11.16.2005

Age of Empires III video problem

I've received recently an email from someone trying to play Age of Empires III but having video problems regarding the game:

so when i try to play my aoe 3 game it says that i need to update my video hardware but i cant seem to find the right update online. i can still play the game but its all slow and choppey and suck all i want to do is play the game shit please help!

This seems as a hardware upgrade related problem. First you would need to verify if your system meets the minimum requirements to play Age of Empires III:
• Microsoft Windows XP
• A computer that has a 1.4 gigahertz (GHz) processor
• 256 megabytes (MB) of system RAM
• A hard disk that has at least 2 gigabytes (GB) of available space
• A 32x speed CD drive
• A 64 MB video card that supports Hardware Transform and Lighting
• An audio card and speakers or headphones
• A Microsoft mouse or a compatible pointing device
• A 56.6 kilobytes per second (KBps) or faster Internet connection for online play
• DirectX 9.0c
Note These are the minimum system requirements that a computer must have to run Age of Empires III. You may experience increased performance on computers that exceed these requirements.

You can use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool to view the computer information and to verify whether the computer meets the minimum required settings to run Age of Empires III. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, click Run, type dxdiag, and then click OK.
2. On the System tab, view the processor details and the memory details.
3. Click the Display tab.
4. In the Device area, note the name of the video card and its approximate total memory.
5. Click Exit.


You could also verify if your video card is supported by AOE III. According to this microsoft technote, these are the video cards not supported in AOE III:
• 3dfx• Banshee
• Rush (Alliance)
• Rush (Macronix)
• Voodoo 1
• Voodoo 2
• Voodoo 3
• Voodoo 4
• Voodoo 5

• 3D Labs • GLiNT
• GLiNT 300SX
• GLiNT 500TX
• GLiNT G1
• GLiNT MX
• Oxygen Series Gamma2
• Oxygen Series R3
• Oxygen Series R4
• Permedia
• Permedia 1
• Permedia 2
• Permedia 3
• Permedia 4

• ATI• ATI ES1000
• IGP 340M
• Mach 32
• Mach 64
• Mobility Fire GL
• Mobility Radeon 7000 IGP
• Radeon 7000 IGP
• Rage 128
• Rage 128 Pro
• Rage Fury Pro-MAXX
• Rage II
• Rage II+
• Rage IIC
• Rage LT
• Rage LT Pro
• Rage Mobility
• Rage Mobility 128
• Rage Pro
• Rage XC
• Rage XL

• Chromatic• MPact

• Cirrus• CL4610
• CL4614
• CL5462
• CL6729
• GD5430
• GD5434
• GD5436
• GD5446
• GD5464
• GD5465
• GD5480
• GD7543
• GD7548

• Compaq • QVision

• Digital• TGA
• TGA2

• Guillemot • GeForce 256
• TNT2
• TNT2 M64
• TNT2 Ultra
• TNT Vanta

• Intel• 810
• 810e
• 815
• 740
• 752
• 830
• 845
• 865G
• 915
• 945

• Matrox • Millennium
• Mystique
• Millennium II
• G100 PCI
• G100 AGP
• G200 PCI
• G200 AGP
• Fusion G450
• G400-450
• Mistral
• G550

• NeoMagic • 128
• 128ZV
• 128XD
• 256AV
• 256ZX
• 256XL

• Number Nine• Revolution 3D
• Revolution IV

• nVidia• GeForce 256
• GeForce 256 DDR
• GeForce 256 Quadro
• GeForce 256 Ultra
• NV 1
• NV 2
• Riva 128
• Riva 128 ZX
• TNT
• TNT Vanta
• TNT2
• TNT2 Aladdin
• TNT2 M64
• TNT2 Ultra

• Rendition• Verite 1000
• Verite 2100

• S3• Aurora 128
• Graphics Twister
• ProSavage
• Savage 2000
• Savage 3D
• Savage 3D S3
• Savage 3D S4
• Savage IX
• Savage MX
• Savage4 ProSavage
• SuperSavage 128 IX
• SuperSavage 128 IX DDR
• SuperSavage 128 MX
• SuperSavage IX
• SuperSavage IX DDR
• SuperSavage IXC DDR
• SuperSavage IXC SDR
• Trio 3D
• Trio 64
• Trio 64 DX
• Trio 64 Plus
• Trio3D
• Virge
• Virge DXGX
• Virge GX2
• Virge MX
• Virge MXC

• Silicon Motion• Lynx 3D
• Lynx 3DM

• SiS• 305
• 315
• 530
• 650
• 6205
• 6215
• 6326

• ST Microelectronics• Kyro I-II

• Trident • 975
• 9753
• 3D Image
• Blade 3D
• Cyber
• Cyber XP5
• Cyber9320
• Cyber9385
• Cyber9388
• Cyber9397
• Cyber9397 DVD
• Cyber9520
• Cyber9520 DVD
• CyberBlade E4
• CyberBlade i7
• CyberBlade XP
• CyberBlade XPm

• Tsend Labs• ET4000
• ET6000
• ET6300

• VIA • CLE266
• KM400
• VIAS3G UniChrome Pro IGP

• VideoLogic• PowerVR
• PowerVR2

• Weitek• P9000
• P9100


Microsoft has also a list of Known Graphics issues in Age of Empires III and also a solutions center for Video related problems in AOE III.

