Patch 1.61 Installation Issues

[DKL]

In an ideal world...

I'm a little loathe to attempt to install DirectX 9c (...I'm guessing it won't even install - detecting a newer version installed).

What's more - the game (and its graphics) run just fine. The problem seems to be with the InstallShield package/version these patches were made for.

All in all, I'm starting to take quite a shine to that ol' version 1.09...

[Blaupanzer]

Go to BTS! Vanilla Civ IV is a pale shadow. My Vista-installed friends, as foolish as they are, tell me BTS plays well with Vista, to include the patches (now thru 3.19). Vista's replacement seems to be on the horizon, tentatively called Microsoft Windows 7. While it could be worse than the current Vista, the reviewers are saying it is dramatically better. I will wait and see, and have no idea how it will interface with Civ IV. Hopefully it will be better than Vista -- a headache for most games.

[DKL]

I have a copy of Windows 7 (called: Windows 7), but haven't installed it yet. My system is both my office production machine (I'm a Software engineer) and my home machine - plus, I'm my own IT department. No need to rush into things...

The upgrade to BTS (had never heard of it until I started researching this patch issue) seems a step too far, considering that I really shouldn't even be playing the vanilla Civ4... plus, getting my hands on the US version here in Switzerland is a larger headache than you might imagine (I prefer to have original media around for rebuilds). In a nutshell, why is BTS any better for the casual (read: can't afford to play more) CIV gamer?

Re: Vista - the problem isn't with Civ-4 - it works just fine. It's the installer that's the problem. Otherwise, I've been a very happy Vista user - and as a software developer, I bring a LOT of operating systems to their knees.

[Blaupanzer]

No one who works for a living and has family obligations has enough time for Civ. See my sig for Iain Banks', the Sci-Fi writer, take on civ. However, if you are going to play, the current dimension, BTS, is very superior to the less-than complete version of Vanilla Civ. More depth, more options, more absorbing play. OTOH, the face-sucking effect is also greater, so as you note, time demand can become an order of magnitude greater problem. BTS is what all had hoped Civ II would be. Not without quibbles, but wonderful collectively.

[DKL]

No one who works for a living and has family obligations has enough time for Civ.

...my point exactly. That's why after only three years I was mercilessly sucked into it.

I may have to snap the disks.

[rah]

I have Vista on my laptop and have had no problems with BTS.

I hate VISTA.

I have been running Windows 7 at work for the last month, and while you can tell it originated as vista, it is considerably better.

[Blaupanzer]

Hooray for that. Will BTS work on Windows 7? I suspect there is an updated DirectX, so I thought I'd ask. I just know those with 7 at work would NEVER load a game on the business OS.

[Willem]

I'm a little loathe to attempt to install DirectX 9c (...I'm guessing it won't even install - detecting a newer version installed).

No, DirectX 10 and 9 are completely different packages. That's why version 10 doesn't run on XP. So you can have both installed at the same time. In fact you need to have DirectX 9 in order to run games like Civ, they don't recognize version 10.

[DKL]

I'll buy that. What with the new "side-by-side" installations and all.

But, the fact remains: Civ-IV 1.09 works fine on this system. DirectX is a graphics subsystem and the graphics are all fine.

The problem really seems to be with the InstallShield package and I expect that InstallShield is not graphics-intensive enough to be concerned with DirectX.

[Willem]

The problem really seems to be with the InstallShield package and I expect that InstallShield is not graphics-intensive enough to be concerned with DirectX.

Possibly, but it doesn't hurt to at least try it. At the very least you'll have eliminated one possibility. You might also want to take a look at your .Net Framework install, to make sure that's up-to-date. That's certainly something that Install Shield might make use of, though I don't know whether it actually does or not.

[DKL]

This system is patched to within an inch of its life. All of the available .Net versions are installed and patched.

Oh well... I'm sure that Windows-7 compatible Civ-V is just around the corner...

[Blaupanzer]

Don't bet anything with short-term value on Civ V arriving soon. OTOH, I'm sure there will be one eventually.

[DKL]

Yes... I really did forget to add THIS to my last post:

[Blaupanzer]

Or should have anyway.