How to force Software shaders?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I have a notebook with the new intel x3100 gpu. This is part of the first intel series to have hardware shaders, but right now driver support sucks. The latest drivers (15.6 and 15.6.1) give me about half the frame rate that the 1.5.4.4 drivers did. When I run the game with the 15.4.4 drivers, I noticed in the debug that it was running in software mode, while after installing the new drivers, it detects and runs in hardware mode. Is there anyway I can force software mode so that I can use the newer drivers? I have tried unchecking the "mixedvpmode" option, but that doesnt do anything.

This might only be an issue with vista. Apparently the vista drivers are much worse than the ones for XP.

*edit*
I have tried version 1.6, 1.7b1, and 1.7b2.
4,384 views 3 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

In Stardock Central, right click on Dark Avatar and choose Open Containing folder.  This opens the folder where GalCiv2 is installed.  Go into the Dark Avatar directory where the GC2DarkAvatar.exe is located.

Right click on GC2DarkAvatar.exe and choose create shortcut.

Right click on the shortcut and choose properties.

Click in the target field and hit the END key.  Hit the SPACE key.  Now type the word SOFTWAREVP (no switches necessary).

This should force the game to run in software mode if you start it using the shortcut.  If you continue to have performance options with the new drivers, you could try disabling point sprites and anti-aliasing, which should increase your framerate.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
SOFTWAREVP isnt working, are you sure thats the right command? My Debug seems to think that it is:

Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using software vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): Mobile Intel(R) 965 Express Chipset Family
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 50
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.

However, im still getting terrible frame rates (about 17fps when starting a game). With the old 15.4.4 drivers, i would get over 35 in the same circumstances.

*edit*
I noticed something else interesting. I saved the game where I was getting 17fps, and then reinstalled the 15.4.4 drivers. Double the frame rate, as expected, however, when I disabled TnL in the options the frame rate was back down to 17fps. There is speculation about TnL support with the newer 15.6 drivers, so maybe that is the problem.
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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
The debug says it's useing SWVP, so it must be. If it doesn't solve the problem though, then it's likely some other flaw in the new intel drivers.