Boy this game does have its problems. There is another huge post on this Age of Empires III forum regarding problems with AOE III.
If any of these solutions doesn't work then maybe someone else could give a solution if you give more details about this problem.

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am having an Intel945GM Express Chipset Graphic Adapter which came built in with my new Toshiba A105-S4014 laptop... It has 128MB shared VRAM... And 1024MB DDR-II RAM... I dont know why ONLY AOE-III is givin me game play problems with graphics... All other games which as for far more config than what I am having run SMOOTHLY but AOE-III which has lesser requirements than what I have creates problems!!!
HATS OFF TO MICROSOFT!!! Only they can imagine to design something so BUGGY!!!

Anonymous said...

same here...can no one fix this problem or what?

Anonymous said...

hi, I have a laptop with similar config (Core 2 duo, 1 gb ram and the intel 945gm 128 MB vid card)

Has any patch or fix been provided to make this game work with the video card? Or microsoft is trying to play the market again ?

Anonymous said...

Hi
I just bought a Toshiba A135-4257, with 256 MB video ram, I also have the same issue..any solution ?

Anonymous said...

Hi Same here intel core 2 duo t5500 950 chipset still not working

Anonymous said...

guys please look in the unsupported cards list in the intell chipsets 945 is unsupported the intel 945gm express weather it has 2 mb or 2 gb it wont differ the chip is not supported

Anonymous said...

Check this page for possible solutions
http://support.intel.com/support/graphics/intelg965/sb/CS-023080.htm

Anonymous said...

hey i have a intel 965, the games starts but while in the main menu i cant see anythin except for shades and hear the music..is there any solution to it?? cuz i tried the update from microsoft and intel.

Anonymous said...

I'm having the same problem with the shading as well and everything on my computer is compatible with AoE3

Unknown said...

I bought a new Hercules 3D Prophet 7500 LE 128 for my desktop, which has an AMD Sempron(t)2800+ processor, 1.61 GHz, with 1.00 GB of Ram, in order to play Age of Empires III. Before buying the game, I downloaded the demo from Microsoft. It loads ok, but as soon as I click on anything, the screen becomes distorted, producing columns of small, coloured dashes across the screen. Even if I then close the game, this problem remains until I restart the computer. Anyone have any ideas? It works fine on my Dell laptop.

Anonymous said...

Hi,
I have Intel 945chip MB ( ASUS )&
1GB RAM ( DDR 2 ) but after installation Age of Empire 3 can't
play when just enter main menu.

Can u give me any solution ?

Unknown said...

Hi,
I have Intel 945chip MB ( ASUS )&
1GB RAM ( DDR 2 ) but after installation Age of Empire 3 can't
play when just enter main menu.

Can u give me any solution ?

Unknown said...

Looks like Intel and Microsoft are trying to baffle the common customers. Its very clear to understand that Microsoft Operating Systems and Games are majorly run on Intel Machines. So the incompatibility is not a surprise to them.

Whatever they are trying to do, its only helping us to move closer to AMD and Linux, I must say.

Anonymous said...

also having problems i put the game and everything is all blury

Anonymous said...

AMD FTW! INTEL BLOWS!

Unknown said...

I have a Intel 82845 Chipset. I tried alll possible configs that could make my game smooth. All is in vain. The game becomes worse when there is a sea battle.

Anonymous said...

i am having a problem with playing age of empires 3 . i have bought this game and downloaded it on my laptop , everytime i play and then turn it off. then turn it bak on the GAME MODES : story based campaign , single player skirmish (Ect) does not come on the screen. Can Any1 Pllz Help?? =[ Also i have problems with the graphic to the main menu shows the home town right? it is all colourful for some reason. plz some1 help me.

Anonymous said...

it will never work on intel 810e...

Anonymous said...

it will never work on intel 810e...

Anonymous said...

I also have Intel 945chip MB (ASUS)&
1GB ddr 2 RAM but age of empires is giving error after installation,,.,

Anonymous said...

when o load it up on the main menu there are no buttons it's just blank. And all thr buildings are like blue and green can someone help me please.

Anonymous said...

i have nVIDIA FX5500 512mb dedicated vram.when i run d game it says tht AOE3 supports a min of 64mb GRAphic card and it also says that i am having RADEON moblility 32mb(which is nt true).


in dxdiag also i can see,tht i hav a Nvidai FX5500 graphics card.GOD KNOWS!!!frm where dwy got dis radeon mobility 32mb.


sum1 pls help me.
my email
sudeep_manchester@hotmail.com

Unknown said...

I have an AMD XP 2800 Athlon with 1GB RAM and GeForce 4MX onboard GPU. The game was running properly until a virus corrupted all exe files. I fixed the virus n reinstalled it, but now it gives me graphic error. n Log file says SLI failed , GPU: 1. I dont know how its asking for SLI as my MB wont have it.