Game won't start

[jdjdjd]

I have just gotten Civ III, and after installing the game, and the patch, I try to start the game. The splash screen loads, then unloads and that is it. No error messages, no other screens, nothing.

I confirmed the monitor is listed properly
I downloaded the updated sound and video drivers from that manu.
I dowloaded an updated ROM pack from manu.
I installed the direct X supplied with the game.
The desktop screen res allows 1024x768 and 16 bit.
Processor is Pent II, 333 MHz.
O/S is Windows 95, OSR2
PC is Compaq Armada 1750, laptop

I did try to reinstall both the game and the patch, no change.

I did the test for the Direct X components and they passed.

I sent emails to Tech Support and am waiting on responses.

I did notice that there is no Civ3.ini file.

Any ideas or suggestions?

Its been two days since I bought it, talk about being anxious....

Thanks for listening and any suggestions.

[jdjdjd]

Oh, also I have

64 MB of RAM and still over 500 mb of space left after complete install....

Thanks...

[zulu9812]

I'd post my ini file for you, but it's after the 1.21f patch so I don't know how much use it'd be. You want it anyway?

[jdjdjd]

That would be great.

Thanks.

[zulu9812]

here you go.

let me know how it goes.

[jdjdjd]

Zulu,

Thanks for the file, but I must be missing more, I get one screen further...so I'm on the right track. I think there are alot of other ini files, based on what I see in the forums....they must be locked somewhere or protected, I think I need this copy protection patch they mention at the Tech Support pages.

Thanks for your help. I'm having a very slow dialog with tech support via email. As God is my witness, some day I will play this game...

[Raion]

The Civ.Ini file is made the first time that Civ III starts.
I have Windows98SE and it would not work (opening movie) with the bink file that should be for earlier Windows OS's.
The reason I found out, is because of upgrades to Internet Explorer.
I moved the bink file from the Windows 2000 folder on the disk, to replace the bink file in the installation directory, I renamed the old bink file.

Without using the bink file for Windows 2000, the opening movie would lock up, and the game would not start.

Before using the other bink file for Windows 2000, I had renamed the sound.dll file (for the sounds) to sound.dl_ and the game would start (without sound) with the old bink file.

I could not figure it out, I changed drivers, sent e-mail to Infosucks, and generally was going 'nuts'.

Then, I tried the other bink file for Windows 2000, and the entire game worked with sound and the opening movie not locking up, just like it should.

In the mean time, I bought a GeForce type 2 MX/MX400 graphic PCI card, because the drivers for my Expert 128 (ATI card) would corrupt a couple of files - gdi32.dll and another file. (it may be corrupted - I think they were after playing).

The only other thing I can mention, is because (I think) of the copy protection on the CD, I have to restart my computer after playing the game everytime - this has gotten better with the 1.21 V patch which can be downloaded at http://www.civ3.com/ , but the computer should be restarted after playing to release the swap disk drive memory stuff and generally the computer will work better after restarting the computer after playing Civ III.

Short version:

Try the binkw32.dll that is included for Windows 2000 because of Internet Explorer updates from Microsoft that changes your system to newer files even if you are running an earlier OS.

Also, your computer will really be slow playing this game, mine is only a 500mH speed, and I think I will only play with 3-6 other Civ's during the game.
It really started slowing down with a total of 8 Civ's.

But that is CivIII, one usually ends up buying a faster computer somewhere down the road - to play Civ III with more AI opponents and make the game faster -- this has happened in the Past, -- also some other games need faster computers usually anyway.



Happy Gaming!

[Raion]

Also the game will use a lot of swap disk memory, so I would not go below that 500mB that you have left. I think I seen it use around 200- or so megaBytes of swap memory to disk already, but I will have more time to play it after finals.

[jdjdjd]

Thanks for the advise, I tried it though with no luck. There's supposed to be a patch for the copy protect problem, and I'm going to continue after the tech support until I get it or get the problem fixed (if copy protect is not the prob).

Anyway, thanks for your input.

Happy Gaming to you too.

[jdjdjd]

Well, what do you know....

After changing the bink file as you suggested, it did not work. So I started trying a few things, when I noticed that the ini file I got from Zulu wasn't there anymore. So I unzipped it again, and tried again. This time I got the movies and then to the main screen, though it all looked funny. I could not get to the buttons on the menu...

