Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Dennola4 · Post by **Dennola4** » 10. Sep 2010, 02:38

Hi guys,

I am on a Dell Inspiron 6000. I just downloaded Neverball from the current repository. I used to have Neverball on this machine when running ZW6.4 and it worked fine, yet now it is sluggish. The moment I start the game the mouse begins stuttering, and during game play (Neverputt, specifically) the action isn't smooth -- it stutters as though skipping frames. I experimented with lower resolution, turing off shadow, simplifying geometry, etc. Same result.

One thing I recall that was different on the other system is that Neverball would take over my computer (so to speak) when I started it, whereas here it is running on my desktop. Is it possible that other running processes were suspended during gameplay then resumed upon exit, and this is why it worked then but not now?

This isn't critical, but I really like this game and would like to have it working properly -- full screen, high resolution. Any ideas?

Post by **gapan** » 10. Sep 2010, 05:59

What is your graphics card? And why don't you try putting it in fullscreen too?

Dennola4 · Post by **Dennola4** » 10. Sep 2010, 22:29

Gapan --

Sorry if this is too much information, but here is the output of lspci -v:

Code: Select all

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/PM/GMS/910GML Express Processor to DRAM Controller (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
	Capabilities: [e0] Vendor Specific Information <?>
	Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel
	Kernel modules: intel-agp

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
	Memory at dff00000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
	I/O ports at ec38 [size=8]
	Memory at c0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
	Memory at dfec0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
	Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
	Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: i915
	Kernel modules: i915

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 915GM/GMS/910GML Express Graphics Controller (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
	Memory at dff80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
	Capabilities: [d0] Power Management version 2

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #1 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
	I/O ports at bf80 [size=32]
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: uhci-hcd

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #2 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
	I/O ports at bf60 [size=32]
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: uhci-hcd

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #3 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 18
	I/O ports at bf40 [size=32]
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: uhci-hcd

00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB UHCI #4 (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 19
	I/O ports at bf20 [size=32]
	Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd
	Kernel modules: uhci-hcd

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
	Memory at ffa80800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
	Capabilities: [58] Debug port: BAR=1 offset=00a0
	Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd
	Kernel modules: ehci-hcd

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev d3) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
	Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=07, sec-latency=32
	Memory behind bridge: dfd00000-dfdfffff
	Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000040000000-0000000043ffffff
	Capabilities: [50] Subsystem: Dell Device 0188

00:1e.2 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Audio Controller (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
	I/O ports at ed00 [size=256]
	I/O ports at ec40 [size=64]
	Memory at dfebfe00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512]
	Memory at dfebfd00 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: Intel ICH
	Kernel modules: snd-intel8x0

00:1e.3 Modem: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) AC'97 Modem Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [Generic])
	Subsystem: Conexant Systems, Inc. Device 5423
	Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 17
	I/O ports at ee00 [size=256]
	I/O ports at ec80 [size=128]
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
	Kernel modules: snd-intel8x0m

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801FBM (ICH6M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
	Kernel modules: iTCO_wdt, intel-rng

00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801FBM (ICH6M) SATA Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 80 [Master])
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
	I/O ports at 01f0 [size=8]
	I/O ports at 03f4 [size=1]
	I/O ports at 0170 [size=8]
	I/O ports at 0374 [size=1]
	I/O ports at bfa0 [size=16]
	Capabilities: [70] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: ata_piix

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 82801FB/FBM/FR/FW/FRW (ICH6 Family) SMBus Controller (rev 03)
	Subsystem: Dell Device 0188
	Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 17
	I/O ports at 10c0 [size=32]
	Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
	Kernel modules: i2c-i801

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
	Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop
	Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18
	Memory at dfdfe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
	Capabilities: [40] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: b44
	Kernel modules: b44

03:01.0 CardBus bridge: Ricoh Co Ltd RL5c476 II (rev b3)
	Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 168, IRQ 19
	Memory at dfd00000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Bus: primary=03, secondary=04, subordinate=07, sec-latency=176
	Memory window 0: 40000000-43fff000 (prefetchable)
	Memory window 1: 44000000-47fff000
	I/O window 0: 00001400-000014ff
	I/O window 1: 00001800-000018ff
	16-bit legacy interface ports at 0001
	Kernel driver in use: yenta_cardbus
	Kernel modules: yenta_socket

