Guides:Graphic Cards
Contents
Overview
One of the most common problems with Wurm (and a lot of games) is ensuring that your graphic card is compatible. Wurm requires Java and OpenGL so forget about DirectX, there is no need to update to the latest versions or include this in your list of worries. Let's get Java out of the way. Go to http://www.java.com and click on the bright yellow get it now button in the top right. Download, install and be happy. The recommendation is for a minimum java version of 1.4.2 and the action just taken will ensure this.
This now leaves us with your graphic card to deal with. Wurm requires OpenGL 1.3 and this is supplied as part of your card's video drivers. If your card manufacturer does not supply the OpenGL drivers or they are inadequate then often there is little you can do except get another card. As each manufacturer is different, the rest of this will be broken down into manufacturers. For each individual entry use OS / Version / GFX Card / Status where status can be ok, broken for fixed #nnn where nnn is one of the corrective actions added by contributors.
ATI & NVidia (most compatible)
ATI drivers are available from http://www.ati.com/support/
NVidia drivers are available from http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp
Alternative: Omega Drivers
Some ATI and NVidia graphics cards, mainly onboard and laptop models, are not supported by the standard drivers. You will have to get the drivers from the manufactor of your laptop etc. and those are often outdated.
Therefore it is sometimes impossible to get drivers that are new enough to support Wurm.
If this is the case, then your only chance might be to use these unofficial, third-party drivers:
Omega Drivers
NOTE: These drivers are supplied as-is and are NOT guaranteed in any way. Use of Omega Drivers is at your own risk!
Intel
Many built-in Intel graphics cards cannot run Wurm, however the best Intel cards may be able to run Wurm (no guarantees). Intel drivers are available from http://downloadfinder.intel.com/scripts-df/support_intel.asp?iid=Corporate+Header_Supp_downloads&
Sis
Unknown, most likely incompatible.
S3
Most S3 graphics cards (E.g Savage/ProSavage/Twister) cannot run Wurm, but please add your card here if you can play Wurm with an S3 card.
Matrox
Unknown? Matrox Parhelia may be able to.
Unknown
If you don't know what your graphics are then its time to identify them.
- Linux
- Use lspci or lspci -v and search for the graphic card details.
- Windows
- start menu->run enter dxdiag, read the supplied information.
Intel has some documentation and a free utility you can use to identify your Intel Chipset, including any Intel Graphics. You can download it from Intel: http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/chipsetid.htm
Post what the utility says your "integrated Graphics" chip is.
OpenGL Support
The WurmClient needs at least OpenGL 1.3 and the following extensions (plus some others):
GL_ARB_multitexture (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/multitexture.txt)
WGL_ARB_pixel_format (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/wgl_pixel_format.txt) on windows
The following OpenGL extensions are used if supported:
GL_ARB_fragment_shader (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/fragment_shader.txt)
GL_ARB_occlusion_query (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/occlusion_query.txt)
GL_ARB_shader_objects (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/shader_objects.txt)
GL_ARB_shading_language_100 (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/shading_language_100.txt)
GL_ARB_vertex_buffer_object (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/vertex_buffer_object.txt)
GL_ARB_vertex_shader (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/ARB/vertex_shader.txt)
GL_EXT_blend_minmax (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/EXT/blend_minmax.txt)
GL_EXT_multi_draw_arrays (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/EXT/multi_draw_arrays.txt)
GL_NV_fog_distance (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/NV/fog_distance.txt)
GL_SGIS_generate_mipmap (http://oss.sgi.com/projects/ogl-sample/registry/SGIS/generate_mipmap.txt)
This will list alternative ways to show the OpenGL version and extensions supported by your graphics card and driver.
- Linux
- glxinfo will list something similar to the following:
name of display: :0.0 display: :0 screen: 0 direct rendering: Yes server glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation server glx version string: 1.3 server glx extensions: GLX_EXT_visual_info, GLX_EXT_visual_rating, GLX_SGIX_fbconfig, client glx vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation client glx version string: 1.3 client glx extensions: OpenGL vendor string: NVIDIA Corporation OpenGL renderer string: GeForce2 GTS/AGP/3DNOW! OpenGL version string: 1.5.3 NVIDIA 71.74 OpenGL extensions:
- Windows
- visualinfo and glewinfo are available from http://glew.sourceforge.net
- glInfo is available from http://www.delphi3d.net/hardware/glinfo2.zip , can generate HTML reports and send the details to Delphi3D.net online database.
- OpenGL Extension Viewer from http://fileforum.betanews.com/detail/OpenGL_Extension_Viewer_for_Windows/1060137702/1
visualinfo is a small dos utility that displays all available visuals, aka. pixelformats, in an OpenGL system along with renderer version information. It shows a table of all the visuals that support OpenGL along with their capabilities. The format of the table is similar to that of glxinfo on Unix systems.
glewinfo is a small dos utility that displays the OpenGL version, provider, and an extensive list of OpenGL extensions.
Corrective Actions
This will be a list of actions which led to a working setup. If the actions are complex and not a one liner then consider adding a page with the detail and link to it.
Setups that are known to work
Linux
Linux | Debian-Sarge | NVidia GeForce 4 Go 440 | OK Linux | Gentoo 2.6.7-r14 | NVidia GeForce 4 Ti 4600 | OK Linux | Ubuntu Dapper Drake | NVidia Geforce 6600 256MB | OK
Windows
Windows XP Pro SP2 | NVidia Geforce 6600 256MB | Forceware 77.72 drivers | OK Windows | ATI Radeon 9700 | DELL inspiron 9100 | default drivers | OK Windows | ATI Radeon 9000 | DELL inspiron 8200 | latest Dell drivers | OK Windows | ATI Radeon Mobility 9700 on Intel motherboard | Omega Drivers only Windows | Intel(R) 82852/82855 gm/gme | latest drivers (OpenGL 1.3) | OK
Macintosh
Unknown.
Miscellaneous
This site provides comparison tables with several linux cpu/card combinations running glxgears: http://www.holarse.de/?content=/treiber/benchmarks/ This should give you an idea of how fast graphics cards are in linux.
Delphi3D has a nice hyperlinked list of OpenGL extensions that reports which card/driver combinations support a given OpenGL extension and has a link to the SGI specifications: http://www.delphi3d.net/hardware/allexts.php
Tech Report.com have a good, sortable table of Graphics Card specifications: TR's graphics comparison table. Although it only includes up to the ATI X850 and NVidia 7800GT, that should be enough for most people
eBay guides to Graphics Cards
- ATI-Radeon-Graphics-Card-Comparison technical comparison of ATI Graphics cards in a table
- Nvidia and ATi Video Card Buyer's Guide
- ATI Radeon & NVIDIA Video Card Buyers Guide
- Video Graphics Cards Windows Large amount of text on Graphics cards
- Buying a Video Card
Note: some of the information here has been harvested from information posted by Wurm users in the Wurm forums.
