WinXP Issues

[Kajak]

johnd.

Well I guess it could be out of sight problems between two or more AI factions, my own stubborn (maybe spelled stupid) problem is that if that's true I might as well give up and I am not ready to do that yet .

I've read in the threads of the infamouse interceptor crash, but what in detail actually happens ( not what is going on in the game but the machine systems, i.e. do you get the same "terran.exe" message and then the return to desktop or complete freeze that needs rebooting or .....) ?
I'm probably nieve, but I think that the better we can pin point the terran.exe crashes with Win xp the better our chances of getting the powers that be to fix it.
For me, it's either that or go read how someone won the game with gazillions of points on the first turn...

Speaking of which, I did today win my first Supreme Leader win on the Yr2361, thus one way to avoid the dreaded xp terran.exe crash gap around 2410.

I think a fun thread might be on how dumb is the AI and the silly things it does in a fight.

[Sikander]

I am still having trouble getting SMACX running on my new XP machine. SMAC runs fine, and SMACX will run if I select quickstart or a saved game. However if I try to start a new game it crashes right after I make my rules selection (ie just as it should be going to the Faction selection screen IIRC). Has anyone else had this particular problem? Does anyone have any idea why the game might be crashing in this particular place?

Btw, both SMAC and SMACX are patched (4.0 and 2.0 respectively), I have set the config file to get past the unknown processor crash, and the game crashes politely to the little apologetic box that asks whether I want to send a notice to microshaft.

Thanks...

[Blake]

What sort of crash is it?
If it's a "illegal op" crash then I have no idea...
If the choose faction screen doesn't display correctely (no buttons etc, you can't quit so it's effectively locked up) then it's due to bad alphax.txt and/or custom factions.

[johndmuller]

Sikander, is the faction list in AlphaCentauri.ini OK - are the indicted faction files all there?

[Sikander]

Originally posted by johndmuller
Sikander, is the faction list in AlphaCentauri.ini OK - are the indicted faction files all there?

I assume so. I have used both the file created by saving a quickstart game and then trying to start a new game as well as the ini file located above, but neither one can get me past this point. As for the faction files themselves being all there, I haven't checked yet (I'm at work at the moment), but I assume so. I haven't done anything to the game but install it and install the patches, so there is no way a custom faction or the like could be to blame.

The crash message refers to an icd file IIRC, and I never get to the faction selection screen, once I choose the rules I want to use it gives me a crash message which asks whether I want to report the problem to microsoft, and deposits me back on the desktop. It definitely seems like the problem has to do with the faction selection module or some of the files it call like factions. The problem is that I haven't messed with them at all, they are straight from the disk or the latest patch. I'll take a close look at the error message and report back tonight.

Thanks

[Googlie]

Sikander:

I get that same situation from time to time, but in my case I know what the problem is:

I have the seven smac factions files, the 7 smax factions files and around 30 clone and other faction files all in my smac directory

However you are limited to 7 smac. 7 smax and 7 alternate factions in the alphax.txt file (actually you can put as many as you like, but the game faction choice window will only erad the first seven).

When I play a PBEM that needs one of the remaining 23 factions, I'm OK, as the gamefile can read the txt and graphics files from the smac directory.

However, next time I try to start a game, the .ini file goes looking in alphax.txt for that faction, and can't find it, so will boot me out.

I either get a complete freeze with a graphics picture of Deirdre or Aki, and nothing will make the PC work except a power button reboot, or it will collapse back to my desktop with the "do you want to report to microsoft" message.

I know you say you just have vanilla smac and smax loaded, but might you have downloaded any of the clone factions or aquatic factions for scenario challenges or multiplay games?

G.

[Sikander]

Originally posted by Googlie
Sikander:

I get that same situation from time to time, but in my case I know what the problem is:

I have the seven smac factions files, the 7 smax factions files and around 30 clone and other faction files all in my smac directory

However you are limited to 7 smac. 7 smax and 7 alternate factions in the alphax.txt file (actually you can put as many as you like, but the game faction choice window will only erad the first seven).

When I play a PBEM that needs one of the remaining 23 factions, I'm OK, as the gamefile can read the txt and graphics files from the smac directory.

