HL2: Help with Nova Prospekt (Also a graphics Problem)

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

First of all, let me start off by saying I am on a military network,
and Websense is blocking me from getting to just about every game
related page on the web. So please refrain from giving me links to walk
throughs, unless they are on a personal web page. I might be able to
get to those.

I am having a problem in Nova Prospekt. The real problem is that my rig
is not showing all the graphics in HL2, and I have had to work around
this. The tentacle creatures do not show up on my screen. At all.

Sager 9860
GeForce Go 9800
Driver Nvidia 7.7.7.0

I also cannot see the wooden boards leading from some ladders to docks,
and similar oddities. When I got the dune buggy to the warehouse where
I had to use the crane, the boards show up leading towards the cement,
but after that.. Just air.. To tell where I am walking, I have to get
the pistol and fire in front of me to get bullet holes to show up so I
can know there is something in front of me other than air. VERY
inconvenient when Combine soldiers and ant lions are both after you.

Some objects can be seen only because they cast a shadow in the game.
And on to my main problem:

I am in Nova Prospekt, in the little room where just after you enter
it, a poisonous headcrap-carrier shows up right outside the door.

After I killed him, I heard gunfire coming through the two vents
attached to the ceiling. I jump up on what I assume is a table (Only a
shadow, nothing more), and I can just barely see into the next room
where the gunfire is coming from, but can't jump up there.

I have found nothing else I can do in this level, so i am assuming I
need to go through one of the vents. And I also assume that it is an
object-based puzzle, where I have to stack and climb.

But I cannot see what I am stacking!?!? Aggggghhhh!

So, if anyone has any ideas on this problem, either the graphical
problem, or the puzzle solution, I would really appreciate it.

Russ Chewning

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

McGrandpa,

I read some of your earlier posts in a.g.h-l, and have come to the
conclusion that we got off on the wrong foot. Now, if you have anything
to say that might help, I would appreciate it. Just didn't like you
questioning me when I said I was on a military network. I am in Iraq,
and I very much do not like it here. I can't get to 4/5ths of the sites
I browsed daily back in the U.S.

Also, sorry for the typo I made in my specs. I work 12 hours a day, 7
days a week, for the last 90 days, and I was at the end of my shift
when I wrote that post. it has been corrected above. It is a GeForce Go
6800.

Thanks,

Russ Chewning

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

McGrandpa,

I would tend to agree with you on the video ram thing, except that it
is very specific things that do not show on screen. It's not random.
Wouldn't low video ram show more of a random texture dropout? My
problem is that no barnacles have ever showed up on screen, at any
time. They are there, because they keep pulling me up because I can't
see them (and I keep pulling out the crowbar), but neither the barnacle
or the hanging "tentacle" show onscreen. And in the dune buggy level
where you have to use the crane, the wooden walkway you reach after
running up the boards, and that leads up to the cement area where the
combine soldiers are, is totally invisible. It takes a weapon fired
into the walkway to produce bullet holes to show where the walkway is.
Pretty irritating where both Combine soldiers and ant lions are after
you.

Last but not least, it Nova Prospekt, some table (and smaller)
objects are invisible. Always the same objects though. It's not random.
I've had some junk cars that are invisible, too. Walls in certain
places are invisible. But it is always the same objects that are
invisible. No random factor, as far as I can tell.

If I were back home, it would be a simple solution. Reinstall.
Without Steam, simple solution. Reinstall from my HL2 CD I have here
with me. Factor in Steam, and I do not know if I reinstall, if it will
let me play the game at all. I cannot connect to Steam servers, and I
currently run in offline mode.

I am coming back home for good in two weeks, but I am at an exciting
point in Nova Prospekt, and do not want to quit. When I get home, I
have many other things to take care of.

Well, I asked for help at steampowered.com. Maybe they will be able
to help me. Probably not, though. it seems the first try for a problem
like mine is to try a validation of the game files.

Which... Takes a connection to steam servers. Sigh..

But it is a good game, though. Annd the oodles of money they save by
screwing the pirates will hopefully be used to expand their company,
and make more great games. One can hope...

