FAQ's on Installation & Patches

[Methos]

Did everyone give up on me? lol

All the talking about BTS persuaded me to play a few turns!

and that I don't have gold edition

I think this will be the issue with a lot of folks.

Edit: Should I just try and play the game as it is now to sustain myself or wait till I can get BTS installed to get my first taste?

Yes, you should go ahead and start playing. Getting used to Civ4 is probably a good idea before jumping into BTS. BTS added a lot of great features, but I'm afraid too many things at once may be too much. Start with just the main game to get a feel for it and understand what to do. Good luck!

 

[BumpNsubz]

Yes, you should go ahead and start playing. Getting used to Civ4 is probably a good idea before jumping into BTS. BTS added a lot of great features, but I'm afraid too many things at once may be too much. Start with just the main game to get a feel for it and understand what to do. Good luck!

100% agree with this. If you haven't even tried the vanilla version (plain Civ IV with no expansions) you need to get used to it before adding a WHOLE bunch of things that are new.

I believe it tries to make a folder in Program Files and start installing it there.

I just really don't understand why there wouldn't be Express Install and Custom Install options.

Here's what I see (notice the error in the upper left corner of the install screen...lol)

Umm, I don't understand. Is the GameSpy program the problem? What comes after that screen? (sorry, I didn't get the Gold Edition so I'm not as familiar with the install screens) This may be a pain to ask of you, but could you attach pics for each screen you have so you can take all of us through the process you are seeing visually? And is this just BTS you are having problems with or is it the vanilla version as well? If it's just BTS, where is your vanilla version installed to? (sorry if all of this is confusing). Even if you have BTS installed, you will end up with 2 shortcuts to play the game. One for the vanilla version and one for BTS (a third one if Warlords is installed which I'm not sure if the Gold Edition installs that as well or not). So don't worry about not being able to play the original Civ IV if you have the expansions installed, you can play any of the 2 (or 3 with Warlords) as long as you execute the appropriate .exe file.

 

[NintendoTogepi]

I tried installing it one more time to take pictures, and then I noticed it said it was installing to E this time for some reason! Anyway, I let it finish install and it's on E....wish me luck, I hope it works.

If you don't hear from me, assume it worked

 

[BumpNsubz]

I tried installing it one more time to take pictures, and then I noticed it said it was installing to E this time for some reason! Anyway, I let it finish install and it's on E....wish me luck, I hope it works.

If you don't hear from me, assume it worked

Good to hear. So when nothing else works, take pictures

 

[NintendoTogepi]

I know this should probably go in the other thread but....at the top of the screen in Civ 4, there's a big black bar and it's blinking sorta....I don't know how to get it to go away.

Help?

I tried taking a picture, but it didn't show up in the picture.

 

[BumpNsubz]

Have you updated Windows, your Graphics Card Software, and Direct X to 10?

 

[NintendoTogepi]

Have you updated Windows, your Graphics Card Software, and Direct X to 10?

???

1. I didn't know it needs to be updated again
2. What does that mean?
3. Isn't Direct X 10 a Windows Vista only thing?

 

[BumpNsubz]

???

1. I didn't know it needs to be updated again
2. What does that mean?
3. Isn't Direct X 10 a Windows Vista only thing?

1. I'm talking about using the Windows Updates shortcut. Go to Start, All Programs, and look for the web shortcut 'Windows Update'. Make sure that everything is up-to-date. But do this AFTER you have updated your Graphics Card Firmware (see 2.) as there may be a Windows Update add-on for your particular Card.


2. What Graphics Card is currently installed in your computer? I have some experience working in Help Desks and can probably walk you through how to update your Firmware for your card. You should do this about every 3-6 months anyways. (At least check to see if there are updates).

• Note: To find this out, go to Start, Control Panel, and double click Device Manager. On this screen you'll see a list down the left-hand side of the window. On Vista, look for 'Display adapters' and click the + to the left of it. This will open the tree and show a list of graphics card(s) by the Brand and Model #. Example: VisionTek Radeon X1550 Series.

3. Yes it is. Direct X 9c for XP. Thanks for pointing that out!


And just a little side note: You probably know how to find out your Graphics Card model or use Windows Updates, I'm not trying to insult you in any way. Other people reading this, however, may have a similar problem as yours and not know how to do that. I figured this way it will be explained without having to ask.

 

[Methos]

Check out this thread. Somewhere on the second page (I think) is a quick 3 step check to make sure your video software is up-to-date.

Just a suggestion, but it might be easiest if you quoted/copied that post and pasted it into the OP. It would make it easier for people to find than trying to sift through the whole thread. Just my 2 .

 

[BumpNsubz]

Just a suggestion, but it might be easiest if you quoted/copied that post and pasted it into the OP. It would make it easier for people to find than trying to sift through the whole thread. Just my 2 .

Np. Re-posted the conversation there...

