Helplessly freezes!

[vonbikia]

My version is Wings over Vietnam. I am attracted by its easy access to carrier operations.

 

But one nasty bug have been accompanying this simulator since my first installation. In some aircraft, it will freeze the computer when you entering the scenes. It's an "always" symptom no matter what time you install the game or what operating system it is in. May be the only way to play it is everytime you boot your Windows, with only once action. Next time you want play the game, you have to wait the reboot of your computer.

 

Any body knows what's going on in the game?

 

I have patched up all the updates, from WOV_sp051506a to WOV_p083006, even the wov_p071006, which alleged will make the game more stable. And also newest 9.0c, and display drivers. I even checked the sound data identities. But I think what I met is a kernal problem.

 

This is a dead dilemma, since the game's high visual qualities and smoothness, and it's expandability.

It's the second game since Jane's USAF that can make such enormous expansion at will. But it's really suffering playing it. I just feel I am helping the programmer debugging the program instead of

using the game.

[Aintry]

What are your system specifications?

[vonbikia]

Pentium 1.6G. 512M memory.

OS: Windows 98, and also WinXP one.

Albatron KX400 8XV Pro MB.

ATI Radeon 9250 128M Vid.

 

But my motherboard might not be well configured. The CPU should be 2G, originally.

Others things went right anyway.

[WarlordATF]

Try going to each aircrafts folder and open its textures with a paint program, Then resize them to 512x512 (or even 256x256!).

 

Usually the planes that cause stuttering on slower systems have textures sized 1024x1024 or 2048x2048. By making the texture sizes smaller you can take the load off your graphics processor and smooth the game out. The smaller you go the more blurry the textures become, so try to stay at 512x512.

 

A Very few planes will have models that are too high detail and will continue to stutter even after resizing the textures, not much can be done for these, try to find a simular type aircraft with a lower poly model.

 

Also you might want to upgrade to at least 1 gig of ram and at least a 256 meg graphics card.

[Stwa]

Hi,

 

I kinda of have a similar set-up to this one, kinda.

 

I have:

 

Athalon 2000 (1.67 G ?)

ATI 9600

1 GB RAM

Windows XP Pro SP2

WOV p071006

 

My game is very smooth and enjoyable on my system, but if stalling or stuttering is truely your issue, here is a list of settings I have made on my game. Please note that I have not upgraded past WOV p071006.

 

Object Detail: HIGH

Object Texture: HIGH

Cockpit Texture: HIGH

Cockpit Mirrors: OFF

Cockpit Reflections: ON

Shadows: Aircraft Only

Effects Detail: HIGH

Terrain Detail: MEDIUM

Terrain Texture: MEDIUM

Horizon Distance: MEDIUM

Ground Objects: MEDIUM

[Guest Sony Tuckson]

well, this second system is way better and more adapted to the game

 

less than 1 GB RAM is not good, and a decent video card (which sadly enough is not the case of the 9250) is required

[MigBuster]

Pentium 1.6G. 512M memory.

OS: Windows 98, and also WinXP one.

Albatron KX400 8XV Pro MB.

ATI Radeon 9250 128M Vid.

 

But my motherboard might not be well configured. The CPU should be 2G, originally.

Others things went right anyway.

 

Afraid its your system thats the issue here not the game. Have you tried running a direct X diagnostic (start->run then type in dxdiag ) and see if it picks anything up.

 

Try setting all the graphics options to their lowest level and see if anything improves - then work from there. Also it may be worth seeing if another version of the driver for your graphics acard is a available to try.

Edited June 1, 2008 by CoolHand29

[vonbikia]

Good News, something comes out! But still a little regretful.

 

Somebody post a firm conclusion it's the line MinBaseSize=(should set to "small"). But this is only probable. I have tuned them all fine anyway. Try the keyword "wings over vietnam" "freezes" in combatace forum searches.

 

After step by step approximation, I have come very close to conclude it's the video driver problem. Because when I use the sealed driver of Radeon 9250 in my WinXP system, the game runs all fine!

I have tested the graphic setting, my present options are with mirror, shades... all turned on, it seemed will not hazard the performance, and my hardware is actually lusty enough for it. In my XP, it seems WoV go to its finals. But in Win98, it's still crashing all the same.

 

In this case, I have to turn to WinXP only for WoV. May be I have to adapt for it, because my working HD are Win98 system. And maybe my Win98 are already rotten enough.

