How do you make the GA startup with AA and Texture Sharpening? - Page 3

ROBinLA · 04-29-2003, 02:13 AM

Nope, the Mobility Radeon 7500 panel doesn't have it. Mine still looks pretty good with just the32 bit, anti-aliasing and anistropic filtering enabled, but I do have slightly fuzzy plant life that the texture sharpening option would probably fix. Unfortunately, since I have a laptop, I'm sorta stuck using the original drivers. Checked the website and it discourages me from updating to the new ATI Radeon drivers due to the uniqueness of each laptop. Do you think I should give it a shot anyway or should I just stick with what I have?

Jav400 · 04-29-2003, 05:13 AM

Thats one of those can I do this questions. The best I can answer is that it "might" work. Laptops are tricky, but alot of times you can do things that they tell you you can't. I guess the main thing is if it doesn't work, how comfortable are you with the idea of getting it back to original specs?

Pushwall · 04-29-2003, 06:10 AM

FWIW, the latest Catalyst Radeon 3.2 drivers (version 4.14.01.9088) do not offer a texture sharpening option in the Direct3D panel for my ATI Radeon 7200 (32 MB) on my machine at work. The option is there for OpenGL but not Direct3D. Oh well.

ROBinLA · 04-30-2003, 04:15 PM

Pushwall, did you try downloading the Catalyst control panel from www.atitech.com . It's a separate download from the driver and does have texture quality options in the Direct 3d Panel. Oddly, I installed it on my laptop and have found that now I can increase/decrease texture sharpness but ironically the old control panel/drivers must have been set on high sharpness. With this new panel I can make the texture less sharp but the maximum sharpness is what I already had before!!!! On comparing my screen to what was posted in the now famous "fuzzy plant movie" I see that my plants are more akin to the sharp ones and not the fuzzy ones so I guess I'm seeing GA the way it is meant to for now. Also my goldfish have always been very sharp, never had the jaggies on them. Well, that's my foray into driver updating on my laptop. Has been interesting. I do get about a 5 fps increase now with the new drivers. I'm getting around 40-45 fps now with 5 fish and all plants. Yay!
Rob

Pushwall · 05-01-2003, 08:13 AM

Rob, I wasn't aware that the Catalyst control panel would add texture quality options in the Direct 3d Panel. I just downloaded it and you are absolutely right......cool!!!

Like you, my sharpness was already set to the max. The plants look sharp on my machine but look a little jagged when they move, which is something I can live with using this lower-end video card. Thanks for the info, Rob!

kona001 · 05-04-2003, 07:07 PM

how do i turn off and on vsync??? I have an nvidia 4400 ti on a 1.8GHZ p4 with 512 MB rdram??

Jav400 · 05-04-2003, 07:14 PM

You may or may not have the option normally. Look thru the settings that are available in your drivers under the D3d tab. You may need to install coolbits to get to some settings.

05-04-2003, 07:33 PM

What is vertical synch? I turned it on just to see what it would do, but so far have noticed no difference from when it was off. I am REALLY new at all this, so please, everyone, be patient with my novice questions. And while I'm asking, my ATI Radeon 9700 has a slider for TrueForm (?). What the heck is that? These cards should come with instructions for us "computer-challenged" folk!

Socrates · 05-04-2003, 07:54 PM

Vsync will make it so that a 3d program won't try to process more frames than can be displayed. In other words it will cap out your frame rate at the refresh speed of the monitor.

If your card can't produce more frames than the monitor can show then it won't matter.

You can turn V-Sync on and off in MA2 and GA using ctrl-V.

Jav400 · 05-04-2003, 07:56 PM

Just an addendum to Socrates post. I don't think it will TURN ON v-sync if you have it set to always off, it will just toggle it if you are set on. At least it doesn't on mine.

Socrates · 05-04-2003, 08:10 PM

Oh. That's weird. I didn't know that.

05-04-2003, 08:30 PM

Interesting! Thank you once again. Socrates, it was one of your responses to one of my posts that convinced me to buy the GA, so LifeGlobe should thank you too.

This really is one of the coolest sites on the web.

Jim Sachs · 05-04-2003, 10:45 PM

V-Sync -

The picture you see on your monitor exists as bytes in Video memory. Like a TV, the electron gun of the monitor starts at the upper left corner of the screen, and sweeps across, lighting up rows of pixels from top to bottom on the screen as it reads the bytes in Video-RAM.

