A friend and I both purchased this and the sound is all screwed up in movies only. It cuts in and out in wonder movies, beginning movies, ending movies. It's so friggin annoying you cant enjoy the wonder movies AT ALL.

I have the same problem on the opening movie....i haven't been able to play far enough to get to the wonder movies though

same here.

Me too. I thought at first it was my computer, but apparantely it isn't. In the readme file, it says to switch to the MILES Fast 2D Driver. What does that mean?!?!

I think we need more info on what operating systems and sound cards etc. you're using.

Go to Start -> Run
type 'dxdiag'
Once it's finished collecting info, press 'Save all information', and save it as a .txt file.

Then open the txt file, and copy the contents in here.

I have the same problem with sound cutting out in the wonder movies. The opening movie worked fine though, and I have not had any other problems in the game yet.

My sound goes in and out during the video clips and the game graphics are slightly laggy when moving units or zooming in on a wonder being built.

P4 1.6 Ghz
64 meg GeForce3
1 gig Ram.

Not a super old PC but it played Doom alright. Even after adjusting the settings still no luck.

Similar problem here...

Everything works except the sound cuts in and out during the opening movie and wonder movies (haven't seen any other movies yet)

I'm using a SoundBlaster Live. I tried to download new drivers, but it said "can't find a Soundbalster on your machine"

?????????

I have an SB Live! too, and have this problem. Sound cuts in and out on the wonder movies. Extremely irritating, but otherwise game is fine (I think -- music seems to vary in the main interface a lot depending on view distance? You need to be close to your civ to hear everyone playing music there?!).

Athlon XP 2500+
512MB RAM
SB Live!
Radeon 9600XT 128MB RAM

Soundblaster driver version:

Provider: Creative
Date: 24/07/2002
Version: 5.12.2.252

It is a Microsoft approved driver.

This probably relates to it being such an old card.

DxDiag info: http://www.yourturn.ca/DxDiag.txt

--Julian

Same Problem for me also, average computer, and using SB live 5.1 card. All sounds seem ok except for cutting in and out of sound on all movies ingame.

Well, I think we've found the point of commonality... I have an SBLive, and am having the same problem... Unsure of the driver version, but other games such as Doom3 have no problems with it...

Didn't check the readme (Documentation? We don' need no steenkeeng documentation!), I'll have to check it later...

Overall, though, at least this problem is more of an irritant than a show-stopper... Thank goodness, I didn't get an ATI video card... Those poor guys are having the real problems...

I have the same issue, although only for the opening video so far. The religion/wonder movies that I've seen so far have all worked. I've had no problems at all in gameplay.

For a while I thought it could be a video issue, since the animation had a barely perceptable pause with each skip in the audio. But seeing the much-faster cards some of you here have, I'm starting to doubt that theory.

2.0ghz
512 RAM
64MB GeForce3 ti 200 (driver updated for nVidia yesteray)
SB Live! (driver updated from Creative yesterday)

I have the same problem with the intro movie sound. I am using a SB Live! soundcard too and i updated my drivers...

Same problem.
My intro movie worked fine. All of the "religion" movie/sound bits work fine.
The wonder movies cut in and out like everyone else though.

-------------
General Info: (Let me know if you need more)
------------
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+, ~2.0GHz
Memory: 1024MB RAM
Card name: WinFast A360 LE
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce FX 5700LE
Display Memory: 256.0 MB

The Crucial Sound Info:
-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_810D1043&REV_60
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.3663 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 7/15/2003 19:00:00, 578368 bytes
Driver Provider: Analog Devices
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: Yes
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): Yes
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: All tests were successful.

So - I don't have SBLive! And it still doesn't work.:mad:
Any ideas?

I have the same issue, although only for the opening video so far. The religion/wonder movies that I've seen so far have all worked. I've had no problems at all in gameplay.

For a while I thought it could be a video issue, since the animation had a barely perceptable pause with each skip in the audio. But seeing the much-faster cards some of you here have, I'm starting to doubt that theory.



yah, you're certainly not alone. another thread posted suggesting scaling back your sound accelerator in dxdiag (to NO accel). this seemed to work for me some, but my problem is that i play fairly smoothly for about 2-4 minutes, then it bogs down again.

the good/bad news is i did upgrade my video card to GeForce fx5200, which at least solved the chesire cat problem. BUT...the game runs totally choppy now...and that's the NEXT problem i'm trying to solve.

allow me this moment to vent a little bit since i've yet to play more than 10 minutes of this game. it may very well be the greatest civ yet, and maybe a game i'll come to love, but right now, i'd gladly take my $50 back and never play this...ever. it's quite possibly the most frustrating comp game experience i've ever had. and games shouldn't be frustrating. i hope someone is losing sleep over this at firaxis.

