black tiles in C2C

[strategyonly]

That does seem to work (but I only tried loading 2 games, so it may just be a coincidence), so I'll keep it that way and see what happens. Thanks. Strangely, that entry isn't in the same file in my "actual" AND mod (and of course I have no problems with that mod). Was it something this one added?

EDIT---I knew it was too good to be true. The next 6 times I got black tiles, even after using my method. Changing back to "0" and it worked the first time, so I guess the two earlier times it worked was just coincidence.

Here is a review of your GTX Graphics Card:

Lows:

Low performance for its price segment;
Yields to GeForce GTX 275 in a number of cases;
Insufficient performance of the TMU sub-system;
Low memory sub-system bandwidth;
High power consumption;
High noise;
Tendency to overheat;
Modest overclocking potential;
No Protected Audio Path support;
Output to three displays supported only in SLI mode.

You might have a Big problem if that overheating is the problem, IMHO

 

[Dionysis]

Your work-around worked for me as well. I was playing a game in v23 and suddenly had the dreaded MAF. When I reloaded the latest auto-saved game (I have it set to save after every turn), all the terrain was black. Closing and reopening the saved game did not help nor did rebooting my machine. Your work-around did the job so thanks.

Don't know about the poster between my two posts. but I found a work-around that seems to work about 3 out of 4 times (still not 100%, but better than 1 out of 10 by far). it means my save games take twice as long to load, but at least I can play them.

After I save a game (or start a new one), if the tiles come up black change the graphics to low and back to high again. Quit the game and reboot. Start the save (either by double clicking in Explorer or starting from the menu---it seems to make no difference). Usually (again, still not 100%) the graphics problems do not appear until I quit the game completely and restart (even changing mods doesn't seem to "hurt" as long as I don't quit to desktop). Kind of weird this is the only mod that makes me jump through hoops like that, but I think it is a good enough mod to do so.

And it makes no difference what version---23, SVN2617, SVN2644, etc; all are the same.

 

[dusckr87]

Your work-around worked for me as well. I was playing a game in v23 and suddenly had the dreaded MAF. When I reloaded the latest auto-saved game (I have it set to save after every turn), all the terrain was black. Closing and reopening the saved game did not help nor did rebooting my machine. Your work-around did the job so thanks.

The weird part (for me anyway) is that not doing it still doesn't result in the black tiles all the time (eg, sometimes quitting the game without doing the work-around because I forgot to do so sometimes results in a game with no problems the next time I play). It's the randomness that irks me. But glad I could help, or at least add another alternative to those listed above.

As far as the quote above and my graphics card goes, I think it wasn't meant to be directed at me as that isn't the card I have .

 

[Sgtslick]

can you list what you need to do for the workaround.

Saved game (i want to load) *

Load it - Black terrain.

Quit to main menu then change graphics? Change in game then save it again?
Once you've gone high >low>high do u then restart computer? Unload mod>Load mod?
Just quit to desktop then reload save?
Plz be specific thx

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

On XP "Control Panel" -> "System" -> (new dialog) "Advanced Tab" -> "Performance" Settings button -> (new dialog) "Advance" Tab"

Set both "Processor Scheduling" and "Memory Usage" to Programs

There should be something similar in win7.

 

[dusckr87]

On XP "Control Panel" -> "System" -> (new dialog) "Advanced Tab" -> "Performance" Settings button -> (new dialog) "Advance" Tab"

Set both "Processor Scheduling" and "Memory Usage" to Programs

There should be something similar in win7.

Mine is already set that way (though Vista doesn't have a a "memory usage" area, just virtual memory which I have set at 4GB, the same as my actual memory), and still get the occasional black tiles, and only in this mod.

This is the exact process I use, though again it only works about 3/4 of the time (and 1/10 time I don't do it I have no problems*, so really it is just random):

Note that I have my .ini file set-up to automatically clear the cache each time the game starts

1) start the mod, if I get the black tiles change the graphics from high to low and back to high, with high detail terrain turned on (from inside the game, not the main menu)

2) reboot the computer

3) restart the mod, either by clicking on the save file in the documents folder or starting the mod normally from the main menu

4) hope everything works, if not do it again and usually it does (and do change the graphics in the main menu rather than in game this time)

5)EDIT---sometimes changing to low graphics from high works, but since it isn't consistent and I don't like low graphics anyway, I don't do that

*indeed, I just loaded a new game that I didn't do a "fix" on since quitting last night, and even though I have IE running at the same time (as I was typing this the game was "running" in the background) the game loaded with no problems, though I'm sure once I quit the game and try to restart it the black tiles will reappear---it's the quitting the game (not the mod but the entire game) that screws it up

 

[strategyonly]

Mine is already set that way (though Vista doesn't have a a "memory usage" area, just virtual memory which I have set at 4GB, the same as my actual memory), and still get the occasional black tiles, and only in this mod.

This is the exact process I use, though again it only works about 3/4 of the time (and 1/10 time I don't do it I have no problems, so really it is just random):

Note that I have my .ini file set-up to automatically clear the cache each time the game starts

1) start the mod, if I get the black tiles change the graphics from high to low and back to high, with high detail terrain turned on (from inside the game, not the main menu)

2) reboot the computer

3) restart the mod, either by clicking on the save file in the documents folder or starting the mod normally from the main menu

4) hope everything works, if not do it again and usually it does (and do change the graphics in the main menu rather than in game this time)

OK this comes directly from a missing graphics someplace, i just found out myself, did you use the ONE or the 2 part d/l? Pls try it now in the d/l area, i have changed it to a ONE part one now for everyone's convenience, thx to MrAzure.

