I apologize for the length of this post, but I'm encountering a problem with a 'lock-up' at the splash screen ( The screen
listing all of the contributors IE BinkVideo, GameSpy, Scaleform, etc.) Once I get to this screen the game freezes.(I've
waited over a 1/2 hour for it to progress beyond this point, but no go.) Ctl+AlT+Del, nor any other command function works &
I'm forced to restart my machine.
The irony is when I first purchased the game prior to Christmas, I was using an AMD processor running at 1.3 Mhz, & a Nvidea
64MB video card. The game was a bit choppy (specifically the wonder movies)but seemed to run Ok. (I remember reading &
sympathizing that so many people were have problems- it's a good game.)
I then installed the 1.09patch, & the game became so sluggish as to be unplayable. The opening intro was more a slide show
than a movie, it was taking 2o+ min to get to the game menu screen, & everything seemed to be in slow motion. I tried
unstalling the patch, & even unstalling the game, then reinstalling, but still no luck.
Next, I tried the 1.52 patch, first after reinstalling the first patch, them unstalling 1.09, then after unstalling the game,
reinstalling & trying it from scratch. The result was the game didn't load at all, simply crashing to my desktop.
Ok, rather than become frustrated (It's good to have a sense of humor, & as I mentioned it is a good game.) I concluded it
must be a hardware issue (Please note, I'm not a Programmer, Technican, IT Professional, nor self-proclaimed expert, I'm sure
if any are reading this they're shaking their heads, & chuckling at my naivete.) Thinking it was a problem with my hardware,
(I had read in the forums, how the minimum requirements may not realistic.) I went back to Civ3 ( I really enjoy the RAR Mod,
& suggest it to anyone who hasn't tried it.)until I could upgrade.
Well, I upgraded to the 128 Mb Nvidea 5200, with an AMD 2.1MHz processor. (Again I'm using the latest drivers available.) My
complete system specs are below (And yes I realize its not an Intel/AMD powerhouse, but I'm satisfied with it, & for those of
you with kids, you'll understand there are other priorities.) So again, I tried without any patches, with the 1.09 patch with
the 1.09+1.52 patch, & with only the 1.52patch. And as noted above now have the 'lock-up' error.
I'm very disappointed, not so much with the purchase ($69.99 CAN plus tax), but as I mentioned it is a good game, ( I thought
the added religious aspect of the tech advances were very interesting.) & I was looking forward to enjoying it further.
If any one has any ideas or suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated. I've tried several of the suggestions I've read but
with no success. I don't feel comfortable changing any major system settings, particlarly as this is the only program I'm
having difficulty with. Again I apologize for the length of the post & sincerely hope you have more luck with the game than
I.
My System Summary:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name MYCOMPUTER
User Name Robert
Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 2133 MHz (16 x 133) 2800+
Motherboard Name ECS 741-M / 741GX-M (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 1 CNR, 2 DDR DIMM, Audio, Video,
LAN)
Motherboard Chipset SiS 741
System Memory 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award (04/21/05)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Monitor ViewSonic E771-4 [17" CRT] (AY94103221)
Multimedia:
Audio Adapter SiS 7012 Audio Device
Storage:
IDE Controller SiS 5513 IDE UDMA Controller
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive MAXTOR 6L040J2 (40 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133)
Optical Drive LG DVD-ROM DRD8160B (16x/48x DVD-ROM)
Optical Drive MAThorsehockyA UJDD410 (24x/10x/40x CD-RW)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK
Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 38162 MB (11850 MB free)
Input:
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Keyboard Logitech PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant Optical Wheel Mouse
Mouse Logitech HID-compliant Cordless Mouse
Network:
Network Adapter SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Modem Communications cable between two computers
Modem SoftV92 Data Fax Modem
Peripherals:
Printer Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB2 Controller SiS 7002 USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Device Logitech Corded Optical Wheel Mouse
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game Setting Summary:
[GAME]
; Move along
CheatCode = 0
[CONFIG]
; Allows some memory savings *** ALT-TAB WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION ***
MemSaver = 0
; Use managed interface textures (may be safer but shouldn't be needed, uses more memory)
GUIManagedTextures = 0
; Enable voice over IP capture and playback
EnableVoice = 1
; Disable caching of file system (may slow initialization)
DisableFileCaching = 1
; Disable caching of xml and file system (may slow initialization)
DisableCaching = 0
; Disable PAK memory mapping (May affect performance)
DisablePAKMemoryMapping = 0
; Don't skip frames if falling behind
BinkNoSkip = 1
; Copy entire image each frame, not just dirty pixels
BinkCopyAll = 1
; Show movies using hi-color, not true-color (may be faster)
Bink16Bit = 0
; Copy ever other scanline during movie playback (faster)
BinkInterlace = 0
; Set to 1 to page units out when non-visible
DynamicUnitPaging = 1
; Set to 1 for no tech splash screens
NoTechSplash = 0
; The maximum number of autosaves kept in the directory before being deleted.
