PTW crashes constantly

[2manyusernames]

Okay, I broke down and bought PTW (even though I never play online).

Only problem is the game crashes *alot* I don't exactly have a top-of-the-line computer but it is within the parameters of the games requirements. [I have a 400Mhz Windows 98 with 256K memory, voodoo 3 video card.]

Vanilla Civ3 played great! I never had a single problem. PTW, on the other hand, is nothing but a headache. I either have a problem with the focus staying on a unit after it's turn. Sometimes I can get out of that by hitting Shift-Return, but usually I have to Save and Load the game to correct the problem.

This is happening wheather it is the normal game or a mod.

Currently I am trying to play the Balancer mod. Everything seemed fine for a while. I wasn't even getting the focus problem except for one turn. However I seem to have a problem with the build queue. It is not the files in the mod which can be causing this because some cities have no problem with thier build queue. Other cities will crash when I try to change the build item. Even if I right-click from the map and select change build it crashes. But only on some cities!

I managed to deal with this but now I get a crash without doing anything. I have tried a clean install but no changes. The latest crash message I get is this:


An exception (access violation) has occurred in module at .text + 00001739 in Win32 application CIVILIZATION3X

In tracing back the execution stack, we noticed a call to a window or
dialog function. In our experience, unwinding this function call may allow
the application to proceed.


EAX=7C1F7C1F CS=0167 EIP=01E52739 EFLGS=00210206
EBX=59CFC123 SS=016F ESP=00F2482C EBP=80007C1F
ECX=06B61DB5 DS=016F ESI=7C1F7C1F FS=0F37
EDX=00000000 ES=016F EDI=8649AFFE GS=0000

STOS CS:[E]IP:
F3 AB


Any ideas? I am about to uninstall PTW and just go back to normal civ3

Thanks

[CerberusIV]

The computer spec should be up to it. I was using a 450MHz with Win98 and a voodoo 3 card and had no problems with either civ3 or a euro version of PTW. I have now upgraded to XP which crashes a little more often, usually related to bombardment units.

I would be suspicious of the voodoo card as I have occasional problems with mine in PTW (not displaying terrain properly sometimes). Suggest you check for an up to date driver if you have not done so in the past year or two - they are still available AFAIK.

[SpencerH]

You dont say, but have you downloaded at least the first PtW patch?

Try re-booting before playing. I have a weird glitch where windows doesnt let go of the system resources after its been asleep.
Run Norton.
Make sure you have have as much free RAM as possible ie turn off the crap in the taskbar.

[2manyusernames]

Oops, yes forgot to mention that I do have the latest patches for both civ3 and ptw.

not sure off hand which drivers for voodoo 3 I have but they are the latest. (Well the latest that were released)

I think the weirdest thing is the problem does not occur with every city. ahhhggg!

I will have to test various changes and see what happens. Maybe play on a smaller world? I usually play on large worlds and on the balancer mod that is really large.

of course that doesn't explain the problem running other mods or even just plain ptw.