Am I, and hundreds of others, asking too much by trusting that a game that has been in the development for years will work on our computers? How about actually starting the game?
I have an AMD 3200 cpu, 1GB memory, 1TB+ hard drive storage on 5 drives, ATI 9800 and latest driver, Windows XP Professional service pack 2, Net 1.1, the DirectX 9.0c that was included with the game. All-in-all more than enough for meeting their minimum, and even recommended requirements!
At first I could not even get past the initial options screens without a crash, resulting in strange noises coming through my speakers from my soundcard. I then put graphics setting to low, and then I was able go past and click "Ok" on the last options screen, waiting for the map to build, holding my breath each try, only to be met with a black screen.
Ok I then went to the official website, saw the "Initialization Issues with ATI Graphics Card" link and followed their instructions, which by the way was NOT CORRECT for my computer!?! More specifically at one step 15) it tell you to "Accept and allow the DirectX installation to proceed.". But hey you incompetent morons, that part is NOT appearing since you in step 7) told me to install it back there!?! Geez!!! Anyways I then went to Windows Explorer and installed it manually AGAIN, just to be sure, and then proceeded with the Civ 4 Express installation, started the game, exited on the game error, installed the ATI drivers and rebooted. The game now crashes right after the last options screen, again with strange noises from the soundcard. Started the game again, set graphics settings to low, exited, restarted, same crash, same place!
Ok tried second part of their so called "fix" my freaking bootie. EXACTLY same thing! Same crash! Same place! Same strange noises! No more black map or whatever it was as I had the very first time I installed the game.
So that is Civilization 4? I can't even get past the options screens, not even speaking about seeing the game map. Completing a single turn is now a dream! And Civilization 4 is now a nightmare!
People don't buy this crap! And to my fellow naive suckers, who have been screwed in their butts by Firaxis: Let's all get together with a Class-Action suit! Seriously! Compensation for hours spent trying to get this piece of amateur crap to work, lost sleep, stress, heart problems, nerve pills, etc. Now it is time to teach these software companies, who cares not about their product, have no self esteem, that we are NOT taking their freaking buggy software anymore!!! Sure the intro video was nice, but the point is that I will only watch it once, and the time spend making it could have been spent testing the game on various machines and various graphic cards, including ATI!!! Speaking of which is there a poll somewhere as to how many people this works for, and how many it does not? Plus what graphic card they have?
The software developers and beta testers working at Firaxis are obviously incompetent people that should be ashamed of themselves!
Oh yeah to top it of, I got the French Tech Tree too, plus the colors on keyboard template, green and blue are so close to each other that unless you have the right light, it is hard to tell the difference.
I am soooo disappointed! Furious even, how can companies, not just Firaxis, with respect for themselves release such crap? Just incomprehensible! Let’s sue their butts!
By the way I love strategy games, and also bought the collectors edition of Age of Empires, which works fine!!!
As for the Civ 4 logs there are some here, and the rest in the next two posts, with the interesting part being this:
resmgr.log
RESMGR: Texture PlayerColor01.tga failed to load
RESMGR: Texture PlayerColor02.tga failed to load
My Civ 4 logs:
app.log
[208.750] CvApp::OnActivate
audio.log
[205.671] Audio Manager: Loading Audio Defines file XML\Audio\AudioDefines.xml...
[205.843] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded Audio Defines file XML\Audio\AudioDefines.xml.
[205.859] Audio Manager: Loading 2D Scripts file XML\Audio\Audio2DScripts.xml...
[206.093] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded 2D scripts file XML\Audio\Audio2DScripts.xml.
[206.109] Audio Manager: Loading 3D Scripts file XML\Audio\Audio3DScripts.xml...
[206.312] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded 3D scripts file XML\Audio\Audio3DScripts.xml.
[206.343] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded Soundscape scripts file XML\Audio\AudioSoundscapeScripts.xml.
