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Author Topic:   Game won't start!!!

MltsFalcon posted 03-24-99 12:23 AM ET
Hi, guys. I'm running on a PII 233, Soundblaster AWE, CL5465a AGP video card. I installed the game, tried to play, and my computer locked up. I tried a few of the things I've seen on this forum (changing monitor to 800x600, 256 colors, restoring audio drivers, updating my video card driver to version 1.71a), and nothing's worked. When I try and start the game, I see the Firaxis splash screen, then my monitor sounds like it switches resolutions, then my computer locks up on a black screen and I have to reboot. Is there anything that can be done, or will I have to buy a new video card just to play the game? Any help at all, please.....
Thanks
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS posted 03-24-99 01:14 PM ET
It's choking on the intro video. If you have the US version, you can download patch v3.0 and disable the intro movie in the alpha centauri.ini file, but it will occur with every in-game movie. I'd start by downloading DX 6.1 from www.microsoft.com/directx. If that doesn't solve it, run DXDiag.exe and see what it thinks of your card.
jkm
firaxis games
Flash posted 03-24-99 01:23 PM ET
Me too. I tried all that stuff they've suggested here. None of it works. I'm just about to return it. I've got one more week before I won't be able to return it. If I don't get it running by then, I'll just send it back. Oh well.
TheUnforgiven posted 03-24-99 01:34 PM ET
Will the movies play separate from the game?
Go into the \video folder off of AC's directory in a DOS prompt and type the name of the only executible (I really wish I was at my computer right now, I'd be able to tell you exactly what to type in), followed by the name of one of the videos (with the extension).
If your computer still locks up, then it's probably a video card problem (either setup or the card itself).
I'll try to post another reply later today with the exact command you would have to type.
-- TheUnforgiven
[email protected]
Flash posted 03-24-99 04:07 PM ET
It's called playuv15.exe. You can drag movie files onto it. In my system they play fine, but the game still won't start.
DX6.1 all certified including sound.
64MB
1gig free disk space
pentium 266 w/MMX
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS posted 03-24-99 04:15 PM ET
Try setting directdraw=0 in the alpha centauri.ini file. If you've installed DX 6.1, it's probably not the sound card, but rename the sound.dll to sound.dl_ just to be sure.
jkm
firaxis games
Flash posted 03-24-99 05:06 PM ET
I'm going to sound a bit peeved here...
Can you quit dispensing the same advice over and over. I've tried all that stuff and none of it works. I've read every other post here relating to "can't start... blah blah blah..."
Please come up with something new. I'm quite sure there is something wrong with your software. Do you have mostly amature programmers? And do they keep saying things like, "It works here, so it must be his configuration?" This is a sure sign of an amature.
Profesionals know that their software should just work.
Good luck.
Flash
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS posted 03-24-99 10:15 PM ET
Uh..okay. Perhaps you should contact the official technical support listed in the back of your install guide for some "new" answers. Good luck.
jkm
firaxis games
Flash posted 03-25-99 12:01 AM ET
I apologize for ranting, but I really was serious. Sometimes programmers don't really think they can make mistakes.
Anyway, as I stated before I tried everything that has been suggested and the game still doesn't work. Are we going to try to fix it?
MltsFalcon posted 03-25-99 12:59 AM ET
Okay guys, I think I figured it out, however... I'm not sure I like it. I downloaded DirectX 6.1 and it did no good at all. But running the DxDiag program leads me to believe that the fault doesn't lie with Firaxis, but with Microsoft. When I tested Direct Draw or Direct 3D my computer shut down. That leads me to believe that Microsoft didn't provide as much support for the 'stock' video chipsets in 6.0 or 6.1. Now it could also be that the drivers for my video card can't handle the code of Direct x 6.1... On this I'm not sure, but if I disable Direct Draw in the DxDiag program, the game seems to run perfect. Movies, sounds, everything. Unfortunately, I don't know if I'm seeing a lower graphics output with Direct Draw/3D disabled. Probably so, but until someone puts out better drivers or I get that STB Velocity TNT, I gotta play like this. Just for the record, don't be so quick to blame the developers for driver problems. I don't think the blame lays with them on this, though I could be mistaken. My only question is, why couldn't they have used DirectX 5.0? I never had any problems running that software. Well, thanks for the input Jeff and everyone else. I'll keep checking for new info...
Flash posted 03-25-99 01:03 AM ET
I've also tried the disable directdraw/d3d, but it didn't work for me. Have fun with the game.
