Not a very exciting update...
Progress was quite slow these weeks for two main reasons: The classic flu that strikes me every year, and some hardware problems at the studio. Before I expand on the last one, here´s what I could do:
All the caves up to the entrance of the Queen´s lair are done, there´s some details left (like some waterfall effects) but it´s practically done.
I also started with the regular Metroid AI, the ones you face before the queen. They happily latch into Samus, I still have to make them detach with the bomb explosions.
About the hardware thing...
The PC I use at the studio is also my main development computer. And a couple of weeks ago I started experiencing random system shutdowns. These started to happen more frequently, and I even had to cancel a couple of recording sessions (THAT was embarassing).
I tried replacing the videocard, I bought new RAM and replaced it, but it still happens.
Why am I talking about this? I just wanted to know if any of you guys experienced anything like this, there´s a lot of qualified technicians I´d like to hear. (I am good at assembling computers myself, but only if everything works well)
If you think you could share your experiences and hopefully help me fix this problem, you can email me, or post in the forum. I´ll create a thread about this right now explaining it better.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: I tried a couple of your suggestions, but no luck yet.
Here´s the Forum thread with all the hardware details and what I did so far.
Thanks for your help!!!
All the caves up to the entrance of the Queen´s lair are done, there´s some details left (like some waterfall effects) but it´s practically done.
I also started with the regular Metroid AI, the ones you face before the queen. They happily latch into Samus, I still have to make them detach with the bomb explosions.
About the hardware thing...
The PC I use at the studio is also my main development computer. And a couple of weeks ago I started experiencing random system shutdowns. These started to happen more frequently, and I even had to cancel a couple of recording sessions (THAT was embarassing).
I tried replacing the videocard, I bought new RAM and replaced it, but it still happens.
Why am I talking about this? I just wanted to know if any of you guys experienced anything like this, there´s a lot of qualified technicians I´d like to hear. (I am good at assembling computers myself, but only if everything works well)
If you think you could share your experiences and hopefully help me fix this problem, you can email me, or post in the forum. I´ll create a thread about this right now explaining it better.
Thanks in advance!
EDIT: I tried a couple of your suggestions, but no luck yet.
Here´s the Forum thread with all the hardware details and what I did so far.
Thanks for your help!!!
Comments
>Your CPU is overheating so it shuts off
>Motherboard is going bad
>Powersupply is going bad
that's all i can think of, but it's probably an overheating problem.
P.S. - Metroids that don't let go? Sounds like a challenge... :D
It could also be a software problem. Did you install anything recently? Or maybe a program that updates? You might have conflicting drivers thus requiring you to go into the registry to delete one. Although, this can be a little dangerous, so make sure you know the problem before you delete anything.
but is it possible that i can play this game by 2012?
Hope youll find a solution soon doc.
If it's CPU, it's PROBABLY just overheating, which likely isn't fatal since the CPU has fail-safes in place to prevent permanent damage (hence, shutting down). It probably means you need a new fan/heat-sink. Cheap and easy. Just don't forget to add processor goop between the heat-sink and CPU! However, if black liquid is oozing out the corner hole of your CPU, then your processor is fried and you need a new one.
Power supply is the next best thing. It's fairly easy to replace. However, if it is the PS, there's a possibility that the failure is actually a symptom of power surges from the wall outlet. Is the PC properly surge protected? I don't mean just a basic power strip, I mean a UPS (uninterruptible power supply) strip with a battery and breaker.
Finally, motherboard. This could SUCK, because it could mean a complete rebuild of the computer in question. Unless you find an identical motherboard, you're going to have to swap all your existing hardware (any of it that's compatible, some connectors may be obsolete) onto the new board, then go through a lengthy setup process to get it all to work. This could be a (comparatively) simple hour+ wait as Windows reconfigures itself to recognize the new hardware on the board, or it could be as complex as completely reinstalling Windows and all your software. If that's necessary, I recommend buying a new hard drive as well, since you want to keep all the data from your existing drive. Doing the Win reinstall would format your drive, but you can always slave the drive afterward and copy your data once the system is reinstalled on the new drive.
The main causes for random shutdowns are:
1. RAM
2. Software
3. Power adapter
4. Mainboard
5. Graphics card
Set your OS to show the bluescreen and not to reboot. Than you can check the Error Code.
If it´s everytime another code, than it´s propably (if not the RAM) a heavy mainboard defect or the power supply.
If its everytime the same code you could detect the affected driver and on this way the broken component.
Keep up the good work. Wait for a new 2d metroid much to long (prime sux...).
Sometimes the latter (cpu overheat) happens even when it seems like the cpu fan is fine; you can test whether or not it's the problem by just running the computer with the case open and pointing a desk fan in. I actually ran a computer for over a year with this setup (I was a poor grad student) and it prevented random shutdowns. Wouldn't recommend it as a permanent solution, but it'll show if you need to replace the cpu fan. I'm not sure if components other than the cpu can overheat and cause shutdown, as well.
1) If it IS an overheating CPU, try cleaning the fans and heatsink first. There may just be too much dust build-up.