MaxAutoSaves = 5
; Enable/disable background music
PlayMusic = 1
; Allow Screenshots. May affect performance on some video cards
AllowScreenShots = 1
; App Selects Specific IP to use for Multiplayer
SelectIP = 0
; Specify a Mod folder (Mods\Mesopotamia), '0' for none
Mod = 0
; Specify whether to play in fullscreen mode 0/1/ask
FullScreen = 1
; Set max frame rate clamp (0 means none)
SetMaxFrameRate = 0
; Set to 1 for dynamic animation paging
DynamicAnimPaging = 1
; Set to 1 for no in-game movies
NoMovies = 0
; Set to 1 for no python exception popups
HidePythonExceptions = 1
; Specify the number of turns between autoSaves. 0 means no autosave.
AutoSaveInterval = 4
; Enable Audio
AudioEnable = 1
; English(0),French(1),German(2),Italian(3),Spanish(4) - Defaults to user-installed language
Language = 0
; Determines which user profile is loaded on game start
UserProfile = Default Profile
; Sync input to smooth interface (may run slower)
SyncInput = 0
; Force numlock always on while playing
ForceNumlock = 0
[DEBUG]
; Create a dump file if the application crashes
GenerateCrashDumps = 0
; Number of turns to autorun before exit (0 for no limit)
AutorunTurnLimit = 0
; Set App on Auto-Run
Autorun = 0
; Enable D3D9 Queries
D3D9Query = 0
;
ScreenHeight = 0
; Custom Screen Resolution, ex: 1200x1200 - Normal resolutions can be set in-game and will be used when both values are set
to 0
ScreenWidth = 1024x768
; Establish connection to Python Debugger
HAPDebugger = 0
; Show python debug msgs in IDE console
ShowPythonDebugMsgs = 0
; NetComm Port
Port = 2056
; Enable the logging system
LoggingEnabled = 0
; Overwrite old network and message logs
OverwriteLogs = 0
; Enable rand event logging
RandLog = 0
; Enable message logging
MessageLog = 0
; Break on memory allocation order #
BreakOnAlloc = -1
listing all of the contributors IE BinkVideo, GameSpy, Scaleform, etc.) Once I get to this screen the game freezes.(I've
waited over a 1/2 hour for it to progress beyond this point, but no go.) Ctl+AlT+Del, nor any other command function works &
I'm forced to restart my machine.
The irony is when I first purchased the game prior to Christmas, I was using an AMD processor running at 1.3 Mhz, & a Nvidea
64MB video card. The game was a bit choppy (specifically the wonder movies)but seemed to run Ok. (I remember reading &
sympathizing that so many people were have problems- it's a good game.)
I then installed the 1.09patch, & the game became so sluggish as to be unplayable. The opening intro was more a slide show
than a movie, it was taking 2o+ min to get to the game menu screen, & everything seemed to be in slow motion. I tried
unstalling the patch, & even unstalling the game, then reinstalling, but still no luck.
Next, I tried the 1.52 patch, first after reinstalling the first patch, them unstalling 1.09, then after unstalling the game,
reinstalling & trying it from scratch. The result was the game didn't load at all, simply crashing to my desktop.
Ok, rather than become frustrated (It's good to have a sense of humor, & as I mentioned it is a good game.) I concluded it
must be a hardware issue (Please note, I'm not a Programmer, Technican, IT Professional, nor self-proclaimed expert, I'm sure
if any are reading this they're shaking their heads, & chuckling at my naivete.) Thinking it was a problem with my hardware,
(I had read in the forums, how the minimum requirements may not realistic.) I went back to Civ3 ( I really enjoy the RAR Mod,
& suggest it to anyone who hasn't tried it.)until I could upgrade.
Well, I upgraded to the 128 Mb Nvidea 5200, with an AMD 2.1MHz processor. (Again I'm using the latest drivers available.) My
complete system specs are below (And yes I realize its not an Intel/AMD powerhouse, but I'm satisfied with it, & for those of
you with kids, you'll understand there are other priorities.) So again, I tried without any patches, with the 1.09 patch with
the 1.09+1.52 patch, & with only the 1.52patch. And as noted above now have the 'lock-up' error.
I'm very disappointed, not so much with the purchase ($69.99 CAN plus tax), but as I mentioned it is a good game, ( I thought
the added religious aspect of the tech advances were very interesting.) & I was looking forward to enjoying it further.
If any one has any ideas or suggestions they'd be greatly appreciated. I've tried several of the suggestions I've read but
with no success. I don't feel comfortable changing any major system settings, particlarly as this is the only program I'm
having difficulty with. Again I apologize for the length of the post & sincerely hope you have more luck with the game than
I.
