Is HL2's anti-aliasing broken with Nvidia cards?

[Saturos]

Here we go again. Some of you may remember me posting this several times before. I post this every month or so in hopes someone can provide me with a straight answer.
If anybody here can solve the infamous HL2 anti-aliasing artifacting glitch, (white lines in the distance when AA is enabled) I promise I'll leave HL2.net forever and nay return.
You all know what I'm talking about.

video cards: 2 7600GS 256MB SLI'ed cards.
Sound card: Audigy 4 Soundblaster
CPU: AMD64 +3800 2.4 GHz
OS: XP Home Sevice Pack2
Forceware drivers I've tried:85.21, 85.25, 91.93, 155.xx, 163.21.

Go.

 

[Laivasse]

I remember hearing about this and hearing that it was never satisfactorily resolved. There are some aaaancient posts by some Valve high-up on these very forums, iirc, talking about why this happens on (some?) Nvidia cards, but if you can find them you're a better man than me (AT SEARCHING ONLY).

 

[Dekstar]

Agreed with Laivasse, I heard it was a VALVe problem and they've never been able to fix it.
seriously though, it isn't exactly a game ruining bug now is it. Just run the game at a super high resolution without AA on and it might fix it.

 

[Blackthorn]

I have the exact same issue, with an 8800GT. Searched for hours for a solution, never found one. It's annoying, but I'd still rather have AA enabled than do without.

What's odd is that I don't have this problem at all with either of the episodes. Maybe if we ever get that Orange Box engine update for HL2 we'll see it eliminated.

 

[giant384]

that is very possiblle.

hl2 is still running on the first version of source.

 

[Asus]

I'm pretty sure it's just a side effect of Valve's tech direction with HL2 and how Nvidia renders their stuff. Not really a driver issue. ATI cards do it just fine with the right setting although if you use the setting from the wrong place, either in the control panel or in-game (i forget which), then it looks just like it does on Nvidia cards.

Have not seen a work around yet.

 

[Saturos]

I remember hearing about this and hearing that it was never satisfactorily resolved. There are some aaaancient posts by some Valve high-up on these very forums, iirc, talking about why this happens on (some?) Nvidia cards, but if you can find them you're a better man than me (AT SEARCHING ONLY).

You mean this? Gabe Newell's incoherent speech on AA artifacting.


I think all of you guys have convinced me that there's nothing that can be done about the glitch though unless I go ATI, or Valve releases a Source engine update for HL2.
Oh well, I guess I'll just have to play HL2 again with white lines in the distance.
*sigh* It looks like someone masturbated all over City 17 though.

@ dekstar: My LCD monitor's native resolution is 1280x1024.

P.S. I was lying about leaving HL2.net forever BTW. Just some incentive for those who don't like me to answer, as all the other, "PC/Source engine" savvy people who do like me have tried to tackle this problem with me before in the past, but to no avail. I understand now though.

 

[Operational]

Could you try a lower AA setting? I would definately try the latest drivers too.

I've heard about this issue but I've never seen it myself (despite having run HL2 on two nvidia computers and most of my friends having nvidia cards).

 

[Ennui]

I've used three generations of NVIDIA to run HL2 (FX5200, 6600GT, 7900GS) and I've never had any AA problems.

 

[Saturos]

I've used three generations of NVIDIA to run HL2 (FX5200, 6600GT, 7900GS) and I've never had any AA problems.

By all means, share your secret then. What series of card did you own in the 7xxx family and the drivers you used for them?

@ Operational: I tried every drivers within sense. There's no point in installing Vista drivers on an XP system is there? :| Anything beyond the 161.xx series is pointless imo, and may actually even be detrimental for XP systems.

Also, I wonder if outdated motherboard drivers would have anything to with it? I've only updated the chipset drivers once since I built this PC.

 

[Barney Fife]

Also, I wonder if outdated motherboard drivers would have anything to with it? I've only updated the chipset drivers once since I built this PC.

Well I can assure you that, chipsets have nothing or little (Very little) to do with how GC renders. IMHO, an outdated chipset will not be noticeable unless you're a control freak, and you like to maintain constant control on how your components act to one another, or you've changed CPU.
As far as artifact is concern; I've used 6800GT (AGP) for HL/HL2, and 8800GTX (SLI) for the episodes, I have never had a problem and I can't explain why.

Good Luck.

 

[Asus]

The only place I really noticed the issue was here, the white lines. (my picture from previous HL2 aa thread)
Saturos' pic

It definitely exists for all who enable AA on Nvidia cards but that is one of the only places that I really noticed it (there were one or two other locations but I don't recall where).

 

[Barney Fife]

The only place I really noticed the issue was here, the white lines. (my picture from previous HL2 aa thread)
Saturos' pic

It definitely exists for all who enable AA on Nvidia cards but that is one of the only places that I really noticed it (there were one or two other locations but I don't recall where).

I've replayed both episodes countless times, and I didn't notice any. Are they small that you have to look for them, or are they big and frequent enough to annoy?

 

[Blackthorn]

Here's a couple of screens. It doesn't look too bad here, and it was far worse before on older drivers, but it still shimmers when the character is moving and is distracting nonetheless.

1 & 2.

 

[Asus]

Are they small that you have to look for them, or are they big and frequent enough to annoy?

Most would say it's minor. Although if you play levels or MP maps where they show up a lot then it would be pretty annoying.

 

[Barney Fife]

Most would say it's minor. Although if you play levels or MP maps where they show up a lot then it would be pretty annoying.

I see. I probably didn't have, or I never noticed it, if the issue is widespread.

 

[Blackthorn]

If you had it, you'd notice it. It's pretty impossible not to, since it shimmers considerably.

 

[Barney Fife]

If you had it, you'd notice it. It's pretty impossible not to, since it shimmers considerably.

OK. In that case, I probably didn't get any, and I don't play any MP on Source.
Did I hear, Valve is coming up with new Engine/Upgrading Source for their upcoming HL franchise, or I'm making it up?

 

[Operational]

So I'm playing HL2 for the first time on my new(ish) PC (8800GT) and I get this issue. And I now fully understand the frustrations of those that have it. The while lines appear almost randomly, stand out due to contrast, shimmer with player movement and blemish what is otherwise a beautifully rendered environment.

I wasn't going to say anything but after reaching this tunnel on Highway 17 I felt the need for a cathartic whinge-bump post.

(screenshots don't really do the bug justice)

There are some aaaancient posts by some Valve high-up on these very forums, iirc, talking about why this happens on (some?) Nvidia cards, but if you can find them you're a better man than me (AT SEARCHING ONLY).

You mean this one
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3071
I'm a better man than you (AT SEARCHING ONLY).

What's odd is that I don't have this problem at all with either of the episodes. Maybe if we ever get that Orange Box engine update for HL2 we'll see it eliminated.

Makes sense, at least I hope so