Steam Error Due to Patch?

[BaronBeer]

I got an error when trying to update to the new patch, "An error has occurred while updating Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth (disk write error)." I thought it weird, checked that I do have enough hard drive space, and then went ahead and uninstalled/reinstalled thinking that would get whatever the issue was knocked out. Sadly, the error keeps coming up, and I can't figure out how to get past it.

Has anyone else had this issue when trying to update Beyond Earth via Steam?

 

[BaronBeer]

Okay, update. I restarted the computer, Steam gave itself a once over, and then the patch finally took. However, now whenever I go to start a new game or load an old game, the moment the light in the bottom center turns into the green arrow to actually start playing the game, the game freezes and the computer tells me Beyond Earth has stopped working...

Anyone else having trouble since the patch?

 

[Zorro 695]

Yes. I am experiencing the same problem. And it seems we're not alone. I tried all of the above, including validating files and re-installing from the disk.

I get through the Sponsor selection process okay but the game locks up before I even get the Green arrow.

The Task Manager tells me that "Sid Meier's Civilization: Beyond Earth (DX11)" is Not Responding.

I'm on Windows 7 PC with NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GT, Driver version 340.52 - all up to date. Game worked fine pre-Patch...

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Gyrofalcon]

Same issue. Worked fine on my GTX260 before patch. Hopeless after patch.
Cleared cache and .ini files, checked files with Steam, empty MODS folder, restart computer, using latest Nvidia drivers (as I did before)
There is a post over at 2k Forums (http://forums.2k.com/showthread.php?926006-New-patch-crashes-the-game), but I don't have a profile there.
So here is my dxdiag: http://pastebin.com/MBAX6gxK
Can it be that the patch broke the game for old card owners?

Any thoughts?

 

[Gort]

Probably a stupid question - you guys aren't using mods, are you?

 

[Zorro 695]

Probably a stupid question - you guys aren't using mods, are you?

Negative. No mods at all. Can see that the patch is in effect because of the subtle changes on the Sponsor screens. But once you reach the DOM screen the game freezes. Music grinds to a halt and the text disappears. After waiting for several minutes nothing happens. You have no choice but to hit CTRL+ALT+DEL to get control of the computer again. Task Manager tells me Civ BE DX11 Not Responding. Very frustrating.

 

[Browd]

Can you post your DxDiag file?

Moderator Action: Moved to Tech Support.

 

[Zorro 695]

Here is my Dxdiag:

 

[BaronBeer]

I'm glad others are having this issue as well as I am clueless as to how to proceed. Also, thanks for posting the DxDiag.txt file Zorro_695. I don't even know what that is or where I'd find one for my situation.

To answer earlier questions, I have no mods.

My setup is an Intel i5 3.3GHz, Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250.

Everything was peachy before the patch, but now nothing works...

 

[Rayki]

I am reasonably sure after doing much investigation they have removed support for any older cards to allow all those people who were able to play just not in their desired resolution to have their fancy displays.

So now everyone has their fancy resolution but there's a bunch of people who can't even play the game. I wondered why there was no obvious errors I could find until I realised there's just no functions for my card, being a GeForce 9800GT it falls within requirements but is apparently unsupported now.

Your Options: Get a new video card, a 750 or later should suffice ($75AUD from select wholesalers). OR give up and go back to a Civ that worked and hope one day they fix it.

My solution: Pack Beyond Earth away with Civ V and load up Civ IV, I won't waste my money on someone else's incompetence.

Edit: It seems GeForce cards are affected, specifically anything older than a 270 or a 9800GT.

Edit: Make no mistake either, it is truly incompetence that is the issue here, I've got plenty of games I play in 1080P and so do other people with other video cards when I play against them online, but there's no problem there, it's just this game, just Firaxis, just poor game development, just poor bug fixing, just plain incompetent.

 

[frnknbry]

Hi I am having problems too it seems the same as everyone else when the green button lights up game crashes. I would be nice if 2Kwould t least acknowledge the problem and say they are working on it but... I have done all the recommended trouble shoots verifying cache etc just no go. I sent a ticket to 2K support 12 hours ago but no go there either.

