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shuurajou

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Posts posted by shuurajou

  2. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    Yes, without -winxp I get the typical blocky texture problem you see with 8GB of ram. The -winxp switch does not help the other issues however nor does the various other suggestions people have been nice enough to send along. A new driver update (190.62) didn't help either, and yes that's after properly uninstalling the older ones.

    I've run my gas tank dry trouble shooting this game. I freakin' had it too, prior to Win7 and 8GB... then it was back to square one. Real shame as Win7 is absolutely worth the upgrade, and given the work I do the 8GB is not going away either. I just haven't got any more ArmA2 troubleshooting in me right now, which sucks given my history with these games. Looks like it's just going to take up HD space for the time being, and hopefully I'll spot some sort of fix in here or get my energy up to sort this crap out again. Failing that, we'll see what the future holds in the next few months.

    PS - As to BIS taking the time to explain some things about the game here... Placebo seems to have time to come bitch me out in the comments on my blog if I post something unfavorable so I don't think it's so much a lack of time on their part, as a complete lack of interest. :(

    Datter, with NVIDIA driver 190.38 (WHQL) installed, click start > run > msconfig > go to boot settings > advanced and limit memory to say 3584. Then reboot. Run arma 2. Close it - see if your localVRAM is reported close (will be a few megs out probably). Despite popular belief, it seems that the values populated in the CFG are only what Arma 2 had detected, Arma 2 doesn't seem to actually use those values - merely shows you what it's working with - you have no control if you fiddle with localVRAM=X in the CFG.

    Although as BIS haven't told us officially this is all speculation.

  3. Posted

    First of all, the Wiki is not only filled with community knowledge but BI developers also add or edit articles.

    Second, the Wiki is well moderated and the one who fills it with nonsense of false information has modified articles for a long time then.

    We will see if a developer will answer this questions here, I wouldn't bet though. :)

    Hi W0lle,

    I appreciate you addressing our concerns here and contributing to the thread.

    That's great to know BI developers contribute to the Wiki. It's also great to hear it's moderated.

    It'd be great to see if a developer can come and help us out here, as if they can't - who can?

  4. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    This is the official BI Studio Wiki. More official it doesn't get, maybe check the domain it's hosted at. ;)

    I appreciate the Wiki is provided by BIS but the content is owned and produced by the community and can be changed by anyone. I'd imagine keen forum users put a lot of that information on there. Hence the ambiguity on some of them and inaccuracy in other areas.

    The problem is the community made it, with their guesses, not BIS. Even I can go in and change things if I want with wrong information.

    Regardless, the questions I've posted are parts of solutions people recommend all the time, but nobody is agreed on what they do and there's no guidance from BIS if we're getting things right or not. The manual provided to me on Steam doesn't actually have a 'Video Memory' setting.

    The game isn't perfect yet, and we appreciate BIS is working on it, but to make the best of the things before the patches to come, we need help from BIS about the settings and parameters so we can help troubleshooting ourselves. We need support from BIS as they know what -winxp actually does an why/if we should use it. BIS will know what they created the different 'Video Memory' settings in game for and how we can use them depending on hardware (there are only guesses on the forum - everyone says different). BIS will know why/if we should look at the local/nonlocalVRAM cfg parameters and how we can use them to diagnose faults or if indeed we can use them at all.

    If BIS can answer these key questions then we can make sure they are on the wiki, accurate, and locked (if that can be done), then that'd be really helpful. Only the developers can tell us the real answers to the questions I've posed - the community can only guess.

  5. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    The startup parameters are explained here.

    Hi W0lle,

    Thanks for your response. Sadly that is a community wiki so isn't official statements from BIS so is possibly inaccurate.

    Based on my examples, and looking at the wiki...

    Command line argument: -winxp

    The information seems inaccurate on the wiki. We know -winxp helps some GTX 275/285 users (they only have on gpu) and it's suspected it forces using a windowsXP version of Direct3d 9 which may explain some it makes a difference for people who have only one GPU. So the explanation of 'use it in Vista/Windows 7 to enable multi-GPU support (Arma2)' is merely one of many results that using this command line can achieve, but not an explanation of BIS as to what they designed it to do and the effects it may have.

    CFG parameter: localVRAM=X

    The guidance on what this means, should have defined as a value or how it can be used to help is not on the wiki.

