Background Flickering - GameCreators Forum

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Toby Quan

21

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Joined: 16th Oct 2003

Location: U S A

Posted: 20th May 2004 06:24

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I am working on my game for the acoders competition. It will be done in total 2D.

I really really want to do sprites, but I keep encountering strange flickering problems. I am programming it with DBC v1.13.

Anyway, I have read threads on this board where people debated using sprites or using Paste Image. Sprites offer so much more than just the Paste Image. Sprites have tons of commands and features, and paste image is ... well ... just paste image.

Here is a screenshot of what I have done so far:

My current program uses Sprites, but sometimes the background flickers - and sometimes it doesn't!

Could somebody else try it and tell me if it flickers for you or not?

http://www.ScottTown.com/games/tc_033/beta.zip

This program above is simply the character selection screen. There are 6 characters. You pick one, the computer picks one, you pick the next one, the computer picks one, you pick another, and the computer picks the last one. Then, the program quits.

Sometimes, I can run the program once, and it will work just fine. Then, if I run it again, it will flicker.

Another way I can make it flicker sometimes is if I jiggle the mouse back and forth really fast for a few seconds.

Try running it two times. Did it flicker for you? It sure does for me.

I'm not going to try to get a new video card or anything like that, because if it doesn't work correctly on my machine, that means that it may not work on other machines - namely, the judges of the event.

I am currently re-writing the program using the Paste Image command instead of using sprites. So far, no flicker. Even when I jiggle my mouse around real fast - which caused my sprite version of the application to begin to flicker. I have sync set to 45.

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The Rev

21

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Joined: 26th Apr 2004

Location: Mississippi USA

Posted: 20th May 2004 07:38

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Hi I tried it and ran it four times tried the mouse real fast and no flicker I am running a 500mz 128 ram win 98 dx8.01 ati rage 8 meg video card

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zenassem

22

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Joined: 10th Mar 2003

Location: Long Island, NY

Posted: 20th May 2004 10:08 Edited at: 20th May 2004 10:14

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User,
[edit: update]
It seems to be your code, more than likely your input handler. I have noticed now that it only happens if I click and miss the image and click on the backgound. Check that area of your code.

When first running it everything seemed fine. As I started clicking/selected the images on the third one I chose the screen started to flicker in some areas. I believe this has more to do with a misplaced or lackof a sync command somewhere in your code possibly a nested loop or function call from your main loop. If you post your source we can figue it out.

The main disadvantage of using paste image over sprite, is with the former you lose the "sprites built in" ability to handle collisions. Plus, In DBpro sprites are rendered by 3d (since it uses DirextX9+). This tends to be faster in DBpro.

here's my specs in case you were wondering:

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service 
------------------
System Information
------------------
Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
       System Model: Latitude C610                   
               BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A05
          Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) III Mobile CPU      1000MHz
             Memory: 256MB RAM
          Page File: 170MB used, 448MB available
        Windows Dir: C:WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: MOBILITY RADEON   
     Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
        Chip type: Mobility Radeon (LY)
         DAC type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
       Device Key: EnumPCIVEN_1002&DEV_4C59&SUBSYS_00E31028&REV_00
   Display Memory: 16.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Default Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 
      Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0001.6292 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 1/20/2003 23:45:02, 268416 bytes
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled

+ Code Snippet

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service 
------------------
System Information
------------------
Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
       System Model: Latitude C610                   
               BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A05
          Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) III Mobile CPU      1000MHz
             Memory: 256MB RAM
          Page File: 170MB used, 448MB available
        Windows Dir: C:WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: MOBILITY RADEON   
     Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
        Chip type: Mobility Radeon (LY)
         DAC type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
       Device Key: EnumPCIVEN_1002&DEV_4C59&SUBSYS_00E31028&REV_00
   Display Memory: 16.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Default Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 
      Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0001.6292 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 1/20/2003 23:45:02, 268416 bytes
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled

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Toby Quan

21

Years of Service

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Joined: 16th Oct 2003

Location: U S A

Posted: 21st May 2004 05:01

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Thanks a ton for trying out my program. Based upon these results so far, it works on one computer and not on another. That's what I was afraid of.

I have posted the source code in the SOURCE button below.

There is only one sync command in the entire program, which is at the end of the game loop.

Here are my specs:

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/20/2004, 19:58:26
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
       System Model: Dimension 2350
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz
             Memory: 1022MB RAM
          Page File: 285MB used, 2173MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
DX Setup Parameters: None

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller
     Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
        Chip type: Intel(R) 82845G Graphics Controller
         DAC type: Internal
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2562&SUBSYS_01471028&REV_03
   Display Memory: 64.0 MB
     Current Mode: 800 x 600 (32 bit) (75Hz)
          Monitor: hp pavilion mx70
  Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
      Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0010.3619 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 8/3/2003 23:16:12, 36927 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: n/a
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
              VDD: n/a
         Mini VDD: ialmnt5.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 8/3/2003 23:15:04, 91419 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6622-11CF-BB7D-4D21A2C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x8086
        Device ID: 0x2562
        SubSys ID: 0x01471028
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D 
 Deinterlace Caps: {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC4,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run

+ Code Snippet

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 5/20/2004, 19:58:26
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.030422-1633)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
       System Model: Dimension 2350
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz
             Memory: 1022MB RAM
          Page File: 285MB used, 2173MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0b (4.09.0000.0902)
DX Setup Parameters: None

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller
     Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
        Chip type: Intel(R) 82845G Graphics Controller
         DAC type: Internal
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2562&SUBSYS_01471028&REV_03
   Display Memory: 64.0 MB
     Current Mode: 800 x 600 (32 bit) (75Hz)
          Monitor: hp pavilion mx70
  Monitor Max Res: 1280,1024
      Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0010.3619 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 8/3/2003 23:16:12, 36927 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: n/a
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
              VDD: n/a
         Mini VDD: ialmnt5.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 8/3/2003 23:15:04, 91419 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6622-11CF-BB7D-4D21A2C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x8086
        Device ID: 0x2562
        SubSys ID: 0x01471028
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Revision ID: 0x0003
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D 
 Deinterlace Caps: {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(IMC4,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run

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DarkBASIC Discussion / Background Flickering