Dark Avatar crashes randomly Windows Vista Home Premium 64 Bit

Have you tried different resolutions and settings? Do they all crash? Its definitely the video card given that error file. It's messing up on the double buffering of the frame buffers - which is strange.

I'm getting a computer very similiar to yours in a few weeks with vista-64bit, I hope theres an answer to this

I tried to lower the resolution but as soon as I did it crashed again. I'm running in SLI mode using 8800GT cards at the full 2560x1600 resolution. I've also tried turning off SLI but no luck.

I wonder if there is a way to change the resolution by altering an xml or text file?

I had this same question a week ago or so and Kyro gave me this



You'll have to find the file in Vista - but yah, look for a prefs.ini

I have the exact same problem since I've upgraded to Vista Service Pack 1. Both 'DisplayWidth' and 'DisplayHeight' are already set to my desktop size in my prefs.ini file. I'm using a dual 8800M GTX in SLI mode which is similar to what the OP is using. mjolnier, I see that you also have SP1 installed, did the game used to run before you installed SP1?

I have the latest drivers provided by Dell.

Here's a copy of my debug.err file in case it helps.

Debug Message: Version v1.80g Dark Avatar last updated on: Wed Dec 19 15:10:23 2007
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 4/3/2008, 20:56:01
DirectX Version: DirectX 10
Machine Name: LEIA
Operating System: Windows Vista™ Home Premium (6.0, Build 6001) Service Pack 1 (6001.longhorn_rtm.080118-1840)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: MXG071
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A06
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU T9300 @ 2.50GHz (2 CPUs), ~2.5GHz
Physical Memory: 3262MB RAM
Page File: 1339MB used, 5378MB available
Windows Dir: C:\Windows


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: NVxx
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_060C&SUBSYS_019C1028&REV_A2
Display Memory: 1870 MB
Current Display Mode: 1920 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Generic PnP Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution:
Driver Name: nvd3dum.dll,nvwgf2um.dll
Driver Version: 7.15.0011.6755
Driver Date: 1/10/2008 05:54:26
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Speakers / Headphones (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)
Default Sound Playback
Default Voice Playback
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8384&DEV_7616&SUBSYS_102801F7&REV_1002
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: stwrt.sys
Provider: SigmaTel
Driver Version: 6.10.5614.0000
Driver Date: 1/1/2008 23:44:40
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 1
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:
Description: Digital Output Device (SPDIF Out) (SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC)
Default Sound Playback
Default Voice Playback
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_8384&DEV_7616&SUBSYS_102801F7&REV_1002
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: stwrt.sys
Provider: SigmaTel
Driver Version: 6.10.5614.0000
Driver Date: 1/1/2008 23:44:40
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 1
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_8_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Attempting to create D3DDevice at resolution 1920 x 1200, Windowed: 0, Multisample: 8
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1920 x 1200
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTX
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 da7a64
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:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\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: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Users\Stéphane\Documents\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: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_MoreDetails_FText
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_Details_FormattedText
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Title
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Spinner_Back
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Title
Debug Error: CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry
Debug Error: CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_Avalible_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry
Debug Message: WARNING: GetShipStylePrefix called for civ and civ has no ship style
Debug Message: LoadHardpointsFromPrefsFile failed to load ship config file: ./Data/ShipCfg/\(null)_ColonyShip.shipcfg
Debug Message: Creating 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 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: Star Frequency: 4 Max Num Stars: 65
Debug Message: Planet Frequency: 4 Max Num Planets: 260
Debug Message: Galaxy Size Set: 5 x 5
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Star Density: Tight Clusters.
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 31.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Total planets placed: 65
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 291
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Distributing bonuses on planets...
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Asteroid Fields
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Dominion of Korx: Intellence -> 80
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 80
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 80
Debug Message: Error flipping back buffer to primary buffer.
Debug Message: D3DERR_DEVICELOST

Nope, nothing seems to help. I've tried to play the game in every resolution, in and out of a window. It usually is fine in the opening screen but as soon as I load a file or start a new game it crashes withing a minute. I'm feeling stuck here.

In answer to your question it ran longer before crashing before SP1. Now it won't really run at all.

Here are my hardware specs if that helps at all...

Mainboard : XFX XFX Nforce 680i LT
Chipset : nVidia nForce 680i SLI SPP
Processor : Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2400 MHz
Physical Memory : 4096 MB (2 x 2048 DDR2-SDRAM )
Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 8800 GT
Hard Disk : WD (500 GB)
Hard Disk : WDC (250 GB)
Hard Disk : WDC (250 GB)
Hard Disk : WD (250 GB)
DVD-Rom Drive : TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203N SCSI CdRom Device
DVD-Rom Drive : TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S203N SCSI CdRom Device
Monitor Type : Dell Computer DELL3007WFPHC - 30 inches
Operating System : Windows (TM) Vista Home Premium Home Edition 6.00.6001 Service Pack 1
DirectX : Version 10.00

It's nVidia's drivers. They initially fixed the buffering issue in 101.41, but it since reappeared with G84-G92 cards in newer drivers. Some users have reported that turning off certain graphic features in the game's options helps. There is also a new 174 beta driver out that has fixed a similar issue with Sins which might help.

Thanks kryo!!!

I can confirm that with the 174.74 drivers, the problem is gone for me.

No, I'm still having the same problems. I also tried using the Portal game that uses the Stream engine, crashes right away as well. I even tried going into SLI mode, now the game won't even start.

Also sometimes I get a "Fatal Error - Invalid Call", not sure what that's about.