Dark Crusade skirmish and higher graphics settings dont work

[bingham]

.
So I installed the game on my computer. I loaded up, was confronted with the configration tool, was told I had to run on safe mode. Thats annoying, and strange because I can run the demo for the original Dawn of War game on high settings pretty well. Why is this different for the expansion. My troubles didn't end there. When I got to the game, I went to options and changed the settings so that I had better quality unit models and textures. When I tried playing the game with these settings the game would crash, saying something about a video error. Afterwards my desktop would be at a very low resolution and the colours would be screwed up. So I tried playing the game on safe mode, and this time campaign worked fine. When I tried a skirmish though, the game has the exact same crash as before. At first I though it was purely a problem with my graphics card, but if it crashes when I play skirmish and not campaign, what the hell does that mean?
-Bingham

[TBS]

dxdiag please.

[bingham]

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/16/2006, 19:40:57
Machine name: A481A65B15814DE
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Sony Corporation
System Model: VGN-FS920
BIOS: Phoenix NoteBIOS 4.0 Release 6.0
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.73GHz
Memory: 502MB RAM
Page File: 384MB used, 842MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Mobile Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset Family
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) 915GM/GMS,910GML Express Chipset
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2592&SUBSYS_81B8104D&REV_03
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 800 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4543 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 3/23/2006 12:38:50, 45694 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ialmnt5.sys
Mini VDD Date: 3/23/2006 12:47:06, 1166972 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-66D2-11CF-4262-B2A1A2C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x8086
Device ID: 0x2592
SubSys ID: 0x81B8104D
Revision ID: 0x0003
Revision ID: 0x0003
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

[TBS]

I'm not convinced that that graphics chip should be able to play the game properly.

You can try reinstalling it's drivers and see if that makes a difference.

[bingham]

Its a Sony laptop computer, and I don't think you can update or reinstall the drivers for those. Besides, would a graphics card problem explain that the first Dawn of War works fine, or that the skirmish mode crashes but campaign doesn't?

[TBS]

Its just a laptop, you can reinstall the drivers as you would on any other computer.

I dont know why it crashes on skirmish but not campaign, but the crash is clearly related to your graphics card.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

My laptop graphics card isn't as good as that, but it runs DC quite well at lowest settings, including skirmish.

I think it's a problem with your graphics driver or perhaps some setting on your system. It could also be some crap Sony preloaded software or drivers.


Card name: Intel(R) 82852/82855 GM/GME Graphics Controller
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) 82852/55 Graphics Controller
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_3582&SUBSYS_00371179&REV_02
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic Television
Monitor Max Res: 640,480
Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.3937 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 10/25/2004 10:12:44, 38463 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ialmnt5.sys
Mini VDD Date: 10/25/2004 11:20:08, 751933 bytes

You could try an older driver, or perhaps laptop Omegas.

[bingham]

Thanks for the support guys. One question though, what are Omegas? Also has anyone noticed that there is no tech support for dark crusade on either the THQ website or the THQ help line. That's not cool.

Oh and TheDeadlyShoe, I know how you feel about "our precious bodily fluids".