I got Quake III Arena today and installed it. Everything went ok (apart from it informing me I'd ran out of HDD space twice, heh. Being a console gamer all my life I had no idea of the HDD space requirements) until I tried to actually play the game. This is what came up in the console window.

Q3 1.11 win-x86 Nov 24 1999 ----- FS_Startup ----- Current search path: C:Program FilesQuake III Arenabaseq3pak0.pk3 (3539 files) C:Program FilesQuake III Arenabaseq3mapmedia.pk3 (167 files) C:Program FilesQuake III Arenabaseq3curry.pk3 (4 files) C:Program FilesQuake III Arenabaseq3common-spog.pk3 (28 files) C:Program FilesQuake III Arena/baseq3

---------------------- execing default.cfg execing q3config.cfg Unknown command "u" couldn't exec autoexec.cfg ...detecting CPU, found x86 (P5/Pentium2, MMX)

------- Input Initialization ------- Initializing DirectInput... Couldn't set DI coop level Falling back to Win32 mouse support... Joystick is not active.

----- Client Initialization ----- ----- Initializing Renderer ----

----- Client Initialization Complete ----- --- Common Initialization Complete --- Winsock Initialized Opening IP socket: localhost:27960 Hostname: default IP: 127.0.0.1 Working directory: C:Program FilesQuake III Arena ----- R_Init ----- Initializing OpenGL subsystem ...initializing QGL ...calling LoadLibrary( 'C:WINDOWSSYSTEMopengl32.dll' ): succeeded ...setting mode 3: 640 480 FS ...using desktop display depth of 32 ...calling CDS: ok ...registered window class ...created window@0,0 (640x480) Initializing OpenGL driver ...getting DC: succeeded ...GLW_ChoosePFD( 32, 24, 8 ) ...23 PFDs found ...GLW_ChoosePFD failed ...GLW_ChoosePFD( 32, 24, 0 ) ...23 PFDs found ...GLW_ChoosePFD failed ...failed to find an appropriate PIXELFORMAT ...restoring display settings ...WARNING: could not set the given mode (3) ...setting mode 3: 640 480 FS ...using colorsbits of 16 ...calling CDS: ok ...created window@0,0 (640x480) Initializing OpenGL driver ...getting DC: succeeded ...GLW_ChoosePFD( 16, 16, 0 ) ...23 PFDs found ...GLW_ChoosePFD failed ...GLW_ChoosePFD( 16, 16, 0 ) ...23 PFDs found ...GLW_ChoosePFD failed ...failed to find an appropriate PIXELFORMAT ...restoring display settings ...WARNING: could not set the given mode (3) ...shutting down QGL ...unloading OpenGL DLL ...assuming '3dfxvgl' is a standalone driver ...initializing QGL ...WARNING: missing Glide installation, assuming no 3Dfx available ...shutting down QGL ----- CL_Shutdown ----- RE_Shutdown( 1 )

GLW_StartOpenGL() - could not load OpenGL subsystem

I have no idea what's wrong or how to fix it, so if anyone out there knows what I should do please let me know. Oh, btw I'm running the game on a bare-minimum-p.o.s comp.

Thanks in advance.

Re: Quake III Arena Problems...

Quake III is extremely sensitive to open GL problems, which is what your message screen is telling you. Unfortunately the Bright sparks whom wrote Quake only gave you the one option - Open GL thats it.

You need to check the following
1. Do you have a 3D video card?
2. Does your system tell you it is working correctly.
3. Do you have the acceleration slider fully to the right in the Video Performance tab of the System properties dialogue?

After that I really need to know your Motherboard chipset, your video card chipset, whether it is AGP or PCI, and how you installed it all. As many combinations require certain drivers (not necessarily the latest) and ways of setting the drivers. For instance on my box, I have to run the VIA 4.1 25 series drivers, the latest 32 drivers kill it. The same with my Riva TNT2 card, I have to run the 6.5 series, no newer, or it kills it as well.

You can try upgrading your Motherboard chipset drivers, and your Video card drivers, and you may be lucky.

There is also a recent point release available on the net, that helps with some (other than your) issues.

The main problem generally found with Quake III when you have all the necessary gear, is AGP driver problems on motherboards, and Open GL drivers for the video card.

It can be very frustrating getting a computer setup for Quake III, but believe me once it runs for Quake III, it is worth it and it will run for anything!

Re: Quake III Arena Problems...

1: No 8[ It's a VERY crusty 4MB SiS 620 2: If you mean the game is running properly then no, the game doesn't even load. I don't get any other errors so if that's not what you meant then yes. 3: Yes

I plan to either upgrade or buy a computer for gaming, mostly, in the near future so if updated drivers and all don't work I guess I'll have to wait 'til then. I installed the latest drivers for my video card today along with a BIOS update or something and that hasn't fixed the problem. I'm download GLSetup now so hopefully that can give me some sort of answers.

Thanks.

Re: Quake III Arena Problems...

You mentioned you had a 4 meg video card? That won't nearly do to run Q3. You will need a 16 meg card at least for the game to run any good. If you are going to buy a new one, my advice is to go for a GeForce, they usually deliver the best graphics with awesome performance. But make sure it is FULLY OpenGL compliant, or Q3 may still not be able to run.

Also, if you do buy a new card, you will no doubt get the drivers with it. My advice there is to find the actual .inf file on the driver CD, and tell Windows to look on that file for the list of graphics cards. That way, you can install the drivers specifically for your card, as well as telling Windows the exact specifications of your card (thereby giving a better chance of running Q3). Anyway, hope it works out for you.

Cheers,

Patrick

Re: Quake III Arena Problems...

hehe, yeah I got a comment about Doom probably not even running on a 4MB card from another website 8] Not to worry, this week or next I'm getting a GeForce like you mentioned.

Just gotta try and stop myself from gouging my eyeballs out while waiting to play Q3A!