buggy flickering parts in my big dungeon, what is the cause?

[Komag]

I have started getting some sections that have very bad flickering (which worsens as I play more of the dungeon). Here is a short vid of what I'm talking about:
http://youtu.be/eHPeNi9ljto

I've tried to think of all sorts of things but I just don't know what's causing it. Even after a level is all cleared out of monster it happens. On level 8 I noticed it in a couple spots, then much later (after finishing most of the dungeon), I went back to do something earlier and "infected" section of level 8 was much bigger now, more flickering over a wider area than before!

I'm using a few wall-sets, could that have anything to do with it? But why only certain bits and only when looking certain ways?

Here are my notes I took while play-testing:

- lv8 getting nasty flickering (like nearby walls disappearing momentarily) at 8,8 down to 8,10 and from 8,8 over to 10,8, only when facing W
-(I got some flickering back on lv5 at 12,24 looking N (sec area from lv6, peering through bars at basement area of lv4)
-I have no idea what's causing it, I can't figure it out. Can see far away lights acting up through walls, but don't know the cause.
-Getting a little more flickering on lv10 in shrine, when looking at a downward angle a bit
-more flickering on lv10, at 20,24 (by crystal) facing N, also at 20,26 looking S, also at 7,22 facing S
-really bad flicker lv9 14,0 facing W, 14,1 W and S, 14,2, 13,1, HOLY CRAP this whole area is horrible flickering!!! Includes whole puzzle room, even all the way back to temple entrance, esp facing N
-Some problem with textures? memory? I don't know
-back on lv8 it's much worse than before, seems to be spreading! (even in basement of 7 area on lv8 North, very bad
-back on lv7 getting it, by halls of fire entrance very bad. Other places too

But then later on, in lower levels, the problem doesn't exist at all

[Neikun]

Not sure what's going on, but you just inadvertently created the best horror mod possible!
I recommend making a clone of your current copy, and then having a horror mod as a back project, for when you're feeling frustrated!

[msyblade]

I have never seen this, and it is troubling.I think the first step is to test the dungeon on other rigs. Make sure it is an issue with the mod, and not your hardware. It may also be useful to know if it happens in the editor also, or just the dat after export. I would surmise it is a memory issue, seems to be toggling between 2 different "calls", one of which is corrupt. That doesnt make sense at all, I know. Just trying to get my head around the possibilities. You dont possibly have timers scripted to FX/Lighting somewhere else in the dungeon, using a stringfind to locate, and have now got that affecting the strings here, but off timing because its from another levels tickers? That does not explain the clipping, however. Back to thinking the memory got corrupted at some point, and saved. I think the best course of action would be to restart, and distribute it to a few others to start, and see if any become corrupt again. It may have been a VERY specific set of circumstances (hopefully!) that will never be replicated. Or, on the opposite end of the spectrum, it happens to all 5 of you, and together you are able to isolate it better. Guess I could have thought this out THEN typed it, (Or erase it now and abbreviate) but Meh. . . hearing the thought process might help spark a suggestion from others

[Grimfan]

Sorry this is happening to you Komag. Hopefully you can get the issue resolved.

I've just ditched my large dungeon completely (which was over over 20 levels) and am going to work on something smaller, which means I won't have anything released until April at least. The file size was just getting way out of hand (too many custom assets) even though it exported and played fine.

Of course that has nothing to do with your predicament.

[odinsballs]

verry sad to say so but that actually looks like a dying graphic cart (overheating of gpu perhaps) open up your rig and dust of the gpu cooler maybe that's clogged up (the last time i had a graphic glitch like that my graphic card died within 2 weeks time) sorry but that glitch is never good news

[Leki]

Your graphics card is KO - usually it happens after some time in overheated case. Try some 3D benchmark to test it outside grimrock, like this one http://www.ozone3d.net/benchmarks/fur/ or similar to be sure. You can also try to clean up your GK, but I am afraid that there is not way how to repair it - you have to replace it with new one.

[Drakkan]

I had some flickering problems when used some skybox objects... but never saw something like this.

[Komag]

Part of me hopes that you guys are wrong and part of me hopes that you're right. If you're right then that stinks that I have to buy a new graphics card but at least my dungeon is not directly buggy per se. But is there some other possibility?

[Neikun]

You could possibly give it to someone else to test it on their machine. If it doesn't glitch for them, we've nailed the problem

[Leki]

Part of me hopes that you guys are wrong and part of me hopes that you're right. If you're right then that stinks that I have to buy a new graphics card but at least my dungeon is not directly buggy per se. But is there some other possibility?

Don't think and do the 3d benchmark test m8 - it will test whole GC memmory and core and push it to the limit - if GK pass the test, it's in your dungeon, if not (bluescreen or glitch or artefact on screen etc), you have to buy new one. After few minutes you will know. Imho, your GC is almost dead - i saw this many times and the same sh*t happens to me some time ago - it's normal I can say. For a new one, try to look for something from "ASUS Direct Cu II" series - it costs few bucks more, but it will solve your whole issues.