Graphics Issues with GZDoom 3.5.0 (and earlier) (x64)

[MrM21632]

I recently downloaded the latest release version of GZDoom, and unfortunately I'm experiencing some issues with the graphics. Specifically, stuff like this keeps happening whenever I start up a game:

I've also had similar problems with earlier versions of GZDoom - I would enter the game, the graphics would bug out like they are in the screenshot, and eventually the issues would just go away after a while. I'm assuming it's something wrong with how GZDoom or my graphics card is setup, but I'm not sure exactly what the problem could be. Here are my machine's current specs:

[*] Intel Core i7-4700HQ
[*] Nvidia GeForce GT 750M (4GB dedicated RAM)
[*] 16GB DDR3 RAM
[*] System is configured globally to use the Nvidia graphics card for 3D, and GZDoom has been set up to use the global settings in Nvidia Control Panel

Anyone have any ideas on what the problem could be?

[wildweasel]

These are the kinds of visual errors I'd see when my video card was overheating, back in the day (video evidence; don't mind the nonsensical music, I was trying to get around an accidental copyright strike). What are your system temperatures like?

[MrM21632]

Yeah, that might be the problem I'm experiencing. The Nvidia graphics card and the CPU are running at about 70 degrees Celsius. Don't really know how I'm going to address that problem, though, as cooling solutions for laptops are pretty limited.

Thanks for the reply!

[Graf Zahl]

This looks like random memory corruption. Overheating may be the cause but if you are unlucky that system might soon bite the dust. If such things happen it's always a bad sign.

[MrM21632]

This looks like random memory corruption. Overheating may be the cause but if you are unlucky that system might soon bite the dust. If such things happen it's always a bad sign.

Is there anything I can do to confirm whether or not this is the problem?

[wildweasel]

If you can open your laptop (this is not always easy depending on the model), get some canned air and blow out any dust that has accumulated inside. Laptops have much worse air flow than their larger, more spacious desktop brethren, so it's possible a lot of dust has collected.

As far as memory goes, try memtest86+ - you'll find it on most Linux based live USB distributions.

[MrM21632]

Alright, I'll give MemTest86 a go and see what it finds. When I get the chance, I'll also give the inside of the laptop a good cleaning. Thanks for the help, guys!

[Rachael]

If you manage to solve this problem, running the system as "cool" as possible is a good practice to avoid such issues in the future. It might already be too late though, since you already have issues, even if you resolve them the hardware already started failing.

However, either way, try to always run the system very cool. If you're using Windows you can use the power control panel to lower your CPU speed to about 60% when you're not doing anything intensive, and this will help to make your CPU last longer.

As for your GPU, it's always good practice to use either VSync or a frame rate throttle (based on your display refresh rate) whenever possible. If your monitor refreshes at 60 Hz, never run any program or game at higher than 60 FPS. My monitor, for example, refreshes at 75 Hz, and my system is quite capable of reaching ~240 FPS, but I cap it at 75 FPS because there's no point in drawing those frames if I never even see them.

A combination of these things, and many others, will help to extend the life of your hardware and help to prevent things like this happening until long after the hardware is so obsolete that literally nothing will run on it anymore, anyway, at which point it can be repurposed as a web/email viewer.