 

[dalgan]

I am posting this as a reply as I don't know how to post it as a new request. Can somebody pls help me on this? I have the DVD and when I try to run this I get the error message "Cannot locate the CD-ROM" Pls insert the correct CD-ROM, select OK to restart application. There is only one DVD so I don't know why I get this error message. Thanx

 

[BumpNsubz]

I am posting this as a reply as I don't know how to post it as a new request. Can somebody pls help me on this? I have the DVD and when I try to run this I get the error message "Cannot locate the CD-ROM" Pls insert the correct CD-ROM, select OK to restart application. There is only one DVD so I don't know why I get this error message. Thanx

Make sure you are using the BTS shortcut and not the vanilla or Warlords version. If I remember correctly I had to make my own BTS shortcut, it didn't make one to my desktop automatically...

 

[Balthezar]

I dont understand some of the acronyms used in this thread, so I will have to ask this question and ask not to answer with them.

As I understand as it was explained, 3.13 official patch is out and still really buggy. There is a patch for that patch made by someone in the community.

Does it work with single player?
Is it recommended for single player?

When you download the patch is it an auto-installer or does it have to be installed manually?

Does it try to install to the default path (in program files) or does it install where the registry says the path exists (like the normal installer does)?

When you install the custom patch can you update to whatever new patch will it work or will you have to reinstall the game first?

The mods in this forum install and affect normal or custom single player games?

I figure there are a few people with these questions like myself. On a side note I went to register to ask these questions (after reading this forum last night and tonite at work), when it told me 'your email is already registered' and I am like whawah? So I had it send me username and password and wow, thats an old username I never have used again. When I log in it says this...

Welcome, Balthezar.
You last visited: Jan 11, 2003 at 10:09 AM

wowza

 

[ori]

Let's start

I dont understand some of the acronyms used in this thread, so I will have to ask this question and ask not to answer with them.

As I understand as it was explained, 3.13 official patch is out and still really buggy. There is a patch for that patch made by someone in the community.

Does it work with single player?

Yes

Is it recommended for single player?

Yes very much so

When you download the patch is it an auto-installer or does it have to be installed manually?

Both - you can manually install it by downloading the zip files from here and doing what the included readme says you should do (there are two files - version 1.11 and 1.02 they include different bugfixes for different file sets so you might want to use both). Or you can use this installer that includes all of them and allows you to chose where to install and what components to install if you don't want to install all of the bugfixes.

Does it try to install to the default path (in program files) or does it install where the registry says the path exists (like the normal installer does)?

Manually installing does of course install wherever you want, the installer asks you where Beyond the Sword is installed.

When you install the custom patch can you update to whatever new patch will it work or will you have to reinstall the game first?

Yes and No - any new patch will overwrite the altered files. If you want to make extra sure then use the installer and check the option that allows you to install the patch as a Mod so that it does not alter the core game files at all.

The mods in this forum install and affect normal or custom single player games?

Mods that come with an installer should (and almost all do) install into the Mods subdirectory of the game (...\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Mods by default) - anything in there does not alter the core game files and as such does not alter game play unless you explicitly load a specific mod e.g. from the advanced -> load a mod menu in game.

I figure there are a few people with these questions like myself. On a side note I went to register to ask these questions (after reading this forum last night and tonite at work), when it told me 'your email is already registered' and I am like whawah? So I had it send me username and password and wow, thats an old username I never have used again. When I log in it says this...

Welcome, Balthezar.
You last visited: Jan 11, 2003 at 10:09 AM

wowza

Welcome back

 

[Balthezar]

sweet thanks! so, im still not sure on one point. does the custom patch work as a mod or does it change the core files? or does it allow you to choose or something?

 

[ori]

sweet thanks! so, im still not sure on one point. does the custom patch work as a mod or does it change the core files? or does it allow you to choose or something?

the installer I linked to allows you to chose installing it into the core game which overwrites a couple files. If you do this you will have these bugfixes active in any game including mods that do not come with their own version of the fixed files.
With the installer you can also chose to install it as a mod - which means that it is only active when you explicitly load this mod and it will not affect the normal game nor any other mod.

 

[ggganz]

Suggestion for addition to FAQ:

Q. Help! When installing BtS it says it is going to update Civilization 4 to the latest patch, but then the installation fails!!

A. This is because the patch for Civ4 on the BtS disc only includes the changes made from patch 1.61 to 1.74, and you likely had an older version installed (1.00, 1.09, or 1.52). You can fix this by either starting Civ4 and Clicking Advanced>Check for Updates or downloading and installing it manually, >here< for PC's or >here< for Macs.

 

[BenAdam]

Can you install the Unofficial Patch if you have already installed the Official Patch?

 

[ori]

Can you install the Unofficial Patch if you have already installed the Official Patch?

You NEED the official 3.13 patch in order for the Unofficial patch for 3.13 to work

Welcome to Civfanatics

 

[BenAdam]

You NEED the official 3.13 patch in order for the Unofficial patch for 3.13 to work

Welcome to Civfanatics

Thanks!! For the welcome and the info.