Testing CM

[LT CANADA]

I know that you guys arent aloud to tell but is everything running at least somewhat smoothly with CM, are the testers happy with the game so far?. And when are you guys releasing a demo? Thanks again http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif

[Big Time Software]

Yeah, still pretty early. Testers *ARE* quite pleased though http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif We have had some DirectX/driver problems, but what else is new with Windows http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/frown.gif Think of how much better we could make our games if MS' crap worked as advertised on every machine? Staggers the mind...

Steve

[CoolColJ]

BTS

How's direct X v7 doing with CM?


CCj

[Big Time Software]

No problemos so far as we can tell are directly related to DX7. We think we have figured out that one major problem is the crappy way Voodoos are designed (i.e. not like everything else), so MS is off the hook for that one http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif

Steve

[Herr Oberst]

So what you're saying is that my nVidia Riva TNT card will smoke right along?

Way cool!

Oh, but to have a CM-HD (high definition) that didn't really care about polygon counts into the millions...

hehe

[Larry Marks]

Steve, I have a Voodoo 2 video card. Do you foresee any problems with CM? Thanks.

Larry

[Big Time Software]

If you were trying to play it right now you would NOT be a happy camper. Fortunately Charles actually owns a Voodoo2 and is "ass deep" in code to make it work. The problem is a combination of Voodoo's 2D/3D design and the fact that DirectX is a typical MS API set (i.e. not easy to work with). I emailed with Charles early this morning and he was making great headway. Should be fixed by tomorrow. Unfortunately, this one problem cost us about 2 days of programming time to fix.

Steve

[rwcanuck]

Hi, I have the voodoo 1 in my Pentium 200mmx machine...will that work alright with CM?

[Colin]

I have a PowerMac 6500 with a Voodoo 2 card using 3dfx's generic drivers. Will there be any problems? I will go crazy. I can't be trusted with my rifle when I'm not whizzing along in CM at 30 fps. N0oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!

Oh god please say it will work!!!
Colin "Too cheap to buy a real Mac Voodoo 2 card" Richardson

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"I'm tired of quotes, tell me what you know"
-Mark Twain

[Larry Marks]

Steve, a Voodoo 2 is a 3d card only. I have a Diamond Stealth 2000 as my primary display card. A Voodoo Banshee card and the Voodoo 3 are 2d/3d combination cards. I hope that CM will work ok with my card.

Larry

[Elvis]

Now that I put my 1st post reply up yesterday you may not be able to shut me up now...here is a question I would love if bts could answer for me..I plan on purchasing a new PC within the next week (this purchase IS somewhat because of CM). I can chose any video card I want but don't know enough about them..What card should I get that will work best with this? (judging from the other posts I may not be the only one wondering
Thanks

[Big Time Software]

Ok people, time to chill or I won't be making any more Beta update posts http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif Stuff NOT working is *NORMAL* during Beta testing, especially if we are talking anything that has to do with hardware or MS APIs. All these things WILL BE FIXED before release. In fact, the Voodoo problem should be all settled in a couple of hours. This is why responsible companies test before they release http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif

As for the Voodoo 2/3D thing, the card might be 3D, but it still has to deal with 2D aspects like the cursor and other elements. Don't know the details, don't care about the details. That is Charles' own personal Hell, and I don't want any part of it http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif

CM will support any 3D card with 4MB of VRAM or greater which is in turn supported by DirectX (PC side only, obviously). Any 4MB+ card on the Mac will work as well.

As for specific cards Elvis, you should go for the one that best fits your budget and impressess you most in reviews. All PC based 3D cards should support DirectX.

Steve

[Kevin Peltz]

Elvis:

I have always had Matrox cards and I have never, ever had any problems with them. I think they are first rate, and perform admirably. They are not cheap in Canada, don't know what they cost in the US.

