Microsoft KB Archive/299760

= Train Simulator: How to Use the Troubleshooter =

Article ID: 299760

Article Last Modified on 8/17/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft eMbedded Visual C++ 4.0

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This article was previously published under Q299760



SUMMARY
You can use the Microsoft Train Simulator Troubleshooter to customize the Train Simulator startup process in such a way as to resolve certain problems that you may encounter when you attempt to start or play the game. This article discusses this troubleshooter and the options available.

An update has been create to update Train Simulator Troubleshooter. To download and install the update, browse to the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/games/pc/trainsim.aspx#downloads



MORE INFORMATION
To start the Troubleshooter, click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Games, point to Train Simulator, and then click Train Simulator Troubleshooter. Then, click Troubleshooting.

Note that you are offered a list of graphical issues that you may be experiencing. Select the item in this list that matches your issue, and then click OK. Now click Play Train Simulator.

The following is a list of these possible graphical issues, along with a brief accompanying description of each issue.
 * Smoke is displayed in block form

This behavior occurs because the card incorrectly reports that it cannot mask z-writes. This behavior can also cause z-order issues with shadows and the objects that cast the shadows. The fix patches the caps so that the simulation engine &quot;believes&quot; that the card can mask z-writes.
 * Text is displayed in block form

This forces the pixel bias setting to cope with the problem described under the &quot;Skip checking pixel bias behavior&quot; issue. The symptoms can also be described as &quot;Text display is blurred/distorted.&quot;
 * Textures are distorted

Some drivers incorrectly report the size of texture they can use (typically they report 512 x 512 or greater, when the actual limit is 256 x 256). This forces 256 x 256 textures in the game.
 * Seams are visible in cab cockpits

This is the same as the command line option /nofiltercab. This removes visible seams in the cab cockpits, which are caused by filtering artifacts at the edges of textures.
 * Text is distorted or not displayed

This works around some problems that result when calls to DirectDraw blit functions fail but do not return an error. This blit issue causes problems in the TrueType font-caching system in Train Simulator, which causes text to only partially or completely fail to display, or in text being rendered incorrectly.
 * Skip texture size limit test

Some code is run at startup to establish the maximum and minimum texture sizes that the card can handle by actually creating textures at each size. By selecting this box, you are able to skip this check just in case it causes problems on a particular card.
 * Skip pixel behavior test

Some code is run at startup to establish whether the card correctly implements texture mapping in the one pixel to one texel case; that is, it's an automated check to determine whether the &quot;Text is blocky.&quot; By selecting this check box, you are able to skip this check just in case it causes problems on a particular card.
 * Snow causes game to crash or does not display

This works around problems with drivers either reporting that they can't do &quot;guard band clipping&quot; when they can, and/or drivers failing to implement D3D clipping correctly or implementing in a manner that causes the game to stop responding (hang). This option uses very simplistic clipping within the engine to work around these issues.

You can also use the Troubleshooter to reprofile your Sound and Video hardware and drivers after you update or upgrade. To do this follow the steps below:
 * 1) Click Start, point to Programs, point to Microsoft Games, point to Train Simulator, and then click Train Simulator Troubleshooter.
 * 2) Click Change Video Driver.
 * 3) Click OK.
 * 4) Click Play Train Simulator.

Additional query words: msgame trainsim tshoot troubleshoot features howto

Keywords: kbui kbhowto kbinfo KB299760

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