Vista Issues with The Matrix Online.

**MXOWinterMute**

Update: After a couple of days of crash-free stability, Vista fell right back into its old tricks.

So.

Quickest, easiest fix for crash-to-desktop has been to simply disable the dumb Desktop Window Manager. You can do this temporarily, if you like: just go to Start-->Programs-->Administrative Tools-->Services. Look for "Desktop Window Manager" and click Stop (to temporarily stop it) or right-click "Desktop Window Manager", choose properties, and then "Disabled" (to shut it down for good--you were warned, it ain't all glassy n' pretty 'til ya turn it back on again).

Most people don't have Administrative Tools--right-click your Start button and choose "Properties", then from the Start Menu tab, choose "Customize" and you can enable "System Administrative Tools" as you wish.

**Anamodiel**

I recently upgraded to an XPS 420 with an 8800 GT with Vista. Unfortunately, like everyone else, I experience graphic problems occasionally. Nothing, of course, has EVER been as bad as it was tonight for me while playing on Vector.

I got to the point where I couldn't see menus and all the textures morphed into single colors. So, the only way that I could jack out was to /jackout. Lo and behold, while the jack-out animation was going, my textures and everything returned back to normal, and it looked like I was playing a normal game again. I don't know if there's any correlation between jacking out and seeing these weird texture problems, but I just thought that I would post something about it.

If you need my DXDiag or my video settings in-game, I'll be happy to post them.

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

I tinkered a bit with the face issue, and have a few thoughts.

The lag fix for XP (modellighting) does NOT affect the face. If it would affect the face, the issue would be smited.

As for the lighting, from what I can tell, for some reason, the light the character has for 2 meters in radius (camera light?) is what is affecting the face (mostly).

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

Face shading bug hotfix? (Works for me)

modellighting_enable = 0
modellighting_ambadd_r = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_g = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_b = 0.33
PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0

PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0 <- Solves 90% of the real issue....

**Sotirios**

I have been away from MxO for a while now (half a year or so), and now that I've returned, my PC is currently running Vista Ultimate 64 and I am experiencing some of the issues others are seeing, most specifically the face shading issue that seems to be prevelant in this thread.

LtCmdr_Tsusai wrote:

Face shading bug hotfix? (Works for me)

modellighting_enable = 0
modellighting_ambadd_r = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_g = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_b = 0.33
PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0

PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0 <- Solves 90% of the real issue....

I was curious where these changes need to be made to try this "hotfix" out? That may seem like a "newbie" question, so I apologize in advance. SMILEY

letsrock wrote:

I hope that I can fix my in-game sound problem with vista. I can hear in-game music but no footsteps, combat sounds. :/ suggestions plz

Also, I had these issues when I first installed and started up MxO, but after exiting the game and restarting the issue went away. I assume you've done that, so that may not be helpful. Sorry.

Lastly, one other thing I noticed is when I hover over an item in-game in my inventory the pop-up that shows the rotating image of the image the stats no longer appears. Is this a Vista related issue or has something changed recently in MxO that I'm not aware of.

Thanks to any and all answers in advance.

-Sotirios

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

Sotirios wrote:

I have been away from MxO for a while now (half a year or so), and now that I've returned, my PC is currently running Vista Ultimate 64 and I am experiencing some of the issues others are seeing, most specifically the face shading issue that seems to be prevelant in this thread.

LtCmdr_Tsusai wrote:
Face shading bug hotfix? (Works for me)

modellighting_enable = 0
modellighting_ambadd_r = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_g = 0.33
modellighting_ambadd_b = 0.33
PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0

PlayerFX_LightPool_Bright_Scale = 0 <- Solves 90% of the real issue....
I was curious where these changes need to be made to try this "hotfix" out? That may seem like a "newbie" question, so I apologize in advance.

In the useropts. If you want, you can just download this file and save it to your MxO folder.

MXOWinterMute wrote:

Update: After a couple of days of crash-free stability, Vista fell right back into its old tricks.
So.
Quickest, easiest fix for crash-to-desktop has been to simply disable the dumb Desktop Window Manager. You can do this temporarily, if you like: just go to Start-->Programs-->Administrative Tools-->Services. Look for "Desktop Window Manager" and click Stop (to temporarily stop it) or right-click "Desktop Window Manager", choose properties, and then "Disabled" (to shut it down for good--you were warned, it ain't all glassy n' pretty 'til ya turn it back on again).
Most people don't have Administrative Tools--right-click your Start button and choose "Properties", then from the Start Menu tab, choose "Customize" and you can enable "System Administrative Tools" as you wish.