If the picture in memory changes while the beam is still in the middle of the screen, the image can appear to "tear", with the upper part being created from the old picture, and the lower part from the new one.

V-Sync, or Vertical-Synchronization, forces the program to wait until the electron beam is finished painting the current picture before copying the next one into Video memory. It doesn't seem like it would have to wait long, but this happens 60 or more times a second so all the waiting time can slow things down somewhat.

05-05-2003, 12:11 AM

Now I understand! Thanks, Jim, and thanks for the tip on the starfish. I haven't yet caught it on the glass but I'll keep looking.
Your work here (and Reichart's) is an art form and an inspiration. It makes me want to learn how to do this (but I'd probably have to go back to school--aarrrgh!).

feldon34 · 05-05-2003, 04:00 AM

Great explanation of Vsynch, Jim! That'll go as-is into the FAQ.

Reichart · 05-05-2003, 07:58 PM

The newest version (now on the Test site) should fix this problem.

GA-PC N505.0.9.868

www.prolific.com/test/

cjmaddy · 05-06-2003, 05:22 AM

N505.0.9.868 ....

FIXED Render Background graphics now render sharper. Should not need to play with AA settings.

Yes!

(But my other niggles are still there!

)

Jav400 · 05-06-2003, 09:09 AM

A step in the proper direction.

Liath · 05-06-2003, 09:09 AM

hmmm....there is a huge...huge difference to the first plant grouping (the ones farthest back in the tank). They look superb. I'm not seeing any difference to the other plants in the tank though.

Socrates · 05-06-2003, 11:30 AM

Originally posted by Reichart
The newest version (now on the Test site) should fix this problem.

GA-PC N505.0.9.868

www.prolific.com/test/

I am losing about 10-15 fps in this version.

"Cali" is cool.

04-29-2003, 05:13 AM	#42
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Thats one of those can I do this questions. The best I can answer is that it "might" work. Laptops are tricky, but alot of times you can do things that they tell you you can't. I guess the main thing is if it doesn't work, how comfortable are you with the idea of getting it back to original specs? Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

04-30-2003, 04:15 PM	#44
ROBinLA Registered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 101	Fuzzy Plant Movie and Radeon Catalyst Drivers Pushwall, did you try downloading the Catalyst control panel from www.atitech.com . It's a separate download from the driver and does have texture quality options in the Direct 3d Panel. Oddly, I installed it on my laptop and have found that now I can increase/decrease texture sharpness but ironically the old control panel/drivers must have been set on high sharpness. With this new panel I can make the texture less sharp but the maximum sharpness is what I already had before!!!! On comparing my screen to what was posted in the now famous "fuzzy plant movie" I see that my plants are more akin to the sharp ones and not the fuzzy ones so I guess I'm seeing GA the way it is meant to for now. Also my goldfish have always been very sharp, never had the jaggies on them. Well, that's my foray into driver updating on my laptop. Has been interesting. I do get about a 5 fps increase now with the new drivers. I'm getting around 40-45 fps now with 5 fish and all plants. Yay! Rob

05-04-2003, 07:07 PM	#46
kona001 New Husband and new Aquarium Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 318	how do i turn off and on vsync??? I have an nvidia 4400 ti on a 1.8GHZ p4 with 512 MB rdram?? "We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail"-W2

05-04-2003, 07:54 PM	#49
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	Vsync will make it so that a 3d program won't try to process more frames than can be displayed. In other words it will cap out your frame rate at the refresh speed of the monitor. If your card can't produce more frames than the monitor can show then it won't matter. You can turn V-Sync on and off in MA2 and GA using ctrl-V. Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!

05-04-2003, 07:56 PM	#50
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	Just an addendum to Socrates post. I don't think it will TURN ON v-sync if you have it set to always off, it will just toggle it if you are set on. At least it doesn't on mine. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

04-29-2003, 02:13 AM	#41
ROBinLA Registered Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 101	Nope, the Mobility Radeon 7500 panel doesn't have it. Mine still looks pretty good with just the32 bit, anti-aliasing and anistropic filtering enabled, but I do have slightly fuzzy plant life that the texture sharpening option would probably fix. Unfortunately, since I have a laptop, I'm sorta stuck using the original drivers. Checked the website and it discourages me from updating to the new ATI Radeon drivers due to the uniqueness of each laptop. Do you think I should give it a shot anyway or should I just stick with what I have?

