First Start Installation Network Play Configuration FAQ Redistribution

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. OS Specific Questions:
    1. Linux:
      1. Q:Immediately after Armagetron opens it's window, it crashes. What's wrong?
        A:First, check Question 3.1 for the OS independent answer to that problem. Special Linux case: In some rare cases ( old 3dfx Mesa implementation ), you need to be root to run 3d accelerated programs Try running Armagetron as root; if that works, check out the HOWTOs and FAQs for your graphic card on how to run 3d programs as non-root.
      2. Q:The textures and fonts don't seem to work.
        A:Recheck your SDL_image installation; it probably can't load PNG images. The included show-program has to be able to display the PNG images from the textures folder.
      3. Q:How can I enable 3D acceleration?
        A: You may have to download some stuff and modify your kernel module configuration and XF86Config. That sounds scarier now than it is in reality. For generic instructions, have a look at the XFree DRI documentation. For NVIDIA cards, get the latest drivers from NVIDIA direclty.
  2. graphics:
    1. Q:The graphics are ugly! There are almost no textures around, the menu is just writing on black background. What can I do?
      A:Armagetron detected that your OpenGL implementation does not support hardware acceleration. It may be wrong on that; check it by increasing the detail level in "System Setup/Display Settings/Detail Settings". If you tune up the texture modes and get an immediate performance dropdown, you are using software rendering. Check out the OS specific answer to "How can I enable 3D acceleration?" for Linux.
      If the rendering speed stays OK, you have hardware acceleration; in that case, please send me ( ) your your user.cfg ( found in the var-subdirectory of the directory ~/.armagetron ) so I can correct the detection in future versions.
    2. Q:Rendering is VERY slow, I only get about 1 fps even in the menu. What's wrong?
      A:It seems your OpenGL implementation does not support hardware acceleration, and Armagetron did not detect it. Check out the OS specific answer to "How can I enable 3D acceleration?" for Linux.
      Please send me ( ) your your user.cfg ( found in the var-subdirectory of the directory ~/.armagetron ) so I can correct the detection in future versions.
      In the meantime, edit this user.cfg and set TEXTURE_MODE_0/1/2 to -1 and ALPHA_BLEND to 0, this will disable the features that cause the slowdown.
  3. generic stuff:
    1. Q:When I start Armagetron, the screen turns black and the game exits shortly afterwards. (Or similar right-after-start problems) What can I do?
      A:just try again about four times; Armagetron should notice that the first attempts failed and try some other screen modes (with different colour depths, initialisation methods and in fullscreen or windowed mode).
  4. network play:
    1. Q:Sometimes, I see players (esp. me) passing through walls. Is that a bug?
      A:Probably not; it is the normal effect of network latency (Laaaag!) when your client does not yet have the latest information from the server.
    2. Q:Someone is cheating! I keep cutting off his way right before him, and that kills me, not him!
      A:Again, this is not cheating, but a network latency effect that happens when you disable "Prediction" from the network game menu. Then, you see the other players not at the place they are probably now, but where they were a little while ago. So while you thought you were ahead of your opponent, he was in reality a bit ahead of you. By trying to cross him, you ran directly into his wall. Either turn on prediction or the "Lag-O-Meter" that shows where your opponent may in fact be NOW. Learning to handle these effects is one of the skills you need to kick your opponent's ass.

This document was created by Manuel Moos

Last modification: Sun Jul 6 15:35:31 CEST 2003

First Start Installation Network Play Configuration FAQ Redistribution