No HUD/Blank In-Game Menus

[pworsley]

Good evening all,

I mentioned this in the "Open Rails 0.8.0 is here!!!" thread, but it quickly became swamped with other posts, so I hope you don't mind me posting the question again.

I have installed v080 on two computers - the first running Windows XP, 32bit, SP3, and the other running Windows 7, 64bit, SP1

When I select the default Marias Pass, the former works as expected with all the advertised enhancements

On the Win 7, 64bit machine everything loads up OK, but there is no F5 HUD display, and the ESC and other F-key boxes are present but empty of text. The F2 window is blank, but if I click on it, the word "Saved" appears in the "runactivity" window. The ESC box works, because, although it is empty of text, I can guess where to click to exit the game.

I am probably missing something very simple - any clues would be gratefully received

Best wishes

PW

[twpol]

First of all, a log file may be helpful here in case anything is logged while the text is failing to be created. The most likely reason - although it seems like a bit of a long shot - is that you do not have, or it has gotten corrupted somehow, the Arial font. Double check that it is listed in the Fonts Control Panel and that you can use it in WordPad or another text editor (not Arial Bold or any other close variation).

[gpz]

I can reconfirm this blank window bug. One time I also had to click on a blank quit menü with r1265, though I never saw that happening again. But I noticed a long delay of displaying the text after the window itself had been already displayed, many times. (10-15 seconds) The blank window might be just an extreme long delay that I haven't awaited to finish... (Also Win7x64)

[pworsley]

Hello both - thanks for the suggestions - I've got to go away for a couple of days - will give it a try at the weekend.

Best wishes

PW

[twpol]

I can reconfirm this blank window bug. One time I also had to click on a blank quit menü with r1265, though I never saw that happening again. But I noticed a long delay of displaying the text after the window itself had been already displayed, many times. (10-15 seconds) The blank window might be just an extreme long delay that I haven't awaited to finish... (Also Win7x64)

The delay in text appearing is a deliberate design decision that we can't currently avoid without causing frame hitches (what happened in earlier versions). It will be improved in the future.

[pworsley]

Good morning all

First of all, an apology to the Open Rails team - the problem I have is not a function of OR_080, as I have found I have the same problem with older versions on my new computer.

Previously I used Win XP 32bit on a relatively antiquated machine with no problems, but since the previous release of OR, I have invested in a new computer running Win 7, 64bit, i5 2500K, 8GB memory and an AMD Radeon 6800 graphics card. As I have managed to run MSTS itself, RW and other programs on the new computer, I'm afraid I assumed the problem lay with OR.

To reiterate my problem, I have reinstalled what I think is called a Vanilla installation of MSTS. When I try to run Open Rails using a default Marias Pass activity, everything seems to start normally - there are no glaring error messages in the runactivity.exe window and I arrive at the normal (Cam2) starting view. However, when I try to select the Cabview, I get the clear view of the track ahead, without the Cab overlay. Selecting the F5 HUD gives nothing and then selecting any of the other F-key functions gives me the correctly sized black boxes with no text, although the Save and Exit functions can be guessed at in the <ESC> box. It is almost as if the screen is built up of layers, and the top layer is missing.

The train can be operated at this stage by guessing the keyboard control functions - brake release, reverser, throttle etc.

I have a little widget indicating various system parameters, and I then noticed immense activity in the CPU - all four cores indicating over 50% activity.

After a period of time - it varies around 1-2 minutes, I start to get a flickering view of the HUD, the cab overlay and the function-key text.

I'm new to 64bit and Windows 7, so I'm completely mystified by this behaviour - as I write, I'm wondering whether to try a different video driver, but I'm rather reluctant as this is the only problem I have had - I would be grateful for any suggestions.

Best wishes

PW

P.S. Tried updating video driver to latest version, but, sadly, no change.

[pworsley]

Good afternoon all,

If I could, I would change the topic title to Flickering HUD/In-Game Menus as they start off blank and then start flickering after 30secs - 1min.

To add to my post above, I've managed to make a demonstration video of the flickering cab-view/menus I get in all versions of OR on my system as described above:

http://youtu.be/NRsvu5nIUsQ

I updated the Video Driver on Saturday to v8.982.0.0 dated 07/27/2012


To avoid confusion, it is the default Columbia Falls Setout activity on the default Marias Pass route.


