Lord of the Rings Online Forum

How's it going? I'm using a trial version of Crossover Games right now, before I take the plunge and buy it, want to make sure everything works.

I'm running the game on the unibody aluminum macbook

2.0ghz processor
2gb of RAM(soon going to upgrade to 4gb)
Nvidia 9400M video card 256mb shared

Here is my problem

The game is running great, everything installed great following the instructions here(thanks a ton for the easy to use tips and tricks guide) i'm just having one problem.

If I try and change my graphics settings from the "recommended" settings, even to bump them up to medium, within a few seconds the screen will go black except a little square in the upper corner, but the game is still running, the sound is still playing and everything, and I can even interact with the interface.

Any possible idea why this would happen? The game is running amazingly fast on the low settings, no lag or anything, so I'd like to get a bit more visual quality out of it since right now it doesn't look all that great, especially the water, it doesn't even look like shaders are activated.

Note: If I'm in the character selection screen and change the options there, the black screen doesn't occur, it's only when I'm actually in game. I noticed a thread about this on the official LOTRO forums, so I'm thinking this might be a game issue and have nothing to do with crossover, but I figured I'd ask anyway in case anyone here is having problems.

Having similar problems here.

Same MacBook too, although selected Low graphics means I can run around ok most of the time, tend to get the black screen straight after loading into an instance.

Going to try playing with some settings in WINECFG to see if I can improve it.

This has only happened to me since Book 8 release though, so I imagine it's a game problem rather than a Wine one.

Any chance you could link to the thread on the LOTRO forum Michael?

The thread on the US forum is http://forums.lotro.com/showthread.php?t=85079

I think the problem could be with CXG not detecting your graphics card correctly, there is a registry entry that you can set that tells CXG how much memory your card has, it's one of those safe options as long as you don't state too much it can only improve things (ie CXG might get it right anyway so you won't harm anything by setting it).

The entry (use regedit) is HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Wine/Direct3D/VideoMemorySize and you need to set it to how much memory you have in MB.

Thanks Alan - quite happy to try this out, and from my time using Windows I can find my way to the registry key you list. I don't have a VideoMemorySize value. I know how to enter a new key, but I am unsure which type of key to add and what to put in the Value Data box.

Sorry if I am being dense, but until this I'd not had a problem running LOTRO under CXG, and I really don't want to have to resort to reloading Windows under Bootcamp.

TIA

Richard.

I had to double check myself (my memory is getting worse :)) but it needs to be a string key.

Thanks - I guessed it would be a string key, so tried that anyway :)

So far (only played for an hour) it seems to have cured it. I was able to change graphics settings in game without triggering it, and wandered around 21st Hall without a problem.

Richard.

I have read all of these threads and successfully added the VideoMemorySize to the WINE registry after having several black screens/kernel panics on a late 2008 MBP. Unforunately I am still have the same problem where I will be playing just fine and the screen will go black with no warning (regardless of Graphics settings in game which I can change with no problem), although fans/hdd are still running. The report on restart produces the following:

