Toning down System Requirements

#1 The game is packaged using the settings you had the last time you ran the game before packaging it. Just turn off the advanced features in the options, maybe run the game a second time to ensure the changes took, and then package it.

#2 Ok, that worked for turning down the settings and everything. But, we are still getting the same problem. On our low end computer, when the web page loads, we get the error "Failed to set a Light Manager"

We tried turning the Lighting options to Basic, a last ditch effort to get this to work. Any ideas what's wrong and how we can fix it?

#3 What are the specs of this low end computer?

#4 Here's the dxdiag on the system we are testing on (Note this computer can play Unity based 3d games and our TGE based game):

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System Information
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Time of this report: 2/2/2010, 08:23:34
Machine name: BRIAN
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090804-1435)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dimension 2400
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A02
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.20GHz
Memory: 638MB RAM
Page File: 262MB used, 530MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

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DxDiag Notes
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DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
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Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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Card name: Intel(R) 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV Graphics Controller
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip type: Intel(R) 82845G Graphics Controller
DAC type: Internal
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2562&SUBSYS_01601028&REV_01
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4342 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 10/19/2005 07:59:12, 38016 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ialmnt5.sys
Mini VDD Date: 10/19/2005 07:59:12, 807998 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B78E66-6622-11CF-6E63-6A21A0C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x8086
Device ID: 0x2562
SubSys ID: 0x01601028
Revision ID: 0x0001
Revision ID: 0x0001
Video Accel:
Deinterlace Caps: n/a
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Not Available
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

#5 Chip type: Intel(R) 82845G Graphics Controller
Display Memory: 64.0 MB

There's your main problem. Contrast that with minimum specs on the T3D product page. (256mb GPU)

#6 Thanks for reply Steve; yeah, I know that is what was causing it, but was hoping that we could downgrade the graphics settings enough for these customers we have that use these types of graphics controllers. This is a real deal breaker if our TGE based game users cant run on a newer engine with web deployment that requires shaders. Still hopeing there is a solution to turn off shaders for these type of machines. We really want to go with T3D (Mainly for the web deployment) since all our assets, and scripts, on our game we are trying to port over, where done in TGE.

#7 You are going to be hard pressed to use T3D with 64MB of memory without some serious hardcore changes to the engine if you don't want to make it looks like total rubish for those with a dedicated video card. As much as you might not want to hear it, you might be better off with TGE or TGEA if you want to target that market.

That being said, the drop down to SM2 on T3D could be a bit better. I think it is somewhat borked in the alpha build as it is. It causes issues with netbooks as well. It would be possible to target that market maybe, but you are going to have to hard some very aggressive scaling back of poly counts and texture sizes that might require some sources changes to do or force everyone playing the game to use that same quality, which won't be all that great for anyone with a video card they can buy for $50.

The demo is not going to be a good example if you can make this work as you will need to do the testing in Basic Lighting with small zones with objects at much lower poly counts along with smaller textures.

#8 @Brian - In 1.1 you now have some quality settings in the Options screen which when set to the lowest settings should allow most games run on even your low end Intel card.