Help with Fast video card

[feygan20 0]

I am having what will hopefully be a simple problem with SC4, each time I start the game (using the SC4 launcher) I have the error messages for "failed direct draw" and "failed to recognise hardware, using software". I know the files needed to edit for these but feel I am just putting the wrong information there.

 

My current system specs are as follows.

Win 7 pro

AMD Radeon R9 200 Series.

 

In the fast card section of the Graphics Rules file I have the following entries.

      partialRule "Fast card" -any

         # We run well on these cards, so up the defaults.
         stringMatch cardIdentity "NVidia*Geforce*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "NVidia*Quadro*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI*9700*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "ATI*8500*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI*Radeon r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI*r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI*HD r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI*HD 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD*Radeon r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD*r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD*HD r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD*HD 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI Radeon r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI HD r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*ATI HD 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD Radeon r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD HD r9 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "*AMD HD 200 Series*"
         stringMatch cardIdentity "Matrox*Parhelia*"

 

Also added the card details into this part of the Video Cards file under "Vendor "ATI" 0x1002"

   card 0x4E69 "Radeon 9800"

   card 0x4148 "Radeon 9800"
   card 0x4168 "Radeon 9800"
   card 0x6810 "Radeon R9 200 Series"
   card 0x5041 "Rage 128 Pro"
   card 0x5042 "Rage 128 Pro"

 

I thought everything was put in correctly it still reverts to software mode each time I start the game, having I simply failed to add a possible variation of the card name?

[Whte_rbt 1,431]

Rather than using the launcher have you tried modifying the target parameters in the exe or shortcut?

Try changing the line to read:

"C:\Program Files (x86)\Maxis\SimCity 4 Deluxe\Apps\SimCity 4.exe" -CustomResolution:enabled -r1920x1440x32 -f -d:DirectX -CPUCount:1

Obviously change the resolution (the -r1920x1440x32 piece of it) to fit your monitor. See if that solves the issue.

I'll have a look around and see if I can find anything you missed.

[feygan20 0]

I tried that before I started using the launcher, but changed to the launcher as it is a far quicker and easier tool to use for those things. The problem is not with resolution etc as I can happily get the game to run with any resolution I want. The issue is with the game refusing to recognise my video card as fast and thus forcing me into software rendering mode only.

[Whte_rbt 1,431]

59 minutes ago, feygan20 said:

Video Cards file under "Vendor "ATI" 0x1002"

under this section you might want to try lower case for the r9 part and possibly try adding ATI to the lines too.

[feygan20 0]

Hmm still a no go there I tried all of the following

"ATI Radeon R9"

ATI Radeon r9"

"Radeon R9"

"Radeon r9"

 

What I don't get though is here is a copy of part of the log file and from what I can tell everything is being spelt correctly and in the correct case for both sections. Well unless I try to do them all wit & without the comma listed in the card identity part?

Quote

CPU = GenuineIntel

sglDriverName = Software
sglDriverVersion = 1.0
driverName = aticfx32.dll
driverVersion = 8.17.10.1452, GUID: D7B71EE2-2B50-11CF-FB74-71C2AFC2CD35
cardName = AMD Radeon R9 200 Series
cardVersion = Vendor: 1002, Device: 6810, Board: e271174b, Chipset: 0000
cardIdentity = ATI, Radeon r9 200 Series

[Whte_rbt 1,431]

Have you tried changing the vendor section name to AMD instead? 

Vendor "AMD" 0x1002

[feygan20 0]

Well I have now and still the same result software render only.

[Whte_rbt 1,431]

Try adding 'series' or 'Series'  to the end of the lines. As an example this is from my video cards file,

vendor "AMD" 0x1002
   card 0x9802 "Radeon HD 6300 Series"
   card 0x9802 "AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series"
   card 0x9802 "Radeon HD 6300"
   card 0x9802 "AMD Radeon HD 6300"
end

vendor "ATI" 0x1002
   card 0x4158 "Mach 32"
 ...

...
   card 0x4E69 "Radeon 9800"
   card 0x4148 "Radeon 9800"
   card 0x4168 "Radeon 9800"
   card 0x9802 "Radeon HD 6300 Series"
   card 0x9802 "AMD Radeon HD 6300 Series"
   card 0x9802 "Radeon HD 6300"
   card 0x9802 "AMD Radeon HD 6300"
   card 0x5041 "Rage 128 Pro"
   card 0x5042 "Rage 128 Pro"
   card 0x5043 "Rage 128 Pro"
...

[Whte_rbt 1,431]

Also now that I've re-read your original post could it possibly be a driver issue? The line you quoted was "failed to recognise hardware, using software" does this mean that it can't see your graphics card at all?

[rsc204 21,805]

The error means SC4 has failed to initialise the GPU in DirectX mode, so despite your selection, it needs to switch to Software Rendering.

I'm guessing your GPU or Drivers simply don't support the archaic version of DirectX SC4 is using. This can be an issue with modern equipment. It only takes a driver update to interfere with backwards compatibility in this way. Sometimes trying older drivers may help, but it's not always fixable.

[vortext 573]

10 hours ago, feygan20 said:

In the fast card section of the Graphics Rules file I have the following entries.

 

Quote

Are these copy/paste from the Graphic Rules? If so I couldn´t help but notice the added entries do not follow proper syntax. There should not be an asterisk at the start, it's only used to separate vendor from card, i.e.

"Vendor*Card Name*"

 

 

 

[Tysons4 68]

the resoultion you are trying to run at is unsupported... just go 1920x1080x32