Command & Conquer 3: Pixelated Shadows

[StormTroop]

Hi there.

Recently I've felt the desire to go back and play one of my neglected games, Command & Conquer 3. Now, I noticed this problem when I first got my new laptop, installed it and tried to play C&C3 on it. However, as it was only to pass the time until I got my internet connection sorted, I wasn't too bothered. But now, I'd like to get the most from the game that I can but, when I enable shadows, on ANY quality setting, they appear massively pixelated and only make the game look worse rather than better. The image shows what I'm talking about:

http://www.imagehustler.com/0208/1201946727.png

I've had this problem without any C&C3 patches, and yesterday I patched it up to the latest patch, and still have it. I also have had it on my laptop's stock video drivers, Forceware 169.17 and 169.28

My system specs:

Rock Pegasus 670 Laptop

• C2D CPU - T7500
• 2046mb RAM
• 8600M GT
• 32bit Vista

Any ideas?

[StormTroop]

Bump numero uno :D

[supermep]

What setting is in your graphics card control panel?

That looks like your graphics card is purposely making it look worse to save fps.

[Tiber Septim]

CnC 3 has always been that way for me, it's the same engine as BFME 2 which also had horribly blurred shadows.
However, mine is not nearly as bad as that. After playing around with the settings a bit it seems that resolution seems to impact the 'blurriness' of the shadows the most. I noticed your screenshot was in 1680x1050 resolution. I'm just going to take a guess, but is it possible for you to try a 4:3 aspect resolution (1024x768, 1280x1024 etc.) to see if that fixes the problem?

Edit: Just tried setting mine at 1280x720 (Monitors native res is 1280x 1024) and it does indeed make the shadows quite a bit more pixelated.

[StormTroop]

Originally Posted by supermep

What setting is in your graphics card control panel?

That looks like your graphics card is purposely making it look worse to save fps.

I'm not quite sure what you mean. D'you mean the big setting in the control panel with the rotating NVIDIA logo? If so, it is set to Quality, not Performance.

Well, now I'm a little confused. I just installed some 171.16 drivers, and now the shadows are behaving differently..

Here are some screens I took:

Shadows at Ultra High, 1680x1050 with 171.16 drivers.

http://www.imagehustler.com/0208/1202144793.png




Shadows at Ultra High, 1280x1024 with 171.16 drivers.




They seem better...at 1280x1024 they looked pixelated, but that'll be down to the fact that I have a 16:10 monitor, and the fact that its native resolution is 1680x1050.

At 1680x1050, they we're definitely better than before, but they were still pixelated when I zoomed in and out, and still looked a bit dodgy when I kept the camera still.....


Is this how they're supposed to look or.......?

[supermep]

The way your shadows are now is the best I've seen them on the game.

[Tiber Septim]

That's how mine currently look.
I did a bit of reading and it seems everybody has a different outcome with the shadows, regardless of hardware, drivers or settings.

Enjoy the game. Mammoth Tanks FTW!

[supermep]

I would have to agree with that sentiment about mammoth tanks.

My favorite thing to do on C&C Red Alert (The original)

Was to make a map with a big river in the middle seperating me from the one computer player.

Making a bunch of crusiers in the water and making a transport. Putting on tanya into it and then sending it to the side the computer was on.

Throw tanya back into the transport and watch as the computer sends his WHOLE army to die by my cruisers.

Im a right basssterd.

hehe.

[Tiber Septim]

Originally Posted by supermep

Im a right basssterd.

hehe.

Lol. Aren't we all?

[StormTroop]

Hehe, thanks guys! :D