Easier thing to do there, is rightclick->Properties on matrix.exe, launcher.exe, and click "Disable Desktop Composition" (Compatibility tab). This will disable Aero while MxO is running, and restore it when finished, and keeps people away from messing with possibly crucial services.

**Sotirios**

Thanks for the info. I'll give it a try and see if it helps.

**MXOWinterMute**

LtCmdr_Tsusai wrote:

Sotirios wrote:

MXOWinterMute wrote:
Update: After a couple of days of crash-free stability, Vista fell right back into its old tricks.
So.
Quickest, easiest fix for crash-to-desktop has been to simply disable the dumb Desktop Window Manager. You can do this temporarily, if you like: just go to Start-->Programs-->Administrative Tools-->Services. Look for "Desktop Window Manager" and click Stop (to temporarily stop it) or right-click "Desktop Window Manager", choose properties, and then "Disabled" (to shut it down for good--you were warned, it ain't all glassy n' pretty 'til ya turn it back on again).
Most people don't have Administrative Tools--right-click your Start button and choose "Properties", then from the Start Menu tab, choose "Customize" and you can enable "System Administrative Tools" as you wish.
Easier thing to do there, is rightclick->Properties on matrix.exe, launcher.exe, and click "Disable Desktop Composition" (Compatibility tab). This will disable Aero while MxO is running, and restore it when finished, and keeps people away from messing with possibly crucial services.

It was a good suggestion, but, no, that didn't work.

What got me was, I started getting CTDs with more and more games. At first it was older ones like Halo 1 and Call of Duty 2. But when Blacksite: Area 51 and Call of Duty 4 started doing it, I realized something had to be done.

Right now I have a complete format and reinstall of Vista Ultimate 64 from the ground up. For kicks I decided to keep it simple--MxO crashes the most, just put MxO on.

I got about a week before it started into its old tricks again (and whatever you do, don't read my thread on the installation update woes). I've learned ridiculous amounts of Vista tricks, and all for naught.

My latest attempt is to 1) Disable User Account Control, and 2) the moment I launch Station Launcher, raise its priority from "Below Normal" to "Above Normal". Repeat for the game's .exe, and don't forget to be running the launcher as Admin.

I can't say that's a good fix yet--I want to be sure I can do it consistently--but I'm keeping my fingers crossed just the same. When I can get through 8 or 9 sessions in a row with this method I'll be ready to call it good.

On a side note, I have no crashes on a quad-core machine...so I'm wondering if Vista x64 tries to multithread and does it badly with 2, and was better designed for 4 or more? Gabe Newell had said something about that--that programmers really won't see the benefits of multithreading until they go above 2 cores...

**sugaree**

I am stunned to report that I tried Tsusai's config file, and faces are looking just as they did in pre-Vista days. When I run the game in full-screen mode (i.e., no window) screenshots also look the way they did pre-Vista.

Tsusai, you deserve the title of honorary dev for figuring this all out! Thanks a million!

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

Only problem with it I see right now is halloween, 'cause you won't have the body flashlight.

**Br0ck**

I just got a new computer that has Vista. My old computer still runs MxO perfectly fine. With all the Vista issues would it at all be worth the effort to transfer the files/redownload the game onto the new computer?

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

If it ain't broke don't fix it. :p

**sugaree**

Br0ck wrote:

I just got a new computer that has Vista. My old computer still runs MxO perfectly fine. With all the Vista issues would it at all be worth the effort to transfer the files/redownload the game onto the new computer?

Well, you have to read through the whole trail of tears and ask yourself if it's worth it, I guess.

**LtCmdr_Tsusai**

Out of randomness, I tested running MxO in a VMWare machine (they have directx now) and it runs as if I have an GeForce 3. Not worth it anyone who randomly thinks of it.

**Sphairo**

Whoever invented Vista, I hate you, you annoying, awful little man, I HATE YOU WITH A SEARING PASSION!!!