Russ Chewning

McGrandpa wrote:
> <rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1121309527.185822.268300@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> > McGrandpa,
> >
> > I read some of your earlier posts in a.g.h-l, and have come to the
> > conclusion that we got off on the wrong foot. Now, if you have
> > anything to say that might help, I would appreciate it. Just didn't
> > like you questioning me when I said I was on a military network. I am
> > in Iraq, and I very much do not like it here. I can't get to 4/5ths
> > of the sites I browsed daily back in the U.S.
> >
> > Also, sorry for the typo I made in my specs. I work 12 hours a day, 7
> > days a week, for the last 90 days, and I was at the end of my shift
> > when I wrote that post. it has been corrected above. It is a GeForce
> > Go 6800.
> >
> > Thanks,
> >
> > Russ Chewning
>
> Yeah we did.
>
> I've a couple of nephews over there. They don't get to come home
> much. They've both given the family the .mil email addys they have. I
> feel for you. I don't know anyone that *wants* to be in Iraq.
> Especially Military. (any wonder?!)
>
> The tentacle dropping critter you described are called "barnacles", and
> made it to HL2 from HL1. Crossbow or .357 does wonders for em I
> wonder if Valve got the ideas for the AI of the headcrabs from camel
> spiders?
>
> I've read in a couple HL2 forums (website forums, like you have trouble
> reaching) that missing textures can be from vid drivers or low vid
> memory. I've read of some problems with HL2 not even running on some
> laptops. I'm assuming you're using a laptop, with a GeForce GO GPU in
> it. If the GPU uses shared system ram, is there a way to increase the
> amount to the video?
>
> You can try reducing some of the in-game option menu items and see if it
> helps. I'd think that reducing reflections and shadows would have to
> help. It does sound to me like the game is running low on texture
> memory. An Nvidia 6800 <anything!> should be able to run HL2 with no
> problems. My 6800 GT does great with HL2.
>
> HIH, keep it cool, and bring yerself home safe huh?
>
> McG.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

<rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121284239.485388.24000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> First of all, let me start off by saying I am on a military network,
> and Websense is blocking me from getting to just about every game
> related page on the web. So please refrain from giving me links to
> walk throughs, unless they are on a personal web page. I might be
> able to get to those.

A MIL network under Yahoo.com. Interesting.

>
> I am having a problem in Nova Prospekt. The real problem is that my
> rig is not showing all the graphics in HL2, and I have had to work
> around this. The tentacle creatures do not show up on my screen. At
> all.

There are no tentacle creatures.

>
> Sager 9860
> GeForce Go 9800
> Driver Nvidia 7.7.7.0

You're either a Troll or you've got some nomenclature mixed up.

>
> I also cannot see the wooden boards leading from some ladders to
> docks, and similar oddities. When I got the dune buggy to the
> warehouse where I had to use the crane, the boards show up leading
> towards the cement, but after that.. Just air.. To tell where I am
> walking, I have to get the pistol and fire in front of me to get
> bullet holes to show up so I can know there is something in front of
> me other than air. VERY inconvenient when Combine soldiers and ant
> lions are both after you.
>
> Some objects can be seen only because they cast a shadow in the game.
> And on to my main problem:
>
> I am in Nova Prospekt, in the little room where just after you enter
> it, a poisonous headcrap-carrier shows up right outside the door.
>
> After I killed him, I heard gunfire coming through the two vents
> attached to the ceiling. I jump up on what I assume is a table (Only a
> shadow, nothing more), and I can just barely see into the next room
> where the gunfire is coming from, but can't jump up there.
>
> I have found nothing else I can do in this level, so i am assuming I
> need to go through one of the vents. And I also assume that it is an
> object-based puzzle, where I have to stack and climb.
>
> But I cannot see what I am stacking!?!? Aggggghhhh!
>
> So, if anyone has any ideas on this problem, either the graphical
> problem, or the puzzle solution, I would really appreciate it.

Lets get a firm decision on what video card and driver you're using
first. Nvidia doesn't have a "9800" anything. ATI doesn't have a
GeForce anything. So most folks are a bit confused here. You shouldn't
be able to even run?
McG.

>
> Russ Chewning

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

<rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121309527.185822.268300@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
> McGrandpa,
>
> I read some of your earlier posts in a.g.h-l, and have come to the
> conclusion that we got off on the wrong foot. Now, if you have
> anything to say that might help, I would appreciate it. Just didn't
> like you questioning me when I said I was on a military network. I am
> in Iraq, and I very much do not like it here. I can't get to 4/5ths
> of the sites I browsed daily back in the U.S.
>
> Also, sorry for the typo I made in my specs. I work 12 hours a day, 7
> days a week, for the last 90 days, and I was at the end of my shift
> when I wrote that post. it has been corrected above. It is a GeForce
> Go 6800.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Russ Chewning

Yeah we did.