[206.343] Audio Manager: Initializing
[206.343] Audio Manager: Attempting to initialize the audio system.
[206.343] Audio System: Initializing Miles Audio System...
[206.343] Audio System: redistribution directory: .\Miles\win32
[206.343] Audio System: Starting Miles.
[206.343] Audio System: Opening the sound driver.
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total HW Bytes: 0
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Max Contiguous Free HW Bytes: 0
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Static HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Streaming HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Static Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Streaming Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: SPEAKER CONFIG:
[206.359] Stereo
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing base audio system...
[206.359] Audio System: Calculating and distributing voices.
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: Total: 128
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: Streams: 10
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: 2D: 54
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: 3D: 64
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing 2D samples...
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized 2D samples.
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing 3D samples...
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized 3D samples.
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized base audio system.
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized Miles Audio System.
[206.359] AudioManager: Successfully initialized the audio system.
[206.359] AudioManager: Successfully initialized the audio manager.
init.log
[205.375] DBG: FILE Cat Init
[205.562] DBG: Using XML cache
[205.562] DBG: Game Init
[205.562] DBG: Multiplayer Init
[205.671] DBG: Audio Init
[206.359] DBG: ArtFileMgr Init
[206.375] DBG: Python Init
[208.453] VERSION: CIV Version: 0
[208.453] VERSION: Save Version: 100
[208.453] DBG: Input Init
[208.453] DBG: Engine Init
[209.437] DBG: Engine: Axis Engine Initialized
[209.437] DBG: Engine: Scene Graph Initialized
[209.531] DBG: Engine: Shaders Initialized
[209.546] DBG: Engine: Scene Lights Initialized
[209.546] DBG: Music Start
[209.562] DBG: Font Init
[209.625] DBG: Total Frame MS: 4491.0 FPS: 000 Min:000 Max:000 Avg:000 SampleFilter:10.000000
Time : Ave : Min% : Max% : Num : Profile Name
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
[209.625] DBG: Begin MenuManager
[245.656] DBG: Engine: Camera Initialized
[260.578] DBG: SyncRandSeed is 217325, MapRandSeed is 217325
initmgr.log
[242.796] CvInitMgr::GameCoreNew()
[259.265] InitMgr elapsed time = 15.84
[259.296] DBG: Total Frame MS: 15876.0 FPS: 000 Min:000 Max:000 Avg:000 SampleFilter:0.010000
Time : Ave : Min% : Max% : Num : Profile Name
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
[259.296] RELEASE build, World size=Standard
legacy.log shows hundreds of lines the same, then three lines different:
[Jason] Using old cut tree: Art/Terrain/Routes/Rivers/River00a.nif_clone
[Jason] Using old cut tree: Art/Terrain/Routes/Rivers/River00a.nif_clone
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
LSystem.log
Initial System for XML/Buildings/CIV4CityLSystem.xml:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nodes:
Emergency_Overflow: [w=0.5 h=0.5] [0 art, 1 prods]
Leaf_1x1: [w=1.0 h=1.0] [34 art, 0 prods]
Node_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
Node_3x1: [w=3.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Node_6x6: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 9 prods]
EONode: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Leaf_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [51 art, 0 prods]
Node_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_4x1: [w=4.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Leaf_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [36 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_3x1: [w=3.0 h=1.0] [4 art, 0 prods]
Node_16x16: [w=16.0 h=16.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_3x3: [w=3.0 h=3.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
CITY_ROOT: [w=16.0 h=16.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Leaf_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [20 art, 0 prods]
Node_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_5x6: [w=5.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_6x5: [w=6.0 h=5.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
BuildingsUsingCustomLayoutEngines: [w=1.0 h=1.0] [8 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_3x3: [w=3.0 h=3.0] [16 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [11 art, 0 prods]
Node_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_6x2: [w=6.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_8x8: [w=8.0 h=8.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Leaf_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [6 art, 0 prods]
