Aliens vs. Predator Video Card Problems

Aliens vs. Predator is a PC game that allows you to pick a side in the intergalactic war. You can play as an alien, predator or human marine in the first-person shooter that places you in the futuristic trenches. The game has low system requirements, but problems have been discovered with many video cards and operating-system upgrades.

System requirements

Aliens vs. Predator is playable on most modern systems. It requires at least a Pentium P3 processor and 128 mb of RAM. The video-card requirements are low--16 mb of video RAM with DirectDraw and Direct3D support. Online support for multiplayer mode is available through the Mplayer network, so if you are looking to play online, you will need a modem. Lack of any of these can result in video errors.

Artifacting

Artifacting is one of the main problems you are likely to encounter. This occurs when the game attempts to draw an area but cannot correctly render the information. Updating your video drivers from the manufacturer's website should correct this problem. If the problem persists, try reinstalling the game, as you may have corrupted image files. Upgrading your video card may also decrease instances of artifacting, as older cards can have trouble with current operating-system drivers.

Missing Textures

Some textures may not appear at all, leaving your game with large open areas or indecipherable backgrounds. These are most commonly related to a bad installation or bad drivers. Try running your game in a compatibility mode for Windows 95 or Windows 98 if you have XP or Vista. Make sure you have the latest version of your operating system, as backwards compatibility is not always possible with new service packs until they are patched.

Crash on Video Display

If the game crashes during the introduction or ending videos, you may lack codecs necessary to correctly display the movies. This is less common in earlier games. Get the K-lite codec pack available for free at CodecGuide.com to ensure that you can play all common video types. Check your onboard sound or sound card for compatibility with 16-mb sound display. Lack of compatibility could cause crashes during movie play as well.

System Issues

The video card may not be at fault for all video issues. Patching your operating system to the latest available version should correct any library errors you encounter. Update the drivers for your motherboard, sound card and any other peripheral that requires a driver. If you are still having problems after updating your system and verifying you meet system requirements, contact your computer's manufacturer to discuss potential hardware issues.

References

• Planet AVP review
• Nvidia shooter support forum thread
• VideoGameReview.com: AvP video issues

Resources

• Nvidia video card drivers
• ATI video card drivers
• CodecGuide.com K-lite Codecs