Insane graphics problems

When I start playing, everything is ok, but after a while I get some really weird stuff. I have a screenshot of one major problem here:

EDIT: Removed screenshot. No longer needed as my problem is solved. All it was was some really weird coloured textures in dm_lockdown.

I also get other problems like players disappearing, hostage head disappearing, models not showing or turning weird colours.

Does anyone know what kind of problem this is? If you don't know it doesn't matter, I'll wait and see if Windows XP can solve any of it, or maybe resort to getting a new gfx card (which I've been thinking of doing for quite a while).

sounds driver related to me, but it could possibly help to post the card specs.

most cases its simple driver related, EVEN WHEN a driver has not been created yet to address it.

Ok, I'm running on:

AMD Athlon 2400+

768mb RAM

GeForce FX5200 (yarg :/) - 61.76 drivers

Windows 98SE

If you need to know anything else just ask.

Im having a similar problem with the sound.

Whenever someone is talking to me, if i look directly at them, i cant hear them, but if i turn away, i can....

Ive got a built in VIATCH AC97 sound card, anyone got any idea's?

Im pretty sure i have the latest drivers too.

It's weird :sad:

Hmm...what version of DirectX are you running on?

I'm running on DirectX 9.0c.

Just saying...because I was checking out the nVidia website and the latest drivers for nVidia and Win98, and...do the latest drivers actually support DirectX 9.0c? Did you update recently?

Hm... says on there added support for 9.0b :/ No clue about 9.0c, I just figured hl2 required that DirectX version. Does it run on 9.0b then? If so, is there any way of going back to 9.0b?

Heh, I'm not actually sure you CAN without doing some fancy stuff, since Microsoft doesn't exactly, um, make it possible. Just out of curiosity though, to see if it IS DirectX, check out this page and try the #2 option on the list, see if that makes a difference. Also, did this just start happening recently? In specific games? Games that use DirectX?

Yeah, I get problems in a lot of DirectX games, such as UT2004 and FarCry. Doom3 is OpenGL (isn't it?) and it runs without problems.

Would forcing the DirectX level to a previous version make it ignore 9.0c (thus possibly fixing my problem)?

If you're having problems on DirectX games and not OpenGL games (which Doom3 is), then the issue probably is with DirectX (or some aspect relating to DirectX in your drivers). Ideally you'd want to just have 9.0b, since you DO have a 9.0-compatible card, but if that's not possible yes, try lowering the level. If that works for you, but you still want 9.0 support, you can try an uninstaller. Do keep in mind though that this is sorta dangerous, so I'd backup all your critical files and whatever first.

Thank you very much for the help, I'll try lowering the DirectX level in HL2. Hopefully when I get Windows XP I can get those newer drivers for my card (since they made them 2k/XP only ), and I'll see if that solves any problems.

I'm not going to try the uninstaller until I've tried everything that's safe :razz:

Thanks again.

No problem, just let us know if it works ;-) Oh, and if you DO decide to try to downgrade the drivers, you can go here to get the 9.0b drivers. Also, XP isn't too spendy nowadays if you don't mind OEM. (LOL, sorry, I'm a link maniac today...)

Yeehaw! Setting the -dxlevel to 7.0 solved all graphical problems. I played through the whole of Highway 17 without one error (that chapter usual messes up every time).

Although now I have the problem of some objects fading at a certain distance (barrels and crates only appearing when I get closer :sad: ). I have tried playing around with r_propsmaxdist but it hasn't changed anything. If this is only a side effect of forcing dx7 then I'll live with it, unless there's a way to fix it. It was pretty funny though, driving at top speed only to realise there's a big fence in my way Oof...

Thanks again, I had no idea it was that simple :razz:

Did you try the 8.1 setting? Cuz that would be preferable...but yeah, hopefully that option to lower the DirectX version is in your other DX games that aren't working, too.

P.S. get Windows XP :wink:

I tried 8.1 and 8.0, but that made no difference because hl2 defaulted my hardware settings to dx8.0... which didn't solve anything. Ah well, I have to give up the fancy water and some of the nice shininess. I will get XP soon (Christmas hopefully), and maybe a new Hard Drive because I barely have any space left :/

that is an insanely huge screenshot on the previous page, please edit it to about the 75k range..

if you need assistance try using XAT's jpg optimizer.. www.xat.com

as for the drivers, go here