Allright, here´s my story.
I bought GC2 (digital copy) via stardock a few days back after plying it at a friends house where I got hooked instantly. I installed the game and started playing. At random points however, the picture got sort of smeared sideways like I was seeing double and the computer locked up completely and i pretty much had to pull the plug on the poor ol´ thing. Over and over again... I figured it was caused by my old & cluttered system so I sucked it up and formatted my system drive and reinstalled windows clean. It was about time anyway. I installed nothing but network-, chipset-, sound-, monitor and graphics drivers along with virus protection and firewall. Next, a fresh install of GC2 directly via stardock (with heightmaps, videos, music and the bonus pack). I start the game with great expectations and... Down she goes again! Same total lockup. If this was a free game I wouldn´t whine but c´mon, I paid my 20 bucks and I wanna play the game!
After some forum snooping i tried disabling the autosave function and that, for some reason, got the game running like a dream. Happy with overcoming the bug (even though by giving up a pretty basal function) and conquering a few galaxies I decided to get the expansion as well, now that I had everything working smoothly.
Another 30 bucks vanished from my credit card while Dark Avatar installed via stardock. I set up a new game in an enormous galaxy and got maybe a 100 turns into the game before it, once again, killed my computer. Instead of throwing the computer out the window I settled for cursing stardock and all it´s affiliates and restarted the game. 2 turns pass, system locks up.
What the F***?!
I wouldn´t go through all this hassle if I didn´t really liked the game so PLEASE fix it! Otherwise I want my money back, this is getting ridiculous...
Here´s the debug.err
Debug Message: Version v1.61 Dark Avatar last updated on: Wed Jun 13 14:10:36 2007
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/28/2007, 16:45:49
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: MONKEY-8F007B92
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158)
Languages: Swedish (Regional Setting: Swedish)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System name
BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.0GHz
Physical Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 222MB used, 2237MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7950 GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0295&SUBSYS_2A68107D&REV_A1
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: LG L1932P(Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9424
Driver Date: 4/19/2007 13:26:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes
Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB X-Fi Audio [8000]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0005&SUBSYS_00311102&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1186
Driver Date: 5/24/2006 05:41:04
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_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1280 x 1024
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7950 GT
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: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\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: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=0
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding FullscreenBink
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
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: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=1
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Dark Avatar\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Metaverse\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\SandboxGames\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Story Logs\*.sav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Apa\Mina dokument\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\temp\*.sav
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 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: Loading Custom Map
Debug Message: Loading Data Defs
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: Loading TechDefs
Debug Message: Max num techs: 273
Debug Message: Loading ImprovementDB
Debug Message: Loading Component Defs
Debug Message: Loading ShipTypes
Debug Message: Loading ShipTemplates
Debug Message: Loading ParsedHardpoints
Debug Message: Loading AnomalyTypes
Debug Message: Loading RandomEvents
Debug Message: Loading UPIssues
Debug Message: Loading ResourceTypes
Debug Message: Loading InvasionTactics
Debug Message: Loading SBmodules
Debug Message: Loading PoliticalParties
Debug Message: Loading Planet Types
Debug Message: Loading Star Types
Debug Message: Loading AFMBModules
Debug Message: Loading ShipStyles
Debug Message: Loading Game
Debug Message: Loading: Game mode is normal.
Debug Message: Loading Galaxy
Debug Message: Sectors across: 18 x 18
Debug Message: Loading FOW Map
Debug Message: Loading ZOC Map
Debug Message: Loading Planets
Debug Message: Loading Stars
Debug Message: Loading Anomalies
Debug Message: Loading Resources
Debug Message: Loading AsteroidFields
Debug Message: Loading AFMiningBases
Debug Message: Loading Civs
Debug Message: Loading Colonies
Debug Message: Loading RallyPoints
Debug Message: Loading Ships
Debug Message: Loading Fleets
Debug Message: Loading Turn Event Log
Debug Message: Loading Treaties
Debug Message: Loading ENDGALAXYDATA
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=20
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding QuarterlyWnd
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=16
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 2
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding ResearchWnd
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 9
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=34
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding GNNWnd
Debug Message: Year: 2227. Torian Confederation traded General Life Support to the Thalan Empire in exchange for Universal Translator
Debug Message: Eval
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 4
Debug Message: ForeignRelationsWnd: Cannot find OBJID Foreign_Relations_Destabilize_Slider
Debug Message: ForeignRelationsWnd: Cannot find OBJID Foreign_Relations_Destabilize_Scale
Debug Message: ForeignRelationsWnd: Cannot find OBJID Foreign_Relations_Destabilize_Title
Debug Message: ForeignRelationsWnd: Cannot find OBJID Foreign_Relations_Destabilize_Value
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=7
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding TradeWnd
