Black Terrain! What can I do...?

[Thomassen]

I don't have time to plow through this whole forum to find a solution to my irritating problems:

1. All terrain is black, except resources
2. It's impossibli to read city name and size
3. The sound in the intro-videos is rather "fragmented"

I've seen that quite a few of the forum-members experience similar problems, but have not yet found a solution.

Please help me if you can!

 

[Zydor]

Please reduce font size when posting it does not help ...

The symptoms you describe mainly occured pre-V1.52. Some are still experiencing them.

It is also the case that quite a few were running hardware below spec, or outdated drivers. Not all of course. In order to fault find your setup we need to know what you have, its not a quick fix and will take time, and there are no guarantees.

If you want to go further please post your Dxdiag

(Start Button - click - select run - type dxdiag - hit enter - wait amin - select "save all information button" - the post using the 'go advanced' button below. Include on the post all the symptomsyou can remember no matter how small

Regards
Zy

 

[Thomassen]

Here follows the file.

View attachment DxDiag.txt

Can't remember more symptoms. I was so frustrated I went stright to the FAQs.

Do you think installing the patch will solve my probs?

 

[Zydor]

Bad news and Good News

Bad News
You have on board graphics (SIS661FX) that means that the PC as it stands will not run the game

Good News
I suspect that PC is the Packard Bell imedia 1408, if so a graphics card can be fitted easily. Another CivFan (Emre) had exactly the same issue, and sucessfully fitted a card, game ran as soon as fitted.

Cant guarantee such success with yours, many other factors in software setup, however, it will definitely not run as it stands, you need a Video Card.

Your options are to either fit yourself, get a friend etc to do it, or go via Packard Bell Support (they use Dixons & Comet in UK as their "fitters"). Research carefully cost etc, its bound to be expensive - as such - vis the Support route but you will have right of redress if they mess it up.

Dont let anyone pursuade you to buy a mega card - your motherboard and cooling will not do it justice. A mid range card will be perfectly adequate.

Hopefully some other Forum Members will posttheir mid-range card suggestions so you get several views by the time you read this

You will still need to load V1.52 after fitting the card, its a must have Patch


Regards
Zy

 

[jpg]

I am also having the same problem heres my dxdiag.txt thanks for your help

edit I manually installed the patch and everything is fine now except for some slow moving graphics at times but at least it works, wow what a difference between civIII and IV!