Missing Hiram.flc Causes Crash

[Ta-meri]

When playing the Ancient World scenario in the Multiplayer Gold Edition, ending a meeting with (saying goodbye to) the emissary of the Hittites causes an error message:

[SIZE=3]Load Error[SIZE=2]

FILE NOT FOUND

"Art\Flics\Hiram.flc"

Game will now exit.

This only happens when I try to say goodbye to the Hittite emissary -- emissaries from other cultures have not caused this error so far.

This file does not exist anywhere on the computer, and neither the Civ III CD nor the Conquests CD contains the file. Any help?

[bvoncranium]

Hi Jacqueline,
If the files don't exist anywhere, here are two quick ways to resolve this problem (without waiting for a patch that is):

Fix A: Create the missing file:
1) Go to your Civilization\...\Art\Flics directory
2) Copy some other .flc file
3) Rename the copy "Hiram.flc".

What will happen is that when the Hittites sign off you'll see some other leader's visage, but the game will proceed normally.
Note that this can work for a game in progress or saved game.
Note that if there are other .flc files missing, you can use the same procedure to replace each, using the appropriate file name for each.

Fix B: Redefine what .flc file the game accesses:
1) Open the scenario file in the editor,
2) Edit Rules
3) Hit Civilizations tab & select the Hittites
4) Look at Animations section (lower left corner) & select the Era in which the crash occurs (e.g. Ancient; and probably those that follow)
5) Change the name(s) of the .flc file(s) that the scenario will look for during diplomacy to files that exist in your ...\Art\Flics directory.
6) Save the edited scenario.

What will happen is that when you do diplomacy with the Hittites you'll see some other leader's visage, but the game will proceed normally.
Note that this only works when you re-start the scenario.

I sometimes intentionally change the scenario file to cause my friend's Civ images to be ones that they really don't like, just to give them a hard time.

BTW, if you are a keener you can create your own .flc files. There are posts on Apolyton and civfanatics.com that tell you how to do that.

Hope this helps. - bvc