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Jabberwocky
Noble Knight
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 208
Location: New York, USA |
| The case of the dissappearing Dragons...{?} |
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I did a search for this problem and nothing turned up, so maybe it's a new one.
So far this has happened on both dragons I have tried to face: You can see them from far off, but upon encountering them, they promptly dissappear off the screen entirely. I can see their shadow, and I can target them and speak/fight etc... which is fortunate, but I am facing invisibe foes. This is most irritating since they are the coolest looking monsters in the game!
I would think this is a display issue rather than a game bug, since I can carry out all of the actions just as if they were visible. Still, if anyone has any suggestions (besides downloading the latest video driver - 'cause I've done that) I would be grateful.
My specs are:
1.6 ghz P4
512 DDR
Radeon 9800 128Mb XT
Soundblaster Live! 5.1
_________________
"D'oh! I knew I should've saved sooner!" |
Fri Mar 19, 2004 6:58 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Hey there Jabberwocky,
I understand your problem, I have had it hundreds of times but it was only caused by cheating. Assuming you have not cheated it can usually be corrected by using "marvin" but would you be prepared to use it rather than start from a previous save or new game?
Luckily, as long as you have a "focus" (highlighted vob') and it is still interactive then by re-inserting a new "character" the texture which is missing can be re-rendered. there are several ways to try and may take several methods before being corrected, all tries would mean using the same save game or a "copied save" - - are you willing to try? - - I await your reply. 
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Sat Mar 20, 2004 10:44 am |
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Jabberwocky
Noble Knight
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 208
Location: New York, USA |
ABSOLUTELY! I mean... what's the point of playing a game about Dragons when there are none??
By the way.. what exactly did you mean by saying it's only caused by cheating? I haven't cheated any that I know of (as in used "marvin mode" that is )
_________________
"D'oh! I knew I should've saved sooner!" |
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Sat Mar 20, 2004 1:36 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
O.k Jabberwocky,
No gaurantee but let's try.
I could only ever get this problem when tampering/cheating using serious commands that normally would not be used.
Before getting too deep into this, i think you should try some "inserting" to make sure the files are intact and not corrupted in any way.
Using on of your "earliest" save games or even a new game, go with pc-hero to a comfortable/safe location in the game (away fro the camps etc') and get into marvin mode by typing bmarvinb you should see the words "marvin mode" or "test mode on", then press F2 key and you should see a greyed out
command menu box, then type i and the word insert should appear, then when the curser is ready type dragon_ the underscore will enable the word that follows which should be testmodell, thats dragon_testmodell then press enter and you should then see a firedragon. Dont worry it won't attack.
Go up to the dragon and you should see its focus name highlighted (if you have it "set" in the game options menu). By pressing o you will possess the dragon (you will be the dragon) try to contol it a bit, it cannot fly or go backwards but pressing the space bar to enable combat mode, pressing left ctrl and forward should make him breathe fire.
Let me know if you get this far, if you cannot, then the files or textures are damaged or missing (which is extremely rare.) I await your further reply before continuing.
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Sat Mar 20, 2004 7:56 pm |
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Jabberwocky
Noble Knight
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 208
Location: New York, USA |
Wulf,
 Bad news. The testmodell dragon in Marvin mode does the same thing as the others - dissappears as soon as in focus. A shame really, 'cause it seems like it would be a lot of fun to play as the dragon and run around 'flaming' villagers! 
Okay, okay.. so what now?
_________________
"D'oh! I knew I should've saved sooner!" |
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Mon Mar 22, 2004 4:31 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Hey there Jabberwocky,
Your testmodell dragon missing confirms the rendering problem, even at this stage it is worth doing a few other tests.
I am am making lots of "assumptions" but dont worry, the far-clipping range can be altered but i doubt if thats the problem (because you can see the dragon from a distance), but how close are you at the disappear point, are you within "focus" or not? (does the focus high-light after or before disappearance?
Firstly go within focus (highligt) of an invisible dragon then press o to possess it, (in marvin of course) without moving it enter the command SAVE POSITION a confirmation will appear at the top of the screen, then also enter the command HERO EXPORT , again you will see a confirmation, then focus back onto "Me" (pc-hero) and press o to possess back to pc-hero.
Now go to a safe neutral area and insert a meatbug (i meatbug) whilst within focus of the meatbug possess it and F8 to jump and make it "still" ,
turn and face pc-hero and when in focus press F6 to freeze the meatbug, it will
now stay still, once again possess pc-hero and you should be now facing a "frozen " meatbug.
Without moving from your spot and with the frozen meatbug in focus, issue the following command, ZTOGGLE REDERVOB objects should disappear, then issue the same command to make them/it re-appear, let me know the outcome to proceed further,
Good luck
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:42 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Oops noticed a bad typing, should be:-
ZTOGGLE RENDERVOB 
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Mon Mar 22, 2004 10:45 pm |
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Jabberwocky
Noble Knight
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 208
Location: New York, USA |
Okay Wulf,
I followed through on all of your testing suggestions and here are the results.
The dragon dissappears EXACTLY when he comes into focus, or occasionaly a split-second before. If you mean what I think you mean about 'far clipping' then I agree that it isn't the problem. I've tried different view distance settings and that doesn't change the issue.
