Secret Maryo Chrinicles

[Max2009]

I am using Mandriva 2008.1 KDE 3.5.
I downloaded and installed Secret Maryo Chronicles (SMC) a Super Mario clone (yes, I am a hopeless nostalgic).
Anyway, it doesn't run too well. The sound plays fine, but the video is W A Y T O O S L O W.
I move the mouse, count to five, and the cursor moves on the screen.
So, what gives?
Here is the site for the game: Secret Maryo Chronicles - News
Please give simple answers, I'm still a noob.
Thanks.

[techieMoe]

I notice on the site it mentions that the game uses OpenGL rendering. Have you installed 3D drivers for your video hardware yet? That might be your problem.

[Max2009]

How do I check that?

[techieMoe]

You can open a terminal window and type glxgears. The program will launch some gears in a window and print out your frames per second. Report those numbers back here. Do you know what kind of video card you have?

[Max2009]

My video card is the onboard Intel card:
Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller

Here is the FPS output:

4764 frames in 5.0 seconds = 952.748 FPS
4813 frames in 5.0 seconds = 962.418 FPS
4630 frames in 5.0 seconds = 925.963 FPS
4805 frames in 5.0 seconds = 960.822 FPS
4795 frames in 5.0 seconds = 958.888 FPS
4773 frames in 5.0 seconds = 954.467 FPS
4782 frames in 5.0 seconds = 956.286 FPS
4786 frames in 5.0 seconds = 957.116 FPS
4784 frames in 5.0 seconds = 956.777 FPS
5209 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1041.600 FPS
4981 frames in 5.0 seconds = 996.195 FPS
5532 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1106.308 FPS
6210 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1241.804 FPS
5063 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1012.490 FPS
5014 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1002.668 FPS
10858 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2171.475 FPS
17228 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3445.494 FPS
16337 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3267.326 FPS
15538 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3107.492 FPS

I was spacing out watching the gears, and had enough so I killed it eventually. Is it supposed to end automatically?

[techieMoe]

My video card is the onboard Intel card:
Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller

Here is the FPS output:

4764 frames in 5.0 seconds = 952.748 FPS
4813 frames in 5.0 seconds = 962.418 FPS
4630 frames in 5.0 seconds = 925.963 FPS
4805 frames in 5.0 seconds = 960.822 FPS
4795 frames in 5.0 seconds = 958.888 FPS
4773 frames in 5.0 seconds = 954.467 FPS
4782 frames in 5.0 seconds = 956.286 FPS
4786 frames in 5.0 seconds = 957.116 FPS
4784 frames in 5.0 seconds = 956.777 FPS
5209 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1041.600 FPS
4981 frames in 5.0 seconds = 996.195 FPS
5532 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1106.308 FPS
6210 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1241.804 FPS
5063 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1012.490 FPS
5014 frames in 5.0 seconds = 1002.668 FPS
10858 frames in 5.0 seconds = 2171.475 FPS
17228 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3445.494 FPS
16337 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3267.326 FPS
15538 frames in 5.0 seconds = 3107.492 FPS

I was spacing out watching the gears, and had enough so I killed it eventually. Is it supposed to end automatically?

No, you have to kill it. Probably should have mentioned that. Those are pretty reasonable framerates for an onboard video controller, but you might try and install Intel's drivers anyway.

Intel Linux Graphics: Downloads

There may be an easier way to do this. I've never installed drivers for an Intel chip before.

[Max2009]

I already have the Intel driver installed, and I have Mesa 7.0.2.
<edit> I think I have the Intel driver installed. In the MCC under Hardware it tells me that the X server I am using is "Intel 810 or later". And that is where I got the information on the card from the previous post.

[techieMoe]

I already have the Intel driver installed, and I have Mesa 7.0.2.
<edit> I think I have the Intel driver installed. In the MCC under Hardware it tells me that the X server I am using is "Intel 810 or later". And that is where I got the information on the card from the previous post.

Is there a command-line argument you can send SMC to tell it *not* to use OpenGL? The website says it also uses SDL, and for a 2-dimensional side-scrolling game there should be a non-3D-rendering option.

[Max2009]

Is there a command-line argument you can send SMC to tell it *not* to use OpenGL? The website says it also uses SDL, and for a 2-dimensional side-scrolling game there should be a non-3D-rendering option.

I couldn't find such a command, although I did find an option to debug the game performance. I ran that and the game started, but with all kinds of information around the screen. The game still ran as slow as ever, but there was an FPS counter on the top. It was running at 6 fps.
Also, when I started the game I got this:

Warning : OpenGL Version 1.300000 below optimal version 1.4 and higher

And when I ended it it printed:

Last known SDL Error : OpenGL attribute is unsupported on this system

Does any of that help?
If I need to install a newer version of OpenGL, which one? On the package manager there are a lot...

[techieMoe]

If I need to install a newer version of OpenGL, which one? On the package manager there are a lot...

I don't ever install OpenGL myself; I just use whatever version the driver for my card uses. If you're using Mesa there's a chance 3D acceleration isn't working on your Intel card at all right now. They do support it, but I can't really troubleshoot with you since I've never worked with them.