2) Same thing as above, except for your GPU (though this would probably only apply to a dedicated card)
3) If you replace the motherboard with a new one that has the same CPU socket, you shouldn't have to replace all your hardware.
The shutdowns are usually a sign of overheating. However, as others have said, it could be motherboard damage or PSU problems. Whatever you do, make SURE you start backing up your work regularly, whether via online, or in an external drive. None of us want you to lose this project.
-Power Supply Failure
-Mother Board Failure
-Corrupted System Files
-Failing RAM
-Failing Video Card
-Hard Drive Failure
-Sound Card Failure
-Driver (Video or Sound) Failure
-Faulty Wiring
-Faulty Outlet
-Dust Buildup on the CPU or Heating block (in between the heat sync and the CPU
-Fried, Damaged or Failing CPU
-Virus
-Spyware
-Inadequate Power
-Power Surges
-Too Much Demand on CPU or OS
Fortunately most of that is pretty easy to narrow down, I make custom computer builds and do computer repair on the side. I'd be willing to help guide you thorough some testing you would need to try if you want Doc ^_^.
The problem was a capacitor of the mother board. Hope that helps
Greetings from german. Keep going ;)
Just a though, make sure it is'nt too full, maybe treat yourself to a external hardrive if your HD is too full!
does that mean *gasp* you're almost finished with the maps? Does this mean we can expect the game this year?
But I don't know, if that really helps you, good luck.
Si aun asi sigue dandote problemas entonces es cosa de la placa base lo cual haria pensar que vas a tener que cambiar el pc, porque si se te ha muerto la placa base o encuentras una parecida o adios al ordenador.
Asi que animo y que tengas suerte ;)
1) transfer the game to a flash drive so you can just work and save from that and back it up on another flash drive at least once a day. It sounds like allot of work but it would be aven more work if you lost it all.
2) if you don't like what's above, back up the game on two different flash drives and as much as I would hate to say it.........stop working on the game until this is fixed. That way if the cause was a virus it wouldn't effect the game.
As for the problem.....
1) if you computer is humming loudly it is probably because of the fans.
2) and even though it is kind if expensive and maybe even more expensive were you are, call a computer dude to come out.
it basically works like gamemaker and should make porting easy enough for you to try. i think porting this to wii homebrew would be the best thing since other M, seeing as it is a nintendo game.
sincerly spike
http://www.dansdata.com/images/digidoc/grille400.jpg
I forgot about them, and they apparently slowly became one big block of dust. Fresh air was no longer circulated properly and it would randomly shut down.
I've since replaced it with a laptop, but I did learn that you really have to keep the inside and the filters of a desktop PC clean. Laptops are less of a problem, but put them on a carpet and the fan might pull in all kinds of dust and fibers and clog up the only cooling they have.
Your problem might be because of overheating from dust.
I also had a problem in windows 7 where if my hard drives weren't accessed for a while and the computer would try and go into a power saving mode it would cause my computer to bsod and shut down. Sometimes it would also do the same thing when entering the screen saver. I changed my power saving options to fix that.
I've also had driver conflicts with my onboard network drivers causing a bsod and shutdown. Updated them to fix.
I've had to update my mobo's BIOS, because of a problem that was causing it to send the wrong amount of voltage to my cpu, causing random shutdowns. I downloaded the Intel Processor ID Utility to find out what my cpu should be running at (voltage wise), in default settings and it told me what it was actually running at.
Other than those odd ones, I'd say check your fans on the important bits to make sure they are spinning correctly. Maybe get a program to read your cpu/gpu temps under load, because most BIOS will auto shutdown the computer if the temp gets too high on something.
Maybe a new power supply is needed.
If you are getting an error report, with a dump file check those and look for solutions online, with whatever is causing the conflict.
Try a different wall outlet, on a different breaker. If you are like me and have more than one monitor and a bunch of other stuff plugged in to the same outlet, it might be too much for it. I was able to tell that one because my power strip makes a really loud beep when there's a surge or the power fluctuated drastically.
Keep up the awesome work and I hope you get your comp working correctly again. :)
I've been following this project for a while and it seems like you could use a little help getting better equipment to work with. Maybe a paypal donate button?
Nintendo seems to be getting much more relaxed about fan projects, I think it would be fine.
How I do for play this game on Mac, with Leopard OSX?
Thanks!
But first, visit memtest.org burn a copy of their memory tested and check to see if you've got defective memory chips.
Your type of crash happens a lot, when one of your memory sticks goes bad.
Also make sure the processor fan is spinning and clean. Most processors are designed to turn off, without warning, in the event they overheat.
You're wrong. Intel-based hardware running Mac OS X only requires BootCamp and an install of a Windows OS to run the Windows OS natively.
Or you could try WINE (Which is Linux-based, and now the modern Macintosh OS tend to have a bit more of a Linux base, which enables more program flexibility), and do the same install process...
With Linux, you just need WINE to help with running Windows and such. The game is likely to be playable through that method.
A quick set of Google Searches will help you figure this out in more depth.