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and that has me running 100% where I want it thank you guys. I assume if I change my screen resolution I need to change the above too but I'll deal with that when/if I need to. thanks for all the help

nbohr1more got it right the first time. boy do I feel dumb for some reason I thought my version of Doom3 was pre-patched. yeah I'm a dummy today. so it is working now, thank you very much for the help but I have another question. I have a wide 18~ish inch monitor and the game doesn't display all the way out to the side. the top and bottom meet up well but there's close to 2 inches of black nothing on either side of the game. my screen resolution is 1680 x 945 the closest I can get the game setting to that is 1680 x 1050 but the black side don't seem to change any from me adjustingz resolution or aspect ratio. the game seem pinched side to side to me. is there any way I can get the game to display fully from side to side? thanks again

I finally got around to installing The Dark Mod 1.02. Been meaning to for a long time. The mod looks superb from what I've seen so far. However, the mod was somewhat tempermental to get running well. At first, I had the "menu is a black screen" problem. It seemed to occur the first time I set the window to be full screen. I've also had the issue with the game crashing after several quick saves. But my main reason for posting was to mention the rendering issues I've been having. I'm mentioning a solution I found to one of them, in case anyone else runs into this specific problem. My setup: Win 7 x64, Althon X2 6400+, 2 GB, Radeon 3870, Catalyst 10.6, 1680x1050 resolution. I was having dramatic framerate drops similar to what's been mentioned in this topic. This happened during the training mission included with the mod, in the practice area where you learn mantling and using rope arrows. My framerate was being annihilated whenever I approached the gas lamps near the beginning of that area, after mantling the crates. I knew it had something to do with the lamps, because whenever I specifically approached them the game slowed to an absolute crawl. While up until that point, everything was smooth even at 1680x1050. After trying countless tweaks, I finally found the solution. For Performance Tweaks on the Dark Mod Wiki, it mentions something to try if you get framerate drops around water. On a hunch, I suspected this same setting might help with the lamps. Sure enough, after creating an AutoExec.cfg file with this command, the massive framerate drops disappeared. I'm not entirely sure how this command is detrimental to the image quality of the lighting that the lamps cast, as I don't notice that much of a change. (I think the lamps aren't casting rays on the walls or self-shadowing?) But without it, the game became unplayable. Unfortunately, I've noticed that using this command causes water surfaces to disappear completely for me. No matter what other settings I change. But it was worth the tradeoff. This topic mentions another problem I'm having. The sky isn't being mapped correctly. But Catalyst AI enabled or disabled, it makes no difference. (In fact, I don't notice a difference in loading times either.) Can't seem to find any solution to this. Does anyone have any other ideas? It's not too big of a distraction, though. Maybe I just need to wait for another Catalyst update. (Staying away from Catalyst 10.7.) Oh, and a new tool that ATI owners may find useful is RadeonPro. It's the equivalent of nHancer, for ATI cards. Lets you control and/or force AA, AF, VSync, Catalyst AI, Triple Buffering, and so on.

I have an update on this front: As I started the new FM Betrayal by Fieldmedic the tearing was back, although I made the vid_restart after loading the mission. I saved, quit and reloaded that spot in 1280x720, no tearing, made vid_restart with custom res, tearing was there. But then I decided to test another custom res (only left possible between the two) and this (1232x700) is working just fine!! No need for vid_restart, just loaded Dufford´s and here no tearing too!!!! Damn, am I glad! Oh, I´m so happy cause the new res is cutting so less from the screen that I now can read the last loot-line that wasn´t possible in 1280x720 and nowhere else I had a feeling of 'cut'. I have a gut-feeling that I got finally and for sure rid of the tearing. No talking of the devil, I know, but that have to be it, I´m sure...

Yeah, yeah, did you really had me to get two negative reps? Anyway, I still would like to know if it is possible to change the gray screen that appears while vid_restart. (I guess it´s the same that shows up a little second when starting TDM)

Guys, I'm having crashes in TDM sometimes. Today was the first time I managed to see a TDM error message (as opposed to just a black screen). It read as follows: IdMovable 'IdBarrel_ATDM:Movable_Junk_WBottle01_Broken_1027': Cannot Load Collision Model Models/Darkmod/Junk/WBottle01/Broken.LWO The crash happened in the third NHAT mission, while trying to open a drawer in a room in the upper floor. Just before doing that, I had snatched a golden bottle from a table on the opposite side of the room. Does anyone have any idea what causes these crashes, or where the error message is supposed to point me to? P.S.: I'm experiencing this kind of crashes in other FMs, so it's definitely not limited to NHAT 3.

