Team Fortress 2 suspected video issue....Please Read and Help

[kwalker]

Originally Posted by Defient

Well I didn't say much about it mainly because I haven't tampered with any settings (CPU, GPU, etc.) Everything is running at default speeds. CPU is ar 2.4GHz. The ram I'm running is 2GB crucial ballistix 1066 (PC28500). Using a Gigabyte P35C-DS3R mobo. If theres anything I need to list let me know.

If your using the on board sound you may want to try lowering the quality to a basic setting in the game option menu and bump up the pci ex frequency.
the ram modules are probably set to spd settings so make sure the voltage is correct in bios manually for 1066 settings.
a little tweaking here and there may help but some games just hate us so keep us updated

[kwalker]

Originally Posted by randomizer

An overclocked 8800GTS 512 can only do high at 1280x960 and get decent framerates. Very high is out of the question without tweaking.

I noticed the same with my 3870's
they need a kick in the arse

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by Defient

Yea, it is pretty wierd because I only have problems with TF2, nothing else. Before rolling back my driver, I was using the latest beta version on the nvidia site. I have also tried omega drivers, but I get the same result. :/

Tell me, do other Source based games have this issue? Try Half Life 2 (which you should have since it's part of The Orange Box). If it works fine, then well, I can't believe I'm saying this, take Farhang's advice.

[JKflipflop]

Delete the local game files of TF2 and redownload. It appears to be a corrupt post processing shader.

[Natural-Lite]

I'm having the same exact problem with the same messed up screen. Just for some added info and to help ease the pain, if you ALT-TAB out, then back in, your graphics will be fixed and you will notice an increase in FPS. However, over time, your FPS will deteriorate again. Though, for some reason, you only get the messed up screen once.

Just to describe the problem to others: Usually before you get the messed up graphics, your FPS will begin to deteriorate until it hits a "low point", which for me is about 25fps in a crowded area. Once it gets to this low point, you get the screen. You can still hear everything, you can even move around, get voice chat....the game is still in progress, you just can't see a damn thing.

This problem only started since the last patch. And that's not the Heavy Update patch I'm talking about, but the relatively minor patch they just put in a week or two ago. That's the only change I noticed that coincided with the problems. I do not overclock and have not changed anything on my system, which is:

Operating System: Windows Vista™ Ultimate (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.vistasp1_gdr.080917-1612)
System Manufacturer: NVIDIA
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Processor model unknown (2 CPUs), ~3.2GHz
Memory: 4094MB RAM
Page File: 1478MB used, 6936MB available
DirectX Version: DirectX 10

Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS
Dedicated Memory: 297 MB
Shared Memory: 1791 MB
Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Driver Version: 7.15.0011.7824 (English)

Creative SB Audigy 2 ZS sound


I had to move the past couple of weeks so I haven't had much time to solve this problem, just been alt-tabbing out and back in when it happens. However, this doesn't solve the deterioration of FPS.

I never had this problem before the last patch, so I'm thinking a re-install might fix it. I think something might have gotten corrupted somehow....but I'm not sure.

So far I've just updated my video drivers and lowered the graphics settings to try and solve the problem but that's about it. I'll continue to work it out and keep everyone updated.

Thanks for any help. =)

[Natural-Lite]

Quick update:

I checked the update notes for the last two TF2 updates:

[-]October 22, 2008 - Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2

Removed consistency check for some particle systems that players like to customize

[-]October 21, 2008 - Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2
Added rate limit for several client commands to prevent server spamming
Added consistency checking for particle systems
Updated r_particle_timescale ConVar so it can only be changed if the server has sv_cheats set to 1
Updated loading/disconnect dialogs so they're easier to read
Updated Dustbowl, Granary, and Badwater Basin with several exploit fixes
Updated Granary to remove the setup time and gates
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Could be something with particles now causing problems? I noticed the OP also uses nVidia 8800 series, which seems to be having a lot of FPS problems, with TF2 according to several posts I've read.

I'm reinstalling TF2 at the moment to rule out some kind of corruption issue and will post results.

[Tark]

processor model unknown? where did ya get this info? does it show up ok when you first boot up? Might wanna update the BIOS if not.

Of course that's not related to your issues likely, but it may help the PC overall function better.

[Tark]

Originally Posted by Natural-Lite

Quick update:

I checked the update notes for the last two TF2 updates:

[-]October 22, 2008 - Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2

Removed consistency check for some particle systems that players like to customize

[-]October 21, 2008 - Team Fortress 2 Update Released

Team Fortress 2
Added rate limit for several client commands to prevent server spamming
Added consistency checking for particle systems
Updated r_particle_timescale ConVar so it can only be changed if the server has sv_cheats set to 1
Updated loading/disconnect dialogs so they're easier to read
Updated Dustbowl, Granary, and Badwater Basin with several exploit fixes
Updated Granary to remove the setup time and gates
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Could be something with particles now causing problems? I noticed the OP also uses nVidia 8800 series, which seems to be having a lot of FPS problems, with TF2 according to several posts I've read.

