AA/AF settings don't stick!

[Pepsin]

Hi. I'm having problems applying AA and AF settings in my games using the CCC.

For example, I enable 2x AA/8x AF and start a game (such as Oblivion). I get both AA and AF. So, I exit the game, then later decide to play some more. This time, I get normal trilinear filtering and no AA (which looks awful). The only way to get my AA and AF back is to keep toggling the settings on and off in the CCC, applying the settings, and starting the game to see if they'll stick. Sometimes I have to repeat this up to five times before I can finally enjoy the game.

This happens with most D3D games. The worst ones are those that lock up if you change settings while the game is running. With NWN2 for example, I can simply alt+tab out of the game and fight the Control Center, then alt+tab back to the game to see if the settings stuck. Oblivion and FSX (among others), however, lock up if I do this, forcing me to reload the game every time I've reapplied the settings.

Is there no one fix for this problem? Searching the forums reveals that I'm not the only one having this issue. After 5+ years of development, why do even basic operations in the Catalyst Control Center still not work properly?

I have an X800XT 256MB, XP SP2, DX9 and the latest Cataylyst drivers.

[Jas420221]

Dont use CCC. Use Ati Tray Tools, problem solved. You can even create profiles specific to games.

Of course it will lock up when you are changing settings in teh middle of a game.....no brainer there, sorry.

[Iron99]

Originally Posted by Jas420221

Dont use CCC. Use Ati Tray Tools, problem solved. You can even create profiles specific to games.

Great advice +1

[Pepsin]

Unfortunately, ATT does the same thing. At least I can assign hotkeys to the profile, which I can then pound until the settings stick. But the problem seems to be rooted deeper in the driver.

[Jas420221]

Originally Posted by Pepsin

Unfortunately, ATT does the same thing. At least I can assign hotkeys to the profile, which I can then pound until the settings stick. But the problem seems to be rooted deeper in the driver.

Completely uninstall the driver (in safe mode using driver cleaner pro) then reinstall MINUS CCC and install ATT after you load the newest drivers.

Also, some games will override or will not work with conflicting settings. If you have AA enabled via CCC and enabled in game, the driver level (ccc) will take precedence. I found to leave things on APP controlled and to control them through the game. That way I dont not have to mess with it.

[Danny Nissan]

Hello Pepsin

I noticed i had this problem the very first day i got my X1800. I cant believe ATi has yet to discover that their CCC fails doing the only thing its supposed to, be able to set AA/AF. Oh the headaces this issue has been causing me... and yes i used to report this issue every month.

The only solution for this is to properly install the drivers (as jas said - unsinstall everything, isntall drivers only, install ATT.), and creating game-specific profiles for all your games with the ATT. I had one profile for each and every game, all with diffrent settings and i swear it never failed to load the correct settings.

Just Make a diffrent 3d-profile for each game and apply it to the game profile in ATT and create a ATT-shortcut (it will use the same icon as original .exe). I know it can sound a bit tedious at first, but it is so worth it.

The problem i have is that I´m now on a HD2900, and setting AA/AF is so annoying - simply because ATT doesnt support the R600 cards. I feel like im rebooting more than playing - just to get AA working (sticking).

You know, sometimes it sticks to "on" aswell - ie it has happened that AdaptiveAA gets stuck on quality mode, bascily making oblivion unplayable (on my x1800). Only a reboot can fix it (not even the restart runtime). So i feel extremely annoyed by being forced to use the CCC - ofc people will complain when very basic operations arent working?

I would love to hear sireric explaining this because i know my friend on a X1950Pro has the very same issue aswell. So whats up with ATi not knowing? If it took me a few hours to discover it...

[Silent Buddha]

Odd, AA and AF settings have always stuck for me. And I haven't used 3rd party tweaks or tools for over a year now. Don't need 'em don't want 'em. It'd be interesting to find out what is causing this. I'm wondering if the values are sticking in your registry or not. And whether something else is changing the values stored there.

Regards,
SB

[Sharkfood]

Originally Posted by Pepsin

I have an X800XT 256MB, XP SP2, DX9 and the latest Cataylyst drivers.

If this means the 7.4 drivers, there is your issue.

