IMPORTANT: Support page & New Fix for Radeon Cards

[Vael]

NOTE: Patch v1.09 is released. It includes fixes for lots of issues including the Radeon graphics card problem.

You can download it from http://www.civfanatics.com/civ4/patch/

I don't think you need to try the steps below as they were before the patch's release.

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The Official Civ4 Site now has a Support section. It lists the minimum system requirements and has documented solutions for some issues. Check it out:

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support.htm

One of the articles there deals with the "Initialization Issues with ATI Radeon Graphics Card":

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_ati.htm

The fix mentioned below is also included in that article.

Originally posted by Solver at Apolyton Forum:

This fix has been tried for Inverse Icarus and Unimatrix, and got their games fully working, so everyone give it a try.

Requirements:

You have installed a retail version of Civ4, along with the DirectX update on the CD. You have installed the 5.10 ATI drivers.

Instructions:

1. Download, unzip and run this application (winXP) or this one (Win2000).
2. From the menu, select PAK->Unpack.
3. Go to your Civ 4 Folder, Assets subdirectory (CivilizationIV\Assets), select the Art0.FPK file, click Open.
4. You'll be prompted to select an extraction folder, select CivilizationIV\Assets - same folder as above.
5. Wait. The program may appear to hang with the progress bar at 100%, but it will be done with unpacking in 2-5 minutes.
6. Move the Art0.FPK file out of your Assets folder so that Civ4 can't find it.
7. Clean out the game cache. See the insttuctions here
8. Run Civ4.

Please report your video card and whether this works for you.

Thanks!

If you still can't get the game to run, you can try clearing the game's cache:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpo...&postcount=185

Some screenshots:





It seems to be working for almost everyone!

[ainwood]

Thanks, Vael.

We'll try to post a Step-By-Step list of what to do here ASAP.

Others - if it works, please post here. If it doesn't, then Firaxis will probably want more info from you.

[oldStatesman]

Thanks!

But being a paranoid type, what exactly is this app and what does it do? I won't run an unknown app on my PC...

[Vael]

It removes the contents from the PAK file that comes with the game. There apepars to be a problem with reading it and the game will crash. This utility extracts the files so they're no longer stored in the PAK.

[zjl56]

Then what is the point of moving the PAK after extracting?

[Thunderfall]

That Unpak app is an official utility released by Firaxis to unpack game assets. So don't worry.

We have a local download mirror for it here also: http://www.civfanatics.net/downloads...y/PakBuild.zip

[Amniotic]

This worked for me, x800 XL, previously had the renderer error.

[kca89]

Does this just fix issues of just being able to even play the game or lots of the graphical errors we see because if it fixes all graphical errors I wanna know if this works for Nvidia as well.

[Zoomba]

Worked for me

[I_batman]

Originally Posted by Thunderfall

That Unpak app is an official utility released by Firaxis to unpack game assets. So don't worry.

We have a local download mirror for it here also: http://www.civfanatics.net/downloads...y/PakBuild.zip

Hope this fix works for everyone!

So why is this fix not posted on the front page of the Firaxis web site?
In fact, I see no mention of ANY bugs, let alone fixes on either the Firaxis or Take2 sites.

[alva848]

Errr guys, people over at poly have followed teh instruction and are now playing the game!!

So far 1 report of a faillure (win2000 box), all others worked!!!!!!

that reason enough?

[CustodianV131]

Originally Posted by I_batman

So why is this fix not posted on the front page of the Firaxis web site?
In fact, I see no mention of ANY bugs, let alone fixes on either the Firaxis or Take2 sites.

It will show up there or be put into a patch, but they wanted to get the fix to the fans ASAP.

[Felton]

Works for me too. Go somebody.

[Colonel Kraken]

Looks like it's meeting with incredible success with LOTS of ATI users at Apolyton.

(I don't actually have the game yet. --but I do have an ATI card, which is why I'm keeping tabs on this stuff.)

[JJColorado]

Hi,

I'm unable to install Catalyst Mobility 5.10 for Windows XP drivers from ATI. I have a Dell XPS laptop with a 256MB Mobility Radeon 9800 card. On ATI's page Dell is not listed as a supported computer manufacturer. Also when I try to run the install executable it says something like thanks for your interest but the drivers can't be installed on your PC.

Does anyone know where to get the 5.10 drivers for Dell PC's?

If I go to Dell's site they will let me download the following driver but it does not seem to be the Catalyst 5.10 driver set:
ATI Mobility Radeon 9800, v.8.162-050803a2-025875C, A05

Help? Without this I can't follow the recommended fix above....

thanks!!!

[Euphoric One]

It works!!!!!

[Iolum]

Quit cryin and start extracting !

[MRM]

No - not playing yet

I have no error massage any more. The Game simply don't start ( no hanging, just dissapearing as if it was closed )

how many files are in the pak ? it extracted only one - is this correct ? ( CivGameCoreDLL.dll

System

AMD 2400 +
Radeon 9600 Pro

[Iolum]

It works after all ! Woo hooo !

[cjkug]

I was so hoping to see something like this before I left work today. Thank you. 12 minutes to go

EDIT: Works and runs GREAT!!!