[Herr Oberst]

Okay guys, time for us to let up on Steve and Charles a bit, cause you know in the back of his head he's thinking stuff like the following:

"We don't release software, our software escapes! Our users shall know fear and cower before our software. Ship it. Ship it and let them flee like the dogs they are!!"

LOL http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif


[This message has been edited by Herr Oberst (edited 10-05-99).]

[Big Time Software]

Charles just declared victory over the Evil Voodoo 2 http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif It put up a really good fight, but Good once again triumphed over evil! FWIW I think this is the most time he has had to spend on a single technical issue since the earl days of coding. What a shame it took so long, but now that it is done it is done.

Steve

[Fionn]

I've only ever had one Matrox card but it burnt out totally after 2 months and left me without 3D capability..

of course, since I'm a wargamer I didn't notice this until I got CM and realised that it was playing slow on my system.. After a bit of scratching of heads I figured out my card's 3D capability was gone.. (6 months AFTER it went hehe.. shows u how many action games etc I play http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif ).

i was TOTALLY the card just burning up.

On the other hand I've also had 2 soundcards fail in the past 10 months, a keyboard, a HD and (latest) my monitor so I'm an extremely rare case and that experience probably isn't typical.



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Fionn Kelly
Manager of Historical Research,
The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers

[Mike D]

Fionn,

Stop pouring beer into your computer and monitor and I think you'll find they last a little bit longer. http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif

Mike D
aka Mikester

[aaronb]

Fionn: the usual cause of this casualty rate is poor quality power coming in to your system.

Best solution: mid-range UPS (like APC SmartUPS) with a surge/spike protector between the UPS and PC.

Next-best: power isolator (an isolation transformer) between wall and computer.

Least-best (and lots better than nothing): good surge/spike protector between wall and PC.

[Fionn]

Sounds like a good comment..

I think I will splurge on a surge protector. After all they're only maybe $25 vs a good $200 for a new souncard. I was wondering if it could be that myself.> To people in the technical fields does that seem the most likely explanation (after beer spillage of course http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif )?



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___________
Fionn Kelly
Manager of Historical Research,
The Gamers Net - Gaming for Gamers

[Bryan Corkill]

Depending upon where your living, 'Dirty' power would be the first guess. Quite the problem in the rural US, not sure how the old country compares in this particular though.

[Herr Oberst]

Fionn, brown-outs can be just as deadly as spikes, so be sure to get a decent UPS (to handle the lows as well as the spikes). I use a Back-UPS 400. UPS's that come with software like PowerChute can let your machine shutdown gracefully when the UPS is starting to run low on juice as well.

Stores that market surge protector power strips as your solution are only covering half the danger.

My first UPS went on the computer. The second arrived too late to save the old television from one thunderstorm.

Very upset wife until I reasoned with her. "Do you want to buy a new $400 television, or a new $2000 computer?"

What you're getting is good advice (not just mine). http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by Herr Oberst (edited 10-06-99).]

[Doug Beman]

Would it be okay for me to advertise my company here, regarding the purchase of power cleaners/backups and other computer-stuff?

I don't want to anger anybody.

DjB

[Big Time Software]

Hey Doug,

Tossing up a link is fine. Certainly this whole bit about surge protection etc. is off topic, but if it helps guys out directly with gaming, I look the other way http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif

Steve

[Doug Beman]

WWW.SHI.COM

This is the web interface for the company; I'm not really sure of how it works, since I deal with direct/realtime relations.

If you are part of a large-ish company (50+) people and you wanna talk about setting up an account to buy computer stuff, please call

1-800-527-6389 and tell the operator where you're located; they can give you a lead on the local rep to call.

If that's too much open shilling, I hereby announce that I won't gripe if BTS wipes this post.

DjB

[SGTRock]

Hey DOUG BEMAN not to be a thorn, but WWW.SHI??
Not a very good begining for a url
lol
Or maybe My head is just in the gutter..
http://www.battlefront.com/discuss/wink.gif



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Sgt. Rock Says " War is Hell, but games are fun "