How to revert the new Steam update and keep both versions

xianbaum · Apr 9, 2015

So, a lot of people have had problems with the new Steam update, and have lost compatibility with mods, had problems with crashing, incorrect text and other text issues and other bugs that sometimes can make the game unplayable for some. NOTE: This game has some issues with Windows visual effects. That does not fix this.

Here is a zip with files you can merge into your directory made from the instructions below. It won't replace any files, it will only add new files. Launch Civ3_NoRaze.exe to play. https://www.dropbox.com/s/p969ocvp5hs4be0/Civ3PreSteamUpdate.zip?dl=0 Alternatively, you can follow these instructions.

You will need this file. It's the latest patch.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=14557
Put it in your [InstallationPath]/Conquests directory, or the same directory as Civ3Conquests. Don't replace Civ3Conquests.exe.
Optional step. If you don't do this step, text will be messed up in the Steam version until you undo the changes in the following steps. This will make it easier to have both versions. Open NoRaze.exe in a hex editor and find the first occurance of "labels.txt". Replace it with "label2.txt"
1. Copy: [InstallationPath]/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.
2. Copy: [InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/[civ3PTW]/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.
3. Copy: [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.
Open [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt (or use the file label2.txt if you did the optional step) Find line 86 (just below "PING" and above "Host name". the line says "Unknown". Erase that.
Open [InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt (or use the file label2.txt if you did the optional step). Find line 86 (just below "PING" and above "Host name". The line says "Unknown". Erase that.
Make sure that [InstallationPath]/Conquests/conquests.ini is to your liking. The update reverted any changes you may have made. I added KeepRes=1 and PlayIntro=0 to the bottom of mine.
Launch Civ III through NoRaze.exe to play the pre-updated version. Go play some Civ!

Here are the changes that were made from the steam version (copied from my reply to another thread)

[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Civ3Conquests.exe
- Added Steamworks support to replace dead GameSpy servers
- Removed Direct IP support
- Added Steam overlay support
- Other changes that cause new problems/glitches/incompatibilities?
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt
- "GameSpy" changed to "Steam" reference on line 10
- Added a line between "PING" and "Host" (line 86) that just says "Unknown".
  Erasing the line will fix the text incompatibility with mods, BUT it completely breaks the text in the normal game. Lose-lose, unless you can get the old executable, which works fine if you erase the line 86 that says "Unknown". The text is broken in the old executable if the line is still there.
[InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt
- Ditto to the changes to above
Also, the gamespy icon was removed from
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/gamespy.ico
[InstallationPath]/civ3PT3/gamespy.ico

The ini file was also updated, ruining some people's configuration:
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/conquests.ini

These files were added for the Steam overlay to work:
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Civ3Restarter.exe
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/steam_api.dll
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/steam_appid.txt

Nathiri · Apr 10, 2015

Doesnt work for me.

xianbaum · Apr 11, 2015

Darn, really? It should work, it's the older version... hmm. I could zip up and upload the three files in my installation and you could try extracting them in your Civ folder if that's okay. They don't replace any files.

Nathiri · Apr 11, 2015

xianbaum said:
Darn, really? It should work, it's the older version... hmm. I could zip up and upload the three files in my installation and you could try extracting them in your Civ folder if that's okay. They don't replace any files.

When I launched the NoRaze.exe it says Civ3 has stopped working, I then thought I would try my Antal Patched Launcher and that stopped working as well.

You can if you want. What ive done as a work around is, for each mod make a copy of the labels txt, and add Unknown in its slot and it seems to have realligned them in their spots. For the first try I actually got a fresh labels txt and copied the different labeling lines from the mod's labels txt. It did take a few minutes to do but then I thought the easier way was to just add the 'Unknown' label.

xianbaum · Apr 13, 2015

Here's the files to get the prepatched version working for mods and such. Merge them into your installation directory. They won't replace any files, they'll only add new files, so you can still play both the steam version, say, for online, and this version, say for mods. They are only the files gotten from the instructions mentioned above, so they are pretty innocent.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p969ocvp5hs4be0/Civ3PreSteamUpdate.zip?dl=0

Anyway, here's a complete diff between the installations. If it starts with /cygdrive/f/ then it's a difference in the old version. If it starts with /cygdrive/g/ then it's a difference in the new version. By the way, it says that jgl.dll differs between installations, but they were both last updated months before the update. Strange.

Spoiler :

ThERat · Apr 14, 2015

Are you saying those files should simple be added to the conquest directory? Instead of using the NoRaze file now?

mythmonster2 · Apr 14, 2015

Nathiri said:
When I launched the NoRaze.exe it says Civ3 has stopped working, I then thought I would try my Antal Patched Launcher and that stopped working as well.

You can if you want. What ive done as a work around is, for each mod make a copy of the labels txt, and add Unknown in its slot and it seems to have realligned them in their spots. For the first try I actually got a fresh labels txt and copied the different labeling lines from the mod's labels txt. It did take a few minutes to do but then I thought the easier way was to just add the 'Unknown' label.

I can testify that this worked for me. Just putting in the Unknown line between PING and Host Name in each mod's labels.txt fixed my text issues.

ThERat · Apr 14, 2015

I play CCM and putting Unknown between those lines and using a certain resolution has actually helped and I can now play the game again

ThERat · Apr 23, 2015

By the way, last night there has been an update on steam and C3C seems to work fine again

StarTrooper2 · Jun 26, 2016

found this last summer and loved it. then updates came along and game stopped working. blocked updates and worked again. upgraded computer in October to play Fallout 4 and 1989 not working again. got new noraze.exe, fixed labels, and game works again........
2 glitches:
1] get Civ3 original splash screen when game is launched, not the noraze.exe screen.
2] save/load game will not work. I get a save error pop up with an address to the save file location.

I have the original disk version, but I bought Civ3 complete from Steam and that's what I've been using on a Windows 7 system.

not to worried about the splash screen, but I'm guessing that is the link that is not letting the noraze.exe load properly?
any help or ideas to fix this would be great.

How to revert the new Steam update and keep both versions

xianbaum

Chieftain

Nathiri

Commander

xianbaum

Chieftain

Nathiri

Commander

xianbaum

Chieftain

ThERat

Deity

mythmonster2

BEC NOIR! RUN!

ThERat

Deity

ThERat

Deity

StarTrooper2

Chieftain

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