However, next time I try to start a game, the .ini file goes looking in alphax.txt for that faction, and can't find it, so will boot me out.

I either get a complete freeze with a graphics picture of Deirdre or Aki, and nothing will make the PC work except a power button reboot, or it will collapse back to my desktop with the "do you want to report to microsoft" message.

I know you say you just have vanilla smac and smax loaded, but might you have downloaded any of the clone factions or aquatic factions for scenario challenges or multiplay games?

G.

Googlie,

I wish I could say that I have, but I just got this new computer and the only things that have gone into that directory are SMAC, SMACX and the version 4 and version 2 patches respectively. The ini file has the original factions only in it, and the faction profiles include those plus the 7 SMACX factions.

The game will load a saved game and play normally, and quickstart works as well. But when I choose start game it reliably chokes immediately after I have selected the rules and gives the following message:

"TERRANX.ICD has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience."

So the faction files are there, the factions arel listed in the ini file, there are no files that are not directly from Firaxis. Wtf? I'm going to have another bash at it and see if I can figure it out.

[Sikander]

Well, I have it going finally. There does appear to be something about the order you do things. I noticed that the game ran fine unpatched. Unfortunately I can't settle for unpatched SMACX, too many things are broken. Here is the order that I used successfully.

1) Install SMAC
2) Install SMACX
3) modify the SMAC ini file = ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1 (be sure to save it)
4) start a game of smacx and save and quit
5) apply SMACXPV2

I haven't applied the SMAC v4 patch yet, as I hardly play SMAC and I don't want to tempt fate.

[Ned]

Guys, all my crash problems have suddenly disappeared. I used to get both the North Pole crash and the interceptor crash. But now I get neither.

What I did was reduce my game size to "huge" from custom that was larger than huge.

I also set EAX=0.

As soon as I can, I will find out if either of these tweaks or the combination was the solution.

BTW, I have a Santa Cruz sound card that has EAX. This, IIRC, is a 3D Audio technology from a company that no longer is in business. If you are having start problems, it may be because the Splash screen for this old company's logo is attempting to display or make its noise. I too have disabled that on my machine by editing the Resistry. If any would like details on this, I will look it up and reply when I get home.

[Ned]

Well last night, I tried loaded a customer world game larger than Huge with eax=0. It continued to experience the interceptor crash.

I'll try a few more variations this weekend to see if I can confirm what triggers the crash.

[Riso]

EAX is not dead. It's creative labs crappy sound api.

[Lemmy]

I only got SMAC, patched to version 4, and it also crashes in WinXP with that question to send a report.
So far i've eonly seen solutions for SMACX, are there any just for SMAC?
I tried setting eax=0, that didn't work, compatibility mode with win98 also didn't work.

My system:
Athlon 1800+xp
256mb ddr
Asus v8170 DDR Gforce 4mx 64mb
No extra sound card, just one that's on the motherboard.

[Kajak]

Some recent experiences with the xp problems.
1. Was getting kind of lucky as I had got through the game to several wins past the "terran.exe" gap around yr2400. Soooo! I decided to add the #4 patch. It then would come up with the fireaxis logo then crash back to the desktop with no message. Then I rooted out all the smac parts, reloaded it without the patch and it runs fine up to the "terran.exe" crash except they now happen yr2330 to yr2370.

I still think it has something to do with how much action is going on with all the pieces being moved at more or less than the sametime. Why is the gap moving up sooner the more I play, well that may be just my learning curve as I get things going sooner ???

The only way I've got past the "gap" was to eliminate all automatic actions ( patroling, auto formers, ect) as much as I coud near and during the "gap".

[kaigun]

Also any advice for Ac on XP I get logo then TerranX exception Ive tried various approaches to no avail any help welcome.

[Kajak]

kaigun;
You might try cleaning out your version in all respects, then reloading without the Patch 4. ( I'm assumming here you have the p4 installed.) In either case try it.

I just had a very aggrivating terran.exe crash at y2395 and swore I wouldn't touch this again until there was a solution if any. If and when there is one, someone please drop me a e-mail as I do love the game otherwise. Bye for now, have fun...