26 replies to this topic

[tgx]

I think moving on is probably the correct decision, however, I will say that at present if

you run Visual Pinball 9.1.2 or 9.1.4 inside of VMware Workstation 9.X you can only

use software rendering otherwise you get 'could not create off screen surface' errors.

 

 

[xio]

Well, let's say it this way. I have both a Intel integrated graphics chip and a dedicated 1 GB Nvidia GT 540M and can run programs using a specific one. On certain tables (for instance the VP9 Frankenstein by bmiki75), I can try using hardware rendering with my dedicated card on windowed mode with a 640x480 resolution with a maximum texture resolution of 512 and the alpha slider all the way to the left and it's still a horrendous jerky mess the moment the ball is launched. Something is wrong, and I can't put my finger on what exactly it is, although my guess is the problem lies in the drivers - using old XP drivers used to clear up my problems, but now I can't do that anymore.

EDIT: Well, that didn't help at all. I updated my drivers and wiped my previous Nvidia settings as to get as vanilla as possible, and while it somehow improved my performance in software rendering mode, in hardware rendering mode we've switched from lag-tastic unplayability to something that doesn't lag quite as bad but instead has this horrendous updating problem, which just hurts my eyes. I'm starting to be kind of stumped on what exactly to do.

You just got the same problem as us, other optimus users, see here : http://www.vpforums....topic=17345&hl=

[TheMcD]

 

Well, let's say it this way. I have both a Intel integrated graphics chip and a dedicated 1 GB Nvidia GT 540M and can run programs using a specific one. On certain tables (for instance the VP9 Frankenstein by bmiki75), I can try using hardware rendering with my dedicated card on windowed mode with a 640x480 resolution with a maximum texture resolution of 512 and the alpha slider all the way to the left and it's still a horrendous jerky mess the moment the ball is launched. Something is wrong, and I can't put my finger on what exactly it is, although my guess is the problem lies in the drivers - using old XP drivers used to clear up my problems, but now I can't do that anymore.

EDIT: Well, that didn't help at all. I updated my drivers and wiped my previous Nvidia settings as to get as vanilla as possible, and while it somehow improved my performance in software rendering mode, in hardware rendering mode we've switched from lag-tastic unplayability to something that doesn't lag quite as bad but instead has this horrendous updating problem, which just hurts my eyes. I'm starting to be kind of stumped on what exactly to do.

You just got the same problem as us, other optimus users, see here : http://www.vpforums....topic=17345&hl=

 

Cheers mate - I had no idea that that was a more well known problem around these parts.

[FDSystems]

Welcome to the club!

[toxie]

Well, seems like the software mode will still be around for a while then.. :/

[TheMcD]

I suppose running a version split in the name of progress won't be possible? Where only the most important changes are ported from the pure-hardware version to the dual one, but development is concentrated on the pure-hardware version?

 

Really, it seems we should be taking all chances to somehow move the antiquated hunk of code that is VP into the close past somehow (future is an impossibility), but I can't say that without being biased since I now know my problems are not mainly related to VP but are a flaw in one of Nvidia's systems, thus meaning that I can hopefully actually use Hardware Device Rendering once Nvidia figures out what the problem in Optimus is.

[htamas]

I agree, if it was possible to split the version like TheMcD suggested, that would be a way to go.

 

Of course it would be best to just abandon old hardware altogether that cannot cope with hardware rendering. The current version (9.14) could stay there for such cases and play all tables that are playable now. The loss would only be any new tables that require hardware rendering, but there are already such tables out there, so even now they will not work on problematic rigs anyway.

It is simply not feasible to cater to ancient hardware just for the sake of compatibility. It becomes a hurdle to development causing headaches and performance issues. There always was increased hardware requirement due to new features for any given software as it was developed, and VP should not be an exception IMHO.

Edited by htamas, 23 January 2013 - 02:18 AM.