Any one else experience this?

[Monado]

Two (very minor, unimportant, but annoying) things occur every civ game I play.

1) Some of my units will randomly have a red team color. No matter what civ I am it looks like I have the red Japanese units.

2) Flood plains are visible in the fog of war.

I have posted on this when civ4 first came out, but I hope now someone knows what I can do to stop this.

 

[Monado]

Those pictures are from a game I started just to get some proof. On one of the first turns I could already see flood plains when zoomed out. Some turns later, my units just turned to the red color, instead of egypts yellow?

Anyone know way I can fix this, maybe by going through the game files or something?

 

[Furiey]

You probably have an old GEForce MX400/MX440 or something. I have this problem and many others have reported the same issue with these cards. At the moment there is no fix, hopefully the next patch.....

 

[Monado]

It has been a couple of months, but I am still trying to work on this problem (especially the red units).

Using this link, that i've found on these forums...
http://www.srtest.com/referrer/srtest

....it says that I do not pass the recommended system amounts because I don't have
--vertex shader
--pixel shader
Everything else passes the recommendation.

I am wondering if the red units are caused by me not having these components, and if the only way to fix this is to upgrade to a new video card?

EDIT: I am running a NVIDIA GF4 MX 440

 

[Zanmato]

Hardware pixel and vertex shaders come with the card and since it the MX440 doesn't support them then it looks like that is why the display is corrupt. A another patch is unlikely to fix it as the it is the hardware that is lacking. The GeForce 4 Ti range comes with shaders. Strangely, even a GeForce 3 had shader support but it seems nvidia didn't include such features in the GF4 MX range.

 

[ainwood]

Presumably you have upgraded to the latest patch? It did fix some issues like you reported with your video card.

 

[Furiey]

1.61 didn't fix the issues for me either.

 

[MrCynical]

1.61 didn't fix the issues for me either.

I think the issue with units occasionally displaying the red team colour actually only appeared after 1.61. It didn't occur under the older patches. The floodplain issue has been present since the game was released (well, I don't think version 1.0 would actually run on a Geforce MX card without black terrain issues). There is actually a small cheating issue here, since it gives the player a significant advantage to know exactly where floodplain is in early exploration. It can also be used to spot the exact location of other islands that would normally be completely hidden, and have to be discovered by random sailing around. I could see some people being annoyed in multiplayer that people who happen to have this old graphics card get this advantage.

 

[Monado]

@mr. cynical...The red units have been happening to me since civ4 vanilla, along with the floodplains. As for the cheating issue, this annoys me when I play single player because I don't like the advantage it gives...also I've talked to Furiey, and said he won't play Gotm because of this advantage.

@ainwood, I have upgraded to 1.61

These video problems are the only real problems I have with civ4, my large and huge maps run OK, but I play small ones usually anyways...so I am thinking of buying a new video card. What would be a card that would solve these problems (and not be to hard for me to install in my computer). Is there anything available for between $100-150?

Also..just for reference, what would I need to do to my computer to make the larger maps run better?

Thanks for any help, I am dying to play civ4 with the correct colors!

 

[Zanmato]

Is there anything available for between $100-150?

For that budget you can pick up GeForce 6600, with 256mb onboard video ram from newegg. That should solve all the problems you are having. You will need to check your power supply is up to taking on an upgraded card also.

 

[Monado]

Zanmato...I see from your info you are running at geforce 6600 how does the game video's and graphics work for you? Also, can you run large/huge maps well?

 

[Comraddict]

The second problem appears on cards with no pixel shaders.

 

[Zanmato]

Zanmato...I see from your info you are running at geforce 6600 how does the game video's and graphics work for you? Also, can you run large/huge maps well?

I have no problems with running large maps with the default numbers of other Civs on it which I think is 9-10 AI's. The graphic settings are set to medium and I have no problems with the videos or late-game lags. The game runs pretty much smoothly throughout. I haven't really played on huge maps or the terra 18 Civ map but I don't think it will cause too much hassle if I did.

 

[Furiey]

I think the issue with units occasionally displaying the red team colour actually only appeared after 1.61. It didn't occur under the older patches. The floodplain issue has been present since the game was released (well, I don't think version 1.0 would actually run on a Geforce MX card without black terrain issues).....

Initially I was one of the toast only on the food/gold display people (in addition to the visible floodplains), but had no black terrain issues. I don't remember about the units as the all toast in the display and odd graphic artefacts were far more annoying. 1.09 solved the food/shields display and removed many of the artefacts but I definitley had both the unit colour and floodplain problems back then.

..... There is actually a small cheating issue here, since it gives the player a significant advantage to know exactly where floodplain is in early exploration. It can also be used to spot the exact location of other islands that would normally be completely hidden, and have to be discovered by random sailing around. I could see some people being annoyed in multiplayer that people who happen to have this old graphics card get this advantage.

I agree and as such I am not playing PBEMs or GOTM as a result. I am involved with SGOTM with agreement (and probably a lot of checking) of the Mods, on the understanding I do not use or reveal any information I may gain. I signed up for the Multi Team Demogame believing that 1.61 would fix it only to find out it didn't and now I can't play a turn until the map is revealed. I find it annoying even in single player games though as even if I try not to scroll about at some point I will spot a floodplain. I have posted a request in the Creation and Customisation forum for a Floodplain that does not "glow in the dark". Here's hoping that someone is kind enough to do one.

 

[ggganz]

I have the red problem with longbowmen, nukes, and settlers' staffs (not bodies). I have never seen the floodplain problem.
EDIT: The red units only happens when they go into a stack with other units and get covered, and it stays that way if it leaves the stack. Then it goes back on reload.

 

[Monado]

OK..this is my last question to help me make up my mind about buying a new card (I am thinking about GeForce 5600 or 6600 have to check out each).

You will need to check your power supply is up to taking on an upgraded card also

How can I tell if my pc will be able to handle any of these cards? will the graphic card's box have the info or something?

 

[Zanmato]

Use this http://www.extreme.outervision.com/psucalculator.jsp to help you find out what your estimated power requirements will be. I would also advice to stay clear of the FX5 series of GeForce cards, they are not good 3D cards imo. The GeForce 6 are much better for your money.

 

[T_Raccoon]

i bought a Geforce 6800 512 mb on newegg for $180 i got the link from some guy but that was a while back, it wasnt on special though. its better then the 6600 and with a few tricks you can unlock 4 pixel piplines and 1 pixel shaders for a total of 16 pixel piplines and 6 pixel shaders, its like upgrading your video card without spending any money.

 

[Monado]

I just bought and installed the Geforce 6600, thanks for all the help everyone, especially Zanmato. The card seems to be running perfectly...all I had to do was plug it in! Although, I think I may have skipped some steps like plugging in some additional power supply or something, and I forgot to check if my computer can handle the Wattage, but I am going to play a quick game of CIV, then maybe mess around with it later..


GOODBYE red units!!

 

[markofmayhem]

Oh man, I do hope you didn't forget to plug in "additional power supply". That's what gives power to the fan, your card will heat up and shut down in minutes without that fan. A 6600 will do fine in 350 watt and above power supplied machines.