My System Summary:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Professional
OS Service Pack Service Pack 2
DirectX 4.09.00.0904 (DirectX 9.0c)
Computer Name MYCOMPUTER
User Name Robert
Motherboard:
CPU Type AMD Athlon XP, 2133 MHz (16 x 133) 2800+
Motherboard Name ECS 741-M / 741GX-M (3 PCI, 1 AGP, 1 CNR, 2 DDR DIMM, Audio, Video,
LAN)
Motherboard Chipset SiS 741
System Memory 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)
BIOS Type Award (04/21/05)
Communication Port Communications Port (COM1)
Communication Port ECP Printer Port (LPT1)
Display:
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Monitor ViewSonic E771-4 [17" CRT] (AY94103221)
Multimedia:
Audio Adapter SiS 7012 Audio Device
Storage:
IDE Controller SiS 5513 IDE UDMA Controller
Floppy Drive Floppy disk drive
Disk Drive MAXTOR 6L040J2 (40 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133)
Optical Drive LG DVD-ROM DRD8160B (16x/48x DVD-ROM)
Optical Drive MAThorsehockyA UJDD410 (24x/10x/40x CD-RW)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK
Partitions:
C: (NTFS) 38162 MB (11850 MB free)
Input:
Keyboard HID Keyboard Device
Keyboard Logitech PS/2 Keyboard
Mouse HID-compliant Optical Wheel Mouse
Mouse Logitech HID-compliant Cordless Mouse
Network:
Network Adapter SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
Modem Communications cable between two computers
Modem SoftV92 Data Fax Modem
Peripherals:
Printer Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB1 Controller SiS 7001 PCI-USB Open Host Controller
USB2 Controller SiS 7002 USB 2.0 Enhanced Host Controller
USB Device Logitech Corded Optical Wheel Mouse
USB Device USB Composite Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
USB Device USB Human Interface Device
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Game Setting Summary:
[GAME]
; Move along
CheatCode = 0
[CONFIG]
; Allows some memory savings *** ALT-TAB WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION ***
MemSaver = 0
; Use managed interface textures (may be safer but shouldn't be needed, uses more memory)
GUIManagedTextures = 0
; Enable voice over IP capture and playback
EnableVoice = 1
; Disable caching of file system (may slow initialization)
DisableFileCaching = 1
; Disable caching of xml and file system (may slow initialization)
DisableCaching = 0
; Disable PAK memory mapping (May affect performance)
DisablePAKMemoryMapping = 0
; Don't skip frames if falling behind
BinkNoSkip = 1
; Copy entire image each frame, not just dirty pixels
BinkCopyAll = 1
; Show movies using hi-color, not true-color (may be faster)
Bink16Bit = 0
; Copy ever other scanline during movie playback (faster)
BinkInterlace = 0
; Set to 1 to page units out when non-visible
DynamicUnitPaging = 1
; Set to 1 for no tech splash screens
NoTechSplash = 0
; The maximum number of autosaves kept in the directory before being deleted.
MaxAutoSaves = 5
; Enable/disable background music
PlayMusic = 1
; Allow Screenshots. May affect performance on some video cards
AllowScreenShots = 1
; App Selects Specific IP to use for Multiplayer
SelectIP = 0
; Specify a Mod folder (Mods\Mesopotamia), '0' for none
Mod = 0
; Specify whether to play in fullscreen mode 0/1/ask
FullScreen = 1
; Set max frame rate clamp (0 means none)
SetMaxFrameRate = 0
; Set to 1 for dynamic animation paging
DynamicAnimPaging = 1
; Set to 1 for no in-game movies
NoMovies = 0
; Set to 1 for no python exception popups
HidePythonExceptions = 1
; Specify the number of turns between autoSaves. 0 means no autosave.
AutoSaveInterval = 4
; Enable Audio
AudioEnable = 1
; English(0),French(1),German(2),Italian(3),Spanish(4) - Defaults to user-installed language
Language = 0
; Determines which user profile is loaded on game start
UserProfile = Default Profile
; Sync input to smooth interface (may run slower)
SyncInput = 0
; Force numlock always on while playing
ForceNumlock = 0
[DEBUG]
; Create a dump file if the application crashes
GenerateCrashDumps = 0
; Number of turns to autorun before exit (0 for no limit)
AutorunTurnLimit = 0
; Set App on Auto-Run
Autorun = 0
; Enable D3D9 Queries
D3D9Query = 0
;
ScreenHeight = 0
; Custom Screen Resolution, ex: 1200x1200 - Normal resolutions can be set in-game and will be used when both values are set
to 0
ScreenWidth = 1024x768
; Establish connection to Python Debugger
HAPDebugger = 0
; Show python debug msgs in IDE console
ShowPythonDebugMsgs = 0
; NetComm Port
Port = 2056
; Enable the logging system
LoggingEnabled = 0
; Overwrite old network and message logs
OverwriteLogs = 0
; Enable rand event logging
RandLog = 0
; Enable message logging
MessageLog = 0
; Break on memory allocation order #
BreakOnAlloc = -1
