Locking up when I try to run Alien Arena and other FPSs

[zosoMint]

When I try to run Alien Arena my computer becomes unresponsive. Sometimes this happens in the menu screen and sometimes it happens right when an arena loads. I installed Sauerbraten and Tremulous to see if they would work, but they do the same thing.

Here is my PC's info:
Linux Mint 7 (32 bit)
nVidia GeForce 7100 integrated video
2 Gig DDR 800 Ram
Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz Processor
nVidia Driver v 180.44

What could my problem be? Let me know if I didn't provide enough information.

[SiKing]

My first guess would be: the video drivers.
Do you have the latest? I think the latest is version 180.
Try turning off Compiz before you run Arena. Get fusion-icon (I think that is what it is called) from the repos to make it easier.

HTH.

[DrHu]

When I try to run Alien Arena my computer becomes unresponsive. Sometimes this happens in the menu screen and sometimes it happens right when an arena loads.
...nVidia GeForce 7100 integrated video; nVidia Driver v 180.44

When I try to run Alien Arena my computer becomes unresponsive..
Yes game use tends to use a lot of resources, when I start a game I am intending to play it; not do anything else with that computer while the game is running, how do you normally play a game ?
--can you explain what you mean by unresponsive; do you mean the game does not run at its normal speed and slows gameplay or something else related to your system ?

That's your data; can you check

In a terminal , check

• inxi -G
  --your graphics card only
  inxi -F
  --short list of all hardware
  inxi -h
  --help options for inxi command
  glxinfo |grep direct
  --is direct rendering showing as Yes

[zosoMint]

Yes game use tends to use a lot of resources, when I start a game I am intending to play it; not do anything else with that computer while the game is running, how do you normally play a game ?
--can you explain what you mean by unresponsive; do you mean the game does not run at its normal speed and slows gameplay or something else related to your system ?

That's your data; can you check

In a terminal , check

• inxi -G
  --your graphics card only
  inxi -F
  --short list of all hardware
  inxi -h
  --help options for inxi command
  glxinfo |grep direct
  --is direct rendering showing as Yes

That is the problem. I am unable to play the game. Sometimes I am also unable to navigate the game's menus. I am not trying to do anything else with my computer while the game is running. By "my computer becomes unresponsive", I mean that my computer freezes and will not accept any input from my keyboard or mouse. This happens withing 30 seconds of the game loading.

Here is the output from the commands that you wanted me to run:
inxi -G
Card nVidia GeForce 7100/nForce 630i X.Org 1.6.0 Res 1024x768@50.0hz
GLX Renderer GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i/PCI/SSE2 GLX Version 2.1.2 NVIDIA 180.44
inxi -F
System: Host lr Kernel 2.6.28-11-generic i686 (32 bit) Distro Linux Mint 7 Gloria - Main Edition
CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo E7400 (SMP) cache 3072 KB flags (sse3 nx lm) bmips 11199.3
Clock Speeds: (1) 2799.816 MHz (2) 2799.816 MHz
Graphics: Card nVidia GeForce 7100/nForce 630i X.Org 1.6.0 Res 1024x768@50.0hz
GLX Renderer GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i/PCI/SSE2 GLX Version 2.1.2 NVIDIA 180.44
Audio: Card nVidia MCP73 High Definition Audio driver HDA Intel
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Version 1.0.18rc3
Network: Card nVidia MCP73 Ethernet driver forcedeth at port e000
Disks: HDD Total Size: 80.0GB (37.8% used) 1: /dev/sda WDC WD800JD-00MS 80.0GB
Partition: ID:/ size: 71G used: 29G (43%) ID:swap-1 size: 3.31GB used: 0.00GB (0%)
Info: Processes 132 Uptime 6 min Memory 293.5/1755.4MB Client Shell inxi 1.0.6
glxinfo |grep direct
direct rendering: Yes
GL_EXT_direct_state_access, GL_EXT_draw_range_elements, GL_EXT_fog_coord,

[zosoMint]

My first guess would be: the video drivers.
Do you have the latest? I think the latest is version 180.
Try turning off Compiz before you run Arena. Get fusion-icon (I think that is what it is called) from the repos to make it easier.

HTH.

Thanks for the idea. I gave it a try, but got the same result. And I am running nVidia 180 drivers.

[DrHu]

Your hardware looks OK, and if it is running Mint normally except for the game, the graphics card is OK as well..

Now, if the above is correct, what happens if you either

• Reduce the game effects, shadows etcetera
• Use a lower game resolution
  --I would start at vga mode, 640x480

The game(s)..
Sauerbraten is probably the one that can run with the most effects ON
http://tuxarena.blogspot.com/2009/08/fi ... ux-iv.html

• Regarding performance, Cube 2 runs smoothly at a steady 85 fps at 1280x1024 with low details on my Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz with 1 GB DDRAM2 and nVIDIA GeForce FX 7600GS. In high-quality mode I noticed framerate drops as low as ~40 FPS, but there were no problems when turning off detailed textures, dynamic lightning etc

I always find Alien Arena too crazy...; probably just too many rabid aliens, almost like those Zombie games.

http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=444303
--there is also a menu message about an nvidia bug workaround (if needed)
I didn't apply it, but the game does hang up after some time; nevertheless I can play the game with no particular menu or play issues on this setup

• CPU: Single core AMD Athlon 64 3500+ (UP) cache 512 KB flags (sse2 nx lm) bmips 2010.37 clocked at 1000.00 MHz
  Graphics: Card nVidia NV43 [GeForce 6600 GT] X.Org 1.6.0 Res 1280x1024@50.0hz
  GLX Renderer GeForce 6600 GT/PCI/SSE2/3DNOW! GLX Version 2.1.2 NVIDIA 180.44

[zosoMint]

I tried something that seems to have helped a little. My motherboard has a BIOS setting called "Robust Graphics Booster". I disabled that and now the game is at least letting me navigate the menus without locking up. I still locks up when I try to run the game.

Thanks for the latest response. My computer won't display anything lower than 800x600 so I tried that and lowered all settings to the lowest available option. The game still locked up and became unresponsive after it loaded a map.

sigh ... another fail. another hard reboot.

[DrHu]

I tried something that seems to have helped a little. My motherboard has a BIOS setting called "Robust Graphics Booster".

Yes, that only works for VGA cards for Gigabyte
http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/24823 ... cs-booster

Any other BIOS options; dealing with video

• timings
  Any onboard/integrated grahics enabled, if it is not your card ?

--try defaults for all BIOS video settings, except for that robust graphics booster setting (OFF)
Also you could try the nvidia texgen fix, I am fairly sure it would prevent the video game hangups that I get after an hour or so of play, but that is my tradeoff; I can live with the hangup as it doesn't affect the gameplay, when it is running

Your machine itself always boots up with no video errors ?

Your system..
System: Host lr Kernel 2.6.28-11-generic i686 (32 bit) Distro Linux Mint 7 Gloria - Main Edition
I also notice that you don't seem to have updates done
the first update changes the kernel from 2.6.28.11 (your version & the initial install default) to 2.6.28-13

So I would suggest doing a mintupdate (the padlock icon on the mint panel at the bottom right of the screen; padlock open means updates are available) and letting it install any updates being requested, then reboot and try your game again..

I have the same edition, except I am running kernel 2.6.28-13 from one of Mint's updates, whatever was requested I installed