I've a couple of nephews over there. They don't get to come home
much. They've both given the family the .mil email addys they have. I
feel for you. I don't know anyone that *wants* to be in Iraq.
Especially Military. (any wonder?!)

The tentacle dropping critter you described are called "barnacles", and
made it to HL2 from HL1. Crossbow or .357 does wonders for em I
wonder if Valve got the ideas for the AI of the headcrabs from camel
spiders?

I've read in a couple HL2 forums (website forums, like you have trouble
reaching) that missing textures can be from vid drivers or low vid
memory. I've read of some problems with HL2 not even running on some
laptops. I'm assuming you're using a laptop, with a GeForce GO GPU in
it. If the GPU uses shared system ram, is there a way to increase the
amount to the video?

You can try reducing some of the in-game option menu items and see if it
helps. I'd think that reducing reflections and shadows would have to
help. It does sound to me like the game is running low on texture
memory. An Nvidia 6800 <anything!> should be able to run HL2 with no
problems. My 6800 GT does great with HL2.

HIH, keep it cool, and bring yerself home safe huh?

McG.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Hi Russ,
My son just got back from Iraq. He had a big gripe how he was cut off
from the net there. He spent some time in Al Dahfra (sp) too. He was
able to get email in and out but found the the military access to
internet there was definitely limited. It has something to do I think
with the way the military networking is set up. The creatures you are
referring to are popularly called barnacles. If you like, email me
privately and I can put you in touch with one of my sons who is a
cracker jack at HL2 and likely can help you. Come home soon!
Carolyn
ivorybow@yahoo.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

> Sager 9860
> GeForce Go 9800 [6800, rather]
> Driver Nvidia 7.7.7.0

Can't help with where you are in the game, but I have the same laptop as you
(clevo D9T = Sager 9860 = Alienware 7700m = etc) with the same graphics card
and mine runs the game perfectly, no missing textures, almost every display
setting set to 'high'.

Great screen on these machines, they run HL2 / Doom3 / FarCry beautifully
but boy do they get hot, especially under your left hand

My driver (according to Windows) is 6.7.9.0, dated 24/11/2004, so
theoretically yours should be newer and better. If you can access nvidia.com
try downloading the latest ones just in case.

Well... I probably haven't helped much but at least you know your machine
should be more than capable of running the game super-smoothly...

h

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Low texture memory would be a constant with missing (white space)
textures, but I don't think it would be so specific as to single out
particular objects. I think the models are there, cause they function.
Validating the games files thru Steam is logically the best next step
and about the only one I can think of. It sounds like the game simply
isn't finding the textures/models it needs to display, now. Have you
installed any mods? Could be something was overwritten that's needed,
but didn't get replaced with the mod. You've mentioned only HL2 though.
That's got to be a booger, not being able to see the barnacles at all.
Tongue tied
Right too, if you were able to connect to the Steam servers, it'd be
real easy to just let it fix the games GCF files.
Sorry I haven't been any help to you.
McG.

<rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121315270.510382.273820@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com
> McGrandpa,
>
> I would tend to agree with you on the video ram thing, except that it
> is very specific things that do not show on screen. It's not random.
> Wouldn't low video ram show more of a random texture dropout? My
> problem is that no barnacles have ever showed up on screen, at any
> time. They are there, because they keep pulling me up because I can't
> see them (and I keep pulling out the crowbar), but neither the
> barnacle or the hanging "tentacle" show onscreen. And in the dune
> buggy level where you have to use the crane, the wooden walkway you
> reach after running up the boards, and that leads up to the cement
> area where the combine soldiers are, is totally invisible. It takes a
> weapon fired into the walkway to produce bullet holes to show where
> the walkway is. Pretty irritating where both Combine soldiers and ant
> lions are after you.
>
> Last but not least, it Nova Prospekt, some table (and smaller)
> objects are invisible. Always the same objects though. It's not
> random. I've had some junk cars that are invisible, too. Walls in
> certain places are invisible. But it is always the same objects that
> are invisible. No random factor, as far as I can tell.
>
> If I were back home, it would be a simple solution. Reinstall.
> Without Steam, simple solution. Reinstall from my HL2 CD I have here
> with me. Factor in Steam, and I do not know if I reinstall, if it will
> let me play the game at all. I cannot connect to Steam servers, and I
> currently run in offline mode.
>
> I am coming back home for good in two weeks, but I am at an exciting
> point in Nova Prospekt, and do not want to quit. When I get home, I
> have many other things to take care of.
>
> Well, I asked for help at steampowered.com. Maybe they will be able
> to help me. Probably not, though. it seems the first try for a problem
> like mine is to try a validation of the game files.
>
> Which... Takes a connection to steam servers. Sigh..
>
> But it is a good game, though. Annd the oodles of money they save by
> screwing the pirates will hopefully be used to expand their company,
> and make more great games. One can hope...
>
> Russ Chewning
>
> McGrandpa wrote:
>> <rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1121309527.185822.268300@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com
>>> McGrandpa,
>>>
>>> I read some of your earlier posts in a.g.h-l, and have come to the
>>> conclusion that we got off on the wrong foot. Now, if you have
>>> anything to say that might help, I would appreciate it. Just didn't
>>> like you questioning me when I said I was on a military network. I
>>> am in Iraq, and I very much do not like it here. I can't get to
>>> 4/5ths of the sites I browsed daily back in the U.S.
>>>
>>> Also, sorry for the typo I made in my specs. I work 12 hours a
>>> day, 7 days a week, for the last 90 days, and I was at the end of
>>> my shift when I wrote that post. it has been corrected above. It is
>>> a GeForce Go 6800.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Russ Chewning
>>
>> Yeah we did.
>>
>> I've a couple of nephews over there. They don't get to come home
>> much. They've both given the family the .mil email addys they
>> have. I feel for you. I don't know anyone that *wants* to be in
>> Iraq. Especially Military. (any wonder?!)
>>
>> The tentacle dropping critter you described are called "barnacles",
>> and made it to HL2 from HL1. Crossbow or .357 does wonders for em
>> I wonder if Valve got the ideas for the AI of the headcrabs
>> from camel spiders?
>>
>> I've read in a couple HL2 forums (website forums, like you have
>> trouble reaching) that missing textures can be from vid drivers or
>> low vid memory. I've read of some problems with HL2 not even
>> running on some laptops. I'm assuming you're using a laptop, with a
>> GeForce GO GPU in it. If the GPU uses shared system ram, is there
>> a way to increase the amount to the video?
>>
>> You can try reducing some of the in-game option menu items and see
>> if it helps. I'd think that reducing reflections and shadows would
>> have to help. It does sound to me like the game is running low on
>> texture memory. An Nvidia 6800 <anything!> should be able to run
>> HL2 with no problems. My 6800 GT does great with HL2.
>>
>> HIH, keep it cool, and bring yerself home safe huh?
>>
>> McG.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

"h" wrote

> My driver (according to Windows) is 6.7.9.0, dated 24/11/2004,

Russ: Could you try downgrading to this driver?

h: What's your Vid settings in HL2?

Russ: Compare h's video settings with yours

Maybe your dx9 installtion is troublesome?

- Peter

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Thanks for all who tried to help.

I am such a retard.

I was stuck because I did not notice there was a busted out window in
the guard room at the top of the stairs. I jump through there, and a
bull ant lion murdalizes a bunch of Combine soldiers and then comes
after me. Bull Ant Lion now dead, and I may continue. All the vents
were there for was to confuse.

Duhhh..

Thanks again, everyone. I'll wait until I get home in two weeks to
square away the video issue.

Russ Chewning

 

[jethro]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Peter [AGHL] wrote:
> "h" wrote
>
>
>>My driver (according to Windows) is 6.7.9.0, dated 24/11/2004,
>
>
> Russ: Could you try downgrading to this driver?
>
> h: What's your Vid settings in HL2?
>
> Russ: Compare h's video settings with yours
>
> Maybe your dx9 installtion is troublesome?
>
> - Peter
>
>

Agree with Peter about downgrading drivers. The latest and "greatest"
nVidia 77.69 series were very screwy and I couldn't even run CS:S full
screen. It only ran in a 640x480 window and crashed out when I tried to
change it.
Try the 71.89 drivers. Heard better things about them then the 77 series.
J


--
Jethro[AGHL] aka Phat_Pinger
Reply Email: jethro86 (at) gmail (dot) com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

On 13 Jul 2005 21:27:50 -0700, rchewning1@yahoo.com wrote:


>
> If I were back home, it would be a simple solution. Reinstall.
>Without Steam, simple solution. Reinstall from my HL2 CD I have here
>with me. Factor in Steam, and I do not know if I reinstall, if it will
>let me play the game at all. I cannot connect to Steam servers, and I
>currently run in offline mode.
>

if you reinstall from the cds/dvd then hl2 will insist on validating &
updating content, so you'll be screwed til you get home.

