Mac graphics issue with Parallels

[Madoc]

Hello,

this is a problem that I have actually seen already on this forum. But the previous user wrote that the problem disappeared when he upgraded to Parallels 6. I have been using Parallels 6 right from the start, but still have that problem:

I can start FG2 (full version) with Parallels and start a new game. However, the chat window seems empty. When I type something in, there is some graphical distortion displayed for a small fraction of a second. It looks as if it should have been the typed text, but only as a monochromatic rectangle, as if the background and foreground color were the same. When I use the scroll wheel above the chat area, I can see several such entries, but again only for a very tiny fraction of a second until they vanish again. But I notice that they are not in the right position; they are a little too far to the left and to the top.

When throwing dice over the chat view, it's practically the same. Only that the graphical display of the dice is rendered as a monochromatic area.

I am using the newest version of all involved software: newest update for FG2, newest Parallels version, all updates for Mac OS X, Windows XP service pack 3 with all available software updates, and the latest DirectX.

I have already searched the graphics options of Windows XP. There is a system setting where I can tune down the hardware acceleration used by Windows XP, however if I turn it down to a certain degree, FG2 won't start at all, so that can't be a solution.

In another thread, one of the developers has written that the chat view uses another way than the other views to display its content. I think he mentioned an off-screen buffer. Is there any way you might fiddle with this? If you want to make tests, you can send me test programs that I shall start, and I will report you the results.

I would be grateful for your help. Because currently, I can't use FG2 to play with my friends at all.

[Bidmaron]

I am using Parallels 6 with Windows 7 on a Macbook Pro 17" (2009) with no problems whatsoever. I suspect your problem is either due to a Parallels issue with XP or a graphics driver problem peculiar to your model of Mac. You didn't say what ruleset you were using, but I don't think this is a ruleset issue. I have found that if you pay for a support ticket ($15 I think), the Parallels folks are actually pretty helpful.

[Moon Wizard]

Make sure that the -r option is included in the command line for starting FG.

When you install FG, there is a check box for running on Mac/Linux that automatically sets this command line.

Cheers,
JPG

[Bidmaron]

I never use the -r option and I didn't install for Mac/Linux. Maybe I'm just getting lucky....

[Zeus]

Make sure that the -r option is included in the command line for starting FG.

When you install FG, there is a check box for running on Mac/Linux that automatically sets this command line.

Cheers,
JPG

I was thinking this too and about to post as such as the OP description matches some of the issues I first had with FGII running under Wine. However unlike Wine which provides a runtime wrapped environment for FGII to execute in, Parallels delivers a true virtual windows platform running native Windows code and with no need for special runtime tweaks to get windows apps to run. I am therefore thinking would -r be needed in this instance? Or is the -r flag required due to screen refresh differences between FGII running native under Windows and through virtualisation/emulation under a Mac?

[Madoc]

Hello,

my Mac is a slightly older model than the one of Bidmaron, although it's also a white Macbook, it does not have the NVidia graphics chipset that newer models have. My Macbook has the Intel GMA 950 chipset. Maybe that's connected to the problem. Please understand that I currently don't want to spend money on support from Parallels.

I tried installing with the "Mac/Linux compatibility" checkbox checked, and I tried running it with the -r option, all of which did not solve my problem.

It seems like I am running out of options... Are there any other flags I can try? I still hope that one of you has a good idea.

[Bidmaron]

Have you tried updating the driver for your computer's graphic chipset? You might try searching their knowledgebase for directx issues associated with your computer.

[Madoc]

In Parallels, the graphics hardware is abstracted. You can't install a graphics driver on the Windows system. It always uses the "Parallels graphics adapter" supplied by the Parallels tools.

The knowledge base of Parallels is stupid; I am currently searching their open forum and tried out a few things, but so far, nothing helped.

[Moon Wizard]

The -r just forces a full Window redraw on a paint request. Otherwise, it doesn't change any other behaviors. It actually creates more overhead for drawing, but handles the situation where the virtualization engine doesn't pass the same invalidation regions as Windows native.

The monochromatic note seems to me that there is some sort of DirectX issue going on. Much of the tabletop is simply drawn on the background, while the dice are fully realized 3D objects.

Regards,
John

[Madoc]

moon_wizard, would you think that maybe downgrading DirectX can work? Which is the oldest version of DirectX that might work with FG2? Do you have an idea if it can still be downloaded from somewhere?

[Moon Wizard]

For maximum compatibility, we have not changed the DirectX library from the original developers, which is set to use October 2006 DirectX libraries. I'm not sure which DirectX version that translates into.