Cannot rename cities in Win7 - Help!

[CurtSibling]

Hi there, chaps!

About to get my new Win7 PC this week, and have been orientating myself with the
OS, but a little problem has appeared. When I try to use any text-entry pop-ups in
CIV ToT, the game crashes. Pretty much ruins my plans for Win7 modding!

I am wondering if it is anything to do with the Comdlg32.ocx file?

Any advice from current Win7 CIV2 users would be great!

[Catfish]

You're determined to find fault with Win7, but it's not a Win7 issue, it's a 64-bit issue and Civ2 (the MGE/ToT versions; classic/FW won't even install or run) will do exactly the same on WinXP 64-bit. You want MastermindX's 64-bit patch.

Originally Posted by CurtSibling

I am wondering if it is anything to do with the Comdlg32.ocx file?

No.

[CurtSibling]

Dude, I am not looking for faults. I am looking to still enjoy CIV2.

I have accepted my old PC is past it, and I am moving to a new rig.
I'm just a retro gamer trying to adjust to the latest OS!

PS
Many thanks for the link too!

[N35t0r]

If your version of Win7 includes it, WinXP mode can be a good friend for those programs that don't work under newer versions of windows.

DOSBox is a godsend for all those MS-DOS programs which will not work in a 64-bit OS as well.

[CurtSibling]

Cheers for the suggestions, dude!

I am putting my hope onto this patch, as WinXP mode had no effect.
With tech wizards like Catfish, I would be looking at a bleak non-CIV future!

PS
Today is the big day when I change systems - Retiring the old warhorse PC!

[Catfish]

Not really in the wizard category here; more like the seen it all before category.

[Edit: BTW, you'll need Win7 Professional or higher to use Windows XP Mode. There was an old thread on Apolyton that covered a lot of that stuff. Here it is.]

[CurtSibling]

The patch works a treat! The continuation of CIV2 work can now continue between bouts of Skyrim!

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by CurtSibling

Today is the big day when I change systems - Retiring the old warhorse PC!

I see now, it's the new Skyrim rig.

[Peregrine]

Downloaded the program, unzipped it, and tried to place it . . . where? Didn't seem to work anywhere I placed it, so I'm doing something wrong. Can someone tell me where it goes? What folder? I'm now using a win7 OS. As per the thread title, I'm experiencing crashes every time either I or the AI attempts to build a new city within a scenario.

I've also seen some talk about several other fixes/programs that would be really nice to have . . .

1.) A program that removes the city limit. (Africa awaits, Gareth.)

2.) A program that removes the multiple unit/tile elimination-via-combat, in favor of a CivIV type single unit/tile elimination-via-combat.

[McMonkey]

The answer to 1) is Civ2Unlimited.

The answer to 2) is CivStack found on Mercator's site.

I'm afraid I don't know the reason for the crashes as I'm still on Vista.

[Peregrine]

After continued reading the threads, it appears that the unlimited cities program is buggy, so I'll decline that one, though it would have been nice to have. If the thread I was reading is old and out of date, and there is another version that is not buggy, please let me know.

I found the unlimited units program inside AeternasII scenario when downloaded. Thanx to win7 being obstinate about extraction, I was forced to move files one-at-a-time from the opened zip file to the named scenario folder. While doing this, I noticed the unlimited units file/program. Aeternas seemed to work just fine, so I have to ask, is that all that I have to do get the unlimited units program to function inside a scenario? Simply pick it up and drag/drop it into an already existing scenario folder, and it'll work? Sure would be nice if that were so.

I couldn't get the Soaring Spirit scenario to work. There was an error message, though I neglected to save it. While moving files from the opened zip archive, there were several files that my OS refused to move, so I'm guessing something necessary didn't make it into the file folder. While moving files from the two scenarios, a popup appeared that seemed to be about multi-player and versions of civ2. Didn't quite understand what was needed/wanted there, but checked the MGE slot, which said "forced." Can someone explain this?

[McMonkey]

I didn't read your post correctly. Civ2Unlimited works fine, but only for extra units / money / time limit etc... You are correct that there were problems with the version that tried to add extra cities. As far as I'm aware there is currently no way to increase the maximum number of cities.

To use Civ2Unlimited you need to copy and paste it into the main Civ2 folder and then double click on the Civ2Unlimited.exe to launch the game. A pop up box will appear with the options and once you hit LAUNCH the game will load up as normal.

I'm no expert, but I think the problem you are having could be related to the version of Civ2 you are using. You need Multiplayer Gold Edition with the 1.3 patch. They should be available from the Civ2 Fanatics downloads section.

Hopefully that will get things working properly. I have been using the same versions for so many years it is hard to recall how I set things up originally!

[Peregrine]

I'll try to apply the unlimited program as you suggest. I'd sure be nice if it worked in AoW, as I tend to stop playing that one when the units limit is reached. My only question is; Am I required to click on the Civ2Unlimited.exe every time I play a scenario in which I want it used? Or just once in order to engage it?

I'm running MGE w/the 1.3 patch recently installed, so the problem is likely that there were vital files that my win7 OS simply would not allow me to move. The solution, I think, is to come up with an emulator of some sort that makes my comp run an older version of windows, preferably win98, which was what my old system ran. I believe Catfish could help here, but he's not around at the moment, apparently. There are several scenarios that I was working on when my old comp gave out permanently, that I'd like to finish up. Most were very near completion. Age of Bronze, Fall of the Roman Empire, and Mexican Civil War. But the way that win7 works seems to prevent any work on civ2 stuff, and, more importantly, although these scens are on my old HD, it (the HD) is sitting here beside me, not in a comp, and I have no way presently of getting at them. The only hope I really have is the Gareth has saved them and can send them to me. So far, no response there.