    CFG parameter: nonlocalVRAM=X

    Again, any guidance is missing on the wiki for this.

    In Game Parameter/Setting: Video Memory

    Guidance on the wiki is missing for this. Guidance is required on what each setting determines and how it should be used in correlation to your setup.

    So all in all the wiki hasn't helped with these particular questions, and they are key questions as many times they are quoted as 'solutions' to problems when nobody knows what they really do.

    W0lle, if you're happy to take these questions to BIS I think you'd be doing all of us a huge favour.

  6. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    Hi BIS,

    This isn't a whine post, it's a cry for help on behalf of the community. The publishers (who we're meant to 'officially' go to support) can't answer this, only you can help.

    There are issues with Arma 2 right now, and in many cases, it seems like little tweaks here and there using Arma's settings can help us help ourselves.

    There are many threads where users are struggling with issues and the solutions to these issues being suggested are things like using command line arguments '-winxp' or '-maxmem=2047' (these are only 2 examples). Many people are also being told to change their 'localVRAM' and 'nonlocalVRAM' values set in their CFG file. The problem is I believe many people are guessing what these things do, and giving them out to each other wrongly.

    Would you be able to help us, by defining what the what the different parameters do and mean, and how we can use them to help ourselves.

    An examples would be the 'video memory' setting - it's debated constantly what the different settings mean, who should use what and what governs the default setting setting.

    Another example would be the localVRAM & nonlocalVRAM cfg values. Some people suggest changing them - some people say Arma doesn't read those values, merely fills them with what it thinks are your video card memory and page file values.

    The problem is BIS, only you can tell us truely what these settings mean, and how we can use them to help ourselves, or how we can look at these values to identify problems.

    I think everybody appreciates the efforts to bring us the beta builds and that you are working to improve the game, but these basic bits of guidance will really help us further.

    So BIS, will you support us in supporting ourselves?

    I'll update the thread as we get answers below:

    Arma2.cfg parameters:

    localVRAM=X

    [The localVRAM parameter is auto detected and is used by the Arma 2 engine for graphical optimization, this specific value indicates Arma 2's autodetection of GFX card resources (cited from official BI suport)]

    [localVRAM parameter was made for debuging purposes only during developement(cited from BI Developer)]

    Oustanding Question(s): It is not clear from the information provided that 'GFX card resources' means the amount of RAM on the video card, although this is likely

    nonlocalVRAM=X

    [The nonlocalVRAM parameter is auto detected and is used by the Arma 2 engine for graphical optimization, this particular value indicates Arma 2's autodetection on local available resources from main memory via AGP (cited from official BI suport)]

    [localVRAM parameter was made for debuging purposes only during developement(cited from BI Developer)]

    Oustanding Question(s): Whether or not this value matters in anyway for users with PCIe cards isn't clear. It also isn't clear if "local available resources from main memory via AGP" means AGP aperture size.

    In Game Settings:

    Video Memory [UNKNOWN - missing from the manual]

    Command Line Arguments:

    -winxp

    [The -winxp command line argument minimizes the different approaches in Win7/Vista to XP, in some cases it has seen to enable multi-GPU support (cited from official BI support)]

    Oustanding Question(s): It is not confirmed if this command line argument forces Arma 2, in a Windows 7/Vista environment to use Direct3D 9 instead of Direct3D 9EX.

    Many Thanks,

    Shuurajou (to see my own personal troubleshooting journey, click here).

    PS> I have highlighted this thread to Miloslav Cinko (Customer Support) of Idea Games (BIS exclusive publisher) to see if we can get the ball rolling on some answers via that channel too.

    Update #1 - 26th August 2009 - 11:12 UTC:

    Blank email received from publisher in response to my request. Hoping it's just an accident and have highlighted to them if they did send me any info - it's not showing.

    Update #2 - 26th August 2009 - 11:25 UTC:

    The publisher has responed to my email and has queried if this thread has provided me the answers we need. I've advised so far this isn't the case, and highlighted the questions we have outstanding that need the attention of a BI developer.

    Update #3 - 26th August 2009 - 12:42 UTC:

    I have had a further response from the publisher via someone called 'Lynx', although their comments seem to be as a result of looking on the forum/wiki, not validating with the developers if the forum/wiki 'guesses' from users are accurate/inaccurate. I've requested absolute confirmation.