03:01.1 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C552 IEEE 1394 Controller (rev 08) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18
	Memory at dfdfc800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
	Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: ohci1394
	Kernel modules: ohci1394

03:01.2 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 17) (prog-if 01)
	Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6000 laptop
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17
	Memory at dfdfc700 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
	Capabilities: [80] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
	Kernel modules: sdhci-pci

03:03.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation PRO/Wireless 2200BG [Calexico2] Network Connection (rev 05)
	Subsystem: Intel Corporation Dell B130 laptop integrated WLAN
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17
	Memory at dfdfd000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Capabilities: [dc] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: ipw2200
	Kernel modules: ipw2200

04:00.0 USB Controller: Agere Systems USS-312 USB Controller (rev 10) (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
	Subsystem: Agere Systems USS-312 USB Controller
	Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 19
	Memory at 44000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=4K]
	Capabilities: [50] Power Management version 2
	Kernel driver in use: ohci_hcd
	Kernel modules: ohci-hcd

I have tried all different screen resolutions, but no good. I uninstalled it and reinstalled it but again, no good.

ray · Post by **ray** » 10. Sep 2010, 23:11

Did you try setting to run fullscreen from Options?

Dennola4 · Post by **Dennola4** » 11. Sep 2010, 03:08

I am running it full screen (from Options) with the resolution at 1280x800. Everything seems fine except that the action is choppy, like bad animation. I would just assume it was an issue with my computer, except that I've run this game on here before and had it work fine. So I don't know what the problem is.....maybe an X configuration somewhere that could be tweaked? I defer to your wisdom. I've learned from experience NOT to mess with any video-related directories or files unless I know EXACTLY what I'm doing -- and in this case I don't.

Post by **gapan** » 11. Sep 2010, 07:54

Perhaps it's a matter of different intel driver versions. Try to use the older version available at our repos. You'll have to disable kms to do that: http://www.salixos.org/wiki/index.php/B ... Salix_13.1

Dennola4 · Post by **Dennola4** » 11. Sep 2010, 08:39

Hmm. I went to the repo earlier, did a search for "drivers" and noticed there were two versions of xf86-video-intel. I wondered why that would be, but now I understand. Huh.

Thanks for this info, gapan. I suspect this solution will work....I must just decide if it's worth it to move backwards just for one game, which as it stands is technically still playable. We'll see.

Otherwise, everything else is spinning like a top.

Thanks for your quick responses.

loukingjr · Post by **loukingjr** » 21. Sep 2010, 04:43

this sounds suspiciously like the problem I am having running Salix 13.1.1 in VBox.

Dennola4 · Post by **Dennola4** » 12. Jul 2011, 05:03

Hi again.

I really hate to bump an old thread like this, but I finally got around to following these instructions:

gapan wrote:Perhaps it's a matter of different intel driver versions. Try to use the older version available at our repos. You'll have to disable kms to do that: http://www.salixos.org/wiki/index.php/B ... Salix_13.1

....and it did not work. The reason I am confused is because I originally downloaded this game a couple years ago from the Zenwalk repo and played it on this same laptop and it was smooth, so it isn't a graphics card issue. I have tried both xf86-intel drivers, disabled KMS, added nomodeset to /etc/lilo.conf and ran lilo -v, all of that. The result is the same. Crappy performance from the game.

I reeeeally like this game. Any ideas for how to make it work right (other than new computer or upgrading to 13.37)? By the way, in the end I reverted back to using the newer xf86-video-intel driver and deleted "nomodeset" from the append line, as these changes made my screen flicker when using WINE-based programs such as Teamviewer and Picasa.

Anyway, thanks in advance for any insights here.

Andyun · Post by **Andyun** » 13. Jul 2011, 15:48

See also http://www.salixos.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=2462.

Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth -- [RESOLVED]

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth

Re: Neverball (from repo) stuttering, not smooth