04-29-2003, 06:10 AM	#43
Pushwall Fellow Twang Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 133	FWIW, the latest Catalyst Radeon 3.2 drivers (version 4.14.01.9088) do not offer a texture sharpening option in the Direct3D panel for my ATI Radeon 7200 (32 MB) on my machine at work. The option is there for OpenGL but not Direct3D. Oh well.

05-01-2003, 08:13 AM	#45
Pushwall Fellow Twang Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 133	Rob, I wasn't aware that the Catalyst control panel would add texture quality options in the Direct 3d Panel. I just downloaded it and you are absolutely right......cool!!! Like you, my sharpness was already set to the max. The plants look sharp on my machine but look a little jagged when they move, which is something I can live with using this lower-end video card. Thanks for the info, Rob!

05-04-2003, 07:33 PM	#48
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	What is vertical synch? I turned it on just to see what it would do, but so far have noticed no difference from when it was off. I am REALLY new at all this, so please, everyone, be patient with my novice questions. And while I'm asking, my ATI Radeon 9700 has a slider for TrueForm (?). What the heck is that? These cards should come with instructions for us "computer-challenged" folk!

05-04-2003, 08:10 PM	#51
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	Oh. That's weird. I didn't know that. Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!

05-04-2003, 08:30 PM	#52
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	Interesting! Thank you once again. Socrates, it was one of your responses to one of my posts that convinced me to buy the GA, so LifeGlobe should thank you too. This really is one of the coolest sites on the web.

05-04-2003, 10:45 PM	#53
Jim Sachs Developer Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Southern Oregon Posts: 9,791	V-Sync - The picture you see on your monitor exists as bytes in Video memory. Like a TV, the electron gun of the monitor starts at the upper left corner of the screen, and sweeps across, lighting up rows of pixels from top to bottom on the screen as it reads the bytes in Video-RAM. If the picture in memory changes while the beam is still in the middle of the screen, the image can appear to "tear", with the upper part being created from the old picture, and the lower part from the new one. V-Sync, or Vertical-Synchronization, forces the program to wait until the electron beam is finished painting the current picture before copying the next one into Video memory. It doesn't seem like it would have to wait long, but this happens 60 or more times a second so all the waiting time can slow things down somewhat. Jim Sachs Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium

05-05-2003, 12:11 AM	#54
klyntun Guest Posts: n/a	Ahhhh! Now I understand! Thanks, Jim, and thanks for the tip on the starfish. I haven't yet caught it on the glass but I'll keep looking. Your work here (and Reichart's) is an art form and an inspiration. It makes me want to learn how to do this (but I'd probably have to go back to school--aarrrgh!).

05-05-2003, 04:00 AM	#55
feldon34 Forum Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Rock Hill, SC Posts: 10,939	Great explanation of Vsynch, Jim! That'll go as-is into the FAQ. "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell "If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman

05-05-2003, 07:58 PM	#56
Reichart CTO Prolific Publishing Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Maui Posts: 423	GA-PC N505.0.9.868 The newest version (now on the Test site) should fix this problem. GA-PC N505.0.9.868 www.prolific.com/test/ *Reichart...* , CTO, Prolific Publishing, Inc. Come visit us Prolific Publishing, Inc.

05-06-2003, 05:22 AM	#57
cjmaddy Registered Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Lancashire, UK Posts: 7,854	N505.0.9.868 .... FIXED Render Background graphics now render sharper. Should not need to play with AA settings. Yes! (But my other niggles are still there! )

05-06-2003, 09:09 AM	#58
Jav400 Administrator Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Tennessee Posts: 9,725	A step in the proper direction. Michael Administrator of Inside:SereneScreen Aquarium Forum, Chatroom, Fan Site & *Gallery* DVD Collection

05-06-2003, 09:09 AM	#59
Liath Still here in spirit Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan Posts: 637	hmmm....there is a huge...huge difference to the first plant grouping (the ones farthest back in the tank). They look superb. I'm not seeing any difference to the other plants in the tank though. Liath Appleton University of Michigan Museum of Zoology My Homepage Why I've been gone

05-06-2003, 11:30 AM	#60
Socrates Sage Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: West Hills, CA Posts: 1,529	Re: GA-PC N505.0.9.868 Originally posted by Reichart The newest version (now on the Test site) should fix this problem. GA-PC N505.0.9.868 www.prolific.com/test/ I am losing about 10-15 fps in this version. "Cali" is cool. Bat rays? We don't need no stinking bat rays!