Blinking Monitor

from GalCiv2 Forums
Just got this sweet 22 inch wide screen samsung monitor and my desktop res 1680 x 1050.
Well when ever i try to run the game at this resalution my screen begings to blink (turn off and on).
eres my debug.err

Debug Message: Version v1.31 last updated on: Wed Sep 13 18:41:18 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 9/18/2006, 13:21:00
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: BIG-BAD-ASS
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
System Model: A7N8X2.0
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3000+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.2GHz
Physical Memory: 3072MB RAM
Page File: 270MB used, 4690MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 6800 GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0045&SUBSYS_21031682&REV_A1
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9147
Driver Date: 8/11/2006 21:42:52
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy Audio [9C00]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0004&SUBSYS_00511102&REV_03
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0441
Driver Date: 10/8/2003 11:06:04
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1680 x 1050
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 60
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: * Collectors Edition *
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Games\SDCentral\GalCiv2\Mods\Example\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Games\SDCentral\GalCiv2\Mods\Example\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message: Creating Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Galaxy Size Set: 8 x 8
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 36.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 118
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Altarian Republic: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Yor Collective: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Drath Legion: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Thalan Empire: Intellence -> 65
Debug Message: Iconian Refuge: Intellence -> 65
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Too many bonus racial abilities. Cheater flag being set. ***
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 10
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message: TitleWnd: Quit Button.
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: WorkAreaBack.png not cleared 1 counts left.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 6 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally
8,065 views 10 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
oh and before someone posts it.
The only difference between it working and not working was the new monitor and the new resulution.
So though the sound card drivers are dated thats not causing it i believe, also there arent any new drivers for it.

Also though for some reason in the debug.err it says my screens max. res is lower then what the native is. From samsung.com, my box, and the monitor it self, they all report that the native/max resulution is 1680 x 1050
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
Does it work at lower resolutions? It certainly sounds like an out-of-range refresh or resolution, but at 60Hz that shound't be a problem for anything recent, and if it were on the video-card end of things the debug should catch any problems initializing the video.
The Political Machine 2024
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Also though for some reason in the debug.err it says my screens max. res is lower then what the native is. From samsung.com, my box, and the monitor it self, they all report that the native/max resulution is 1680 x 1050



Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor

That is probably because Windows does not recognize the exact monitor.
Did the monitor come with a CD? If so, it will probably have a driver for your particular monitor so Windows can recognize it properly.

That might make it work better. You could also try running it in windowed mode and see if that makes a difference.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Does it work at lower resolutions? It certainly sounds like an out-of-range refresh or resolution, but at 60Hz that shound't be a problem for anything recent, and if it were on the video-card end of things the debug should catch any problems initializing the video.


Yes it works fine at lower Resulutions.

Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor

That is probably because Windows does not recognize the exact monitor.
Did the monitor come with a CD? If so, it will probably have a driver for your particular monitor so Windows can recognize it properly.

That might make it work better. You could also try running it in windowed mode and see if that makes a difference.


Wow never had to get a driver for a monitor before. But yes after spending 30 min looking for the drivers i foudn them. Installed and windows now sees it as the sync master 225. Thanks.
This seems to have fixxed the problem. Also gal civ now recognizes in the debug.err the max res as being the 1680 and not 1600.

Thank you both very much.

In closing.
I would definatly pay more for some higher res Planets and stuff they dont look so nice at this hi res

Also quick question when i start it up and its at the defualt screen (new game, load game) theres a black line that go down about 800 pixels then goes to the left like 640. Whats up with that?

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
Also quick question when i start it up and its at the defualt screen (new game, load game) theres a black line that go down about 800 pixels then goes to the left like 640. Whats up with that?
Screenshot it.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Looks like the animation in the top left corner is getting the edge antialiased, so unless you want to sacrifice AA there's not much to be done about it.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Looks like the animation in the top left corner is getting the edge antialiased, so unless you want to sacrifice AA there's not much to be done about it.


that ss is with 4x. When i turn it off it looks even worse
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
Could also be anisotropic filtering as well, or just not quite stretching correctly. If it really bugs you though, you could just find the bink file for that animation and rename it so it just shows the static image (which is all once piece).
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
nah its fine.
That and the low res planet models are the onyl thing i have noticed at this monstreous resulution.
(the terrans have a black head on there nose btw)