Description: Sound Blaster Live! 24-bit
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: P17.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0512 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 7/7/2005 16:14:30, 1389056 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x41
Format Flags: 0xFFF

Hmm....
I just played about 1.5 hrs of an epic game. No problems.:woohoo:
Earlier, I was playing the tutorial. Could that have made a difference?
Gotta say - its a fun game, when everything works.

I finally got into playing the game yesterday and all of the movies work excpt the introductory one. The wonder movies have a few glitches, but not major sound skips!!!

Sound is skipping in intro and wonder movies for me too. The rest of the game is fine except for that problem. And even though I know that I will want to turn the movies off at some point, I would like to experience them first!

Sound specs:

GeForce 2 MX/MX400
512MB RAM
Sound Card Description: SB Live! Audio [DF80]
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.0252 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail

Here's mine! Problems w/ sound on the Wonder animations only, for the most part. Even intro movies works fine. Heh...I remember having identical issues like this w/ Civ 2, if memory serves.

------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/28/2005, 07:20:54
Machine name:
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
System Model: A7N8X
BIOS: Ver 1.65
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 1900+, MMX, 3DNow, ~1.6GHz
Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 942MB used, 1521MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: The file nv4_disp.dll is not digitally signed, which means that it has not been tested by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL). You may be able to get a WHQL logo'd driver from the hardware manufacturer.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 2: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: NFORCE_VAD
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: nvapu.sys
Driver Version: 6.14.0442.0030 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 5/25/2004 15:58:04, 396032 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: NVIDIA Corporation
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 200, 100000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 256, 254
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 64, 64
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID:
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 81
Type: Emulated
Driver Name:
Driver Version:
Driver Attributes:
WHQL Logo'd:
Date and Size:
Other Files:
Driver Provider:
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: No, No
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: No, No
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: nvapu.sys
Driver Version: 6.14.0442.0030 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 5/25/2004 15:58:04, 396032 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x41
Format Flags: 0xCC0

Description: Modem #0 Line Record (emulated)
Default Sound Capture: No
Default Voice Capture: No
Driver Name:
Driver Version:
Driver Attributes:
Date and Size:
Cap Flags: 0x20
Format Flags: 0x0

-----------
DirectMusic
-----------
DLS Path: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\GM.DLS
DLS Version: 1.00.0016.0002
Acceleration: Enabled
Ports: NVIDIA(R) Kernel Synthesizer, Hardware (Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal, Default Port
MPU-401, Hardware (Kernel Mode), Input, No DLS, External
MPU-401, Hardware (Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, External
NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio, Software (Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal
Microsoft MIDI Mapper [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
NVIDIA(R) DLS Synthesizer [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
MPU-401 [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, External
Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
MPU-401 [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Input, No DLS, External
Microsoft Synthesizer, Software (Not Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal
Registry: OK
Test Result: Not run

same here, the sound cuts in and out during the wonder movies and did a couple of times during the intro but thats working fine now.
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 10/28/2005, 16:23:18
Machine name: DEFOE
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: RS480_
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Sempron(tm) Processor 2800+, MMX, 3DNow, ~1.6GHz
Memory: 446MB RAM
Page File: 279MB used, 1505MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.2180 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: No problems found.
Sound Tab 1: DirectSound test results: All tests were successful.
Music Tab: DirectMusic test results: All tests were successful.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.
---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: Sapphire RADEON XPRESS 200 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI RADEON XPRESS 200 Series (0x5954)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5954&SUBSYS_0A56174B&REV_00
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Res:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6575 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 9/15/2005 03:58:47, 241664 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 9/15/2005 03:58:28, 1339392 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-1A14-11CF-546D-5C2AA1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x5954
SubSys ID: 0x0A56174B
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D
Deinterlace Caps: {6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
{3C5323C1-6FB7-44F5-9081-056BF2EE449D}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{552C0DAD-CCBC-420B-83C8-74943CF9F1A6}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,2) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{6E8329FF-B642-418B-BCF0-BCB6591E255F}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,1) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
{335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
Registry: OK
DDraw Status: Enabled
D3D Status: Enabled
AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
D3D7 Test Result: Not run
D3D8 Test Result: Not run
D3D9 Test Result: Not run

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Realtek AC97 Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4370&SUBSYS_5215174B&REV_01
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5750 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: n/a
Date and Size: 11/17/2004 12:05:38, 2297664 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0x0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 0, 0
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 0, 0
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: All tests were successful.