Node_5x5: [w=5.0 h=5.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
Node_8x2: [w=8.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial System for XML/Buildings/CIV4PlotLSystem.xml:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nodes:
BLeaf_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [2 art, 0 prods]
GLeaf_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [4 art, 0 prods]
Node_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_6x6: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 9 prods]
GLeaf_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [4 art, 0 prods]
Node_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
PLOT_ROOT: [w=12.0 h=12.0] [0 art, 8 prods]
Water_Worked_4x4: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
BLeaf_1x1: [w=1.0 h=1.0] [30 art, 0 prods]
GLeaf_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [4 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_Water_Worked_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [1 art, 0 prods]
Node_12x12: [w=12.0 h=12.0] [0 art, 10 prods]
Node_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 7 prods]
BLeaf_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [50 art, 0 prods]
BLeaf_4x3: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [1 art, 0 prods]
GLeaf_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [4 art, 0 prods]
GNode_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Leaf_Farm_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [10 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_LandImprovement_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [11 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_Water_Improvement_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [2 art, 0 prods]
Node_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
BLeaf_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [36 art, 0 prods]
Farm_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.2] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Node_6x2: [w=6.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
BLeaf_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [37 art, 0 prods]
Leaf_Farm_1x1: [w=1.0 h=1.0] [7 art, 0 prods]
BLeaf_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [7 art, 0 prods]
network-2056_11-2-2005_17-41-38.txt
[228.296] DBG: HOSTING a SINGLEPLAYER, NEW, LAN game!
[228.296] DBG: Adding active connection-level player info for NetID 0
[228.390] DBG: Adding NetID 0 to Portal!
[228.421] DBG: Got NetworkReady from NetID 0
[228.421] DBG: Checking if we're connect complete! PeersReady=yes :: AlreadyComplete=no
[228.421] DBG: Got our last outstanding network ready message! Sending Version Verification! (m_bConnectComplete=true)
[228.421] DBG: Got Verify Version message from NetID 0!
[228.421] DBG: Assigning AppID 0 to NetID 0!
[228.468] DBG: Received ID assignment message! Our AppID = 0!
[228.468] DBG: Sending our player info to everyone else
[228.468] DBG: Sending our AppID assignment (ID=0) to everyone else
[228.781] DBG: Received player ID Assignment!
AppID=0
NetID=0
[259.312] DBG: Sending sync start message everyone
[259.312] DBG: Got a sync start from NetID 0
I have an AMD 3200 cpu, 1GB memory, 1TB+ hard drive storage on 5 drives, ATI 9800 and latest driver, Windows XP Professional service pack 2, Net 1.1, the DirectX 9.0c that was included with the game. All-in-all more than enough for meeting their minimum, and even recommended requirements!
At first I could not even get past the initial options screens without a crash, resulting in strange noises coming through my speakers from my soundcard. I then put graphics setting to low, and then I was able go past and click "Ok" on the last options screen, waiting for the map to build, holding my breath each try, only to be met with a black screen.
Ok I then went to the official website, saw the "Initialization Issues with ATI Graphics Card" link and followed their instructions, which by the way was NOT CORRECT for my computer!?! More specifically at one step 15) it tell you to "Accept and allow the DirectX installation to proceed.". But hey you incompetent morons, that part is NOT appearing since you in step 7) told me to install it back there!?! Geez!!! Anyways I then went to Windows Explorer and installed it manually AGAIN, just to be sure, and then proceeded with the Civ 4 Express installation, started the game, exited on the game error, installed the ATI drivers and rebooted. The game now crashes right after the last options screen, again with strange noises from the soundcard. Started the game again, set graphics settings to low, exited, restarted, same crash, same place!
Ok tried second part of their so called "fix" my freaking bootie. EXACTLY same thing! Same crash! Same place! Same strange noises! No more black map or whatever it was as I had the very first time I installed the game.
