cogadh

Join Date 09/2008

Dread Lords CTD on launch - [solved]

I'm currently getting a perfectly consistent crash upon trying to launch a game. I have already done the basics - making sure drivers are up to date, update DirectX, uninstall/reinstall, modify settings, etc., but nothing makes a difference, it always crashes at exactly the same spot every time. No matter what options are chosen, upon attempting to launch a new scenario, the loading screen will appear with a blank tip screen and then crash. Also of note, the Tutorial button is grayed out in the game's main menu and the Campaign menu is empty (don't remember if it was always like that). I had previously been able to run the game with no problems whatsoever, but I recently had occasion to reformat/reinstall Windows and this issue appeared after installing the game on the refreshed OS. The only thing I did differently this time as compared to the past when game actually worked was I did install it in a non-default location, D:\Games\Stardock Games\GalCiv2 but I don't see how that might make a difference in the game launching. I have installed SmartException and sent off the info it produced to Stardock support, but that was three days ago and I haven't even received so much as a receipt confirmation (is that normal?).

Debug.err contents:

Debug Message: Version v1.53 last updated on: Tue Nov 4 11:55:35 2008

Debug Message: Checking DX Version.

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

System Info

Time: 9/3/2010, 16:59:04

DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)

Machine Name: MATRIX

Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636)

Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)

System Manufacturer: INTEL_

System Model: D865PERC

BIOS: BIOS Date: 04/07/05 20:49:56 Ver: 08.00.10

Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz (2 CPUs)

Physical Memory: 3070MB RAM

Page File: 276MB used, 4686MB available

Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

Display Info

Display device 1:

Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1

Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS

Manufacturer: NVIDIA

Chip Type: GeForce 7600 GS

DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC

Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_02E1&SUBSYS_06401462&REV_A2

Display Memory: 256.0 MB

Current Display Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)

Monitor Name: Acer X223W (Digital)

Monitor Max Resolution: 1680,1050

Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll

Driver Version: 6.14.0012.5896

Driver Date: 7/9/2010 18:38:00

DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes

Sound info

Sound device 1:

Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio

Default Sound Playback: Yes

Default Voice Playback: Yes

Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24D5&SUBSYS_E0038086&REV_02

Manufacturer ID: 65535

Product ID: 65535

Driver Name: smwdm.sys

Provider: Analog Devices

Driver Version: 5.12.0001.5240

Driver Date: 9/1/2004 12:18:40

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: 1680 x 1050

Debug Message: Running fullscreen.

Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GS

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: No string tables in ./Data//ToolTips.tips

Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 b25efe90

Debug Message: No string tables in ./Data//*.str

Debug Message: Initializing sound card.

Debug Message: initailizing bink

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: * Collectors Edition *

Debug Message: Set mouse.

Debug Message: Set update timer.

Debug Message: Clear data definitions.

Debug Message: No files found matching mask E:\cogadh's Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml

Debug Message: No files found matching mask E:\cogadh's Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg

Debug Message: Danger Will Robinson, no Stars!!!!

Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data//Tutorials/*.xml

Debug Message: No files found matching mask D:\Games\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map

Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data//Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario

Debug Message: No files found matching mask D:\Games\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario

Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data//Campaigns/*.gc2Campaign

Debug Message: No files found matching mask D:\Games\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map

Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data//Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario

Debug Message: No files found matching mask D:\Games\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario

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 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: 4 x 4

Debug Message: Creating Random Map

Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars

Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 7.

Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets

Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************

Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies

Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 42

Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources

Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done

Debug Message: Setting Game Options

Debug Message: Creating Civs

Debug Message: Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Altarian Republic: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Yor Collective: Intellence -> 30

Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done

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

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Debug Message: Danger Will Robinson, no Stars!!!!

Try this (or this one if you have 64-bit windows). Save the file and run it, agreeing to merge when prompted.

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I don't understand why, but that worked (simply specifying the language that the game was already using... I don't get it). Thank you very much.

EDIT - Ah, now I see. After comparing the debug from successfully launching the game to my original, it appears that the path to the game data was not set correctly. Previously, the "English" subdirectory was left blank. I am still curious as to how this could have happened, mostly in case this is something I can prevent from happening again, in the event I have to do another re-install in the future.

BTW - I noticed it had an interesting side effect: all the menu button text is now much larger. It's not too large or anything, but it is noticeable. Was that supposed to happen?

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I'd have to see just what you're seeing to really answer that.

The issue you were having is caused by the language key being present, but undefined. So the game is trying to load from Data\[blank folder name]\ rather than Data\English as it would if it were not present at all, or set to English.

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Didn't expect such a quick response, you ninja'd my edit

I'll re-create the original bug and try to get some comparison screen shots later on.

EDIT - Okay, here's the before (with the language key bug):

http://a.imageshack.us/img840/6559/gc2smfont.png

And here's the after (with the language key fixed):

http://a.imageshack.us/img29/5159/gc2lgfont.png

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