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: Realtek AC97 Audio
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5750 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 11/17/2004 12:05:38, 2297664 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x0
Format Flags: 0x0

-----------
DirectMusic
-----------
DLS Path: C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\drivers\GM.DLS
DLS Version: 1.00.0016.0002
Acceleration: n/a
Ports: Microsoft Synthesizer, Software (Not Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal, Default Port
Realtek AC97 Audio, Software (Kernel Mode), Output, DLS, Internal
Microsoft MIDI Mapper [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth [Emulated], Hardware (Not Kernel Mode), Output, No DLS, Internal
Registry: OK
Test Result: All tests were successful.

I tried the turning off hardware accelaration and the skipping went from major to minor.

Update: the larger wonder movies (so far, pyramids) are also giving me trouble. When I posted before, I had only seen a couple. I'll try turning off hardware acceleration tonight.

Has anyone tried anything with the recommended driver that's mentioned in the readme file?

i have the same prob as you guys. i was kinda annoyed when i got the rock n roll upgrade, i wanted to hear the music :)

i have the same prob as you guys. i was kinda annoyed when i got the rock n roll upgrade, i wanted to hear the music :)

hey, at least you're able to play long enough to GET to that wonder.

my game is virtually unplayable. it's 'ok' for 10 minutes, then slowly bogs down from there. if i have to exit and reload every 30 minutes just to play, that's not really that much fun. (now, a 6 pack and doom III on xbox, THAT is fun)

Altering the hardware acceleration level for the sound card seemed to help in my case too, but the problem didn't totally go away. I will try something other than the "no acceleration" setting and see if there's a happy medium that works.

--Julian

Once again guys...
I had the exact same problem as all of you. (in game wonder movies stuttered).
I was playing the tutorial.
I quit, and fired off some messages to take2 and civfanatics.
Then I got the dx info and posted it here. While getting the info I tested my sound card at all levels.
Then I went back because I was willing to play without the movies.
Now it works. I'm not sure why. I've played two different maps. Niether one was the tutorial.

Here's my analysis:

1. It could be an ingame setting that was on for the tutorial but off for my games.
2. Testing my sound at all levels might have cleared it up.
3. I just got lucky.

Good luck all.

To Nforce users : Updating the audio driver to 4.62 solved every sound problem for me,including the wonder movies you can download the driver from here
http://www.nvidia.com/object/nforce_audio_4.62_win2kxp.html

FYI: I have found that the hardware accelleration level does not seem to significantly affect the problem for me, no matter what setting you use.

--Julian

I have Realtek AC'97 onboard sound with my compaq. I have a feeling that the choppy sound is due more to my sheety processor (2.4ghz Celeron). I have lots of problems just playing music with Windows Media Player and opening another application. But it does sound like I am getting the same hear music for a second, no music for a second problem that you guys are.

I've got the exact same problem. Wonder movies stutter badly. All the rest of the in-game sounds seem to work just fine. No problems with video. I'm using an Audigy 2 ZS card with the latest drivers. Changing hardware acceleration to disabled didn't fix it for me. Sounds like a game bug that needs to be squashed.

I have the same problem with 'Wonder Movies'!

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp2.040919-1003)
Language: Chinese (Regional Setting: Chinese)
BIOS: BIOS Date: 05/07/04 23:07:08 Ver: 08.00.09
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2600+, ~1.9GHz
Memory: 510MB RAM
Page File: 292MB used, 1724MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.0001.0904 32bit Unicode

-------------
Sound Devices
-------------
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_810D1043&REV_60
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.3663 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/15/2003 16:00:00, 578368 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Analog Devices
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 100, 48000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 33, 32
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 33, 32
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: Yes
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): Yes
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

Having the exact same problem with SB Live!, so if updating drivers doesnt work, what other suggestions do we have?

I've got the same problem, folks, on a Realtek AC'97 (seems like Realtek AC'97 and SBLive's are the most affected)

It seems like the problem is some incompatibility of Bink RAD Game Tools used by civ4... specifically the binkw32.dll file. If anyone has a newer version of this file (maybe getting it from another game), please post here so that we can test that!

BTW, latest version is 1.8g:

http://radgametools.com/bnkhist.htm

;)

I've got the same problem, folks, on a Realtek AC'97 (seems like Realtek AC'97 and SBLive's are the most affected)

It seems like the problem is some incompatibility of Bink RAD Game Tools used by civ4... specifically the binkw32.dll file. If anyone has a newer version of this file (maybe getting it from another game), please post here so that we can test that!