I went out and manually adjutsed res of display to 1024x768 (I don't know why I assumed it would change on its own. But anyway, low and behold I got to play for three hours last night, until the sound.dll "Performed an illigal operation" and the game crashed. But still I got to play the game, I'll just have to save every few turns so I don't lose a whole game. (Figures it crashed right after I had amassed 8 men outside London and my military advisor told me the English were afraid of me and outnumbered).

Zulu and Raion, Thanks again for your help.

[Vector3]

Hi jdjdjd,

I USED to have the same problem. Listen... Since your videocard and monitor support the 1024x768 res ok that means u can play the game. Simply add 2 lines in the civilization.ini file:

KeepRes=1
Video Mode=1024

U will find info about what these are in the .txt file in your Civilization folder.

Regards,

Vector3

[Raion]

A blank (black) screen usually indicates that the opening movie is not even starting, as the result is that it drops back to the desktop. Usually this may also be video drivers, but then its something to do with the opening movie.
If downloaded patch, then try again, but read text file included with game.
There may be a way of disabling the opening movie with a command now, but I am not sure.

(The one problem is -- if the opening movie will not play - and it is not on your system - the game main screen will not start - in previous games - they usually added something so one would not have to even start with the opening movie - so one could go directly to the game.
The opening movie is in 640 x 480 mode, then it changes to 1024 x 768 mode for the game or keeps the resolution by that command KeepRes=1))
Also one can press the escape key to get out of the opening movie - but right now I would have to assume it is something with your video drivers not working with the opening movie.
I look for a newer driver for your video card, perhaps, but that is only probably what Infogames will also say and of course having Direct X 8.0a version installed fromt the disk also.))

My sound card is old, but the game still works.

[jdjdjd]

I'll have to try the KeepRes=1, will it work at smaller than 1024x768 or only larger? I guess I'll find out later.

If anyone came accross a problem with sound.dll causing crash and performing illegal operation, let me know. But I can work around that.

Enjoy the weekend.

[zulu9812]

Originally posted by jdjdjd
I'll just have to save every few turns so I don't lose a whole game.

The game autosaves itself at the end of every turn.

[Raion]

The sound.dll file is the sounds of the game. Just renaming it, will give the game no sounds. The reason is after I tested with DirectXDiag progam to check everything, that did not give an indication of whether the animation of the game and the sounds would work together. That is the problem I had as stated up above. One way of just running the graphics is to remove the sound from the game (no sounds or adjustment of sounds), -- that is what renaming sound.dll file does. The game will still work, but every sound routine will not find the sound file after renaming it. If there is a conflict with the video drivers of the graphics card and sound working together, like with me, until I tried the different binkw32.dll file after upgrades to Internet Explorer and different drivers (and ATI may have new drivers that now work -- but then the newest ones were then slightly corrupting my two files as above) then renaming the sound file - sound.dll will get rid of the video card and the sound card not working together.

I really do not like the copy protection of the game, because I have had CD programs that will not install quite completely. I think this is the copy protection not working with the install program somehow maybe with some computers or CD-Rom drives.
You probably are on the right track, == it may be a copy protection problem and with your computer -- they may allow you that fix as listed at Infogames.

But after pulling my hair out with my problem, they really did not allow that for me.

That why I mentioned that if you can find good drivers for your video card to really work right with Direct X 8.0a, it still may be a solution to the problem. Some video card drivers can not be updated after a certain point.
My built in APG graphics I have in my computer, I do not use, because the drivers will not be updated anymore. (hint- they want you to spend money on newer cards and stuff).
So, my old APG card, will work with some older games, but only up to Direct X 7. Thus, the only solution is to buy a newer card, and get newer drivers. That is what I finally done, but still, it may be a copy-protection thing with your computer.

I did not get much response from Infogames after sending in all that stuff about the copy-protection fix, but then I really did not need it.

I even sent in a e-mail to put something up on the Internet site about updated from Microsoft with IE but I don't think that they did that either.

Still, I just think that asking Infogames, probably will not hurt either, since the copy protection may be your problem with the game into movie not starting - and that has to play before one can get to the main screen of the game to start playing.