Another question: While video_restart there is a gray screen. What do I have to do if I want the screen in another color, like pitch black. Or is even a picture possible, like TDM-logo?

Bit of background first: when I first downloaded TDM v1, I suffered the same symptoms: after the first start or two, the main menu would be always completely black. The music would play, and you could click on the menu options if you moved the invisible mouse cursor to the right spot, but still obviously a game breaking bug. At that time, running the updater fixed the problem, and I figured it was probably a corrupted download. Now the problem is back. Just now I've installed a new FM, and the program rebooted itself to a completely blank black main menu screen. Everything behaves the same way, with one difference: running the updater does NOT fix it. In fact, the updater says my installation is up to date. Help would be appreciated. System specs: WinXP Dual Pentium CPU 4 GB RAM GeForce 9600 None of this has changed since I last played, so I doubt it's a hardware problem. EDIT: I've downloaded the torrent (non-updater based) version and overwrote my previous installation with it. It fixed the problem - at least for a short while. I now suspect the problem is integral to one specific FM, namely Glenham Tower. Will post more if I have anything. EDIT: Turns out the issue was most likely that Total Commander automatically puts brackets around certain (hidden?) directory names, and I thought they were meant to be an actual part of the name, so the installation of the FM went wrong. I think, anyway. Problem no longer around.

But I already bought the expensive one! ... Just kidding. Ah, dammit. That are the reasons why I wanted a console, on a PC there is always something wrong. Hmm, this looks interesting, could be an improvement, right? That price I can afford. Should I buy it? I´ll do everything you say, almost! And my actual cables are three meters, don´t need longer anyway. But the DVI-cable is five meters. That´s too long, considering the 3-meter-cables, right? Maybe I´ll try it tomorrow. And my TV is not the best. On TV-programs I got after five minutes white diagonal stripes over the screen. The better TV of my girlfriend doesn´t have this stripes, so it is my TV that causes it. I guess the price was 700€, not sure because I paid 50€ every month and that´s two years ago. Doesn´t anyone else have this too? Because it is not constant let´s me think it maybe is a mod-problem. Finally tonight I´ll play Doom3 with Denton´s HDR-mod, but I don´t think I´ll see it there, because of the small hallways and good visportals. I´ll see...

I don´t think it´s an overheating issue. Because I have it right after the reboot or when I started the next day and always on the same spots. The V-sync wasn´t simply activated in the widescreen-resolutions. And now I got rid of it, I just have to start the game in a different res and then I copy my doomconfig with my custom res back into the folder and it works fine. I could type in the res manually, too, but I´m too lazy for that. Now I´ll play Builder´s Influence so I´ll see if it somehow comes back during the game. I´m usually spending four hours in missions. So if it´s overheating, I´ll see. I hope not, though. Also, I have a software called 'Vtune' that sets a dynamic Fan speed for my GPU. But I never heard the Fan-speed increase. Is it maybe a reason that I use my Phillipps-TV as the screen? It´s connected via HDMI-cabel and the output is in HD-mode. Because of the HD-mode I had to downscale the res 1280x720 to 1216x692, otherwise the picture was too much zoomed in. Actually I haven´t tried to deactivate HD-mode yet...