Thu Aug 13 18:20:32 2009
panic(cpu 0 caller 0x00CF76A4): NVRM[0]: Read Error 0x00009410: BAR0 0xe4000000 0x689b5000 0x096380c1 D0 P3/4
Backtrace (CPU 0), Frame : Return Address (4 potential args on stack)
0x57196338 : 0x12b4c6 (0x45f91c 0x5719636c 0x13355c 0x0)
0x57196388 : 0xcf76a4 (0xf27e80 0xf27e80 0xeec6d4 0x0)
0x571963e8 : 0xfb0df0 (0x744d404 0x7a2a804 0x9410 0xd33d06)
0x57196428 : 0xfdb57d (0x7a2a804 0x9410 0x5c00 0x9)
0x57196468 : 0xdf914f (0x7a2a804 0x6f0f004 0x0 0x0)
0x57196488 : 0xd393f1 (0x6f0f004 0x57196514 0x0 0x0)
0x571964c8 : 0xf4cdb8 (0x7a2a804 0x3d0900 0x57196514 0x0)
0x57196548 : 0xf820e4 (0x7a2a804 0x7be6004 0x1 0x1)
0x571966d8 : 0xf83400 (0x7a2a804 0x7be7004 0x73d1144 0x0)
0x57196798 : 0xd43736 (0x7a2a804 0x7be7004 0x0 0xabb4904)
0x57196818 : 0xd04c49 (0xc1d00044 0xbeef0003 0xcafe04ca 0xad3d780)
0x57196858 : 0xcf5804 (0x571969e8 0x6 0x0 0x0)
0x571969b8 : 0xce736c (0x0 0x600d600d 0x7058 0x571969e8)
0x57196a78 : 0x11f4917 (0xc1d00044 0xbeef0003 0xcafe04ca 0xad3d780)
0x57196ab8 : 0x11f4aee (0x42c16000 0xad3d780 0x23f34000 0x0)
0x57196af8 : 0x12146df (0x42c16000 0xac91800 0x57196b34 0x0)
Backtrace continues...
Kernel loadable modules in backtrace (with dependencies):
com.apple.GeForce(5.4.8)@0x11a1000->0x1238fff
dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xcde000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.7.3)@0xcd0000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x601000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.7.3)@0x78e000
com.apple.nvidia.nv50hal(5.4.8)@0xf3d000->0x1190fff
dependency: com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xcde000
com.apple.NVDAResman(5.4.8)@0xcde000->0xf3cfff
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(1.7.3)@0xcd0000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6)@0x601000
dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(1.7.3)@0x78e000

BSD process name corresponding to current thread: wineloader

Mac OS version:
9L30

Kernel version:
Darwin Kernel Version 9.8.0: Wed Jul 15 16:55:01 PDT 2009; root:xnu-1228.15.4~1/RELEASE_I386
System model name: MacBookPro5,1 (Mac-F42D86C8)

Any ideas as to where to go from here?

Well I hope to have solved the problem by switching to the 9400M video card on my MBP instead of the 9600 in which I was getting errors. I am going on 4 hours of being logged in and no problems as of yet. I can switch from Medium graphics to High and back again. Seems to be stable on high so sticking with that for now.

Thought I would further update the thread of everyone's information. I have been playing the game on my MBP now for days without any problem (and for more hours a day than I probably should be, 8 hours+). So I would highly recommend those that are having any problems with black screens or kernel panics on unibody MacBook Pros to disable the discrete graphics card (9600) and use the integrated (9400M).

fjordstorm wrote:

So I would highly recommend those that are having any problems with
black screens or kernel panics on unibody MacBook Pros to disable
the discrete graphics card (9600) and use the integrated (9400M).

I would prefer if people raised a bug report/support ticket about the problem, then if need be (ie so you can play) do what you suggested. An unreported problem can only be fixed by accident.

This might be a silly question, but i was wondering how i go about changing the registry settings. As i am having a similar problem on my new imac.

Any help much appreciated!

I've copied this from another thread, it talks about the Linux version but you should find most of it is the same on a Mac

K to set your video memory:

• From you Linux menu select Crossover Games -> Configuration
• Click on the bottle you wish to configure and click the Configure
  button
• Click on the Control Panel tab
• Click the Run button and type regedit into the command box
• In the left-hand pane open HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Wine
• If under Wine there isn't a folder called Direct3D, highlight Wine
  then right-click on Wine, select new -> key and type Direct3D (case
  sensitive)
• Make sure Direct3D is highlighted
• Right-click anywhere in the right-hand pane, select new -> string
  value and type in VideoMemorySize (again case sensitive)
• Now double-click that entry and type in the amount of video memory
  you have in MB
• Close regedit using Registry -> Exit
• Exit out of the CXG configuration and you should be good to go

Thanks for that Alan. I had done my registry edit, but was still having occasional black screens. I double checked my registry changes, and did not have the caps in the registry name. Maybe my random black outs will dissappear.

I have an interesting situation... this is on my 2.5ghz MacBook Pro4,1; still running Leopard; Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT.

I just upgraded to CXG 8.0 and PyLotRO in prep for upgrading to Snow Leopard. I still have LotROMac installed, which is what I have been using to run LOTRO.

Using LotROMac, I can launch and play the game with no problems. However, with PyLotRO, the game launches, I get the audio but the screen is black.

