Can't start Alpha Centauri in Windows Vista

[Grolav]

Hi there, wanted to play this classic, but I can't get Alpha Centauri to start.

- innstalled the game without any problems
- patched it with the patch 4
- added the xp-compability patch
- added the ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1 line in the alpha centauri.ini file
- running in windows xp compability mode

Running it on a laptop with Windows Vista 32-bit.

The odd thing is I can play the Alpha Centaury demo, but not the game.

Any ideas?

 

[Thorn]

I just installed it last night and it worked fine. I didn't even have to set the Voxel thingy to 1 like use to do in XP. The one thing that I did have to was set the program to 'Run As Administrator'. Both Alpha Centauri and the Alien Crossfire work.

Forgot to mention this was also on a laptop (Dell 1505).

 

[porkrind276]

I took have not been able to get AC to work on my new dual core dell computer, and yes I am running Vista (which I hate). I have done all of the fixes suggested and still nadda. Sucks because I love this game. If anyone has any suggestions other than what has already been posted please email me at: porkrind276@yahoo.com.

 

[Petek]

You might want to look at this post for additional suggestions.

HTH

Petek

 

[Robert Can't]

I instaled it on vista


It works fine

 

[kwkcardinal]

I installed SMAC on my Vista (hp dv6000 laptop) and ran the game just fine with "no problem" at all, cept some game errors. i patched the game to version 4, and now it won't run. the game on start up now says that the cpu is incompatible, which i have no doubt, but the game had no problem with the older version, which could explain why the demo mentioned above worked but not his patched game.

i have run the game as an admin, with all the compatability options i know how to manipulate, and i can't fix the problem.

as if that's not enough, i uninstalled the game, and attempted to reinstall it. the cd no longer runs, the the autoplay still appears. somebody up there doesn't like me, this game, or the combination.

help?

 

[Zelig]

You should be able to just click "OK" to bypass the CPU incompatibility message, and it should work fine after that.

I just opened up AC on my Vista computer, haven't played it since before installing Vista, but I still had the files on a secondary hard drive, and it opened up just fine on the first go:



edit: That's Alien Crossfire, latest patch.

 

[kwkcardinal]

Still no go past the "incompatable cpu" prompt. i'lll click ok, then the game will crash/disappear. i've observed that the cpu incompatability only exists with v4, so i suppose i'm left with stickink with v1, or testing any other patches...

 

[Petek]

Add the line

ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1

to the preferences section of Alpha Centauri.ini. Or, if you already have ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=0, change the 0 to a 1.

 

[kwkcardinal]

i found the ini file and made the change. when i attempt to save, it asks me if i'm sure i wish to overwrite. i, of course, select "yes".

then i recieve an error message saying that

"Cannont create the C:\Program files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri\Alpha Centauri.ini file.

Make sure that the path and file name are correct."

wtf. i cannont save to the file path i had pulled the file from!?! in my limited investigation, i've noticed that the C:\Program files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri folder is set to "Read only", and i can't switch it off.

Thank ya'll for your help, but i'm beggining to believe i'm not meant to ever play this game patched. i think Sister Miriam doesn't want me kickin her butt again.

 

[Petek]

I don't have Vista, but this is surely a permissions problem. Do you know the admin's password on this computer? If so, logon as the Admin and try again.

HTH

Petek

 

[Petek]

I found something else about this problem. If you were logged on with the admin account and ran into the problem, then try also running Notepad as follows:

Click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Notepad, and then click Run as administrator.

 

[kwkcardinal]

that was brilliant (or i'm dumb. i should know to go ahead and try that, since i've had to do it on so many other programs...). i did have a similar thought. i am the admin for my comp. i went into my user settings and gave myself all the permissions i thought i could possibly need. it figures that i still needed to give myself permission to be the admin i already was...

yay vista

game runs fin now, and the patches are evident and appear to be working properly. thank you all for your help, and PETEK is my hero!!!!!!!!

 

[robbm671]

i love this game too, as well as other sid meier games but the trouble im having is getting the game to install.....at 76% it just stops.....im running vista with nvidia g7500 graphics card....any help will be GRATEFULLY appreciated