how to tell if PCI can handle it? would like to give it a try. I have left everything in the game to default and the game runs 25-30fps but i'd like to try the bios thing, can you provide instructions!

Thanks.

Hey, I found this value in BIOS under PCI(...) folder. Being an IT noob, I found only 2 values expressed in numbers in BIOS - RAM memory (where the number value in BIOS agreed with what I actually have) and the Payload value (where I had no idea about its meaning, so I changed it:o).

Now, the 4096 previously set in BIOS correspond to "virtual memory" option in WinXP (also 4096 for me). A question for IT specialists here -

Is MAXIMUM PAYLOAD SIZE (controlled in BIOS) the same as VIRTUAL MEMORY (controlled via System in WinXP)? Or, Is there any other way to control Maximum Payload Size, except via BIOS?

---------- Post added at 04:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 04:21 AM ----------

Btw I think videomem=very high and textures=high are only for 1 gig cards, I tried on my 512 4850 and it caused worse performance and texture flickering.

Thats possible, m8. Try experimenting a bit with the setting. Seeing you have half the memory that I have, I would try High or Normal for you, nothing less. Definitely not "Default" as I have the WORST results with it (artifacts like hell, silver heads, etc.).

[SylverFyre 10]

this payload option is controlling a basic function of communication across the PCI-E bus - thats what the BIOS does, basic system settings

virtual memory is a function of the OS which is why those options reside there - windows manages memory allocation and pagefile usage.

[thr0tt 12]

Where to change the playlod? in the BIOS? and how to tell if PCI can handle it? would like to give it a try. I have left everything in the game to default and the game runs 25-30fps but i'd like to try the bios thing, can you provide instructions!

Thanks.

Its a BIOS setting and your BIOS doen't have the option to change it so it will be hard coded to whateve ASUS feel works best for their board.