I also inserted the meatbug and froze it etc... and issued the ztoggle command. Most of the trees and background dissappeared, as well as myself and the meatbug. However everything reappeared just fine after I reversed the command. The dragon however, was no longer where I had left him, even after I told him to stay (saved position). Looks like I'll have to send this one to obedience school.
Back to you...
And thanks again
_________________
"D'oh! I knew I should've saved sooner!" |
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Wed Mar 24, 2004 4:20 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Well now Jabberwocky,
Your feedback info' is most helpfull and i can see you are grasping the general commands, thats good.
Normally in replying to a thread like this i would have suggested re-installing the game to the same folder, which may then correct any bad or missing/corrupted files and that is still a main option, the saved games would stay intact and may, but maybe not correct the fault, as the saved games could also save the fault.
It is worth trying just a few more assessments at this point, the dissappearing dragon "was no longer where you had left him" was interesting!
but i assume you mean at the point where you first confronted him? and if you reload the save game he is "back" ?
You did the (save position) command i hope, we will use that in a moment, you also did the (hero export) those files will now be used.
The main command to try now is to see in fact if the animated model is actually working, - - - as you can now use the command logic i an cut-out the detail.
In your own way, insert a meatbug then possess it, then type in the command LOAD POSITION you should be where the dragon was in the first instance, then while still as a meatbug enter the command HERO IMPORT you should now be the dragon, then insert a meatbug and possess that one, turn around and face the dragon (if it is too hostile "freeze" it before possessing the meatbug) F4 will unfreeze, F5 will alter camera pos' F8 will jump free.
If all went well you should be a meatbug facing the dragon again, now with the dragon (if he's still there?) in focus type the command ZRMODE WIRE the whole world should look as wire and most important you should be able to see the wire frame of the dragons modell, alternatively type ZRMODE WMAT this will decide if the wire frame and/or the texture is missing, to get back to normal type ZRMODE MAT.
If you have not "seen" the dragons model then it has "gone" and i would suggest reinstalling the game, and the saves "could/may" still work?
Good luck? 
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:57 pm |
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Jabberwocky
Noble Knight
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 208
Location: New York, USA |
Wulf,
I followed through on all of your suggestions again. I had saved the dragon's position in the earlier experiment but it must not have worked right. When I reloaded the position it took me to the harbor district!! About twenty people started attacking the dragon! It was hillarious.
Anyway, I went through all of the testing again, this time the dragon stayed in place, but there is NO wireframe model. So you say that I can reinstall to the same folder without ruining my save games and that MIGHT fix the problem? I guess I'll have to try that.
However, given the limited time I'm able to spend playing games, I've almost decided to hold off on finishing G2 until NOTR comes out here in the states. I rarely play a game more than once (G1 was the only exception), and after all of the extras I've read about (and extra playing time required), I think I'll just wait and re-traverse G2 along with the expansion.
Anyway, thanks again for all your help and spending time on this. I really appriciate it. 
_________________
"D'oh! I knew I should've saved sooner!" |
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Tue Mar 30, 2004 6:15 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Hey there Jabberwocky,
Sorry to hear you had no luck with the wireframe model, yes by all means try re-installing G2, your saves will still be there - but upon starting a new game, after talking to Xardas, go down the stairs to the outside world, just near to the sheep and do the insert dragon thing there to confirm if the same thing happens. If the dragon should then be visible, then also the dragons in the saves should/may be visible (that would confirm a corrected faulty file) maybe?
Better to have tried and lost than never tried at all.
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Wed Mar 31, 2004 6:27 pm |
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Damelron
Head Merchant
Joined: 11 Apr 2004
Posts: 64
Location: Indiana, USA |
| Re: The case of the dissappearing Dragons...{?} |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jabberwocky
I did a search for this problem and nothing turned up, so maybe it's a new one.
So far this has happened on both dragons I have tried to face: You can see them from far off, but upon encountering them, they promptly dissappear off the screen entirely. I can see their shadow, and I can target them and speak/fight etc... which is fortunate, but I am facing invisibe foes. This is most irritating since they are the coolest looking monsters in the game!
I would think this is a display issue rather than a game bug, since I can carry out all of the actions just as if they were visible. Still, if anyone has any suggestions (besides downloading the latest video driver - 'cause I've done that) I would be grateful.
My specs are:
1.6 ghz P4
512 DDR
Radeon 9800 128Mb XT
Soundblaster Live! 5.1
Thats almmost what happens to me, but vica versa I cant see them from far away, and I can up close, but I guess thats normal 
_________________
It itches, it seeves, it festers, it breaths, my heroes are dead they died in my head, give out the hurt, squeeze out the pain something inside of me has opened up again. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2004 7:25 pm |
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Wulf
The Shepherd
Joined: 20 Sep 2003
Posts: 2312
Location: North/West.England |
Hey there Damelron,
Provided that there are no corrupt or missing files, then this is most definately a Radeon problem. there are many thread/topics on this.
Read the various setting comments in the G2/system/Gothic.ini file, re:-
fog zone/radial fogzone/clipping distance/zbuffers/wbuffers etc'
Hey, just a chance to prove this, maybe install the German patch then try your dissappearing dragon save. ?
_________________
Forever aches my wretched soul, for Chromanin locked in that dark hole, though crypted key i've yet to learn, he knows one day i will return. |
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Mon Apr 12, 2004 9:20 pm |
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