So that is Civilization 4? I can't even get past the options screens, not even speaking about seeing the game map. Completing a single turn is now a dream! And Civilization 4 is now a nightmare!
People don't buy this crap! And to my fellow naive suckers, who have been screwed in their butts by Firaxis: Let's all get together with a Class-Action suit! Seriously! Compensation for hours spent trying to get this piece of amateur crap to work, lost sleep, stress, heart problems, nerve pills, etc. Now it is time to teach these software companies, who cares not about their product, have no self esteem, that we are NOT taking their freaking buggy software anymore!!! Sure the intro video was nice, but the point is that I will only watch it once, and the time spend making it could have been spent testing the game on various machines and various graphic cards, including ATI!!! Speaking of which is there a poll somewhere as to how many people this works for, and how many it does not? Plus what graphic card they have?
The software developers and beta testers working at Firaxis are obviously incompetent people that should be ashamed of themselves!
Oh yeah to top it of, I got the French Tech Tree too, plus the colors on keyboard template, green and blue are so close to each other that unless you have the right light, it is hard to tell the difference.
I am soooo disappointed! Furious even, how can companies, not just Firaxis, with respect for themselves release such crap? Just incomprehensible! Let’s sue their butts!
By the way I love strategy games, and also bought the collectors edition of Age of Empires, which works fine!!!
As for the Civ 4 logs there are some here, and the rest in the next two posts, with the interesting part being this:
resmgr.log
RESMGR: Texture PlayerColor01.tga failed to load
RESMGR: Texture PlayerColor02.tga failed to load
My Civ 4 logs:
app.log
[208.750] CvApp::OnActivate
audio.log
[205.671] Audio Manager: Loading Audio Defines file XML\Audio\AudioDefines.xml...
[205.843] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded Audio Defines file XML\Audio\AudioDefines.xml.
[205.859] Audio Manager: Loading 2D Scripts file XML\Audio\Audio2DScripts.xml...
[206.093] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded 2D scripts file XML\Audio\Audio2DScripts.xml.
[206.109] Audio Manager: Loading 3D Scripts file XML\Audio\Audio3DScripts.xml...
[206.312] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded 3D scripts file XML\Audio\Audio3DScripts.xml.
[206.343] Audio Manager: Successfully loaded Soundscape scripts file XML\Audio\AudioSoundscapeScripts.xml.
[206.343] Audio Manager: Initializing
[206.343] Audio Manager: Attempting to initialize the audio system.
[206.343] Audio System: Initializing Miles Audio System...
[206.343] Audio System: redistribution directory: .\Miles\win32
[206.343] Audio System: Starting Miles.
[206.343] Audio System: Opening the sound driver.
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total HW Bytes: 0
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Max Contiguous Free HW Bytes: 0
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Static HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Streaming HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Total Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Static Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: CAPS: Streaming Mixing HW 3D Buffers: 64
[206.359] Audio System: SPEAKER CONFIG:
[206.359] Stereo
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing base audio system...
[206.359] Audio System: Calculating and distributing voices.
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: Total: 128
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: Streams: 10
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: 2D: 54
[206.359] Audio System: VOICES: 3D: 64
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing 2D samples...
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized 2D samples.
[206.359] Audio System: Initializing 3D samples...
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized 3D samples.
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized base audio system.
[206.359] Audio System: Successfully initialized Miles Audio System.
[206.359] AudioManager: Successfully initialized the audio system.