 

[Gyrofalcon]

The case seems to be that Nvidia has the latest 300-series (and older/lower) at 340.52, but the rest of Nvidia cards has been given 344.x
So if 2K has based the patch on new minimum driver standards, we are screwed...
We can hope that Nvidia releases an update, because they haven't announced (to my knowledge) that 300-series and older are on Legacy Support.

 

[Zorro 695]

I also sent an email to 2K Tech Support yesterday. Got a ticket number but otherwise haven't heard a peep.

I'm a plug'n'play type of guy, not a computer geek, but I didn't think my card was that old! My whole rig was put together only 3 years ago by my son-in-law who is a computer geek (every family should have one!)

Paid good money for this game and have yet to realise its possibilities. You'd think the devs would have made it compatible for any system from XP up, not just a narrow zone.

I'm hoping for a speedy resolution for this dilemma. I'm certainly not interested in changing any of my hardware just to play Civ BE!

In the mean time, I'm going back to good old Civ 5 - which does work. Hey, I'm even playing Alpha Crossfire! - which also still works. At least I'm in space!

 

[razzor500]

So I am having the same issues.

My view is that the game worked pre-patch and therefore it should work post patch as its unreasonable for the hardware support level to have changed on a basic patch release.

 

[frnknbry]

I just got a reply from 2K has any one else? They just asked for my msnfo32 and a couple of screen shots. Has any one else heard back?

 

[Zorro 695]

Hi frnknbry,

Yes, I got this response from 2K:

The patch has indeed fixed a large number of graphical issues but sadly in doing so it has caused a number of players who's systems were below the minimum specifications for running Civilization:Beyond Earth from no longer being to able to enjoy the game.

While your graphics card, the Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT, has the hardware to run the game it is unfortunately not DirectX 11 compatible which is also a minimum requirement for running the game.

I'm very sorry that you are no longer able to play Beyond Earth, and we would like to ask you to send us some information so we can pass it on to Firaxis to look into this specific issue. We would like to see your DXDiag and MSinfo files please.

I sent them the requested files, but they didn't ask for screenshots. Not possible anyway since I can't get into the game to take any bloody screenshots!

 

[Gyrofalcon]

The Steam forum has narrowed it down quite well:
http://steamcommunity.com/app/65980/discussions/0/619569341115142737/#p67
And the hottest tip now is that the game enforces the requirement for DX11 cards (GTX470 is the oldest) and/or that nVidia hasn't updated the drivers for 300-series and older. (Gone into Legacy Support state?)

 

[Steve2000]

The game definitely works if you roll back the version to the legacy version on Steam.

Open the Properties for Beyond Earth
Click on the Betas tab
type in: legacyplease into the code section
Select the legacy mode from the drop down menu right above where you typed in the code
This will re-download Beyond Earth as the intial build of the game I believe and it will again work with GT300 series and earlier cards.

But of course now, we don't have the other game-play related patches. And it is sounding more and more likely that they won't patch support for the older cards back.

 

[Rayki]

There's an easy fix and an added bonus to this problem..Just buy a new video card.

Sure it costs money, yes you were probably going to wait 6 month to a year, yes it's an inconvenience, yes you can play other games fine...But NO you weren't within requirments when you bought the game, despite what you thought, the truth is you weren't. No Firaxis shouldn't "fix" the game because it's not broken, and no this won't be an isolated issue, as more games are coming for DX11 right this moment.

Just look at the silver lining, you get a newer faster, better video card, you get increased performance in all your games, you get better video for your TV Shows and Movies, hey you even get better resolution sharpness. You also get to play all the newest games for the next 5 years without having to end up in this boat again.

I know this works as it is what I done to solve the problem after losing my dillusions and finding out my 9800GT was NOT DX11 compatible like I had once mistakenly believed, a simple $75 Australian (Which is more expensive than every other country in the world) and I was back in business with a card 3x more powerful.

 

[Steve2000]

There's an easy fix and an added bonus to this problem..Just buy a new video card.

Oh, I am on board with you 100% and would have already bought a new card months ago, if it wasn't for the fact that I have a laptop. I will definitely be going back to purchasing a desktop PC for my next computer, but realistically I need to ride things out another year or two before I can drop $500-700 on a new PC.