I tried now the newest drivers and hey, there working again with Doom3. But the tearing is still there. I used all GPU-settings. Only 'Triple Buffering' takes effect, but as I described above, it´s even worse. I´m pretty sure that it is a Mod-problem with open/wide areas. I never saw it in Doom3. My V-sync is working fine in other games and in TDM itself, without in open areas. ... Now I deactivated V-Sync and there is no difference. But as I changed the aspect ratio back to 4:3 it was gone!! So, I have the tearing in 16:9 (which is best for my screen) and 16:10!! I also tested 'r_displayRefresh 60' but that did nothing. I tested several resolutions in 16:9, but only 1216x692 works perfect without borders or cutting borders. (on my TV) Now that´s odd. I set back to my custom width (I play with the same in Doom3 btw) the tearing seems to be gone. ... I started the game now 3 times and the tearing is gone. Can someone explain this to me? I don´t think someone of you used an untearing-spell directly to my system, did you? I started Return to the City and there it wasn´t too, though it seemed to be slower in the beginning wide area. But Builder´s Influence is running perfect. (first I feared of some reverse-effect, but in the alley it is fine, too:)) So, the cure must have been to try several resolutions. Though I had the tearing in the 16:9 res 1280x720 (my actual res is downscaled from this one) that I tried lately. And then I even copied my backup of the doom3config back. But now it´s gone. Really strange, isn´t it? I still can´t believe it. Now I´ll post this and then I make a reboot and try again... edit: As I feared, the tearing was back after reboot. But I can get around it via res-changing. So, it works now. I only have to start the Main menu with another res. Gladly, I don´t have to load a level with another res before changing to my wish-res. After that do the other widescreen-res´s work fine too. On a sidenote: the res-setting is acting strange. As I set 1280x720 the DoomConfig talked about the next higher, 1366x768 that is. As I set in the Menu to this res, actually I then had the 1280-res. I think it´s related to 'r_mode -1'. As I remember I had to set this to '-1' for using my custom width. (1216x692) I think I earned the title 'strange problems Man'!

So, you saw it too? I really would like to know that I´m not the only one having this. I could make a video with Fraps, though I don´t know where to upload it. But the effect is really like without V-sync or on low hz-rates. It´s like part of the screen are behind the movement. And yes, when moving the view slow all is fine. I´m really sure that it happens in wide areas: Tonight I looked into Builder´s Influence and I saw the effect at the starting area. But as I got into the side-alley left of the town-hall the effect was gone. Most likely because there was a visportal at the beginning of that area. I have now some little time so I´ll test some GPU-settings... edit: I found out something new: When I deactivate 'Triple Buffering' the effect is gone, but substituted with a stuttering view-movement. When I come to the areas with better 'visportaling' the view is smooth like it should be. This is even worse than the tearing, so I´ve changed back. Sadly, that means TDM has problems with big areas. Is there a high chance that the team is able to do something about it in the future? (with source code) As we speaking about the engine, I´m curious about what engines the Team thought about in the early days. Meaning, if you´d not chosen Doom3, what would it have been now? This is no critic on the engine, I´m just curious. I´m very happy with the appearance of TDM. If I would´ve been around in the early days, I would´ve never expected such quality TDM offers now, simply incredible when I think about that you even haven´t had access to the source code.

Yes Fullscreen. I played Glenham Tower now and I´m very sure that this is related to the visportal/performance-thing. Because I saw it in a room with door open. As a closed the door again the effect was gone. It´s not limited to horizontal line, my fault. And it´s not limited to light sources too, was just better viewable on them. So, you´ll see it most likely in open areas or when you never close doors (I always close them). I saw it around the tower, but it seemed weaker because I only mentioned it as I got out at the end. Just for my understanding: A 'visportal' opens and closes an area for the renderer, right?. So it is really difficult to use in open areas I guess. Would be having too much visportals a problem, too? edit: On my TV I have maximum 60hz on actual res. Could that be the cause, too? On my old screen (very old) I always had 85hz.

Were you in window mode? V-sync only works in full screen mode I believe.

I saw it on some FM´s, lately in Melans Return to the City. When I changed the view horizontally I got these tear´s, don´t know how to describe it else. It´s like when you deactivate V-sync (then you have it on vertical), or when the Refresh-rate of your screen is too low. (I got once 50hz accidentally, now I have 60hz btw) It appears only on far textures and I guess it´s related to high quality textures, because I don´t saw this in Doom3 as I looked into it yesterday. In Melans´ mission I saw it quite often. Right at the beginning on the house where you can lockpick the door, if you wanna test it. So I wonder why there is no H-Sync setting? Is V-Sync so powerful that it oppresses such 'rivals'?

Whoo, that´s a way too dark, at least at my screen. How did you get my shot, anyway? I wasn´t able to download the images so I had to make a screenshot of my originally own screenshot. I adjusted the gamma about 0.20 to get a version that´s bright enough to see the guard. I would appreciate a much more less bluish tone on outside night-sights, though. Yeah, there is not much wrong (on the first image), but the white textures could be 10 or 20% more dark. I know nothing about shaders yet, but I´ll look into it, always learning here...

