Random Artifacting: Game? Not GPU?

[ChthonicEidolon]

Can random artifacting be caused by in-game graphics?

Long story short: played Fallout 3 (just finished), no artifacting or any other probs, GTX 280.

Switched system into new case, loaded up everything fine for the last three days, just loaded Fallout 3 and had some random black (slightly large) squares popping-up here and there.

It's not constant, tested HL2 etc. and not seeing any artifacting; returned to Fallout 3 for about another forty minutes without it happening again, though am having some "shimmering" in places I've not noticed before. Nothing major, however.

F3 also has some occasional graphical glitches for most people, though this is one I've never seen happen. Just want to confirm whether or not it could be the game code/visuals itself, as I think I remember some games from the past that would have such glitches that "mimicked" artifacting.

Thanks.

 

[tadh]

Are all other componants besides case the same?? Is PSU different? Did you make certain that memory sticks and graphics cards are seated properly in slots??

 

[ChthonicEidolon]

Are all other componants besides case the same?? Is PSU different? Did you make certain that memory sticks and graphics cards are seated properly in slots??

Absolutely...

Everything is seated perfect (I'll check again, but I'm usually overly "paranoid" about that and check multiple times), and all components are the same. Been building rigs for years, and never had this happen. PSU is great, and in great condition, so no problems there.

It's not happening in any other game that I can tell, and it's not constant in Fallout 3, but I've never seen it once until after the case switch.

It looks like artifacting, but it's just a fast flash of large black boxe(s), very briefly, then stops for long periods and might not happen again. Was mainly in the center of my screen, though twice towards the right of my screen.

It happened a few times last night, then hadn't seen it again after playing a few hours. Haven't tried again yet today.

Perhaps something with the game?

 

[ChthonicEidolon]

Update: Just tested playing Fallout 3 again, and I'm getting the "artifacting" in the same place; large black box that flashes in the center of my screen once or twice then stops... but I played for about a half-hour+ before it happened.

Playing still now, but hasn't happened again, yet.

Temps are fine, so it's not my temps causing it, and I'm not having any other performance/graphical issues.

Ideas?

 

[Hecktec]

Are you getting the black boxes in the same exact location every time, or does it appear randomly?

In case they appear in the exact place, and assuming you have AA enabled, turn it off and check again.

 

[Private_Ops]

Hmm, I have similar problems with my 8500GT. I played Shogo just a bit ago and the freakin thing was artifacting... DX6 for gods sake!

Oddly though, anything based on the source engine does not artifact but, CS:S is the only game I can play without the system hard locking... and when it does hard lock its only in a 3d environment.

 

[ChthonicEidolon]

Are you getting the black boxes in the same exact location every time, or does it appear randomly?

In case they appear in the exact place, and assuming you have AA enabled, turn it off and check again.

Well, both my wife and I caught it happening once towards the right side of my screen. Now when it happens, it's brief and always in the center of the screen. Large black box flashes once or twice, then that's it, and I might not see it for another stretch of time.

I do have AA enabled, but what would turning it off, then back on, indicate?

Does it appearing in the same place indicate that it could be the GPU starting to have problems?

 

[Hecktec]

I've had a similar problem with Mass Effect. It was the only game to exhibit such a problem, and it only happened in one level and at a certain location, and only when I looked at the screen at a certain angle. Disabling AA removed those boxes, so I concluded that it was a game/driver issue, rather than the card.

 

[ChthonicEidolon]

I've had a similar problem with Mass Effect. It was the only game to exhibit such a problem, and it only happened in one level and at a certain location, and only when I looked at the screen at a certain angle. Disabling AA removed those boxes, so I concluded that it was a game/driver issue, rather than the card.

I know exactly what you're talking about, I had the same thing... but those were smaller black boxes that were relatively constant throughout the game when AA was enabled. It looked a bit like artifacting, but differently then what's happening to me now in F3 which, again, had never happened before yesterday.

I'm just getting the one large black box that flickers for a second in the center of my screen once or twice, more like what would probably be considered artifacting, but I'm not really sure that's what it happening.

Not that it helped much, but I used the free version of Rightmark06 and watched for any artifacting, and there was none, though I could not enable AA in the free version.

So, two questions I guess:

- Could it be similar type of anomaly as Mass Effect, just occurring in a different way? Or just some other weird glitch that started out of nowhere?

- I'd think that if I was beginning to get artifacting due to the actual hardware, that I'd be seeing more of it, no?

P.S.
I also seem to be getting a bit more aliasing and/or shimmering, such as on the edges/details of sidewalks, certain building structures at night, edges of water etc., which isn't horrible, but I've never seen until now.

Everything has been insanely smooth. Checked settings, they're all the same, and I would think I'd definitely would have noticed more of that with the way my "eye" is regarding visuals... but that could be a whole separate issue, or connected if something is "up", so figured I'd mention it again.