 

To resize the texture is a whole new concept for my resolution. If I want to save my Win98 installation, I have to start from here... Do any body knows there is a more modern driver for Radeon 9250 in Win98? Thanks! and welcoming anybody can offer more information!

[MigBuster]

Have you added any mods/tweaks to your installation from here?

 

if so try the following:

 

http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=12148

Edited June 1, 2008 by CoolHand29

[Stwa]

Hi,

 

I forgot to mention that I use this Radeon Driver for XP SP2 which I think is dated around 2005. I believe you can still download this from the AMD/ATI site.

 

Radeon Driver ---> 5-9_xp-2k_dd_cp_wdm_26409

[vonbikia]

Trimming the texture size still won't work. So I use the drastical move: to setup win98 again. I thought maybe the achronicle Win98 update had spoiled my OS. But still didn't work.

 

I found the SFP1E extract utility and revised the flightengine.ini. And I tested if it's the SFP1 original

desert terrain compatibility problem, using the Hymalaya terrain and test. It crashes all the way. When you try to fly your second action, sometimes it freezes, sometimes the screen freezes into a kaleidoscope, sometimes it simply shut down to your BIOS.

 

I have a feel that this bug is a very hostile one. It should have been resolved when you managing your CAT file. It will be an endless abyss going into it. So, just stand by!

 

 

 

The WoV in my PC works well until I installed Falcon 4.0. Then this symptom becomes completely intolerable. It looks like my PC is play around with me.

 

No, Stwa, what I mean is Win98 drivers. Besides, my version is newer than 5.9: it's

6-2_wme_dd_cp_30314. If in WinXP, I used the factory sealed CD drivers. I though ATI will be no longer developing Win98 drivers for Radeon 9250. But in my present serving MB, I have to choose this card. Because my MB video voltage rating is 3.3V or something. You'll find most of the present day video card which support other than 1.5V is almost extincted. Only this card still left.

 

I have found some more modern aircraft really will "stutter". I have now set the graphic options to

default medium, i.e., no mirrors any more. This will really make the game what we called "smooth".

I have tested the game this morning. The WinXP installation is anyway still in very good shape.

[vonbikia]

I have surfed internet for this video card. The Radeon 9250 seems have a reputation for "not the card for games". Somebody said it can adjusted by BIOS RAM settings. It seems helps a little bit.

 

There is always a line before Win98 booting "initializing MBA xxxxx ...". Can anybody teach me how to turn off this organism? Maybe this can help. Thanks!

[Aintry]

OK, just to clarify and summarize...WoV runs OK for you in WinXP, and now you're trying to get it to run in Win98?

[vonbikia]

That's correct!

[vonbikia]

Becasue all my games are bundled by that Win98 HD. I just don't like to separate from my main working system.

 

Well, maybe just for recreation. I have determined to work it out.

 

I still don't dare to update my system to WinXP version. Becasue I am afraid I'll sacrefice many of my old games.

[Guest Sony Tuckson]

as you learned the hard way, that radeon 9250 is not meant to be used for games

 

try to get even second hand more powerfull card (like an Nividia 6600, 6800, even 7600, they all exist in AGP, for ATI cards, a 9800 pro or better would help)

[vonbikia]

At last, I finally work it out! Piece of cake! I'm really very lucky enough.

 

First, I thought of overclocking the video card. There are many Radeon BIOS tuning programs. Some of them are pretty up to date. Like BiosEdit2.7, RadeonBIOSTuner1.4, ATITool_0.26. You'll need ATIWinFlash.v1.14 first to fetch the video BIOS ROM file. But I don't need to go into it.

 

I start from checking the MB BIOS. The ATI has very detailed and overwhelming data on the troubleshooting page. About BIOS, they have mentioned about 5 lines:

1. You should disable FastWrite.

2. Try change 8X to 4X, and 4X to 2X.

3. AGP aperture should be 128M at minimum.

4. You should disabling Shadowing.

5. You should disabling Video BIOS cachable.

 

Since most of these terms are already tuned or cannot be changed on my BIOS, I tried the Aperture size. First I take a shot by enhance it to 256M min from 128M min. The game freezes directly when you are in the air, no need to wait until your second action. Then I thought if I imply conversely, there must have some chance. So I set it to 64M min - Bingo! No more crashes in my Win98 installation!

 

I really don't know what is aperture mean in video mechanism. But this don't harm other games anyway, and instead it had improved many others.

 

Well, the ATI video card ain't that bad! To reward myself, I download the new Snowy Norwegian Terrain for my Wings over Vietnam. I believe my Win98 metropolitan gonna survive for another long while!