Just Bought Dark Avatar. Do Not See Any Graphics Improvements

from GalCiv2 Forums
I just purchased the Gold Edition yesterday and loaded it last evening. I updated everything via Stardock. The game loads and seems to play fine with Dark Avatar installed. The only thing I'm disappointed in is that I do not see and graphics improvements with the ships and starbases. I saw the pictures on the website showing the differences in how the graphics should look with Dark Avatar but I am not seeing them. I still see the plain shiny surfaces. Now I only have an NVIDIA 64mb video card but I thought I'd seeing the imporvements. I'm very disappointed. Is there something I need to "turn-on" or something? Do you need to have pixel shaders? This was not stated as a requirement. Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks for your time!
7,144 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm not sure what's going on, but a first step is to re-check the video options tab and make sure none of the boxes are checked that lowers detail. If you're supposed to have higher detail (not sure, but maybe the game autocehcks for video RAM and automatically sets what it can use) then you might want to do a fresh install of both if you haven't. Unistall both, delete the game directory and the directory in your My Games folder, then reboot and re-install.

Hopefully someone will have better information than me.

One more thought... are you zooming way in on ships and starbases?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I think alot of the new stuff require upto date video card.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
what kind of video-card do you have? nvidia 64 meg doesn't help, is it a geforce 2, 3, 4... etc? it if is older it probably doesn't support some of the advanced directx 9 requirements of the game... even though the game will still run, if the card only supports directx 7 or something, you're gonna be shy on some of the eye-candy

and here is a silly question, you were playing DA right?
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
If your video card only has 64Mb of memory, then it wasn't even enough to handle the graphics in Dread Lords, much less Dark Avatar. If you want to see the full graphics (in either DL or DA), you'll need a new video card.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for your replies. It is an NVIDIA GeForce4 440 Go (64M) card. I believe it does support Directx 9 requirements. Yep, I was playing DA for sure. I'll re-check the video options, but I'm sure they were set pretty high. The game plays great, I'm just missing the new eye-candy. Any more ideas will be appreciated. Thanks!
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Actually, the minimum requirements state a 64MB graphics card. 128MB is the recommendation.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Now I only have an NVIDIA 64mb video card


If that card is a GeForce 4 MX or 4 Go or other card not compliant with at least DirectX8 (The game's stated minimum requirement is a DX9 card, FYI), then that's the reason. These cards cannot properly render the textures on the ships, resulting in all of them being flat-shaded regardless of anything else you do.

You can try the workaround described in reply #2 of this thread if you want to try and get textures working without buying a new video card, but I can't guarantee anything (I don't have a DX7 card to test that method on myself).
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The vid card is pure crap plain and simple. You can get n times faster card with less than 100$ so I suggest you get one and save yourself alot of irritation and head ache.
Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
manooly. If you don't have much money and need to update a little, you can get a decent video card for just $50.00 (if you're in the U.S.) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130197

This card has 256 Meg of RAM, is AGP - which I'm assuming is the slot-type you need.

Here's a search I did for you so you can find one that fits your budget. You may need to figure out if your motherboard can support AGP 8x or if you need one that's 4x compatible.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.asp?Submit=Property&Subcategory=48&Description=&Type=&srchInDesc=&MinPrice=&MaxPrice=&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9640&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9638&PropertyCodeValue=696%3A9639&PropertyCodeValue=3055%3A20548

Though isn't the Go chipset for laptops? If it is, then my post here is useless.

Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Again, thanks for your replies! I only have a laptop. I cannot change graphics cards in it correct? If anyone knows how I can, please let me know. It is an HP zv5000us series. I think I'm stuck with what I got.
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I cannot change graphics cards in it correct? If anyone knows how I can, please let me know. It is an HP zv5000us series. I think I'm stuck with what I got.


There are a couple of options for external video cards, but they're really not practical versus just playing on a desktop machine if possible, IMO.

Is your laptop one of the AMD-based models? I've got a Pavillion zv5000 as well, but mine has Radeon 9000IGP. Crappy performance aside, it runs the game just fine graphically speaking.
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I do have an AMD processor in my laptop. I am looking forward to trying to run that 3D Analyzer that was suggested. It sounds like that might work.
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Now I only have an NVIDIA 64mb video card


If that card is a GeForce 4 MX or 4 Go or other card not compliant with at least DirectX8 (The game's stated minimum requirement is a DX9 card, FYI), then that's the reason. These cards cannot properly render the textures on the ships, resulting in all of them being flat-shaded regardless of anything else you do.

You can try the workaround described in reply #2 of this thread if you want to try and get textures working without buying a new video card, but I can't guarantee anything (I don't have a DX7 card to test that method on myself).


I just wanted to send along an update. I downloaded the recommended 3D Analyzer program and followed the instructions per the attached thread. I now see all of the eye-candy! It friggin' works! Thanks to all. I'm having trouble using the .bat file that the program created but I can get around that. I'll go through 3D Analyzer each time I play GC2:DA if I have to. What an improvement in graphics! And I only have an nvidia GeForce 4 MX 64MB card. Yeah for me and my wimpy laptop!