TDM 2.09: black menu with music playing

[stgatilov]

Decided to start dedicated thread about this problem.

Quote

What about a 6950 card? That's what I'm running and I can't run 2.09, just goes to black screen after launch.

Deleting config was my initial step, yes. Tried those 3 and still no difference. I can however hear menu music and when my cursor moves over a menu item.

Right now at least @Jedi_Wannabe and @id3839315 have it.
Let's continue the discussion here.

[stgatilov]

I have asked some files from @Jedi_Wannabe, and I'm 90% sure his installation is perfectly the same as on our release server:

Spoiler

In "before", you did install in "C:/TDM". This was in fact a fresh install, which perfectly matches the state of the game on server.

In "after", you did update existing version in "C:/thedarkmod". This was force-scan and bit-exact run, and you resulting version perfectly matches the one on server.

I'm pretty sure that both of your TDM installations are correct now. If you still have black screen in both of them, then it is not the installer problem.

He has Radeon HD 6950 card, which is old, but not too old to run TDM.
It supports GL version 4.4, while only 3.3 is required in TDM.
Also, the main menu does not use most of the advanced rendering features.

I asked to bisect over TDM versions, to see which dev. build started failing:

Spoiler

One thing which is rather easy to do is learn when it broke for you.
When you check "Get Custom Version", you see a lot of versions under dev/2.09. You can install these versions and see which is the first one that fails.

I'm talking about development builds, not official releases. They were released periodically over time. They are located in dev/2.09 folder in tdm_installer, sorted by time decreasing.

And the result is:

Quote

It appears the very first one is giving me the black screen
I selected, 'dev15976-8815' from the list

 

[stgatilov]

@Jedi_Wannabe, "dev15976-8815" is the very first dev build.

Are you sure 'dev15976-8815' gives you black screen but release208 works properly?
I hope you do not restore config file when switching versions?

[Jedi_Wannabe]

35 minutes ago, stgatilov said:

@Jedi_Wannabe, "dev15976-8815" is the very first dev build.

Are you sure 'dev15976-8815' gives you black screen but release208 works properly?
I hope you do not restore config file when switching versions?

Correct, release208 is how I’ve been mapping in the meantime, working fine in a separate install.

I do not restore config when switching.

[stgatilov]

Ok, then please try version "test15973-8778" --- it's in the very end of the list.

[Jedi_Wannabe]

18 minutes ago, stgatilov said:

Ok, then please try version "test15973-8778" --- it's in the very end of the list.

That one works!

And once again I appreciate the timely responses. :)

Edited February 20, 2021 by Jedi_Wannabe

[Jedi_Wannabe]

So what now? How does this build differ from release? And is it stable enough to play missions? Moreover and perhaps more importantly, is it SAFE to continue building my map with ?

Edited February 20, 2021 by Jedi_Wannabe

[stgatilov]

12 minutes ago, Jedi_Wannabe said:

So what now? How does this build differ from release? And is it stable enough to play missions? Moreover and perhaps more importantly, is it SAFE to continue building my map with ?

This is almost 2.08, so it is not suitable for playing. I'll create new version now.

[stgatilov]

The new version to test is: "test15973-8797"

Now it is not the last in the list Also note that it has the same first number, but different second number.

UPDATE: Note that this build has broken stencil shadows. Shadow maps should work well.
Given that you don't see main menu in bad builds, it should not be a problem for you.

[Jedi_Wannabe]

Thank you so much, that sounds promising; I like maps over stencils anyway. I will test it tomorrow evening, it’s getting late here now.

thanks again : )

[id3839315]

I have a Radeon HD 6450 graphics card.

test15973-8778 works but test15973-8797 starts with the black screen.

[stgatilov]

3 hours ago, id3839315 said:

test15973-8778 works but test15973-8797 starts with the black screen.

Could you please test the next version: "test15973-8787" ?

[id3839315]

There are no problems with test15973-8787. Thanks!

[stgatilov]

When you have some version which does not work, did you try "r_useNewBackend 0" ?

Basically, find seta r_useNewBackend "1" in darkmod.cfg, replace it with seta r_useNewBackend "0", then try to run TDM.

[stgatilov]

I have packaged two new versions: test15973-8793 and test15973-8795.
Would be great to see which work/fail.

[id3839315]

test15973-8793 and test15973-8795 both result in the black screen no matter if it's seta r_useNewBackend "1" or seta r_useNewBackend "0".

Edited February 20, 2021 by id3839315

[stgatilov]

@id3839315 or @Jedi_Wannabe, did you try setting seta r_useBindlessTextures "0" on release209 version?

Note that you need 2.09 release, not some dev. build !

UPDATE: Or no, this can't work, since this extension is reported to be missing =(

[stgatilov]

Ok, I'll try to get some more information, but that would need more complicated steps from you.

1) Run tdm_installer without any custom checks, and make sure it installs release209 properly.
Do not use test/dev versions for this!

2) Delete "currentfm.txt" file in TDM installation directory (if it exists).

3) Download apitrace from this link.
It is a 7z archive with a folder inside. Unpack the contents of the folder into "C:\apitrace".
Make sure that path "C:\apitrace\bin\apitrace.exe" indeed points to the executable!

4) Download attached zip file.
Unpack its contents into the root of your TDM installation directory.
Make sure you see files like "_apitrace_record1.cmd" in the same directory where you see "TheDarkModx64.exe".