> I am coming back home for good in two weeks, but I am at an exciting
>point in Nova Prospekt, and do not want to quit. When I get home, I
>have many other things to take care of.
>
> Well, I asked for help at steampowered.com. Maybe they will be able
>to help me. Probably not, though. it seems the first try for a problem
>like mine is to try a validation of the game files.
>
> Which... Takes a connection to steam servers. Sigh..
>

i've been reading recently that games like hl2 & d3 [on laptops] need
to be installed & run in the mode indicating highest power usage, ie
none of the power saving modes. perhaps you have a setting for running
from an external psu. your specific problem was not mentioned but the
ones that were seemed to be very random & unconnected so its entirely
possible this is the cause.
if you can't get it right by altering the power settings, a full
reinstall may be [possibly] avoided by deleting clientregistry.blob
from the steam folder [whilst steam is not running] then starting
steam. this, however will require a connection to the steam servers.
hope you get home safe.

dr ratt

-------------------------------------------
the man who crosses me and leaves me alive.
he understands nothing about tuco.
nothing.
-------------------------------------------

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

Hy,
See my previous post "HL2 won't work with FX5700"
This is a driver issue.
Try moving to an older one.
I'm using the 71.89 now

<rchewning1@yahoo.com> ???
??????:1121284239.485388.24000@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> First of all, let me start off by saying I am on a military network,
> and Websense is blocking me from getting to just about every game
> related page on the web. So please refrain from giving me links to walk
> throughs, unless they are on a personal web page. I might be able to
> get to those.
>
> I am having a problem in Nova Prospekt. The real problem is that my rig
> is not showing all the graphics in HL2, and I have had to work around
> this. The tentacle creatures do not show up on my screen. At all.
>
> Sager 9860
> GeForce Go 9800
> Driver Nvidia 7.7.7.0
>
> I also cannot see the wooden boards leading from some ladders to docks,
> and similar oddities. When I got the dune buggy to the warehouse where
> I had to use the crane, the boards show up leading towards the cement,
> but after that.. Just air.. To tell where I am walking, I have to get
> the pistol and fire in front of me to get bullet holes to show up so I
> can know there is something in front of me other than air. VERY
> inconvenient when Combine soldiers and ant lions are both after you.
>
> Some objects can be seen only because they cast a shadow in the game.
> And on to my main problem:
>
> I am in Nova Prospekt, in the little room where just after you enter
> it, a poisonous headcrap-carrier shows up right outside the door.
>
> After I killed him, I heard gunfire coming through the two vents
> attached to the ceiling. I jump up on what I assume is a table (Only a
> shadow, nothing more), and I can just barely see into the next room
> where the gunfire is coming from, but can't jump up there.
>
> I have found nothing else I can do in this level, so i am assuming I
> need to go through one of the vents. And I also assume that it is an
> object-based puzzle, where I have to stack and climb.
>
> But I cannot see what I am stacking!?!? Aggggghhhh!
>
> So, if anyone has any ideas on this problem, either the graphical
> problem, or the puzzle solution, I would really appreciate it.
>
> Russ Chewning
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.games.half-life (More info?)

<rchewning1@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1121368780.604373.159840@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com
> Thanks for all who tried to help.
>
> I am such a retard.
>
> I was stuck because I did not notice there was a busted out window in
> the guard room at the top of the stairs. I jump through there, and a
> bull ant lion murdalizes a bunch of Combine soldiers and then comes
> after me. Bull Ant Lion now dead, and I may continue. All the vents
> were there for was to confuse.
>
> Duhhh..
>
> Thanks again, everyone. I'll wait until I get home in two weeks to
> square away the video issue.
>
> Russ Chewning

Oh that's one of our favorite windows There are a lot of people
that play HL2DM online and that level is one of the earliest released
for multiplayer. It's seen a ton of use that window
McG.