    Update #3 - 26th August 2009 - 13:10 UTC:

    Lynx has advised he is official BI support and the information he is providing me is from the programmers at BI. I am confirming more granular details to ensure this information is useful.

    Update #4 - 26th August 2009 - 13:10 UTC:

    I have ongoing discussions with 'official BI support' via the publisher 'IDEA GAMES', but have also received contact from an actual BI Developer (I sent a request for help when I created this thread). I won't name the developer as people will likely fill their inbox thinking they will get help, however they have sent me to another developer to get concrete answers to my questions - however they have advised that the parameters were only created for debugging purposes (not meant to be a user configurable option).

    Updated #5 - 27th August 2009 - 11:40 UTC:

    Sadly, BI official support feel that my questions are as a result of my own personal frustration and seem reluctant to assist. Please see the email chain for your viewing here here.

    Updated #6 - 27th August 2009 - 12:37 UTC:

    Trying to source this information from official sources (so the community doesn't have to guess) has been time consuming and resolving any ambiguity around the information given seems not to be a possibility as the publisher seems not to view this as their responsibility. I have tried to do this for the community as there are threads with several thousand views and no answers - however, I really don't have the time and effort to continue this further without the support of the publisher. I hope the information in this thread is post proves helpful to some people - good luck.

  8. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    If you look at this MSDN documents you'll see that vista uses a slight varient with certain extentions etc Direct3dEX. If you use -winxp, I've read this could influence the usage of Direct3D 9ex

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb219800(VS.85).aspx

    http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb219837(VS.85).aspx

    Interestingly according to the below thread it can influence vRAM usage.

    http://www.gamedev.net/community/forums/topic.asp?topic_id=534709

    Quoted from someone who knows more than me...

    DirectX 9c is for XP. It was in XP Service Pack 2.

    DirectX 9L was the development name of the transitional DirectX. The L stands for Longhorn, which was the development name for Vista. It is Vista only.

    Direct 9Ex is the same thing as DirectX 9L. Direct 9Ex is the commercial name for DirectX 9L. It is a transitional API that allows access to the new Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM), while at the same time maintaining compatibility for existing Direct3D applications. Direct 9Ex is used by Vista's Aero interface. Direct 9Ex is Vista only (as was DirectX 9L, since they are the same thing).

    DirectX 10 is the new API that added features for Vista's new WDDM. It is not as compatible with older stuff as Direct 9Ex is. DirectX 10 is Vista only.

    In summary, 9c is XP only. 9L, 9Ex, and 10 are Vista only.

    And put simply by Wikipedia

    In order to achieve backwards compatibility, DirectX in Windows Vista contains several versions of Direct3D:[20]

    Direct3D 9: emulates Direct3D 9 behavior as it was on Windows XP. Details and advantages of Vista's Windows Display Driver Model are hidden from the application if WDDM drivers are installed. This is the only API available if there are only XP graphic drivers (XPDM) installed, after an upgrade to Vista for example.

    Direct3D 9Ex (known internally during Windows Vista development as 9.0L or 9.L, the L standing for Vista's codename: Longhorn): allows full access to the new capabilities of WDDM (if WDDM drivers are installed) while maintaining compatibility for existing Direct3D applications. The Windows Aero user interface relies on D3D 9Ex.

    Direct3D 10: Designed around the new driver model in Windows Vista and featuring a number of improvements to rendering capabilities and flexibility, including Shader Model 4.

  9. Posted

    Back in the early days I had problems in some areas if my video memory was set to default, changing it to high solved them. Since that I haven't changed it but I guess with a GTX295 very high should work well (GTX280 here).

    W0lle, is there any means you have to get BIS to explain definitively how we should use the video memory setting. If it's linked to the localVRAM and nonlocalVRAM cfg file entries it'd be great to get an explanation on that too.

  10. Posted

    I still haven't got this sorted out.

    - In game settings do not change the CFG (it always reports 255mb when it should be 512mb)

    - Altering my system ram from 8GB to 6GB makes ArmA2 misreport the vram down to 213mbs. Again, in-game settings do nothing.

    - CFG file is NOT read only

    - SLI no longer has any effect. Better frame rates with it off.

    None of that was true with Win XP 32bit and 2gb of ram, but going to Win7 63 bit and 8gb totally screwed things over. I am getting less and less arsed to care about it.

    Have you tried the -winxp command?

