Game no longer runs

just goes black

from GalCiv2 Forums
The game ran fun when I bought it. I havent played in awhile, and when I tried to play today I just get a black screen, it doesnt load at all. I have tried to reinstall but that didnt help either. I have the update installed as well.

Thanks for any help, Im jonesing hard to play again.

System specs
intel 2.8 ghz dual core
1gig ram
dx9.0c
nvidia geforece 6800 with 256 mb ram

The only thing I can think of is I upgraded my vid drivers and installed a new sound card to play oblivion, I also changed some of the vid card settings, but those were saved under a different configeration, and I set everything back to standard settings. Here is my debug file.

Debug Message: Version v1.0X.2 last updated on: Tue Mar 7 15:02:59 2006
Debug Message: Could not find a TGN Serial No.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 4/23/2006, 18:24:20
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: D5W4Z191
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp.050622-1524)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: Dell DXP051
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A02
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 373MB used, 2595MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 6800
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 6800
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_00C1&SUBSYS_024510DE&REV_A2
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.8425
Driver Date: 3/17/2006 10:31:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0007&SUBSYS_10061102&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: P17.sys
Provider: CREATIVE
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0512
Driver Date: 7/7/2005 17:14:30
Type: WDM
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: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
3,647 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

According to your debug.err, you're trying to run the game at a resolution higher than your monitor supports.

Go to \my documents\my games\galciv2 and del prefs.ini

 

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
thanks, that worked. I am still puzzled though as 1680 X 1050 is what I ran it on before, it is also what my desktop is set at, and it is the optimum res for my monitor according to the manufacturer.
Sins of a Solar Empire II
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I really can't say.  But you can see that your video card is reporting that 1600x1200 is at high as it goes. Something changed on the hardware end (driver to something). 
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Come to think of it, when I upgraded my drivers I had to make a custom resolution to get it up to 1680 x 1050 for my desktop. but I know for a fact that is the resolution designed for this monitor.

Anyway thanks a lot for the help. Ill just run the game at a lower res.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
By the way I think that is the first time I have ever had a developer of a game give an answer in a tech support forum. And it was given in under an hour.

You guys rock!
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You tried running it in windowed mode?

I'm seeing this problem a lot - (similar to the problem I had on my DAW - the monitor on that is a Sony/SGI GDM5011P, which I know can run at 1920x1440@72hz - but the DDC info on it is limited to 1280x1024 - so it can involve some mucking around sometimes to get stuff to work at higher resolutions. The game seemed to be using the DDC info for the monitor since it would never display anything above 1280x1024 in the prefs screen, and if I altrered the prefs.ini file - it still wouldn't work. (I was trying to get it to run at 1600x1200, the same as the desktop at the time). However, then I thought of sticking it in windowed mode, and sure enough it worked fine both at 1600x1200 and 1920x1440 if it matched the desktop - and it still looks like full screen too

So try that...