[0.6.4] Graphical issues on Linux - Intel

[Octavian]

Many images aren't shown on my Notebook. Especially in game, where I can only see trees, every other image isn't shown/black.
Screenshots:

1. Main Menu
2. Map Generator
3. In Game (If I start a map with trees, they are shown however)
4. In Game (with trees)

My System:
Ubuntu 13.10 64bit (saucy) with latest updates, running Unity.
Link to the hardware-specs
CPU (&GPU which Factory is running on): Intel® Core™ i5 CPU U 430 @ 1.20GHz × 4
Factory-installation-directory: $HOME/.factorio/

Things I already tried:

• Setting "Threads" to 1
• Using fullscreen mode
• Starting in fullscreen mode

The console isn't a help either, the only line I see in it is "Downloading https://www.factorio.com/updater/get-av ... e=Octavian[...]" is there any toggle (argument) for getting a few more infos?

So to the Community: is anyone playing factorio on an Intel GPU? If it's just me, I'm fine trying to search for the cause of my problem myself.

[n9103]

Just a btw, Intel graphics doesn't mean it runs on the CPU.
And if you really are running without a GPU, well, I'd be shocked that you didn't have even bigger problems with any graphical app.

If you are running on an Intel GPU, they're known to have bad/improper shaders and/or drivers.
All I can really suggest is seeing if there's an updated/fixed driver.

[wrtlprnft]

Just a btw, Intel graphics doesn't mean it runs on the CPU.

It's probably running on the graphics processor that's built into the CPU, so giving the model number of that is correct. I think it's that one (that's 430UM, can't seem to find just a 430U).

[kovarex]

I'm afraid, that Factorio will not run properly if you have not enough video memory.
The game should prompt that it can't get the memory it needs, but something can be broken.
At the moment 256Mb video memory is needed for factorio at least, and in the future it will be at least double.
We could make option to use RAM to store and paint bitmaps, but it would be so slow, that there is no point.

[wrtlprnft]

This might be outdated, but at least the old discrete intel GPUs used the system RAM instead of separate video memory.

You might have an option in your BIOS settings (or whatever UEFI equivalent there is) to increase the amount of memory stolen from the CPU.

[Octavian]

The game should prompt that it can't get the memory [...]
At the moment 256Mb video memory is needed for factorio at least

Hm, then I have an answer, why there was no warning:
Memory at b0000000 (64-bit, prefetchable)
Seems like my CPU/GPU has the needed amount of memory.

I've gotten the main-character (and a part of the UI) to show up by pressing "TAB" ingame. So I assume my GPU just dislikes the shaders used (as mentioned by n9103).

It's probably running on the graphics processor that's built into the CPU, so giving the model number of that is correct. I think it's that one (that's 430UM, can't seem to find just a 430U).

Yes, according to the hp-specs this is the right Processor. Seems like my System-Informations doesn't like the letter "M"

However, I just wanted to report this issue in case it is a serious problem. As long as I can run factorio somehow, I'm happy .
And fortunately it is running on the build in Radeon just fine.

[kovarex]

So, what shall I do witht his report?
Can I move it as not a bug?

[wrtlprnft]

Are there any reports of factorio actually working on intel GPUs? Factorio's graphics don't seem to be that GPU intensive, so it would be kind of sad if it required a discrete GPU just because of some random bug.

[Octavian]

@wrtlprnft, I have no idea. Of course it would be grate to play factorio on an intel-gpu. But if this would require too much work to be done, I'm fine using my ATI one.

@kovarex, Yes, I'm fine if you move it to "not a bug" or "1/0 magic"

[SilverWarior]

So, what shall I do witht his report?
Can I move it as not a bug?

This is the second report of such problem I have seen here on the forums (can't find when it was reported for first time).
I'll try to ask a freind of my which created pascal headers for Allegro (same graphic engine Factorio uses) to see if he ever encountered similar problems.

So keep this thread in Bug sections so I can easily find it.

EDIT: I asked my friend about this. Now I'm waiting for his reply.

[cube]

... I really hate this bug, but don't have any idea how to solve it.

Are there any reports of factorio actually working on intel GPUs?

yes, factorio works fine on at least two intel graphics cards (my previous laptop and this one )

[SilverWarior]

My firend hasn't encountered such problem before.

But after some serching around the web I found several reports from other users of Allegro graphical library about having black screens when Allegro based application is run in FullScreen mode. These problems are most comon with Allegro 4.5 and are suposingly fixed with Allegro 5.
I haven't seen anyone providing any solution to this, only workarounds like running application in windowed mode or updating to Allegro 5 which suposingly isn't verry easy becouse Allegro 5 had some internal changes.
Also one guy sad that this might be related to some power saving features of Intel integrated graphic card.
Oh another workaround is forcing your computer in dual monitor mode.

I gues this will now go to "1 / 0 magic" section.

[kovarex]

But we use allegro 5 from the start (5.1.7 currently)

[SilverWarior]

When reading about such problems on internet I saw a case where Allegro 5 caused black screen when the program was run in high resolution 2048:1152 or bigger. At the time I hven't payed enough atention but that could be caused due to computer not having enough Graphical memory available.
So maybe lowering the screen resolution might help or forcing Allegro to use custom resolution and then scale that to window size.

[kovarex]

The game already needs more than 256Mb of video memory for storing the spritesheet atlases, so the screen size doesnt matter much. (2560X1600 is 16 Mb).
The solution would really be to have lower graphics settings with less rotations/variations of the most graphics memory consuming sprites.

[SilverWarior]

The game already needs more than 256Mb of video memory for storing the spritesheet atlases, so the screen size doesnt matter much. (2560X1600 is 16 Mb).
The solution would really be to have lower graphics settings with less rotations/variations of the most graphics memory consuming sprites.

That seems a bit strange to me becouse when I check Factorio Graphic folder its isze is under 80 MB.
In what format does Allegro stores the images? If it is plain bitmap then it would be understandable as most game graphics are saved as PNG's.
Also does Allegro support texture compression? Texture compression could greatly lower the Graphical memory usage.

[ssilk]

That seems a bit strange to me becouse when I check Factorio Graphic folder its isze is under 80 MB.
In what format does Allegro stores the images? If it is plain bitmap then it would be understandable as most game graphics are saved as PNG's.
Also does Allegro support texture compression? Texture compression could greatly lower the Graphical memory usage.

I mean the graphics is stored in bitmap and/or upscaled. Can be seen when you zoom in: some graphics are lowres, some extremely highres. Maybe it takes the best resolution as possible, which depends on the best graphics and takes that as reference? Which means: make the graphics as big so that they have similarly equal end-resolution.

[kovarex]

Solved (hopefully) for 0.7.2, answer in similar bug report:
Try to turn low graphics in options to solve it, if it don't get solved by that, let me know.
https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... 6&start=10