 

[dusckr87]

OK this comes directly from a missing graphics someplace, i just found out myself, did you use the ONE or the 2 part d/l? Pls try it now in the d/l area, i have changed it to a ONE part one now for everyone's convenience, thx to MrAzure.

See post #18: it's every version, even the latest "working" version I am currently using (SVN2682 though I continuously update the SVN I don't add it to my mods folder until finished with my current game---edit---and then I delete the old version before replacing with the new version; the old version gets zipped to a DVD disc).

 

[strategyonly]

See post #18: it's every version, even the latest "working" version I am currently using (SVN2682 though I continuously update the SVN I don't add it to my mods folder until finished with my current game---edit---and then I delete the old version before replacing with the new version; the old version gets zipped to a DVD disc).

I hope you dont have the same names in all the same directory?

 

[dusckr87]

I hope you dont have the same names in all the same directory?

Of course not. Also, as I said, I delete the old files once they get zipped anyway (I keep the zipped files in case the new ones go horribly wrong). Occasionally I will keep several versions of the same mod in the mods folder, but they always get renamed (as do the config.ini files).

This is getting a bit off-topic, but my SVN version that gets updated periodically is kept in my "G:\temp\temp" directory, and my "working" mods are in my G:\civ4\bts\mods\XXX (not the exact path but an abbreviation because I don't feel like typing the exact path out) folder. Once I feel the current SVN is somewhat stable, I delete my old mod and replace it with a copy of the SVN.

 

[strategyonly]

Of course not. Also, as I said, I delete the old files once they get zipped anyway (I keep the zipped files in case the new ones go horribly wrong). Occasionally I will keep several versions of the same mod in the mods folder, but they always get renamed (as do the config.ini files).

OK try this, go to your SVN version and delete just one file, then do an UPDATE, it should put your files back in, then do a CLEAN UP.
See if that helps.

 

[dusckr87]

OK try this, go to your SVN version and delete just one file, then do an UPDATE, it should put your files back in, then do a CLEAN UP.
See if that helps.

Well, I would, but to tell the truth I don't think the current SVN is stable enough at the moment. maybe after I finish my current game with #2682*. However, that doesn't explain why version 23, which wasn't d/l using SVN, has the same black tile problems. However, if that works for someone else then that will be good, as any suggestion that works for someone isn't wasted.

*also I'm off to work soon so won't really have the time to test it---my current game is minimized so that when I come back later I won't have to jump through hoops to get the terrain back

 

[Sgtslick]

Thanks dusckr87, your advice worked. Wish these firaxis fags would just program properly in the first place - was reminded of this so much when i was trying to play civ5 MP for like 6 months but getting CTD and hangs non stop etc.

 

[dusckr87]

I wouldn't be too critical, as these problems don't seem to be happening with too many people. I think they are doing their best, and I don't think Firaxis has anything to do with it either. If the suggestions above by various people (mine was just one of many) work, then I think the job is done.

 

[Sgtslick]

Im saying if the game designers did a good job (not the modders, they're awesome) crashes and terrain bugs wouldn't exist.

 

[strategyonly]

OK, i have been busy working and working on this, trying to figure out what the heck, and its an ArtDefines/dll problem someplace that causes this to happen, more art then anything else.

This is what i have figured out what to do, and Pls do it in this order, remember this is NOT a guarantee, its just a workaround.

1. Make sure you have your PC/Computer turned completely OFF.
a. Go into your "My Documents/My Games/Beyond the Sword/CustomAssets/ and delete all the folders there.
b. Go into your "My Documents/My Games/Beyond the Sword/Logs/ and delete all the files there.
2. Start your PC normally.
3. Start a "regular" game of BtS in the "Play Now" area only. DO not use any units, do not use the settler to start NOTHING, just when it opens, go into the WB and "Go to Desktop" option.
4. Start a normal game of C2C in the "Play Now" area again, and again do NOT do anything, just go to the WB and in the option go to "Main Menu."
5. Load your savedgame, or start a regular game which ever you want to do, it "should" again "should" be back to normal game playing again.
6. I hope this works.

 

[dusckr87]

Step 5-6 (and last part of step 4) shouldn't be necessary (at least for me) because if the new game starts properly, then all games will start properly. I can switch to different mods, saves, etc and come back to C2C as long as it starts OK at least once. It's exiting to desktop that screws things up for me. But the starting a game in another mod (or simply vanilla BtS) makes sense, as I have noticed in the past that doing that does usually work as well as my suggestion above, especially after I tried my work-around 2-3 times and get desperate.

 

[strategyonly]

Step 5-6 (and last part of step 4) shouldn't be necessary (at least for me) because if the new game starts properly, then all games will start properly. I can switch to different mods, saves, etc and come back to C2C as long as it starts OK at least once. It's exiting to desktop that screws things up for me. But the starting a game in another mod (or simply vanilla BtS) makes sense, as I have noticed in the past that doing that does usually work as well as my suggestion above, especially after I tried my work-around 2-3 times and get desperate.

I hear ya, but really i just put this out there for EVERYONE to use.

 

[dusckr87]

I hear ya, but really i just put this out there for EVERYONE to use.

Indeed. Even if redundant, it certainly won't hurt to do it that way, and may help. As an aside, I just tried it (started "normal", and the tiles came up black). I did steps 1-3, but instead of going to desktop in step 3, I went to the main menu and loaded a saved game and it worked fine, so I will use your method instead of mine from now on (or at least until it stops working again)

 

[Sgtslick]

Make sure you have your PC/Computer turned completely OFF.
How can you do anything when your computer is switched off?