I have a 2.4ghz macbook pro and I have been trying to run the spore cc trail. Every time I start it up though, I get the error "Could not create the graphics Device. Direct X is unavailable. [1002]" Does anyone know how to fix this error? Also, my MBP is completely up to date with all mac software updates.
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Spore help with "could not create the Graphics Device" on MBP
- Thread starter helicoptersoup
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I wish it were that simple. I definitely have the mac version. The error happens during the splash screen when the game starts.
It's quite strange that you're seeing a problem like this. The only time you could see an issue like this would be if something bad happened on starting the game's graphics engine.
Can you run any other OpenGL games on your system? Do you have an external monitor attached? If so, is it in mirrored mode, or rotated 90 degrees? Have you tried without an external monitor?
Definitely try deleting the preferences directory (~Library/Preferences/SPORE Creature Creator), and restarting the game - that will ensure that you're starting from a fresh set of prefs.
Finally, if none of that works, please send an Apple System Profile report to 'support@transgaming.com', and ask them to forward it to me. We'd certainly like to get to the bottom of the issue..
-Gav
--
Gavriel State
Founder & CTO
TransGaming Inc.
Can you run any other OpenGL games on your system? Do you have an external monitor attached? If so, is it in mirrored mode, or rotated 90 degrees? Have you tried without an external monitor?
Definitely try deleting the preferences directory (~Library/Preferences/SPORE Creature Creator), and restarting the game - that will ensure that you're starting from a fresh set of prefs.
Finally, if none of that works, please send an Apple System Profile report to 'support@transgaming.com', and ask them to forward it to me. We'd certainly like to get to the bottom of the issue..
-Gav
--
Gavriel State
Founder & CTO
TransGaming Inc.
gavriels, you are a genius! I am using an external monitor with my MBP. I unplugged the monitor though and now it works great, as long as it is just on the MBP's screen. Now do you know if there is a way to get it to work with external displays?
Great - now the situation makes sense. Here's the problem: The game checks to see if the minimum resolution is available (800x600). If it's not, it assumes that there's something very wrong and refuses to start up (as you've seen). For some reason, your system was indicating that this lower resolution was not available.
This will not happen in general on external monitors - I use a MacBook Pro with an external monitor pretty well exclusively without this issue. The problem comes when for some reason the laptop isn't talking to the monitor correctly, and isn't getting the monitor's EDID information. This is information that the monitor sends to the computer to tell it what resolutions are available. In some very rare instances, it's possible for the monitor to send *only* the highest resolution to the computer. You can see what resolutions are available on your external monitor by going to the Displays panel in System Preferences.
Unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure what can cause this EDID problem. The reason I suggested that you detach the external monitor is that I encountered this issue just last night on my Mac Pro, when doing some testing with a new Radeon 3870. When I first hooked up the card, only the highest resolution was available and I had a similar problem with another game. Since I had installed the hardware first before the software, I then went to install the drivers, which suggested that I do a firmware update too. After doing both, all the available resolutions showed through.
In the past, I've seen similar EDID issues caused by different kinds of switchboxes.
One thing that might help to avoid these kinds of problems is to use a digital connection to an external monitor, rather than going through a VGA adapter.
-Gav
--
Gavriel State
Founder & CTO
TransGaming Inc.
Hey, I am having the same error. I just disconnected my second monitor and it is still giving me the same error. I am running a 22" monitor connected through VGA. The one I disconnected was a 17" monitor connected through VGA to DVI.
I know you will probably say I am out of luck, but I am running on a hackintosh with a 7200 GS card. Both monitors show 800x600 available, so I don't know what the issue could be.
EDIT: I tried a different game and it didn't work either. I have never tried to play a game on this system before, so I don't know what's up, but I suspect it may have something to do with the dual monitors.