Under LotROMack I have a random collection of high and medium graphics settings, and get about 25 FPS normally.

Evidently PyLotRO is doing something different than LotROMac does... not CXG.

Note: I have another iMac system which I also run LOTRO on -- after upgrading to Snow Leopard, CXG 8 and PyLotRO, I have noticed that I did need to downgrade all of the graphics settings significantly to even get up to the 25 FPS value! I had been getting 40-60 FPS prior to the various upgrades. (Have to try this on the iMac when I get the chance.)

Almost forgot... setting the VideoMemorySize did solve the issue.

On a Mac, the Instructions should read (probably should add this to the tips):

to set your video memory:

• launch Crossover Games
• in the "programs" pulldown menu select "Run Command"
• in the resulting pop-up box, under "Use Bottle" select the appropriate bottle
• type regedit into the command box and click "run"
• In the left-hand pane open HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Wine
• If under Wine there isn't a folder called Direct3D, highlight Wine then right-click on Wine, select new -> key and type Direct3D (case sensitive)
• Make sure Direct3D is highlighted
• Right-click anywhere in the right-hand pane, select new -> string value and type in VideoMemorySize (again case sensitive)
• Now double-click that entry and type in the amount of video memory you have in MB
• Close regedit using Registry -> Exit
• Exit out of the CXG configuration and you should be good to go

Note: To find out how much video memory you have.... under the "apple menu" select "About this Mac" then select more info.
In the "System Profiler" window which pops up, select "Hardware" "Graphics/displays" Look for an entry "VRAM"

William H. Magill wrote:

Evidently PyLotRO is doing something different than LotROMac does...
not CXG.

The only difference is that LotROMac used to close after launching the game client (assuming you didn't have save to log enabled) and PyLotRO doesn't. I did fix a problem with it eating up CPU quite a while ago, maybe it is a issue with python and/or qt4 and CXG. I'll have a dig around to see if I can make it spawn a totally independent process for the game client and try shutting PyLotRO down to see if that is the cause.

I am having this issue across all 3 of my macs - 20 inch iMac, 2008 mac book pro, and my Mac Pro (purchased just before they upgraded them this year).

Exactly the same symptom - random blackout with a small square in the upper left corner. I can say that I can force quit the session and close CXG and come back to a functional system, so its not just a heat related video freeze. I have done the registry edit. It seems to happen less if I use "low" quality video, but it still happens.

The blackouts are bad enough that I installed bootcamp :( for when I plan to have a serious session.

I am running clean installs of snow leapard and CXG 8 with fresh game installs.

Michael Granberry wrote:

I am having this issue across all 3 of my macs - 20 inch iMac, 2008
mac book pro, and my Mac Pro (purchased just before they upgraded
them this year).

Exactly the same symptom - random blackout with a small square in
the upper left corner. I can say that I can force quit the session
and close CXG and come back to a functional system, so its not just
a heat related video freeze. I have done the registry edit. It
seems to happen less if I use "low" quality video, but it still
happens.

The blackouts are bad enough that I installed bootcamp :( for when I
plan to have a serious session.

I am running clean installs of snow leapard and CXG 8 with fresh
game installs.

I'm out of ideas so my advice is to raise a support ticket.

I will Alan.

I ran the game in boot camp last night on my MacPro - Very High Graphics. Ran like a charm, the picture quality was startlingly pretty. I was not aware of what I was missing at medium and low quality. No freezes of any sort.

Thanks for all your hard work getting this game to start up so well.

I did put in a ticket about this problem. As I was reading some other LOTRO MOM tickets in the forum, it seems that they have video issues with CXG 8.0 and LOTRO and are recommending going back to 7.2.2 until they figure it out. Thats my plan for now.

New twist.

I have installed Snow Leopard on my machines. One cannot load previous versions of CXG onto snow leopard.

Boot camp for me until this gets fixed I guess. My ticket was assigned, but its early yet.

Recommendations : stick with Leapard and CXG 7.2.2 until things are resolved.

Was sent this link by the staff helping with my ticket. 7.2.2 will not run on Snow Leopard normally.

http://www.codeweavers.com/support/wiki/CXOffice7underSnow

I know it's been a while since this thread got much traction... apologies.