    ---------- Post added at 06:10 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:09 PM ----------

    As PC gamers, we're used to getting our heads around the wonderful fun that video options present us with. Thanks to these options screens, the greater mass now understands what the hell anisotropic filtering is, and the rest.

    But why, BIS, introduce an all-new setting never before seen, that is ambiguous in meaning, where there is no precedent, and despite endless forum posts on your own site - offer NO EXPLANATION?

    Leaving us to speculate, trial and error test and end up in a bloody mess of confusion?

    Can ONE member of the BIS team take 2 MINUTES to post and explain? ...please...?

    It's like you hate us and are laughing at our collective confusion.

    Amen.

  11. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    This shouldn't be an issue with 8gb of ram as I had 8gb of RAM with 2x 8800 GTXs in SLI and there was no blank textures. I also had no blank textures in the 186 drivers. I'll update my main post.

    I believe winXP forces windows to use an alternate version of direct 3d, not a direct 3d ex which was developed purely for vista's sake.

  12. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    Hi All,

    Just logging a fault that unless you use the -winxp command with the latest 190 drivers (190.62 WHQL) I get blank textures. Also suffer with CTD occasionally.

    I have used 2x8800 GTXs in SLI previously that don't have this issue with Arma 2 in this driver.

    Specs are...

    GFX: BFG GeForce GTX 285 OCX

    Sound: X-Fi Fatal1ty

    Mobo: ASUS P5N-T Deluxe (BIOS 1303)

    CPU: Intel Woldfale E8400 Intel Core 2 Duo

    Cooler: Tuniq Tower 120 (on the CPU)

    Case: Cosmos S

    Keyboard: Microsoft Natural 4000

    Mouse: Razer Diamondback

    OS: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit Final RTM Build

    RAM: OCZ Reaper HPC 8GB (4x2GB) DDR2 PC-8500C5 @ 1066MHz

    Display: Dell 2005FPW

    PSU: Hiper Type M 880W

    I do not believe this bug is related to 8gb of RAM, as when running with 2x 8800 GTXs in SLI, I had no blank texture bug with these drivers. Also, when using my GTX 285 with the 186 drivers, there was also no texture bug.

    All components are at the stock speeds as provided to me by the manufacturers.

  13. Posted · Edited by shuurajou

    Danny;1419320']Because it was added in a ArmA1 patch' date=' v. 1.08. ArmA 1 was released when GPUs had no more than 512mb memory (more was not common). But with the release of the 8800GTX, 768mb card, it became more common (HD2900XTs with 1GB also showed up).

    In the patch release notes it says;

    * New texture detail "Default" that autodetects the amount of VRAM. Recommended Texture Detail setting for users of cards with more than 512 VRAM.

    So yes, Default is the recommnded option for cards with more than 512MB of VRAM. What i dont understand is why i get a big performance drop using Default instead of VeryHigh.[/quote']

    That's really useful information Danny - I'm really frustrated BIS leave the forum guessing on what triggers/cfg parameters do what most of the time. Grrr.

    I wish BIS would come out and define their settings & switches (such as -winxp) so the community can really help ourselves rather than guess and go on word of mouth that seem to have no official source.

  14. Posted

    OFP DR is an arcade game much the same as BF2. The way they are trying to use the OFP name to sell that game is despicable. They even talk about their "existing" fans which couldn't be further from the truth.

    The only thing OFP DR shares with OFP is the name and Codeshafters are very dishonestly using that name to attract people who think this game is OFP2 when it quite simply isn't.

    Enjoy OFP DR but please STOP comparing A2 to OFP DR. It's much easier to get such a limited game right so it's not going to be a major accomplishment if it ships in a better state than A2 did.

    Eth

    If you watched the OPF2 videos with the developers talking you'd see that their goal (although probably not as pure as Arma) is exactly the opposite to your assumptions - they don't want the arcade experience.

  16. Posted

    Hi All,

    I'm wondering, have BIS issued an official 'switch index' for Arma 2, with an official statement of what those switches will do. There seems to be a huge amount of recommendations being batted around about doing -winxp or -maxmem=2047 or a variety of other switches, but very little context in terms of what they are doing.

    It'd be useful to have an official BIS list of switches and official BIS list of definitions of each switch so people can make educated decisions about whether or not it'd be useful to them.

    Any chance of this happening? Or perhaps it already exists?

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