Layout Object Graphics' Corruption

**Apologies if this is in the wrong section, as I'm not sure whether it counts as a bug. Or other technical related problem. Further more I couldn't find a similar post.

While Construct 2 works great on my Win 7 Laptop. Constant/irritating hardware problems (overheating turns of laptop), has forced me to work on my desktop.

Having installed both Win 7, then reverting back to Win XP on my desktop. I have been having problems with the way objects are displayed within the layout screen when creating my games etc...

Initially when installed on Win 7, the objects would always show up at a minimal resolution within the layout screen and at their proper resolution when exported. However, depending upon the size of the objects in the layout screen, they would also become transparent unless I zoom in quite far. I think this was perhaps an issue with my gfx card, ram or something similar. Hence down grading my desktop from Win 7 to Win XP.

However, while Construct 2 now works speedily on my desktop. There still seems to be problems with objects displaying the correct image. If I draw and create an image from within the program, then only its resolution changes when views in the layout editor. However, when I import images in from else where, the object images are both transparent and corrupted when viewed within the layout editor. For example:

Example 1(Imported images change when zoomed out)

Example 2

Example 3(If zoomed in, object image corrects self)

Example 4(Object unrecognizable zoomed out)

Example 5 (Object image fully transparent)

My system spec:

Win XP SP3

AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual

Core Processor 3800+

2.01 GHz, 2.0 GB RAM

ATI Radeon X1600 series (Latest Drivers installed)

I thought it could be OpenGL related as my Gfx card is about 7+ years old. But I am unsure. I'm hoping there is a solution as I prefer C2 to other similar games development software.

I'm pretty sure your graphics card or the graphics driver is causing this. The first screenshot looks like either failing hardware or a driver bug.

Downgrading from Win7 to XP sounds like the wrong move. Drivers are usually older and buggier for Windows XP, so that likely exacerbated any driver problems. Try Windows 7 again and double check you have the latest drivers. (What do you mean by "minimal resolution"?)

Mind you 7 years old is pretty old for graphics hardware, you might be stuck with crappy drivers if the manufacturer has ended product support.

Ashley,

Thank you for the prompt reply.

I've recorded a screen capture and uploaded it here (Video is unlisted):

I thought I'd record the problem as it should explain it a little better.

The things I've noticed:

The object image only distorts/corrupts when objects are NOT a 'Power of 2' size. In other words, if the objects are 32x32, 64x64, 512x512 in size. Then everything works fine. Albeit a small drop in resolution when in layout view mode (before preview or export).

When I change the object image's size (In the image editor) to a resolution/size other than x2 size, such as 100x256. Then there is distortion.

If I zoom all the way in, the object image is displayed properly, albeit the small drop in resolution in the layout view.

As I zoom out, there seems to be an LOD effect, with each level other than the base level having an incorrect image as seen in the video.

As you have mentioned, it is probably my graphics card/driver. However my confusion comes for the object images correctly displaying when at certain sizes or zoom depths.

A strange work around can be for me to deliberately stretch the objects image in the image editor to a x2 resolution. Then in the layout editor, change the objects size there to what it should be and unstretch it. This leads me to think it may be driver related.

I reformatted to downgrade to Win XP, as I was using Win 7 (64), which was slowing down my computer.

This is a classic driver bug. It's so old it looks like it doesn't support non-power-of-two textures. However Construct 2 is coded to support such old hardware using workarounds in the editor, so it should be doing just fine. So I think you just need a new graphics card, I'm afraid :(

:(

That's a shame. But at least I know to save to buy something better in the future. For the moment I think I'll put up with it. However the last two months have felt like fate was conspiring against me concerning digital work, off and online. I currently have a sinister sense of foreboding concerning the reliability of this desktop... haha... owww well... Nothing a cup of tea can't resolve.

Thanks again for your prompt reply.

-Adam

FYI I made a couple of tweaks cleaning up the renderer for the next build. Not directly related but it may help. Let me know if anything changes in r100.

Wow, will do... And thank you. I now have even more excitment for r100...

But if all else fails however, I'll have to create a Construct 2 magazine, light up a cigar and pretend I'm a New York media chief developing a strong case of throat cancer will looking out of a high up Manhattan office window having just helped two police detectives solve a murder case featuring an attractive women. Or something to that effect...

All the best,

-Adam