Harkonnen said:
I am primarily interested in following three things:
1) Do gray leader-boxes still appear (not after alt-tabbing, just on its own)? If the answer is 'yes', did you have this problem before my fix?
2) Do black terrain/colored trees still appear (not after alt-tabbing, just on its own)? If the answer is 'yes', did you have this problem before my fix?
3) Does globe view perform worse than before the first version of fix? It shouldn't become faster on its own, my aim with this is not to make it slower at least.
4) Any new problems / improvements as compared to previous version of the fix (post #1)?
5) Your old 'vid_mem_usage' (post #1 version) and your new 'vid_mem_usage' (this post #640 version).
1) I do not get grey leader boxes, although they seem to stutter a bit at first. Then they run good, then they stutter a bit, then they run good... ???
2) I never got black terrain in the large map, but the mini map is a mess after ALT/TAB. I found that if I went into the graphics box and changed either the screen size or the anti-aliasing setting, it would fix itself, then I could change it back to what I had again, and it would look fine. I used to run graphics full on high as they can go. I have since turned to medium settings, but I have to have the AA @ 4, or the game just looks terrible. This happens the same in both versions of the patch.
3) Globe view is pulled all the way back, yes? It sucks. But it's better than the 1.00, 1.09 unpatched, and the 1.09 first patch. Personally, I could care less. If I wanted to be a satallite when I grew up...
4) The game is degrading noticably faster with the second patch. As time goes on, the interface drops the pop-up up menus, becomes unwieldly and stutters badly. I have to ALT/TAB, clear my ram, and come back in. Then I have to reset the graphics. I find I can do this 2 or 3 times max, then I have to completely shut down the game and the computer. I have a gig of ram. Usually start with 700+. With the game fully loaded it's down to 350. When I ALT/TAB out, it will be 100 or so. After cleaning it will come back up to the 350 mark.
The biggest pain is the menus... once they drop out, I'm in the dark. In the old patch, it would happen and I'd have to restart or ALT/TAB. Now they seem to come back after the turn is over. ( Next turn I get all of the pop-ups again...) I play with the movies shut off, and have been trying to nail down exactly when it happens. Most times its right after a leader has popped on with one of their crybaby "you won't stop trading with so and so" messages... The more of these I get, the faster it degrades, IMHO, but I haven't played enough to be sure.
Also, The game loads up a little odd with the new patch. Not during startup but when loading a saved game. The first few turns, moving around the screen is choppy and stuttering just like when I have to shut it down. After that though, it's OK until it starts to degrade.
5) Even with a 256 MB card, I had to run with Vid_mem @ 150, insane @ 0 in the first release. I started @200 for 2nd release, then 256. It played the same. I want to try it @ 280, then 180 to see if anything changes dramatically.
I run a 2.8 Ghz dual core, ATI X600 256 meg vid card and a gig of ram...
Hope this helps... Be happy to answer any questions.