[Driver issue]Can't switch to GL mode

NiGHTMARE · Post by **NiGHTMARE** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:24

Upon starting GZDoom, I noticed it was in software mode. Thinking this was simply the default, I soon discovered that the Video Mode screen has a "Renderer" option. I selected it, and pressed the righr cursor key, expecting something like "OpenGL" to replace "Software". For a split second it, did, but then screen blinked for a split second, and when it came back it displayed "Software" once more. And indeed, it was still in software mode.

I then tried pressing enter instead, but again it stayed in software mode - and this time, the resolution options below disappeared! This was only temporary though, since they came back upon pressing escape and re-entering the Vide Mode screen. I also tried a couple of different resolutions and switching to a window instead of fullscren, but still no joy.

My specs: AMD Athlon 64 3400+, ASRock motherboard, 512MB DDR RAM, Radeon 9700, Windows 2000 SP 4, DirectX 9.0c, latest drivers for all hardware.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:35

Could you look for console error messages? In case the video setup fails there should be one.

NiGHTMARE · Post by **NiGHTMARE** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:42

Ah, didn't think to look there. There is indeed an error message:

ZGL: Couldn't find WGLCHOOSEPIXELFORMATARB

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 1:55

Ugh. That's bad. What's worse, I don't have the slightest clue how this can happen.
Since this has to be tracked down it seems I will have to create a test version that outputs some more status information to see what happens.

NiGHTMARE · Post by **NiGHTMARE** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:01

Could it be a problem on my end? I just re-installed Windows a couple of days ago, and haven't actually tried any other OpenGL games since (though I know Direct3D is working fine). I'll try some out tommorow and see what happens.

chaoscentral · Post by **chaoscentral** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:34

this is what happens to me... i cant switch from software mode... it might not be my card cuz I can play half life on OpenGL

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:35

So much for the 'new, improved way to start OpenGL'. Great! It seems I have to go back to the old code...

I think Timmie might be interested in this as well because the GL startup code is his.

The problem is that your driver doesn't support an OpenGL extension that is supposed tp be supported by all modern drivers.

NiGHTMARE · Post by **NiGHTMARE** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:04

How modern is modern? My card is just over three years old (strangely enough, the 9700 actually predates the 9600), and I'll be upgrading it just as soon as I can afford to

.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:13

How old is your driver? You say latest. Maybe it's the Win2000 system you are using. Considering ATIs reputation it wouldn't really surprise me if they didn't support it properly.

NiGHTMARE · Post by **NiGHTMARE** » Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:41

The driver was released on the 17th of this month, so it's only a couple of weeks old.

It could well be Windows 2000. I just tried GZDoom on my laptop, which has an older Radeon card (7000) but uses WinXP, and OpenGL mode will run (though it has a major problem, which I'll create post about in a second).

chaoscentral · Post by **chaoscentral** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 0:14

I believe that it is the video card itself. Because I just put a different video card in the same PC and it seems to be working... I get everything except dynamic lights...(bad card)

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 0:19

How can you not get dynamic lights? THey are just an additional rendering pass.

chaoscentral · Post by **chaoscentral** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 2:44

ehh... its an old 2x AGP 128MB SiS card that can barely handle open GL... that main reason its just all sorta buggy and crap if you need a screen shot or something let me know

EDIT: added pictures

AFADoomer · Post by **AFADoomer** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 3:25

I'm having the same problem as NiGHTMARE... Cannot Choose Pixel or something like that...

I have an old crappy ATI 128 Pro with XP SP2... But I can run most GL stuff just fine.

Post by **Graf Zahl** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 8:49

chaoscentral wrote:ehh... its an old 2x AGP 128MB SiS card that can barely handle open GL... that main reason its just all sorta buggy and crap if you need a screen shot or something let me know

EDIT: added pictures

Your GL driver must be very, very buggy. Most of the on-screen garbage doesn't even make sense...