Help! (or...I pooched my FFXI graphics)

[Danarhys]

I apologize if this should be in some other topic area, but I think my problems might have come from playing around with my .DAT files, so I'll ask here. Mods, please move this if this is inappropriate.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mikeylikese/messed1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mikeylikese/messed2.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v635/mikeylikese/messed3.jpg

As you can see, I've some how completely messed up the textures of the game. As a side note, FFXIModelViewer doesn't work either (it loads but crashes before it can display anything), again no doubt because something has happened to the textures.

I'm wondering if I somehow disassociated the game with the texture file locations in the registry (I was also playing around with the registry for graphics tweaks), or perhaps caused some sort of damage to the textures (ROM?) folders. Also, I was playing around with my graphics card settings, so perhaps I messed something up there?

Ultimately, I'm hoping someone far more tech-savvy than I can recongnize the problems made evident in these pics, and suggest a solution that doesn't require a reinstall. Fervent hope that may be, I suspect that this may be my only option.

Many thanks in advance.

EDIT: Doh, I should probably add some system specs.

WinXP Pro SP1; Radeon9600XT with latest Catalyst drivers, sans ATI control panel; AthlonXP 1400, with a mainboard suitably old enough to run it >_<.

[Xaoko]

Looks like either Directx when kaput, drivers somehow went berserk, or your videocard has died.

go: start->run->dxdiag->display tab->all "test" options available, to make sure atleast that's working a bit.

And of course, update drivers, file check, and the likes.

(now to wait for the real experts to come and give more step-by-step instructions for FIXING this problem if drivers and filechecks do nada)

[Danarhys]

Surprisingly good advice. I tried running dxdiag, and got some strange results (or perhaps not. I've run dxdiag in the past, but never with such a strange result). Basically, when i did tests for DirectDraw, I got the bouncing box, but it was moving in turbo (it didn't do this before). When I ran a D3D test, I got the DirectX logo, spinning like crazy, but on top of that FRAPS registered 999 fps. Never seen this before.

Incidentally, I'm also playing WoW, and I'm not getting strange problems. CoD2 runs fine as well. I /do/ have my card running on the "Overdrive" that ATI cards have, and...actually, let me turn it off and see if that does anything.

EDIT: oh well, that did nothing, and as I'm getting better framerates with it on, I'll keep it running :3

[Gulkeeva]

Not sure if this will help but

Go to your "Catalyst contal panel" go to advanced settings and under your 3D settigns somewhere (look around a bit) look for a setting called
Support DXT Textures
I was playing around with my settings and noticed disabling this option caused similar glitch as your seeing currently, renabling it and restarting FFXI fixed it.

[Kilandor]

The Reason it would spin Fast Basicly means you have a Really good system :) And when its going through the older DX rendering they move alot faster due to being older and don't require as much. Usuall it goes Fast > getting a little slower each one.

As for texture problem....Not a clue.

[neighbortaru]

what exactly did you do to/with your DAT files? if it's just simple swapping, it shouldn't cause those results. Try reinstalling the graphics drivers.

[Gulkeeva]

oh and a overheating video car dwould cause similar effect, but ffxi barely uses video card power more of CPU.

anyway try the thing I mentioned above, it should fix the problem if its same thing I id before.

[Danarhys]

Gulkeeva, you RAWK!! Enabling DXT textures did it. Now I can go back to having fun .DAT swapping :3

EDIT: AARRGGGHH! My FFXI was working for one glorious (ok, craptacular, as I had the resolution turned way down) moment. I'm back to having that same problem again. I'm starting to wonder if my GPU is starting to die a very slow death? I might try to roll back the driver or reinstall older ones...

EDIT2: OK, nevermind. I am living proof that you shouldn't troubleshoot your computer problems while drunk (or at least buzzed). One reboot and everything seems to be a-OK. Thanks again to Gulkeeva. Mods may delete this thread or sticky if it might help others out of a similar jam.

[Gulkeeva]

NP, the overclocking thing may be causing that problem. When your comp/video card overheats and restarts the machine that "VPU recovery" thing tends to "disable everything" including DXT textures option.

[InuTrunks]

Random offtopic post... but gulkeeva that sig is funny.

[Gulkeeva]

Random offtopic post... but gulkeeva that sig is funny.
haha enjoy while you can, I change my signature+avatar pic every once in awhile. I found a nice moogle/mithra one I plan to change to later XD

[Sinbreakerblade]

o.O Trying.......to.........resist..........

[Gulkeeva]

o.O Trying.......to.........resist..........
...!? O_o

[Mellowy]

haha enjoy while you can, I change my signature+avatar pic every once in awhile. I found a nice moogle/mithra one I plan to change to later XD

Oh don't you worry, I have saved it, just like half the rest of the internet I stumble on and like :)