[Beta 3.0]OpenGL 2.0 and Mysterious Lock-Ups

[JakeGrey]

When I run the new version, it pops up with an error message informing me that my current graphics hardware doesn't support OpenGL 2.0 and that "some things may look wrong". When I click OK, it loads up the main menu without demur... but when I try to start an actual game, it locks up on the loading screen while each music track in turn starts, plays for perhaps five seconds and then cuts.

Are these two problems connected at all, and if so, is there a solution that doesn't involve stumping up for a new graphics card? I already tried updating the drivers but I appear to have the most recent version already.

[vexed]

What graphic card do you have ?
Usually, updating video drivers to the latest helps with openGL issues.

[Emdek]

vexed, but not enough powerful GPUs are still in the wild.
Tough master worked fine on my OpenGL 1.3 i915 integrated GPU about one year ago (now it is disabled and replaced by Radeon HD 5570).

[JakeGrey]

What graphic card do you have ?
Usually, updating video drivers to the latest helps with openGL issues.

Right now, the onboard graphics chipset of an Intel Atom-powered netbook running Windows XP. My primary computer (which for reasons too complicated to be worth going into here is currently unavailable) is a Pentium 4 running Linux, but that only has the onboard GPU as well. Neither of them had any trouble with 2.3.x though.

I found a more up-to-date driver on the Intel website, but I'm going to install it after my next routine weekly backup, because I've a terrible feeling it could upset the delicate internal balance of an extremely temperamental but incredibly useful utility that lets me play around with the clock speed from within Windows.

[vexed]

2.X didn't require openGL 1.5 or higher for the newer rendering engine...
If new drivers don't help, then there is not much we can do with sub-par graphics chipsets...

In case you are wondering, openGL 1.5 is old. Real old. We are talking more than 8 years old.
It is too bad that only recently intel started to make semi-decent graphics chipsets that support openGL 2.0.

[Emdek]

vexed, no, now they have 3.0.
Moreover, they have first OpenGL 3.0 compliant driver in Mesa (but requires Sandy Bridge CPUs).

[i-NoD]

It's still crapware... 3.0 or not. They can't even do VBlank properly, so the UX is REAL BAD even in HD3000.

[Emdek]

3.0 crapware is better than 1.3 crapware (as in i915) anyway.
Also even Catalyst or Nvidia blob aren't perfect too.
Moreover, for laptops it makes much more sense to switch to them when using battery and then switch to separate GPU for performance mode.
AMD chosen the same way anyway.

[i-NoD]

I'm simply telling what I see on my own system.
I guess it's their (intel) strategy to produce software that can't even properly utilize hardware for low-demanding users and it suits them well (but they don't forget filling all PR checkboxes - regardless of driver support level). No problems, most users can be beta-testers I guess.

On a second thought , let's not go there...

[Emdek]

Me too (former i915, now disabled).
By the way, I was interested in Larrabee, but apparently they don't want or have issues in releasing it.