As said, it's mostly just textures/material shaders. That said, black isn't very attractive and you need a pretty high base brightness on stuff to keep the game from being annoyingly dark, you also have to take into consideration that the 'blacks' on 95% of the target audience will not be as good as they were 10 years ago when everyone had CRT's. In very low ambient light the contrast between lighter surfaces and solid colours increases quite dramatically, however the balance of "what is light and what is dark" is outside the scope of my "give a damn", making sure that say, walls and floors have similar brightness as to avoid "bad" contrasting in the same environment, well that's very important (i.e you can feel free to report it)! It's one of those areas that realism is really quite bad in terms of enjoyable experience, the example looks fine to me. At the end of the day, perceived brightness/realism/your eyes/your monitor/your software config/your screenshot adjustment will all play a role, the best thing you can do is adjust your gamma in TDM to match what you would want (and when testing to release a map, make sure to test the defaults )

Those lights are a material shader problem. There's nothing wrong with the screen shot beyond the self lit glass in the lights. It's up to the map author to decide how much ambient light they want lighting their entire map, we make some suggestions on the wiki I believe, but the light level I'm seeing here doesn't look too out of the ordinary in your screen shot. On my laptop monitor it looks just right, and on my older CRT monitor...it's almost too dark to see anything. So I think it's ok. I've seen Thief 2 scren shots that looked far brighter than that.

If I understood correctly, it's not a problem with the engine but with the laws of physics If it were completely dark everything would be pitch black, but if you add just a tiny bit of light, the whiter objects would pop out before the darker ones. Edit: Except the lights! those have an evident shader problem.

I just played Sons of Baltona and it never bothered so much until now that very often some textures seem to be too much bright and others may too much dark in shadows with no light sources. I´ve added a screenshot there you can see that the top and bottom are how they should be, I guess, but the walls and the beds/objects much too bright. I played around with 'r_lightscale' but this affects only the dark places. Is this still under development or will it be like this forever? Or is it somehow texture-related? edit: the shot appears to be darker as in real on my screen.

Ah, so you do have the OpenGL tweaking screen! We can look at that a bit more, but for now... You should have more than 2 cfgs; 1 in each folder for each mission you have installed; you must have installed at least 1 to make that video, eh? ...anyway attach now the 2 cfgs you speak of, if you will.

I'm using Ubuntu 10.04, 64-bit. I have doom 3 installed in an unusual directory, but it is symlinked to /usr/local/games/doom3. When I play TDM, the light gem is totally black (except for during mantling). The guards cannot see me. The console is constantly flooded with "cannot open ../../../../dev/shm/tdm_lg.tga" or something like that. Any ideas? I checked, and a file exists in /dev/shm, but it is blank. When I installed Doom 3, I just restored it from my external hard drive, rather than running the installer again. Could this be the problem? Doom 3 plays fine.

Google gives this many results: "1366x768" - about 10 million "1360x768" - about 1 million So it's somewhat common (with LCD TVs at least from browsing some of the results). I have to set the screen to 1:1 (centered) and I can see the 3 blank pixels on each side not being used

The issue is proper display of the 16x9 aspect ratios: 1280x720 1366x768 1920x1080 Okay, I'm going a little insane here. I brought up our LCD TV from downstairs and hooked it up in place of my 1440x900 monitor (the TV is 1366x768) When I set Dark Mod to 1280x720 (just for kicks), it doesn't display correctly: it sets my desktop all the way up to 1920x1080 (which the TV will take and just downsample to its native res) and shows Dark Mod in the upper left corner area (in a "window" that turns out to be 1366x768) Then when I set Dark Mod to 1366x768 (which is what I actually want) it will claim it's at 1366x768 but really it's running at 1280x720 (I'm sure of it - TV's set at 1:1 aspect ratio, no scaling involved, and I see the tell-tale border of a 720p image not scaled up to the TV's native 1366x768) What gives? If I set it to the full HD 1920x1080 it will run properly full screen (and my TV scales the image down to it's native 1366x768). But this is obviously not ideal Why doesn't 1280x720 work right? Much more importantly, why does 1366x768 run at 1280x720?????

Try starting the training mission again only this time when it fails and kicks you back to the objectives screen, press CTRL + ALT + ~ to bring down the console and type "condump console.txt" to dump the contents of the console to a text file. Now attach console.txt to a post here so we can examine it for errors.