Gal Civ II crashing and errors in "New Game" setup

I have had Gal Civ II: Gold Edition for a long time now. I have played many times before, but a few months ago, I grew bored of the game. I stopped playing for awhile. When I decided to start playing again, one week ago, I started the game normally. When I went to start a new game, I reliazed that some buttons such as "accept" and "next" were missing. They were there, only there was no box around them, making it extremely difficult to see it without actually pressing your face againest the screen. When I moved on to select my race, the Arceans had no portrait. I also found that in your party select screen, the left half of the screen was blacked out. Actully, it was "redded" out. There was a translucent red box on the left half of the screen. Finally, when I select the other races to be in the the game with me and hit "next", my game crashes.

 

Are there any patches for these problems? Is it my computer? Whats wrong?

10,688 views 9 replies
Reply #1 Top
You might try uninstalling and reinstalling the game.
It sounds like you may have some corrupt files.
Reply #2 Top
I concur. It sounds a lot like game files corruption.

That, or the Arceans are invading your computer O_0
Reply #3 Top
Didn't work, I'll talk to Tech Support later. Before that, any other ideas to what the problem might be?
Reply #4 Top
Ehm, shooting in the wild: outdated drivers? Overheating graphics card? Does anything similar happen in other games? Garbled graphics?
Reply #5 Top
Please open your debug.err file in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem. The location you'll find the debug.err in varies depending on your game version:

Dread Lords, all versions:
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2

Dark Avatar 1.5-1.6 (non-Vista):
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar

Dark Avatar 1.6+(Windows Vista), 1.7+(non-Vista):
My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar

Twilight of the Arnor:
My Documents\My Games\GC2TwilightArnor

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.
Reply #6 Top
Debug Message: Version v1.5 Dark Avatar last updated on: Mon Jan 15 15:09:22 2007

Debug Message: Checking DX Version.

Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********

System Info

Time: 5/6/2008, 17:33:55

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Machine Name: Owner

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)

Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: HP Pavilion 061

System Model: D7219P-ABA A250Y

BIOS: BIOS Date: 06/27/03 20:48:31 Ver: 08.00.08

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.60GHz (2 CPUs)

Physical Memory: 512MB RAM

Page File: 429MB used, 820MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS





Display Info

Display device 1:

Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1

Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip Type: GeForce FX 5200

DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC

Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0322&SUBSYS_02FB1043&REV_A1

Display Memory: 128.0 MB

Current Display Mode: 640 x 480 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor Name: Default Monitor

Monitor Max Resolution:

Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0001.4303

Driver Date: 3/3/2003 10:44:00

DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes







Sound info

Sound device 1:

Description: Realtek AC97 Audio

Default Sound Playback: Yes

Default Voice Playback: Yes

Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24D5&SUBSYS_80951043&REV_02

Manufacturer ID: 65535

Product ID: 65535

Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS

Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.

Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5730

Driver Date: 10/1/2004 09:24:02

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: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
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 9afa87b0
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 Gfx\Tutorials\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Owner\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
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\Owner\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2Gfx\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: 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: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_MoreDetails_FText
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_Details_FormattedText
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/CustomMaps/*.gc2mapDarkAvatar/Data/CustomMaps/*.gc2map
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 faled 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: Galaxy Size Set: 12 x 12
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 69.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 300
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Killing hidden planet surface init thread. Waiting for it to die.
Debug Message: Aborting hidden planet surface initialization.
Debug Message: Hidden planet surface init thread dead.
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: Galaxy Size Set: 3 x 3
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 12.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 82
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Asteroid Fields
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Altarian Resistance: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Thalan Empire: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Dominion of Korx: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Distributing bonuses on planets...
Debug Message: Creating ships...
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled



I don't think that is the complete debug message, but it's all I got. I tried again and it was the same thing. Is it enough?

Reply #7 Top
One more question: if I buy the digital download of TA, will I be able to play it? The game looks pretty cool and I want to try it out.
Reply #8 Top
Driver Date: 3/3/2003 10:44:00
End of quote


Those drivers are practically fossilized! Run to nvidia.com immediately and get the latest ones. You can't really even *think* of running GC2 with drivers older than late 2005.