I'm sitting at about ten minutes in-game with LOTRO right now, waiting to see a crash after about 30 minutes. If I can produce the crash, we'll test the registry key setting and do a regression test to see if we can make this better.

Unfortunately, if we cannot reproduce this, there's not a lot we can do for the time being. We'll try in a few additional environments of course.

What would be helpful is if people experiencing this problem could either update the tickets they've submitted with anything they have found... OR, write in/open a ticket with this issue.

PS

PyLotRO, very nice (haven't had the opportunity to test LOTRO with it until now... first time loading it on a Mac and it was as smooth as could be!). Alan, truly genius!

Alright, I've just spent an hour in-game now, waiting for a crash. Is there a place I should be expecting this crash more often? A place perhaps that produces this crash all the time?

I'm running at 1920x1200, full screen and just haven't had any problems (except a fear that I'll get pulled into this as it seems much more up my alley than WoW).

I have the Nvidia GeForce 9400/9600 graphics cards, Leopard 10.5.8 and CrossOver Games 8.1.4 and PyLotRO 0.1.11.

Cheers!

Caron Wills wrote:

Alright, I've just spent an hour in-game now, waiting for a crash.
Is there a place I should be expecting this crash more often? A
place perhaps that produces this crash all the time?

My working theory is that it occurs when there is a drastic change in the amount of textures to be loaded, i.e. moving from inside to outside. Try whacking all the graphics options on their highest settings (for maximum devastation). I did use to have some joy taking a horse ride to Michael Delving from the far end of the Shire, there seemed to be a spot where my hard drive would thrash and I'd get nice crash but that was over a year ago.

Caron Wills wrote:

I have the Nvidia GeForce 9400/9600 graphics cards, Leopard 10.5.8
and CrossOver Games 8.1.4 and PyLotRO 0.1.11.

1- I though that 8.1 did NOT run on Leopard 10.5.x, but only on Snow Leopard 10.6.x (2 current).

2- Caron/Alan... is it possible to do what is outlined here:
http://www.codeweavers.com/support/wiki/SubmitTechSupportLog
Since PyLOTR is required to launch lotroclient.exe?

3- Possible thought -- that little square in the corner could be the X11 output window.

William H. Magill wrote:

2- Caron/Alan... is it possible to do what is outlined here:

http://www.codeweavers.com/support/wiki/SubmitTechSupportLog
Since PyLOTR is required to launch lotroclient.exe?

If you are using the standalone version of PyLotRO it should be as easy as running pylotro.exe with the various debug options ticked or passed via --debugmsg

If you are using the native version of PyLotRO (i.e. non-Windows) adding the various options like +seh,+relay etc to the WINEDEBUG box in settings should (I think) get the equivalent though one of the devs would have to confirm that passing those parameters via --debugmsg and setting the WINEDEBUG environment variable do the same thing. With this method the output will end up in the output window with an option to save, with the other method it will end up in the file you specified.

Hi

I am having this problem all the time. I can re-create the issue really easily simply by changing the fullscreen resolution I am using. If I move from say 1440x878 to 1440x900 Lotro will crash to the small white square in the bottom left of my screen - which is exactly the same crash I randomly get when first running the game.

I am using CXG 8.1.4 on OS X 10.6.2 - I usually get the random crash within the first 5 mins of running the game, I then restart Lotro without quitting CXG and its then usually fine for a good couple of hours regardless of what I am doing, but I will see the crash again at some point.

Not sure if it helps, but I get the exact same problem using Wine 1.1.34 - I have also tried using the latest beta of XQuartz (2.5.0) and that makes no difference either.

Cheers,
Mike.

Darius Zendeh has just posted in the other "Black Screen" thread that he has disabled the Vertex Shader in winecfg and no longer has the problem. I have done the same and can confirm I haven't had a crash since - the only problem with this solution is my in-game graphics are now really poor :(

Alan, our 'wine' script ignores WINEDEBUG in the environment it receives. That was done for users who may use WineHQ's Wine alongside CrossOver. We want their settings to be independent so they don't interfere with one another.

You can set CX_DEBUGMSG, instead. That is the environment variable equivalent of the --debugmsg command-line option. (Internally, it does get translated to WINEDEBUG when passed to the wine executable.)