Forums » MacOS X
Client turns into thin vertical strip
I have downloaded VO for the mac. I am using an iBook g4 -- 1.42 GHz, 9550 mobility radeon.
When the game first started, I was told "Your native display is 1024x768. Switch to that?". Since that's what I normally use, I said no -- that was the current display.
The game starts, and displays the login window. Sound plays nicely. But after 3 to 5 seconds, the video blanks out most of the left and right side, leaving only a small thin strip (maybe 10-20 pixels wide) of graphics.
<Esc> works to quit the game.
The graphics are NOT "thinified" -- it's not compressing 11 inches wide into a fraction of an inch. I can see the stars moving through that tiny viewport, and they are just fine. It's like a black mask over 95% of the screen.
When the game first started, I was told "Your native display is 1024x768. Switch to that?". Since that's what I normally use, I said no -- that was the current display.
The game starts, and displays the login window. Sound plays nicely. But after 3 to 5 seconds, the video blanks out most of the left and right side, leaving only a small thin strip (maybe 10-20 pixels wide) of graphics.
<Esc> works to quit the game.
The graphics are NOT "thinified" -- it's not compressing 11 inches wide into a fraction of an inch. I can see the stars moving through that tiny viewport, and they are just fine. It's like a black mask over 95% of the screen.
VO just updated today. I was hoping this would fix things.
Nope. Same thin strip, through which I can see the background rotating just fine.
And a mouse.
A little experimentation shows: if I move the mouse to the left, and keep moving to the left, the mouse is visible on the strip. It behaves like the screen only shows the left 16 or so pixels, centered in the middle of the screen.
Nope. Same thin strip, through which I can see the background rotating just fine.
And a mouse.
A little experimentation shows: if I move the mouse to the left, and keep moving to the left, the mouse is visible on the strip. It behaves like the screen only shows the left 16 or so pixels, centered in the middle of the screen.
Try deleting the config.ini file from wherever VO is installed and then restart the game.
I thought I had posted a reply already.
After this weekend's update, and removing the config.ini file, and saying "yes" when it asked me to switch to my current resolution, it was a little better.
I had enough time to enter my name and password before it became thin.
After this weekend's update, and removing the config.ini file, and saying "yes" when it asked me to switch to my current resolution, it was a little better.
I had enough time to enter my name and password before it became thin.
And now two more data points.
On a Mac Mini -- 1.42 GHz, PPC G4, 9300 video card -- on a 1360 by 768 widescreen -- the display opens, and I see the "video blank" in the middle of the screen -- the bottom half of the TV has the top half of the frame, and the top half of the TV has the bottom half of the frame.
Additionally, the "left edge" of what is displayed is about where the "widescreen vs normal width" point is.
Data point number 2: Same machine, same display, but in 1024x768 mode, displays just fine.
Problem? This machine is normally used for compiles and other CPU intense stuff, or as a remote login machine if I lock up my graphics display. Or as a DVD player. I normally use screen sharing to use it, not direct usage. It doesn't have a mouse, and the keyboard is functional, but not much more than that.
Experimenting ...
Ok. Putting it in a window (on the Mac mini, with screen sharing from the iBook) has the following:
1. On the mac mini display, the lighting undergoes flashes, more or less at random. I'm looking at the login screen; the rotating space station looks like it is in a lightning storm, occasionally going all bright.
2. I can type in my name and password without it dying.
Inspired, lets put the native iBook in a window ...
Alright, so in a window, it's smaller than the full screen (looks like 800x600). But what do you know: Two levels of screen-zoom in, and it almost fills the screen, and works.
So far, real good; lets try to decipher the text on this initial starbase...
NB: Working in a window is not the same as working full screen. On the mac, window rendering takes twice as much graphics ops (first into an offscreen buffer, then composed onto the display.)
On a Mac Mini -- 1.42 GHz, PPC G4, 9300 video card -- on a 1360 by 768 widescreen -- the display opens, and I see the "video blank" in the middle of the screen -- the bottom half of the TV has the top half of the frame, and the top half of the TV has the bottom half of the frame.
Additionally, the "left edge" of what is displayed is about where the "widescreen vs normal width" point is.
Data point number 2: Same machine, same display, but in 1024x768 mode, displays just fine.
Problem? This machine is normally used for compiles and other CPU intense stuff, or as a remote login machine if I lock up my graphics display. Or as a DVD player. I normally use screen sharing to use it, not direct usage. It doesn't have a mouse, and the keyboard is functional, but not much more than that.
Experimenting ...
Ok. Putting it in a window (on the Mac mini, with screen sharing from the iBook) has the following:
1. On the mac mini display, the lighting undergoes flashes, more or less at random. I'm looking at the login screen; the rotating space station looks like it is in a lightning storm, occasionally going all bright.
2. I can type in my name and password without it dying.
Inspired, lets put the native iBook in a window ...
Alright, so in a window, it's smaller than the full screen (looks like 800x600). But what do you know: Two levels of screen-zoom in, and it almost fills the screen, and works.
So far, real good; lets try to decipher the text on this initial starbase...
NB: Working in a window is not the same as working full screen. On the mac, window rendering takes twice as much graphics ops (first into an offscreen buffer, then composed onto the display.)
the display opens, and I see the "video blank" in the middle of the screen -- the bottom half of the TV has the top half of the frame, and the top half of the TV has the bottom half of the frame.
Is this literally being output to a TV? Or are you using a standard monitor of some sort? It sounds kind of like a sync rate issue. Like perhaps the display does not support 1360x768 at the refresh rate being chosen.
Have you tried other monitors?
We have a G4 733 at work, with a radeon from a similar era, and it has been running the game great, as recently as Friday. We're running 10.5 on that machine, I think. What version of OS X are you using?
The "native resolution" is simply detecting the desktop size, as that's usually also native for most people who use LCDs (particularly on laptops).
Is this literally being output to a TV? Or are you using a standard monitor of some sort? It sounds kind of like a sync rate issue. Like perhaps the display does not support 1360x768 at the refresh rate being chosen.
Have you tried other monitors?
We have a G4 733 at work, with a radeon from a similar era, and it has been running the game great, as recently as Friday. We're running 10.5 on that machine, I think. What version of OS X are you using?
The "native resolution" is simply detecting the desktop size, as that's usually also native for most people who use LCDs (particularly on laptops).
It is being output to an HDMI / RGB widescreen TV, in RGB mode.
I have the laptop with built-in display, and the Mac Mini with TV
I have the laptop with built-in display, and the Mac Mini with TV
It sounds as though your TV does not support something about the resolution or refresh rate being chosen.
I still need to know what version of OS X you're using.
I still need to know what version of OS X you're using.
Opps. 10.5.8.
TV in RGB mode supports 1280x1024 and 1360x768, as well as a bunch of smaller resolutions. I normally have my screen in 1024x768, switching to 1360x768 for wide DVDs.
TV in RGB mode supports 1280x1024 and 1360x768, as well as a bunch of smaller resolutions. I normally have my screen in 1024x768, switching to 1360x768 for wide DVDs.
I don't know what changed, but it's now working in full screen, on both machines. (Both wide and normal on the TV.)