[AGRICOLA]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

My only question is; Am I required to click on the Civ2Unlimited.exe every time I play a scenario in which I want it used? Or just once in order to engage it?

You have to click on the Civ2Unlimited.exe to begin a scenario where you want to use it as well as any time when you want to continue playing the scen.

Civ2Unlimited.exe will open and save any normal MGE or TOT file. However, any MGE or TOT save file created using Civ2Unlimited can only be opened with Civ2Unlimited.exe.

[Peregrine]

Ok, that's clear enough. Click on it whenever I want to play the scenario. I don't often save games so that, at least, isn't an issue.

Where, exactly, do I place the unlimited program when I drop/drag it? Do I leave it in the scenario folder of the scenario that I'm planning to play? Or does it belong in another folder entirely?

I'm still vague about where to place Mastermind's program. This one is vital. I can't really design w/civ2 without this program working. I have it, unzipped, but don't know where to place it. Which folder.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Downloaded the program, unzipped it, and tried to place it . . . where? Didn't seem to work anywhere I placed it, so I'm doing something wrong. Can someone tell me where it goes? What folder? I'm now using a win7 OS. As per the thread title, I'm experiencing crashes every time either I or the AI attempts to build a new city within a scenario.

MastermindX's patcher patches the Civ2 executable. It shouldn't matter where you put it as long as you direct it to Civ2.exe.

Originally Posted by Peregrine

2.) A program that removes the multiple unit/tile elimination-via-combat, in favor of a CivIV type single unit/tile elimination-via-combat.

There's a game launcher [Edit: after running it for the first time, I discovered it's actually a memory patcher] for MGE called Civ2 Extended by Pathos (database link). Skyer created a 'no stack kills' executable patch for ToT, so there's probably another similar patch of his for MGE floating around somewhere.

Originally Posted by Peregrine

After continued reading the threads, it appears that the unlimited cities program is buggy, so I'll decline that one, though it would have been nice to have. If the thread I was reading is old and out of date, and there is another version that is not buggy, please let me know.

It's not possible without reverse engineering the game. This is also mentioned in the thread. City numbers are stored as a single byte in multiple locations, so without major restructuring, the maximum value will remain 255.

[Peregrine]

The Civ2 Extended looks very good with what it does. Civ2 has needed something like that for a long time. Just being able to create impassable terrain is good, but the stacking limit increase w/combat is nice too.

Sorry if I seem dense, Catfish, but I'll try asking a specific question. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "direct it to civ2." If I drag/drop the program into my main civ2 folder, will that prevent the program from crashing whenever I attempt to build a city while playing a scenario?

[AGRICOLA]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Where, exactly, do I place the unlimited program when I drop/drag it? Do I leave it in the scenario folder of the scenario that I'm planning to play? Or does it belong in another folder entirely?

The setup that works for me is the following:

In C:Program Files I have 2 folders AAAAMGE and AAAATOT (the AAAA prefixes put these at the top of the folder list whenever I open the Program Files folder)

Standard MGE and TOT are installed in the corresponding folder.

CIV2Unlimited.exe and CIV2Unlimited.dll are copied into both folders.

There are Desktop shortcuts MGE UNLIMITED and TOT UNLIMITED to the corresponding CIV2Unlimited.exe program. There are also MGE and TOT shortcuts to the standard MGE and TOT .exe programs.

I use the appropriate shortcut depending on whether I want to play a MGE or TOT standard scen or game or the Unlimited version.

[Catfish]

Originally Posted by Peregrine

Sorry if I seem dense, Catfish, but I'll try asking a specific question. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "direct it to civ2." If I drag/drop the program into my main civ2 folder, will that prevent the program from crashing whenever I attempt to build a city while playing a scenario?

You're possibly the first person in history who's been stumped by the patcher's interface. OK, click the circled button (see below) and navigate to civ2.exe. Click Open to select. The full path to the application should appear in the address bar. Now click the Patch button. Alternatively, you can click the Patch process button while MGE is running, but this only patches memory. Either will work, but the first method writes permanently to the civ2.exe file, so you don't need to run the patcher again.

Originally Posted by AGRICOLA

In C:Program Files...

Try to avoid installing old games in the Program Files folder. It eliminates a potential problem (experienced by some CFC members). Many old games, such as Civilization 2, save data to their installation folder instead of the Documents folder in the user profile. In Windows Vista and higher, the Program Files folder is often write protected against non-administrator accounts and this may prevent some users from saving their games and other game-related files. All my games are saved in C:\Games.

[CurtSibling]

Just on a side note, I've been using the CIV2 Unlimited program for ages, and it is superb!

Nearly unlimited gold, units, population makes for some good fun and has some interesting effects...
When playing 1870 scenario, I noticed that when I gave a civ over 60k as a gift, it stayed friendly
for a long time, even after the space flight tech should have made them more aggressive...

Playing CIV2 on Win7 is not the nightmare I feared!

PS
I just wish there was 64-bit versions of CivCity and DelEvent...