I'm reinstalling TF2 at the moment to rule out some kind of corruption issue and will post results.

could've done a check first before a full reinstall.. oh well.

[Natural-Lite]

I just ran DXdiag to get the info. Never really noticed it, but it says the same thing in Device Manager and under My Computer....AMD processor unknown model.

/shrug

Doesn't seem to affect anything. I'll have to look into it, though. I agree that it probably has nothing to do with the TF2 issue.

[Natural-Lite]

Ok, I did a re-install and that didn't help.

It seems to happen once I get in a very high traffic area with lots particle affects going on. Performance slows down drastically, getting only 30-40 fps in the respawn room, which is just a small room with nobody or barely anyone in it. Normally, I'd cap out FPS in here, I think I have max at 70. After I hit that point, performance is never quite the same and I get the screen shortly after.

Also, after I get the screen, I lowered my graphics setting, such as AA, AF, and performance hardly went up at all. Because of this, and because I've always maxed out settings and played perfectly for the past year until this recent problem, I don't think it's anything to do with high settings straining the computer or using up resources.

Seems to me the recent patches screwed something up with already problematic (in regards to TF2) nVidia cards.

Anyone with a working TF2 game using any nVidia cards, especially the 8800 series? If so, what are your other specs and what drivers are you using?

Also, is there any significance in the fact that ALT-TABBING out and then back in clears up the video and also provides a short-lived boost in FPS? Why would this happen?

[Natural-Lite]

Don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but here is the TF2 console log of a game in which the error occurred. Some errors were logged and I'm assuming they are a result of the graphics error. Here they are:


ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef topcolor doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef bottomcolor doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_himodels doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_playermodel doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshairusealpha doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_red doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_green doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_blue doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_scale doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_file doesn't point to an existing ConVar
--- Missing Vgui material vgui/crosshair_bg
ConVarRef cl_crosshairscale doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_himodels doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshairusealpha doesn't point to an existing ConVar
exec: couldn't exec userconfig.cfg
Host_WriteConfiguration: Wrote cfg/config.cfg
Changing resolutions from (1680, 1050) -> (1680, 1050)
Unable to remove c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\cheezeneck\team fortress 2\tf\textwindow_temp.html!
Unknown command: cl_crosshairscale


So, I don't know much about the HL2 console. But, basically it looks like it can't find the stuff that's supposed to appear on screen in order to render it? I don't know. I never changed the resolution, so I don't know why it did that... It looks like the .config file got deleted somehow and the server had to rewrite it? I'll have to research what some of this means.

[Afrodisiac]

Originally Posted by Natural-Lite

Don't know why I didn't think of this earlier, but here is the TF2 console log of a game in which the error occurred. Some errors were logged and I'm assuming they are a result of the graphics error. Here they are:


ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef topcolor doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef bottomcolor doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_himodels doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_playermodel doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshairusealpha doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_red doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_green doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_blue doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_scale doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshair_file doesn't point to an existing ConVar
--- Missing Vgui material vgui/crosshair_bg
ConVarRef cl_crosshairscale doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef hud_quickinfo doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_himodels doesn't point to an existing ConVar
ConVarRef cl_crosshairusealpha doesn't point to an existing ConVar
exec: couldn't exec userconfig.cfg
Host_WriteConfiguration: Wrote cfg/config.cfg
Changing resolutions from (1680, 1050) -> (1680, 1050)
Unable to remove c:\program files (x86)\steam\steamapps\cheezeneck\team fortress 2\tf\textwindow_temp.html!
Unknown command: cl_crosshairscale


So, I don't know much about the HL2 console. But, basically it looks like it can't find the stuff that's supposed to appear on screen in order to render it? I don't know. I never changed the resolution, so I don't know why it did that... It looks like the .config file got deleted somehow and the server had to rewrite it? I'll have to research what some of this means.

Have you put in a TF2 config? cl_crosshairscale is a CSS-only command, it doesn't exist in TF2.

[Natural-Lite]

Ok, I found out that those console errors are simply from opening the settings menu. Apparently its just some bs that happens to a lot of people. It has nothing to do with the issue - as soon as I open settings, I get those console errors. They do not affect the game.

[Natural-Lite]

Quick fix update on this:

Right click on Team Fortress 2 in Steam, go to Properties, Set Launch Options, and type "-dxlevel 81" in the box, without the quotes. Then launch game as normal. This just forces the game to run in Direct X version 8.1.

This fixed the issue for me, and also greatly improved my frames (I never fall below max). However, the graphics are definitely downgraded a bit in doing this and, for some reason, I have to reset the resolution, etc. every time I start the game. It works for me though until they fix this issue.

Someone mentioned on a forum running TF2 in OpenGL mode to fix a lot of 8800 issues. Supposedly, if you type "-gl" in the launch options, it will run TF2 in OpenGL mode. I tried this and it didn't do a damn thing, so I don't know about that one.

Cheers