GalCiv II does not work with Apple Boot Camp?

GalCiv II-DO freezes with a black screen on start up on my MacBook Pro.
I am running XP on the latest Boot Camp beta and never had problems with any of my other games. I have reinstalled GalCiv II twice without luck.

Does anybody else run the game on Boot Camp?
6,407 views 7 replies
Reply #1 Top
Please go to C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2 (or wherever you installed the game at), open the debug.err file you find there in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. If this is a DA report, you'll find the debug in C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar instead. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem.

Be sure to copy the debug immediately after the error occurs; if you start the game again, the debug will be erased and recreated for the new session.

Note: If running on Vista with DA 1.6b2 or later, the debug.err is now located in My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar.
Reply #2 Top
kryo, thank you for looking into my problem.
I should have thought of searching for the error log and posting it in the first place.
My guess is, it is a video setting problem.


Debug Message: Version v1.6 Dark Avatar last updated on: Wed Jun 6 08:51:50 2007
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/15/2007, 08:02:47
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: ######
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Apple Computer, Inc.
System Model: MacBookPro2,2
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU T7600 @ 2.33GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 2032MB RAM
Page File: 275MB used, 3649MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 (0x71C5)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_71C5&SUBSYS_0080106B&REV_00
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6606
Driver Date: 3/21/2007 19:12:30
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SigmaTel Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8384&DEV_7680&SUBSYS_106B1E00&REV_1034
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: sthda.sys
Provider: SigmaTel
Driver Version: 5.10.5185.0000
Driver Date: 3/21/2007 19:13:51
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 hardware vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using hardware vertex processing
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: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Reply #3 Top
I don't run on Boot Camp, but...

Try editing the Prefs.ini file to make the game match your desktop resolution.

The lines you should be looking for are: (and yours should be as followes)
[Video]
DisplayWidth=1440
DisplayHeight=900
ColorDepth=32
Fullscreen=1
HardwareMouseCursor=1

And it would be a good idea, also, to install the correct monitor driver for your particular monitor. Now, it is set to a 'default monitor', which may not handle your widescreen res so well. It usually can be found on the CD that came with the monitor/computer.
Reply #4 Top

Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit

Obviously, there is a problem with your video settings since GC2 requires to run in 32 bit mode for graphic.

Reply #5 Top
I am running GalCiv II on a MacBook Pro with the ATI driver supplied by Apple.
The laptop display is set to 1400*1050 at 32 bit.
There are about 5 "Default Monitor" settings to choose from.

The following games work without a hitch even set to high quality (including 32 bit when available): Fallout 1 & 2, Homeworld (not HW2 though), Civ4, Oblivion, Titan Quest, and Supreme Commander. I guess I am dating myself

Here are my Prefs.ini video settings.

[Video]
DisplayWidth=1400
DisplayHeight=1050
ColorDepth=32
Fullscreen=1
HardwareMouseCursor=0
Multisample=0
Brightness=50
Contrast=50
AmbientLight=25
SpecularIntensity=100
GfxForceTnL=0
GfxForceNoTexShips=0
GfxForceNoTexPlanets=0
GfxForceNoTexAnomalies=0
GfxForceNoTexResources=0
GfxForceNoTexStars=0
GfxForceNoTexDamage=0
GfxForceNoTexWeaponsDefenses=0
GfxForceNoTexRallyPoints=0
GfxForceNoBump=0
GfxForceNoPointSprites=0
GfxThrottleFrameRate=1
PlanetSurfaceVariety=100
Resolution=0
Reply #6 Top
The debug.err shows your desktop res at:
Current Display Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (60Hz)


And in your Prefs.ini you have it set for:

[Video]
DisplayWidth=1400
DisplayHeight=1050


The debug.err gets that info from the system, so it sounds like you are confused as to your desktops actual resolution. If you try to set the game higher than your actual desktop res or to a res that your monitor can't handle, you will have problems.
Reply #7 Top
That was it.
I set the prefs.ini video settings to 1440 x 900 and GalCiv II works now.
Thank you Moostek13, Peace Phoenix, and kyro.