# Solved: Black screen when starting FEAR (the game)



## ferango (Aug 28, 2005)

Hi.

Each time I try to start FEAR (the game), the screen turns black.


So, I have Win Xp Pro with SP2.
My system passes all the minimum/recommended requirements.
I played other "heavy" games like Battlefield 2 MP 64 players, Doom 3, Medal of Honor, Call of Duty 2 on this PC without any graphic issues.

In the Readme-file they say that on Ati Radeon (I've got one like this) cards

"Enabling FSAA and Pixel Doubling at the same time will result in a black
screen. "

So I go to the Catalyst Control Center (updated today), but the minimum setting for AA is 2x (where can I disable it). And Pixel Doubling I can't seem to find either (does it recieve another name in Catalyst)?

Any help is great


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The settings are in the game.


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## jvnderwe (Jun 9, 2004)

I believe there should be an option in the Catalyst Control Center to set AA to "application preference", or something like that. Perhaps that will help.


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## ferango (Aug 28, 2005)

I tried setting AA to "Application preferences", but didnt help.

The "FEAR Configuration Utility" doesnt have much appart from resolutions, nothing about AA...

But thank you anyways


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

How about if you just uncheck "use custom settings" in the Catalyst Control Center?

Also, I don't have Fear to check this out, but it appears from this that the game settings offer the option to disable fsaa:

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...ml+FSAA+and+Pixel+Doubling&hl=en&client=opera



> Disable FSAA and Soft Shadows in the advanced options under Graphics.
> ? Use Trilinear Texture Filtering instead of Anisotropic.


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## ferango (Aug 28, 2005)

Rollin' Rog said:


> How about if you just uncheck "use custom settings" in the Catalyst Control Center?
> 
> Also, I don't have Fear to check this out, but it appears from this that the game settings offer the option to disable fsaa:
> 
> http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:...ml+FSAA+and+Pixel+Doubling&hl=en&client=opera


Thanx, but I tried also unchecking "Use Custom Settings" (no difference).

The FEAR-configuration utility only provides me with the option to alter resolutions, nothing about FSAA (I think it is within the game that those options appear).

But thank you for the tip, I appreciate that=).


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

So you can never really load the game at all?

Is there an option in the "configuration" utility to run it in "Safe Mode"?

and, have you tried updating your ATI drivers?


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## Triple6 (Dec 26, 2002)

The FSAA setting and Pixel Doubling are indeed in the game. I'll have to check when I get home if the stand-alone configuration utility has FSAA but I think pixel doubling is there. the other settings are changeable once the game starts up in the options - which I guess you don't get that far. To have the game set the FSAA level set the ATI driver to Application Preference.

ATI has just just released the Catalyst 5.13 driver.


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## ferango (Aug 28, 2005)

That's right I never ever even got to see the intro of the Game (3 seconds after clicking on the FEAR-shortcut, the monitor turns black, but the monitor still recieves signal cause the power-indicator-LED remains green)

Nope, there isnt an option allowing me to start the game in Safe Mode.

I tried to start the following variants of FEAR (all result in black screen):
1.- FEAR the demo
2.- FEAR the game as it comes out of the Box (Directors Edition)
3.- FEAR the game (Directors Edition) with 1st patch made for it.
4.- FEAR the game (Directors Edition) with 1st + 2nd (the last)

Yes I uninstalled completely every Ati related driver/app.
Restarted the machine, and actually saw that the reolution was 800x600 and refresh rate of 60 hz (I had 85 Refresh rate & 12xx x 768 resolution when the Ati-stuff where installed)
Then I installed the newest Ati-package from Ati.com
FEAR still gives identical results: dark screen

BTW:
I tried to start FEAR when having the settings set to: Application Preference in Catalyst Center, but same result.

Have a Merry XMas BTW ;-)


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## ferango (Aug 28, 2005)

Hey, great news guys=)

I fixed it!

Here is exactly what I did:

1.- I downloaded and installed Ati Control Panel, this file: 
5-11_xp-2k_dd_cp_wdm_27345.exe

2.- I went to the Ati Control Panel and into "ATI Display Settings" & clicked on the 3D-tab:

a) Ticked Direct 3D

b) Ticked "Use Custom Settings"

c) In "Custom Settings";

*
# 2.0.1 "Antialiasing": * 
- Slider IS set to 2X (Application Preference is NOT ticked)
- Temporal Antialiasing is NOT ticked
- Under "Maximum Resolution" "Quality" IS ticked

*# 2.0.2 "Anisotropic Filtering": * 
- Application Preference is NOT ticked)
- Slider IS set to 2X

*# 2.0.3 "Texture Preference": * 
- Slider IS set to "High Performance"

*# 2.0.4 "Mipmap Detail Level": * 
- Slider IS set to "High Performance"

*# 2.0.4 "Wait for Vertical Sync": *
- Slider IS set to "Always Off"

d) SMARTSHADER effects IS set to "No effects"

This is all I did in order to get the game up and running.
Thanx too you all for spending some of your time in order to help me debug.

Happy XMas to everyone


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## Rollin' Rog (Dec 9, 2000)

Good to hear, and thanks for the detailed follow-up.

I'll mark the thread "Solved" but for future reference this option is also available to you in the Thread Tools Menu when appropriate.


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