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Game quits shortly after launching and/or displays an error dialogue saying that the graphics card doesn't support a certain feature.
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Posted: 07 Mar, 2007
by: Nilsson J.
Updated: 07 Mar, 2008
by: Nilsson J.
Sceen goes black after launch and then immediately returns to the desktop or a dialogue appear: "Your graphics card does not have full vertex shader support!", "Your graphics card does not support enough texture units!" or "Your graphics card does not support vertex shaders!"

This can happen because:
1. You do not have a supported graphics card, see related articles for minimum requirements.

2. You need to update the drivers for your graphics card, even new graphics card need to have their drivers updated. Do not rely on the drivers that came with the card or the ones from  Windows Update to be the latest drivers. Visit your manufacturers website to be sure!

To update the drivers make sure you do it properly: Uninstall, restart the computer and then install the new drivers. This is required to make sure that all files are replaced.
Also read
document Video/graphics card manufactures
document Minimum Requirements for Penumbra: Overture
document Minimum Requirements for Penumbra: Black Plague
document Minimum Requirements for Penumbra: Requiem

Others in this Category
document I have a video card not mentioned at this support site, will it work?
document List of verified graphics/video cards
document How can I find out what graphics/video card I have?
» More articles


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Current News
Before looking at this support site please review the following information, it will save you some time!


PENUMBRA: REQUIEM

Requiem 1.0.1 Update
A small update to Requiem has been released, it will mainly improve performance in levels 03, 06 and 09. Get it here.

General Info
If you are having a problem, check the Penumbra: Black Plague articles as Requiem is an expansion for that game, if you do not find the answers you seek look at the Penumbra: Overture articles as that is the first part in the Penumbra series and has most articles with solutions.


PENUMBRA: BLACK PLAGUE
Rare crash bugs - Full version & Demo
In the original US & EU retail CD release there is a rare crash problem in Level 4, Level 13 & Level 16. On picking an object it could also crash with certain configurations & some users with ATI cards had severe graphical glitches. Please download this update to correct the problems.

Finding the right answer to a problem
As Penumbra: Black Plague is the sequel to Penumbra: Overture and also using the same engine, most of the technical problems you might have are covered in the Penumbra: Overture topics.


PENUMBRA: OVERTURE
Mac & Linux Update - Full version & Demo
The Mac & Linux ports of Penumbra: Overture has been updated to fix numerous bugs and adding optimisations. You can find the Mac update here and the Linux update here.


COMMON PROBLEMS
Question: The game is crashing when I try to run the game or shortly after the intro movie.
Answer: Make sure you meet the minimum requirements and that you have properly updated the drivers for your graphics card. Take note that the game requires ATI or NVIDIA graphics cards, any other graphics card might or might not work and it is not something we are trying to add support for.

Minimum Requirements(Overture)
OS: Windows 2000/XP
Processor: 1Ghz
Memory: 256MB
Video Card: Radeon 8500/GeForce 3(GeForce4MX not supported)

Question: The game crashes and displays a message about my graphics card not supporting shaders.
Answer: Same as above, make sure you meet the minimum requirements and that you have updated your drivers properly.

Question: The game crashes, I have latest drivers & meet minimum req.
Answer: Make sure you uninstall the driver first, then reboot and then install the new drivers. It could also be that the new drivers are causing problems, try downgrading to an older more reliable driver.

Question: This support site isn't helping me, what do I do?
Answer: Contact the publisher according to the instructions that came with the game. If you bought a digital download, contact the site where you purchased the game.


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Last Updated: 15th September 2008.