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Author	Topic: Game won't start!!!
MltsFalcon	posted 03-24-99 12:23 AM ET Hi, guys. I'm running on a PII 233, Soundblaster AWE, CL5465a AGP video card. I installed the game, tried to play, and my computer locked up. I tried a few of the things I've seen on this forum (changing monitor to 800x600, 256 colors, restoring audio drivers, updating my video card driver to version 1.71a), and nothing's worked. When I try and start the game, I see the Firaxis splash screen, then my monitor sounds like it switches resolutions, then my computer locks up on a black screen and I have to reboot. Is there anything that can be done, or will I have to buy a new video card just to play the game? Any help at all, please..... Thanks
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS	posted 03-24-99 01:14 PM ET It's choking on the intro video. If you have the US version, you can download patch v3.0 and disable the intro movie in the alpha centauri.ini file, but it will occur with every in-game movie. I'd start by downloading DX 6.1 from www.microsoft.com/directx. If that doesn't solve it, run DXDiag.exe and see what it thinks of your card. jkm firaxis games
Flash	posted 03-24-99 01:23 PM ET Me too. I tried all that stuff they've suggested here. None of it works. I'm just about to return it. I've got one more week before I won't be able to return it. If I don't get it running by then, I'll just send it back. Oh well.
TheUnforgiven	posted 03-24-99 01:34 PM ET Will the movies play separate from the game? Go into the \video folder off of AC's directory in a DOS prompt and type the name of the only executible (I really wish I was at my computer right now, I'd be able to tell you exactly what to type in), followed by the name of one of the videos (with the extension). If your computer still locks up, then it's probably a video card problem (either setup or the card itself). I'll try to post another reply later today with the exact command you would have to type. -- TheUnforgiven [email protected]
Flash	posted 03-24-99 04:07 PM ET It's called playuv15.exe. You can drag movie files onto it. In my system they play fine, but the game still won't start. DX6.1 all certified including sound. 64MB 1gig free disk space pentium 266 w/MMX
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS	posted 03-24-99 04:15 PM ET Try setting directdraw=0 in the alpha centauri.ini file. If you've installed DX 6.1, it's probably not the sound card, but rename the sound.dll to sound.dl_ just to be sure. jkm firaxis games
Flash	posted 03-24-99 05:06 PM ET I'm going to sound a bit peeved here... Can you quit dispensing the same advice over and over. I've tried all that stuff and none of it works. I've read every other post here relating to "can't start... blah blah blah..." Please come up with something new. I'm quite sure there is something wrong with your software. Do you have mostly amature programmers? And do they keep saying things like, "It works here, so it must be his configuration?" This is a sure sign of an amature. Profesionals know that their software should just work. Good luck. Flash
Jeffrey Morris FIRAXIS	posted 03-24-99 10:15 PM ET Uh..okay. Perhaps you should contact the official technical support listed in the back of your install guide for some "new" answers. Good luck. jkm firaxis games
Flash	posted 03-25-99 12:01 AM ET I apologize for ranting, but I really was serious. Sometimes programmers don't really think they can make mistakes. Anyway, as I stated before I tried everything that has been suggested and the game still doesn't work. Are we going to try to fix it?
MltsFalcon	posted 03-25-99 12:59 AM ET Okay guys, I think I figured it out, however... I'm not sure I like it. I downloaded DirectX 6.1 and it did no good at all. But running the DxDiag program leads me to believe that the fault doesn't lie with Firaxis, but with Microsoft. When I tested Direct Draw or Direct 3D my computer shut down. That leads me to believe that Microsoft didn't provide as much support for the 'stock' video chipsets in 6.0 or 6.1. Now it could also be that the drivers for my video card can't handle the code of Direct x 6.1... On this I'm not sure, but if I disable Direct Draw in the DxDiag program, the game seems to run perfect. Movies, sounds, everything. Unfortunately, I don't know if I'm seeing a lower graphics output with Direct Draw/3D disabled. Probably so, but until someone puts out better drivers or I get that STB Velocity TNT, I gotta play like this. Just for the record, don't be so quick to blame the developers for driver problems. I don't think the blame lays with them on this, though I could be mistaken. My only question is, why couldn't they have used DirectX 5.0? I never had any problems running that software. Well, thanks for the input Jeff and everyone else. I'll keep checking for new info...
Flash	posted 03-25-99 01:03 AM ET I've also tried the disable directdraw/d3d, but it didn't work for me. Have fun with the game.