BTW, latest version is 1.8g:

http://radgametools.com/bnkhist.htm

Does this work for anyone? You said its an incompatibility but does this actually solve anything? How do you know its a problem with this file?

Does this work for anyone? You said its an incompatibility but does this actually solve anything? How do you know its a problem with this file?

I don't know yet, I haven't tried it because I don't have the latest version of the file. It's just a suggestion, because I noticed that Civ4 uses the Bink engine for playing video, and the skipping sound problem only happens when playing the videos. BTW, if you download Bink RAD Tools, and if you unpack the game files (as in the Radeon fix), you can play the .bik movie files in the Bink Player :cool:

I've got an SB Audigy 2 and have the same problem with the stuttering sound in the wonder movies. The religion discoveries etc that also show movies, the sound is fine.

On June 14 of 2001, the Bink 1.1a release includes this in the notes:

"Rewritten DirectSound layer - much more tolerant of CPU starvation. Also worked around buggy SBLive drivers that would cause periodic skipping under Windows 2000."

Also, on Oct 4 2002, version 1.5m includes this note:

"Worked around buggy Windows XP sound drivers that report bogus playback positions (which was causing occasional skips)."

Sounds like they need to look at those issues again; I can't imagine the version of Bink Civ4 is using is from pre 2002 or 2001.

--Julian

I don't know yet, I haven't tried it because I don't have the latest version of the file. It's just a suggestion, because I noticed that Civ4 uses the Bink engine for playing video, and the skipping sound problem only happens when playing the videos. BTW, if you download Bink RAD Tools, and if you unpack the game files (as in the Radeon fix), you can play the .bik movie files in the Bink Player :cool:

Ok, now I see where you're going with this. That makes a ton of sense. You may very well be on to something tadios.

Does CivIV install Bink somewhere where it can be overwritten with the latest version of the bink player from the bink website? Do you get the same problems playing the movies in the bink player that you do in the game?

I have the choppy movie sound problem with an SB Audigy 2 board, P4/2.5 Ghz, 1GB RAM/ nVidea 5700/256MB Win XP Pro system; all new updated drivers, game reinstalled after drivers updated, etc. Game plays well except for the movie sounds. Still no word on a fix, though it seems to be a very commonplace problem.

Suggestion: Can a moderator rename this thread to include "sound skipping" in the name? That would probably help people collect info in the right place.

--Julian

Honestly, we probably should just have stickies for the three or four most common problems. Wonder-movie and finale-movie sound skipping, random CTDs/reboots, etc. That would help gather all of the complaints (and eventual solutions) in one place.

BTW, is it obvious that I have both of those problems?

Althon XP 3000+
1 GB RAM
Abit NF7-S mb w/ AC97 sound
WinXP Home SP2
Nividia 5700LE 256MB w/ 81.87 driver

posted this in a new thread called "wonder movie woes" but ill restate it here:

Had the same problem everyone has stated above. WAS using a SB live! card with latest drivers, etc. etc. Decieded to clean this driver, take out card, and put in new..er..old antique creative card. also installed omega drivers for my video card.

Opening movie now runs without an audio hiccup and wonder movies run fine except for one glitch during pyramids.

still getting extreme lag while game progresses.

My Setup:
Athlon XP 2500+
nForce 4 Chipset with Sound
ATI 9600 Pro (Omega 4.11b Drivers)

At first I was noticing a very, very minor hiccup in the intro movie, but after switching to old Omega drivers (4.11b as suggested in another thread) for my ATI card, the intro was as smooth as silk. Also, the religious movies were fine too, but the Wonder movies are still choppy. Before it was both the video and the audio, but now it's just tthe audio that's skipping. I haven't tried the Driver update yet, but I will soon. Also, I'm going to keep increasing the Omega driver version until I experience problems again.

So to re-iterate, this is my status:
Random CTD
Smooth Intro and Religious movies
Choppy Audio only in Wonder movies
Haven't Played long enough to see if the game bogs down much

When running on older AMD 64 dual-core CPUs, my video skips - my machine is really fast, why is this happening?

There is a bug in the Windows system timer code when running on some older AMD CPUs. The easiest way to work around it is to edit your c:\boot.ini file with Notepad, and add the switch "/usepmtimer" (without the quotes) onto the end of the Windows lines under the [operating systems] section, and then reboot. This problem is fixed in Windows XP SP2 and doesn't happen in Vista.
http://www.radgametools.com/binkfaq.htm

Worked for me! (my first post, haha)