Game crashes on a new Mac Pro

**Rikoshay** · 02-19-2008, 09:29 AM

I recently (Jan. 4) purchased a new Mac Pro (8 X 3 Ghz processors, 8 Gb RAM, ATI 1900 graphics card) that should run ANY game that comes out for a Mac. Penumbra: Overture
continuously freezes in the first 15 minutes of play, necessitating a complete reboot. It doesn't freeze in the same spot each time, but usually shortly after starting play. Please advise. Here's my log:

-------- THE HPL ENGINE LOG ------------

Creating Engine Modules
--------------------------------------------------------
Creating graphics module
Creating system module
Creating resource module
Creating input module
Creating sound module
Creating physics module
Creating ai module
Creating scene module
--------------------------------------------------------

Initializing Resources Module
--------------------------------------------------------
Creating resource managers
Misc Creation
--------------------------------------------------------

Initializing Graphics Module
--------------------------------------------------------
Init low level graphics
Setting video mode: 1280 x 960 - 32 bpp
Init Glee...OK
Setting up OpenGL
Max texture image units: 16
Max texture coord units: 8
Two sided stencil: 1
Vertex Buffer Object: 1
Anisotropic filtering: 1
Max Anisotropic degree: 16
Multisampling: 1
Vertex Program: 1
Fragment Program: 1
NV Register Combiners: 0
NV Register Combiners Stages: 0
ATI Fragment Shader: 0
Creating graphic systems
Creating Renderer2D
Renderer2D created
Creating Renderer3D
Load Renderer3D gpu programs:
Extrude
'ShadowExtrude_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
Diffuse
'Diffuse_Color_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
Fog
'Fog_Solid_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
Creating fog textures: Solid Additive Alpha
init sky box
Renderer3D created
Creating screen buffers size 1280.000000 : 960.000000
Creating programs
'PostEffect_Blur_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'PostEffect_Blur_Rect_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'PostEffect_Blur_2D_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'PostEffect_Bloom_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'PostEffect_Bloom_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'PostEffect_Motion_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'PostEffect_Motion_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'PostEffect_DoF_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'PostEffect_DoF_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
RendererPostEffects created
Adding engine materials
--------------------------------------------------------

Initializing Sound Module
--------------------------------------------------------
Initializing OpenAL.
Trying to open audio device... Success!
Device name: Built-in Line Output
OpenAL Version Supported: 1.1
Number of channels: 32
--------------------------------------------------------

Initializing Game Module
--------------------------------------------------------
Adding engine updates
Initializing script functions
--------------------------------------------------------

User Initialization
--------------------------------------------------------
Initializing Penumbra: Overture Episode 1
Version $Rev: 1842 $
Date $Date: 2007-11-19 19:26:11 -0500 (Mon, 19 Nov 2007) $
Checking Supported Profiles
Profile CG_PROFILE_ARBVP1 is supported
Profile CG_PROFILE_ARBFP1 is supported
Profile CG_PROFILE_GLSLV is supported
Profile CG_PROFILE_GLSLF is supported
Profile CG_PROFILE_GLSLC is supported
Trying to load vertex program!
'Test' using profile: 'arbvp1'
Success!
'DiffuseSpec_Light_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'DiffuseSpec_Light_Spot_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'BumpSpec_Light_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'BumpSpec_Light_Spot_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
--------------------------------------------------------

Game Running
--------------------------------------------------------
Loading collada for 'maps/level01_02_mine_entrance.dae' took: 246 ms
'BumpColorSpec_Light_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'BumpColorSpec_Light_Spot_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'Diffuse_Light_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'Diffuse_Light_Spot_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'Bump_Light_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'Bump_Light_Spot_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'Fog_Trans_vp.cg' using profile: 'arbvp1'
'Diffuse_Light_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
'Diffuse_Light_Spot_fp.cg' using profile: 'arbfp1'
ERROR: Couldn't find particle system file 'particle_dust.ps'
ERROR: Couldn't create particle system 'sust01' of type 'particle_dust'
ERROR: Couldn't find particle system file 'dust_sust01.ps'
ERROR: Couldn't create particle system 'particle' of type 'dust_sust01'
ERROR: Couldn't load particle system 'particle' with type 'dust_sust01'
Start Num Of: 96
Start Num Of: 8