Tried these on two(2) X800 GTO's, an X800XT and AIW X800XT. They completely ignore the AA/AF settings in the CCC.

Revert back to the 7.3's as these work fine and the CCC settings actually do something.

[Danny Nissan]

Well i have had this issue on each ati driver i´ve ever had. As well after an complete reinstall of Windows XP, and even after an install of Windows Vista X64.

I fail to see how this is anything but the drivers causing this.

[Crawdaddy79]

I have this exact issue, but only when playing in windowed mode and when playing at the same resolution as my desktop.

I'm currently playing around with ATT and removing .NET completely off my PC. Will post if I find a fix.

[Crawdaddy79]

And of course, I give up.

Looks like I'm going back to the Omega 7.1 drivers (that do allow the settings to "stick").

[uwackme]

Just get the old control panel from 6.8, and use it with 7.4 or 7.5, it works great and AA AF work correctly.

[JohnnyFlash]

I have to second this, I've tried 7.4, 7.3, and now I'm running 6.12. AF works everytime, but AA doesn't work, no matter how how I apply it; either ATT or CCC.

[Danny Nissan]

Well im on a HD2900 and even ATT doesnt allow 8xAA at this time so im 'forced' to use CCC. Although id use ATT if it worked, but it gives a BSOD when i quit games..

[Jas420221]

Its not the 7.4 I assure you... It works fine in my rig.

Again, some games wont allow an override. You need to leave it on APP CONTROLLED and enable it from INSIDE the game. Did that help at all (See post 5 for the same info).

[Danny Nissan]

Well the issue is not about certain games that dont allow AA/AF to be applied.

The issue is about you set CCC to have 4xAA/16xAF, you play oblivion with 4xAA/16xAF. Then you want to play STALKER, a game that does not support AA (with max detail ingame). So you set it to APP CONTROLLED. Then you get tired of that and want to play Oblivion again. So you set AA to 4xAA again but Oblivion get NO AA at all this time.

This is the issue. Nothing to do with games, its the CCC or drivers that fails after X amount of changes. Its an issue that needs to be fixed by ATI, not a user fault. You cant blame a user for changing AA/AF too much - he should be able to change AA settings 1000000 times without the CCC failing to do so.

[Crawdaddy79]

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

Well the issue is not about certain games that dont allow AA/AF to be applied.

The issue is about you set CCC to have 4xAA/16xAF, you play oblivion with 4xAA/16xAF. Then you want to play STALKER, a game that does not support AA (with max detail ingame). So you set it to APP CONTROLLED. Then you get tired of that and want to play Oblivion again. So you set AA to 4xAA again but Oblivion get NO AA at all this time.

This is the issue. Nothing to do with games, its the CCC or drivers that fails after X amount of changes. Its an issue that needs to be fixed by ATI, not a user fault. You cant blame a user for changing AA/AF too much - he should be able to change AA settings 1000000 times without the CCC failing to do so.

Very good point.

Generally AA/AF work with the very first game I play after installing new drivers. After that - nada. (Well, AA works for me when the game has a setting for it no matter what. AF never works)

Again for me though it's only when the game is in a window or at the same res as the desktop.

Except Test Drive Unlimited where AA works ONLY when it's running at the desktop resolution, and AF works ONLY when it's at other resolutions. Still haven't figured that one out.

[Danny Nissan]

Crawdaddy79

i actually have the same issue as you. I never play any game in a other resolution than 1280X1024 so i never tried it. But you are correct, when AA/AF fails to work on me, they do work in all other reslutions except my desktop resolution.

[Pepsin]

I also play all my games at the desktop resolution (1280x1024, native res of my LCD), so that might be the common factor here..

I'll uninstall the drivers completely, then just install the drivers plus ati tray tools and see how that works.

I agree about the CCC not doing what it's supposed to do. All those friendly wizzards and pretty preview pictures account for nothing if the app doesn't do what you tell it to do (ie. force 4x FSAA). I can understand if it doesn't work in certain games (Gothic3 doesn't support AA), but this happens randomly, and with games that clearly support AA/AF. Shameful, ATI.

[Danny Nissan]

It really is shameful.

Now the funny part is when i try to fix this issue, by playing in non-native resolutions, i am not even able to disable autoscaling? So my image looks like crap either way. Im at loss of words..

[Pepsin]

Allright, so I uninstalled the old drivers completely, installed just the driver component for Catalyst 7.5, then isntalled ATT...Configured it for 8x AF, app controlled AA, fired up Oblivion, selecting 2x AA, start the game and got 2X AA, but NO AF. I quit the game, re-applied my Oblivion profile in ATT, and this time I got both AF and AA in Oblivion.

So, something is still causing settings to not stick.

This issue may seem quite minor, but it's extremely annoying. Why bother having a control panel if it doesn't do what you tell it to?

[Crawdaddy79]

Originally Posted by Danny Nissan

It really is shameful.

Now the funny part is when i try to fix this issue, by playing in non-native resolutions, i am not even able to disable autoscaling? So my image looks like crap either way. Im at loss of words..

There is a way to disable the scaling (a setting in the CCC EDIT: Called "Use Centered Timings)) - but I've found it only works when using the 1400 x 1050 resolution (which surprisingly most games support).




I am very happy that I am not even close to being the only one with this problem. Strange feeling.

[Danny Nissan]

Originally Posted by Crawdaddy79

There is a way to disable the scaling (a setting in the CCC EDIT: Called "Use Centered Timings)) - but I've found it only works when using the 1400 x 1050 resolution (which surprisingly most games support).

I am very happy that I am not even close to being the only one with this problem. Strange feeling.

Yeah thats what i meant with i cant disable. The CCC option doesnt work (nothing i want to use in the CCC works ), all resolutions scale anyway (although some resolutions DO get black-boxes on top/below, text is still blurred).

[Pepsin]

Well, as of Catalyst 7.6, I still have this problem. Any news on this issue?

I'm planning on upgrading to a DX10 card when the next refresh of those appears.. If I'll still have to coax the computer into using the settings I specifcy, then that's a very good reason not to go ATI, especially since they do not appear to care about this issue which has existed to and from for years.

[Pepsin]

Just spent 30 minutes alt+tab:ing, twiddling with the AA/AF settings, changing desktop resolution etc. just to get AA in Test Drive Unlimited.

It's an especially difficult game because the game switches to 800x600 or something when displaying its movies, and this change causes Catalyst to "forget" its AA/AF settings again, even if you managed to make them stick.

[racofer]

That's odd. With my x1600 I have never experienced this issue with CCC ever since 6.9 drivers (when I purchased the card), and now with 7.6 also no issues. I have anisotropic set to 16x all the time, but no AA, and it always works no matter how many times I launch different games.

[Crawdaddy79]

The game has to be running at the same resolution you use for your desktop for the "quirk" to appear.

Again, after installing Omega drivers I do not have this issue.

[Derek Baker]

I was having the problem with ATT of options such as AA,AF and Vertical Sync reverting after reboots.

Searching on the net I found this:

Enable Merged 3D Mode (Emulate Control Center): Enabling this setting causes the Direct3D and OpenGL sections of ATT to be merged into one '3D' section to emulate Catalyst Control Center behavior. Whether or not this setting should be enabled is a question of preference, though there is one drawback to enabling this which ought to be considered before switching to the merged 3D mode: If you set Catalyst AI to "Off" or "High" and/or you disable VPU Recover, they will be reverted back to their default values after the next reboot of your PC. Catalyst AI will return to "Low" and VPU Recover will be enabled again, but if you normally have Catalyst AI set to "Low" and don't mind VPU Recover being enabled, you can tick this setting to somewhat simplify your ATT interface.

From: http://forums.guru3d.com/showthread.php?t=217673

Although it doesn't mention AA etc, I gave it a go and it appears to have fixed it.

It's under Tweaks>Advanced Tweaks>CCC Mode Switch

[Mystik]

i've had this issue as well since going from an x800 to an x1950xt.

the way i deal with it is to go into the d3d advanced settings, change the aa
to app - apply - change back to what i want it to - apply - ok to close att
window.

usually works the first time around.
using profiles (d3d profiles > profile) doesn't seem to work for me.

[Crawdaddy79]

Yeah, another trick I had to do was if the game allowed Windowed mode I could open up the CCC and change the settings from one to another, and back again. That would fix it but as soon as I played another game, or restarted that one it was back to being crappy looking.