[206.359] AudioManager: Successfully initialized the audio manager.
init.log
[205.375] DBG: FILE Cat Init
[205.562] DBG: Using XML cache
[205.562] DBG: Game Init
[205.562] DBG: Multiplayer Init
[205.671] DBG: Audio Init
[206.359] DBG: ArtFileMgr Init
[206.375] DBG: Python Init
[208.453] VERSION: CIV Version: 0
[208.453] VERSION: Save Version: 100
[208.453] DBG: Input Init
[208.453] DBG: Engine Init
[209.437] DBG: Engine: Axis Engine Initialized
[209.437] DBG: Engine: Scene Graph Initialized
[209.531] DBG: Engine: Shaders Initialized
[209.546] DBG: Engine: Scene Lights Initialized
[209.546] DBG: Music Start
[209.562] DBG: Font Init
[209.625] DBG: Total Frame MS: 4491.0 FPS: 000 Min:000 Max:000 Avg:000 SampleFilter:10.000000
Time : Ave : Min% : Max% : Num : Profile Name
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
[209.625] DBG: Begin MenuManager
[245.656] DBG: Engine: Camera Initialized
[260.578] DBG: SyncRandSeed is 217325, MapRandSeed is 217325
initmgr.log
[242.796] CvInitMgr::GameCoreNew()
[259.265] InitMgr elapsed time = 15.84
[259.296] DBG: Total Frame MS: 15876.0 FPS: 000 Min:000 Max:000 Avg:000 SampleFilter:0.010000
Time : Ave : Min% : Max% : Num : Profile Name
-----------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------
[259.296] RELEASE build, World size=Standard
legacy.log shows hundreds of lines the same, then three lines different:
[Jason] Using old cut tree: Art/Terrain/Routes/Rivers/River00a.nif_clone
[Jason] Using old cut tree: Art/Terrain/Routes/Rivers/River00a.nif_clone
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
[Jason] Using old cut tree: (null)
LSystem.log
Initial System for XML/Buildings/CIV4CityLSystem.xml:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nodes:
Emergency_Overflow: [w=0.5 h=0.5] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
Node_3x1: [w=3.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Node_6x6: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 9 prods]
EONode: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Node_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_4x1: [w=4.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_16x16: [w=16.0 h=16.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_3x3: [w=3.0 h=3.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
CITY_ROOT: [w=16.0 h=16.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_5x6: [w=5.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_6x5: [w=6.0 h=5.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
Node_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
Node_6x2: [w=6.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_8x8: [w=8.0 h=8.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_5x5: [w=5.0 h=5.0] [0 art, 6 prods]
Node_8x2: [w=8.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Initial System for XML/Buildings/CIV4PlotLSystem.xml:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nodes:
Node_2x2: [w=2.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_6x6: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 9 prods]
Node_3x2: [w=3.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 3 prods]
PLOT_ROOT: [w=12.0 h=12.0] [0 art, 8 prods]
Water_Worked_4x4: [w=6.0 h=6.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Node_12x12: [w=12.0 h=12.0] [0 art, 10 prods]
Node_4x2: [w=4.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 7 prods]
GNode_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_2x1: [w=2.0 h=1.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
Farm_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.2] [0 art, 1 prods]
Node_4x4: [w=4.0 h=4.0] [0 art, 5 prods]
Node_6x2: [w=6.0 h=2.0] [0 art, 4 prods]
network-2056_11-2-2005_17-41-38.txt
[228.296] DBG: HOSTING a SINGLEPLAYER, NEW, LAN game!
[228.296] DBG: Adding active connection-level player info for NetID 0
[228.390] DBG: Adding NetID 0 to Portal!
[228.421] DBG: Got NetworkReady from NetID 0
[228.421] DBG: Checking if we're connect complete! PeersReady=yes :: AlreadyComplete=no
[228.421] DBG: Got our last outstanding network ready message! Sending Version Verification! (m_bConnectComplete=true)
[228.421] DBG: Got Verify Version message from NetID 0!
[228.421] DBG: Assigning AppID 0 to NetID 0!
[228.468] DBG: Received ID assignment message! Our AppID = 0!
[228.468] DBG: Sending our player info to everyone else
[228.468] DBG: Sending our AppID assignment (ID=0) to everyone else
[228.781] DBG: Received player ID Assignment!
AppID=0
NetID=0
[259.312] DBG: Sending sync start message everyone
[259.312] DBG: Got a sync start from NetID 0
Comment