5) Action time
Run "_apitrace_record1.cmd". It will start TDM game, and after a bit of time you will hear music.
Now press Ctrl+Alt+Tilde (~) to open console. Type "condump 1" and hit Enter. Then exit game by pressing Alt+F4.
Note that you'll have to do it blind, so verify that both "1.txt" and "res1.trace" have been created in TDM directory.

6) Repeat point 5, but now run "_apitrace_record2.cmd" and execute "condump 2".
7) Repeat point 5, but now run "_apitrace_record3.cmd" and execute "condump 3".

8|) Take files "1.txt", "2.txt", "3.txt", "res1.trace", "res2.trace", "res3.trace" in TDM installation directory, and pack them all into 7z/zip archive.
Upload the archive somewhere and share it for download.

P.S. And if you start seeing the menu instead of black screen in any of the runs, of course report it

209_blackmenu_apitrace.zip

[Jedi_Wannabe]

7 hours ago, stgatilov said:

Ok, I'll try to get some more information, but that would need more complicated steps from you.

1) Run tdm_installer without any custom checks, and make sure it installs release209 properly.
Do not use test/dev versions for this!

2) Delete "currentfm.txt" file in TDM installation directory (if it exists).

3) Download apitrace from this link.
It is a 7z archive with a folder inside. Unpack the contents of the folder into "C:\apitrace".
Make sure that path "C:\apitrace\bin\apitrace.exe" indeed points to the executable!

4) Download attached zip file.
Unpack its contents into the root of your TDM installation directory.
Make sure you see files like "_apitrace_record1.cmd" in the same directory where you see "TheDarkModx64.exe".

5) Action time
Run "_apitrace_record1.cmd". It will start TDM game, and after a bit of time you will hear music.
Now press Ctrl+Alt+Tilde (~) to open console. Type "condump 1" and hit Enter. Then exit game by pressing Alt+F4.
Note that you'll have to do it blind, so verify that both "1.txt" and "res1.trace" have been created in TDM directory.

6) Repeat point 5, but now run "_apitrace_record2.cmd" and execute "condump 2".
7) Repeat point 5, but now run "_apitrace_record3.cmd" and execute "condump 3".

8|) Take files "1.txt", "2.txt", "3.txt", "res1.trace", "res2.trace", "res3.trace" in TDM installation directory, and pack them all into 7z/zip archive.
Upload the archive somewhere and share it for download.

209_blackmenu_apitrace.zip 1.62 kB · 0 downloads

Ok I’ve been busy this weekend, but should get time to sit down at the PC tonight...where should I pick up? Does the last transmission apply to me?

Edited February 21, 2021 by Jedi_Wannabe

[nbohr1more]

@Jedi_Wannabe  yes please.

[Jedi_Wannabe]

Oh my I can’t wait, this sounds like fun.

In a masochist way, I love troubleshooting; maybe I’m weird but I love hunting down map leaks lol and shit like that

edit: welp I was up til 4am with the baby and today is my other son’s 9th bday so I’ll get back to it sometime this week.

Edited February 22, 2021 by Jedi_Wannabe

[id3839315]

_apitrace_record3.cmd works, but 1 and 2 result in the black screen.

Edited February 24, 2021 by id3839315

[stgatilov]

The numerous debug options I added had no effect, unfortunately.
I can replay the recorded traces perfectly well on my machine.

Looking at the traces of @id3839315, the traces 2 and 3 are equal.
The same OpenGL instructions are executed, with input data of same size, and they produce same results.
The only difference is the run 3 uses compatibility profile, while run 2 uses core profile.
As the result, run 3 works (well, at least menu works), while run 2 does not.

Either we use some deprecated functionality, or the AMD driver has different code path for compatibility profile...

[stgatilov]

Some clarification for players: the .cmd files are not suitable for playing!
If you try, your HDD will be filled with trace data very fast, and the game will probably crash after some time.

If "_apitrace_record3.cmd" is the only script which shows you the menu, then you should be able to play by setting the following in "darkmod.cfg" (and starting TheDarkModx64.exe as usual):

• seta r_glCoreProfile "0"

Note that my .cmd scripts automatically delete darkmod.cfg when you run them.
 

I have attached one more script to try.

_autoexec4.cfg _apitrace_record4.cmd

[stgatilov]

@id3839315 says the fourth script shows black screen, just like the first two.

So the final decision is that "r_glCoreProfile 0" works fine, but "r_glCoreProfile 2" gives black screen.
This may be some driver problem, e.g. some of the GL features previously hidden behind extension is not enabled by the problematic AMD driver under GL 3.3, while it should according to the specs. It is not just some function, because calling missing function would give immediate crash. Most likely some constant of mode.

I think I have already ruled out:

1. ARB_fence_sync
2. ARB_buffer_storage (persistent mapping)
3. ARB_bindless_texture (not used in menu anyway)
4. ARB_draw_indirect (multi draw indirect --- not used in menu too)
5. ARB_vertex_attrib_binding

What else it can be?
Maybe glDrawElementsBaseVertex (it was previously behind extension), maybe UBOs --- who knows.

 

What can help here:

1. Use deprecated profile --- I think this will serve as workaround.
2. Request greater OpenGL version (e.g. 4.1 instead of 3.3) --- maybe it would help
3. Hope that driver update would fix it.