**jens** · 02-19-2008, 10:56 PM

Are you running the latest version of OS X? 10.4.11 or if leopard 10.5.2

**Rikoshay** · 02-20-2008, 12:21 AM

As I wrote, my Mac is new; I'm using 10.5.2.

**Rikoshay** · 02-20-2008, 07:39 AM

Well, I had the time and the determination to see this through, so I spent more time trying to get the game working on my Mac Pro. I had no success at it, but can expound more on the failure.

Penumbra: Overture always freezes looking the same, although at completely random times. I say "looking the same" because when the freeze occurs a pattern appears covering the screen. It looks like a curtain of multi-colored ropes, about 30 or so lengths, running top-to-bottom. AND, it always occurs about 15-20 minutes into the game; locale and activity seemingly not important. The soundtrack keeps playing for about 20-30 seconds, then stops.

I've read of numerous troubles with this game and Mac Pros. So we have a new game that has serious hassles running on new computers. Yup, THAT'S serious. How's about a Mac Pro patch, Jens?

**jens** · 02-20-2008, 08:47 AM

It sounds like the graphics card overheating, coloured patterns on the screen and random crashing after a certain amount of time is likely signs of this.

Have you played other heavy demanding 3D games on this new mac of yours?

I'll ask the porter to look at this and there is also a patch in the works, but not sure it will do anything that will help with this problem.

**Urkle** · 02-20-2008, 04:26 PM

Hmm.. as the game was itself developed on a Mac Pro with an Nvidia 7300 and an ATI X1900 video card. From the description of the crash symtoms it does look like the video card could be overheating (which is a serious problem which shouldn't be happening on a new Mac). Have you tried running the game at a lower screen resolution?

Most of the current issues users are having fall into two categories. ATI HD card issues (which I now have one of those in my mac and am working on resolving) and the Leopard crashes (which don't happen to everyone) which I am also working on.

Jens, is there a software out there that will monitor the temperature of the system so Rikoshay can determine if it is the video card overheating?

Rikoshay, Can you check the console application and see if there are any crash logs for Penumbra? Also, try running Penumbra in "windowed" mode and see if the game locks up, or if the system locks up. You can change this by editing the settings.cfg file that is in your Library/Preferences/Frictional Games/Penumbra Overture/Episode 1 folder in your home directory

in that file change the "Fullscreen"="true" to "Fullscreen"="false" Yes I know that the mouse doesn't work well in the menu, but once you go into the game it's fine. If the game crashes you should still be able to "Command-TAB" out of the game and continue to use your system.

**Rikoshay** · 02-20-2008, 08:55 PM

I'm sitting here with my morning coffee debating what to do next about my graphics problem. I'll try Penumbra again, at lower resolution & see what that does. Is there a Mac application that checks graphic card temperatures?

**Rikoshay** · 02-20-2008, 09:50 PM

BTW, Jens, in answer to your question, yes, I've played Prey for hours & the Quake 4 demo.

**jens** · 02-20-2008, 10:04 PM

You could try:
http://www.bresink.com/osx/TemperatureMonitor.html

or this nice looking widget:
http://www.islayer.com/index.php?op=item&id=7

**Rikoshay** · 02-20-2008, 11:28 PM

Well, I already had the iStat widget, but it doesn't check the video card temps. I called Apple service and they're going to send me a new ATI 1900 card. Hopefully that will solve my troubles. I recalled video problems watching the new release of Blade Runner, where as my brother could watch it on his 4-year-old G5 with no trouble. I trust the new card will do the trick. I'll let you know.