Home Register Arcade Gallery Chatroom Members Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read Log In
Go Back   Inside: SereneScreen Fan Forum > SereneScreen Products > Marine Aquarium 3 for Windows
Notices

Reply
 
Thread Tools
Old 02-03-2009, 11:06 AM   #41
Dale
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by Jim Sachs:
Unless they are trivial things to fix, hold off for now. I'm totally swamped.  
OK, I'll hold it. It's related to this topic, so please do a couple of things:

1. Change this topic to "confirmed bug".

2. Let me know just before you start thinking about this topic, because the other issue is somewhat related.

[I will try to refine this issue, also, if I can dig up more hardware that helps]
Dale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2009, 11:36 AM   #42
feldon34
Forum Administrator
 
feldon34's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000

Location: Rock Hill, SC
Posts: 10,937
Is it really a bug if the graphics card has insufficient VRAM to run in 24-bit?

I have not followed the thread in detail btw.
"Journalism is printing what someone else does not want printed. Everything else is public relations." - George Orwell
"If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal." - Emma Goldman
feldon34 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-03-2009, 01:46 PM   #43
Dale
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by feldon32:
Is it really a bug if the graphics card has insufficient VRAM to run in 24-bit?

I have not followed the thread in detail btw.  
In my opinion, it's a bug if
(1) MA3 knows there will be a problem.
(2) MA3 runs, regardless of that knowledge, AND
(3) MA3 therefore crashes.
Dale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2009, 10:10 PM   #44
Dale
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by feldon32:
Is it really a bug if the graphics card has insufficient VRAM to run in 24-bit?

I have not followed the thread in detail btw.  
Related observation: The PC referred to in this thread, so far, has 32MB VRAM, and maximum color depth of 24-bit.

I just installed MA3 on another "wimpy" PC with an Nvidia video card that has 32MB, but 32-bit color depth. MA3 runs fine at 1024x768, 32-bit. (About 18 fps at 32-bit and about 30 fps at 16-bit, P3-840).

So, it's not the "32MB VRAM".
Dale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2009, 10:28 PM   #45
Jim Sachs
Developer
 
Jim Sachs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000

Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 9,768
It's not the lack of VRAM, it's the fact that it can't do Shaders.

Although VRAM may become a problem on low-end cards as I add more creatures and objects.
Jim Sachs
Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium
Jim Sachs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2009, 10:43 PM   #46
Dale
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by Jim Sachs:
It's not the lack of VRAM, it's the fact that it can't do Shaders.

Although VRAM may become a problem on low-end cards as I add more creatures and objects.  
Are you indicating that the Intel 82810 can't do Shaders in 24-bit color depth, but can do Shaders in 16-bit depth?
Dale is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-04-2009, 11:13 PM   #47
Jim Sachs
Developer
 
Jim Sachs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2000

Location: Southern Oregon
Posts: 9,768
The chip can't do them at all. The drivers must be trying to emulate them, and apparently not so successfully in 24-bit.

Anyway, I won't be spending any time chasing this. MA2.6 remains the Aquarium-of-choice for lesser equipment. The whole reason for MA3's existence is to take advantage of hardware improvements over the last 9 years.
Jim Sachs
Creator of SereneScreen Aquarium
Jim Sachs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2009, 09:38 AM   #48
Nicki
Sugar Plum Fairy
 
Nicki's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008

Location: Toronto
Posts: 1,267
There's always the option of installing a new video card , if like me you had a desktop with very poor graphics . Maybe not an option if you own a number of older machines (the expense might not be worth it) , or you have a laptop of course . For me it was a simple and cost effective way to enjoy not only MA3 but a better performing system overall . There may be a few prospective customers who feel the same .
Run you clever boy. And remember...
Nicki is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 02-05-2009, 09:40 AM   #49
Dale
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2005

Location: Western Missouri
Posts: 960
Originally posted by Jim Sachs:
The chip can't do them at all. The drivers must be trying to emulate them, and apparently not so successfully in 24-bit.

Anyway, I won't be spending any time chasing this. MA2.6 remains the Aquarium-of-choice for lesser equipment. The whole reason for MA3's existence is to take advantage of hardware improvements over the last 9 years.  
I never suggested that you should spend any time at all, trying to make MA3 work with older hardware.

My suggestion was/is intended to assure that MA3 does not CRASH when confronted with older hardware or drivers that don't meet MA3 requirements.

Of course, this isn't as important as the simulation. But I think crashes are worth chasing at some point.
Dale is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply
Go Back   Inside: SereneScreen Fan Forum > SereneScreen Products > Marine Aquarium 3 for Windows



Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 08:03 AM.


Powered by vBulletin®
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.