I've also attached the text of the a copy of the log-file:

Open Rails is starting...

Version = 0.8.0.1251
Build = 0.0.4651.25832 09/25/2012 Tue 03:21 PM
Logfile = C:\Users\PHIL\Desktop\OpenRailsLog.txt
------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- --------
Alerter = False
AvatarURL = (registry) http://www.openrails.org/images/ICONmediumOD.jpg
BrakePipeChargingRate = 21
BreakCouplers = False
Cab2DStretch = 0
DataLogger = False
DynamicShadows = False
FullScreen = False
GraduatedRelease = False
Logging = True
LoggingFilename = OpenRailsLog.txt
LoggingPath = C:\Users\PHIL\Desktop
Menu_Selection = (registry) i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator, i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES\USA2, i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES\USA2\ACTIVITIES\local_one.act
MSTSBINSound = False
Multiplayer = False
Multiplayer_Host = (registry)
Multiplayer_Port = 30000
Multiplayer_UpdateInterval = 10
Multiplayer_User = (registry)
MultiplayerClient = False
MultiplayerServer = False
Precipitation = (registry) True
Profiling = False
ProfilingFrameCount = 0
ProfilingTime = 0
ScreenshotPath = Open Rails
ShaderModel = 0
ShadowAllShapes = False
ShadowMapBlur = True
ShadowMapCount = 4
ShadowMapDistance = 0
ShadowMapResolution = 1024
ShowAvatar = False
ShowErrorDialogs = True
SoundDetailLevel = 5
SuppressConfirmations = False
TrainLights = (registry) True
UseAdvancedAdhesion = True
VerticalSync = False
ViewDispatcher = False
ViewingDistance = 2000
ViewingFOV = 45
WindowGlass = False
WindowPosition_Activity = 50, 50
WindowPosition_Compass = 50, 0
WindowPosition_ComposeMessage = 50, 50
WindowPosition_DriverAid = 100, 100
WindowPosition_Help = (registry) 98, 85
WindowPosition_NextStation = 0, 100
WindowPosition_Quit = 50, 50
WindowPosition_Switch = 0, 50
WindowPosition_TrackMonitor = (registry) 99, 0
WindowPosition_TrainOperations = 50, 50
WindowSize = (registry) 1280x1024
Wire = False
WorldObjectDensity = 10
------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- --------
Mode = Activity
Activity = i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES\USA2\ACTIVITIES\local_one.act
------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- ------------ ---------- --------
Loading TRK TDB SIGCFG DAT ACT RDB CARSPAWN SIGSCR

Warning: Unknown signal type : TESTSEM_BNSF2LIGHT


W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) W(repeats) WWWWWWWWWWW
ENV SIGCFG TTYPE

Information: OpenAL using device DirectSound

TTTTTTTTTWWSSS TRP(default) S(repeats) SSSSSSSSSSSS

Warning: Skipped unknown lighting model index -1 first seen in shape i:\program files (x86)\microsoft games\train simulator\routes\usa2\shapes\jp1truck1.s

Warning: Skipped unknown lighting model index -4 first seen in shape i:\program files (x86)\microsoft games\train simulator\routes\usa2\shapes\jp1truck1.s

SSSSSSSSS$W$WW

Warning: Skipped unknown world block 309 (0x00000135) first seen in i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES\USA2\World\w-012584+014767.w

Warning: Skipped unknown world block Hazard (0x0000016D) first seen in i:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Games\Train Simulator\ROUTES\USA2\World\w-012584+014767.w

S(repeats) SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS$WSSSSSSSS$WWS$WSSSSSSSS$CSCSCCC CCSCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCSCCCCCSCCCCCCCCSCCCCTTTWWW




I appreciate this isn't directly an Open Rails problem (although it is the only application on which I have observed it), but any suggestions would be gratefully accepted.

Best wishes

PW

[pworsley]

Good afternoon all,

As an update to the post above above regarding missing/flickering cab views/menus etc. in Open Rails, I had to re-install Windows for another reason, and it made no difference at all.

Still looking for ideas, suggestions etc.

Best wishes

PW