EDIT: found the problem. my custom race was still set to use the techtree i'd deleted. TA works now.
i setup the game, the loading screen comes up, then a minute or 2 later, the desktop appears. so i haven't gotten to play twilight, but GCII and DA work fine. did the same thing without mods on too. debug.err:
Debug Message: Version v1.96 Twilight of the Arnor last updated on: Tue Jun 24 17:37:47 2008
Debug Message: Could not query reg key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE\Stardock\ComponentManager\Drengin.net value named Serial No
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 7/10/2008, 10:58:56
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: MARY
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_qfe.070227-2300)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: Dell DE051
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A01
Processor: Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.53GHz
Physical Memory: 1278MB RAM
Page File: 347MB used, 2463MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: Intel(R) 82865G Graphics Controller
Manufacturer: Intel Corporation
Chip Type: Intel(R) 82865G Graphics Controller
DAC Type: Internal
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2572&SUBSYS_01D51028&REV_02
Display Memory: 96.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ialmrnt5.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.4396
Driver Date: 9/20/2005 09:52:38
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes
Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24D5&SUBSYS_01D51028&REV_02
Manufacturer ID: 65535
Product ID: 65535
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Provider: Analog Devices
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.7000
Driver Date: 3/22/2005 18:08:40
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Sound device 1:
Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID:
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 81
Driver Name:
Provider:
Driver Version:
Driver Date:
Type: Emulated
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Failed to find a device that can start with hardware vp mode. Trying sw vp.
Debug Message: Using software vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Attempting to create D3DDevice at resolution 1024 x 768, Windowed: 0, Multisample: 0
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): Intel(R) 82865G Graphics Controller
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 60
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\./Data/ShipTemplates/\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\shiptemplates\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Could not open reg key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWARE\Stardock\ObjectDesktop\DesktopX
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar\Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Tutorials\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\Event Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/*.xml
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2./Data/English/\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar\Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar/gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\./Data/ShipTemplates/\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Nanny\My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor\shiptemplates\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message: TitleWnd: Quit Button.
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing asteroid fields.
Debug Message: Killing asteroid field mining bases.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing ascension crystals.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: Shutting down sound system.
Debug Message: Clearing sound and music handles.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally