GOG Has "Hijacked" Conquests

[Ozymandias]

Hi All,

With a new Windows 10 machine, i d/l-edCiv through GOG.

Then I found my original dusks &decided to reinstall them.

Civ itself, and PTW, installed properly in C:\Program Files (x86)\Infogrames Interactive, asking me about what directories to install into etc. ...

But, when it came to the Conquests disk, the install was STILL "vectored" directly into GOG-land, even after I had uninstalled GOG!

 

[Civinator]

Oz, on my Win 10 pc I have 3 different installations of civ 3 and all of them are working very well: An installation of the Civ 3 Civ Complete Chronicles version in the x_86 folder with my C3C expansion CCM2.50 (the Civ Chronicles version doesn´t have a SecuRom protection), another installation of the Civ 3 Chronicles version in German language in the program folder and the GOG offline installation of Civ 3 Complete in the GOG folder without my CCM2.50 expansion (mainly used for answering questions about unmodded C3C and for comparing performances of C3C in the unmodded version and in my modded C3C expansion CCM2.50).

I think there are many other civers with a much better knowledge about computers and windows in these forums, who can explain this much better than me, but my guess is, that your deinstallation of the GOG version hasn´t removed all parts of Civ 3 Complete from your pc.

Have you used the deinstallation routine in the GOG version of Civ 3 Complete ?

And I have some additional questions about your properly installations of the original Civ 3 Vanilla and PtW discs (that have the original copy protection that is no longer be supported by microsoft) on your Win 10 pc.

If all was installed properly on your pc, you should now be able to play Civ 3 Vanilla and PtW with those original CDs in your CD drive. Can you play Civ 3 Vanilla and PtW now with those installations on your Win 10 pc ?

I´m also wondering about the reason for deinstalling the GOG version of Civ 3 Complete: What is the advantage of a normal C3C installation compared to the installation of the Civ 3 Complete GOG Offline version ?

 

[vmxa]

I suspect the two things you gain with a "normal" install are the ptw editor and the original c3c editor.
I use to always go into the registry to remove civ3 to ensure the reinstall did not have issues with the registry.

 

[Civinator]

vmxa, that´s a good point about gaining the original C3C editor 1.00.

That editor must be renamed before using the needed C3C patch, otherwise it will be replaced in that patch with the bugged editor 1.03 (no scientific leaders). For PtW the updated editor is included in the GOG version of Civ 3 Complete and as far as I remember, the updated PtW editor was a real improvement compared to its predecessor.

 

[Patine]

Hi All,

With a new Windows 10 machine, i d/l-edCiv through GOG.

Then I found my original dusks &decided to reinstall them.

Civ itself, and PTW, installed properly in C:\Program Files (x86)\Infogrames Interactive, asking me about what directories to install into etc. ...

But, when it came to the Conquests disk, the install was STILL "vectored" directly into GOG-land, even after I had uninstalled GOG!

Haha. I STILL have my original CD-ROM, and still seems to work. Stick it to GOG!

 

[Ozymandias]

@Civinator - Good questions

In short:

• I decided that - given the unusual number of security insanities I've experienced over the years, including the possible "burning" of the Great Library - I didn't want a needless, potential "back door" (GOG) on my machine. I had stumbled across my original disks, so:
  • I ran the GOG uninstall.
  • I tracked all of the "leftover" GOG Services - and deleted them.
• I also had the Steam version installed, but getting it to work with an HD screen was an extremely annoying and unsuccessful effort, so:
  • Using the appropriate Steam utility, the Steam version was simply & thoroughly removed from my machine.
• Returning to those original disks, the "Vanilla" and "PTW" disks seemed to install perfectly (I'll return to the Conquests disk a few bullet points down) in the usual directories ... BUT:
  • I only, just now, tried to run the .exes in question, and the result was a plethora of errors:

View attachment 571539

Now, back to my Conquests disk:

• Running it the first time - after I'd done all of the anti-GOG steps described above:
  • I was not offered any choice of an install directory.
  • It somehow reinstalled the complete GOG directory and file structure - but not GOG itself.
• Before running it the second time, I simply renamed the topmost level GOG Galaxy folder (remember: GOG itself was not reinstalled) then:
  • I was only offered "Repair" and "Uninstall" options.
  • Both options were directed at a newly created "GOG Galaxy" folder -
  • With another, complete Civ install - which will not run.

I suspect that I shall wind up reinstalling GOG, but ...

... And that, my friend, is that.

- @Patine - That's precisely what I'm trying to do!

- Also, @vmxa - What did you do with the registry?

 

[Civinator]

I didn't want a needless, potential "back door" (GOG) on my machine. ... GOG Galaxy

Oz, that´s why I answered here not to use the GOG Galaxy installation, but to install the old offline version. The offline version of Civ 3 Complete doesn´t have that potential "back door" on your machine. With that installation an internet connection to GOG is not needed when starting, playing and modding Civ 3 and additionally if you save those installation files you can reinstall Civ 3 Complete without any connection to GOG. GOG Galaxy is not needed (especially for modding purposes) and can be deleted, too. You can change the installation routine of the offline version of Civ 3 Complete to other folders, too. The installation must not be done into a folder named GOG, but at present I don´t see any harm by installing it into a folder with that name.

For a new installation, as vmxa suggested, the registry of your pc should be cleaned up (may be a civer here can name you a good free program for doing that) and you should also delete possible remnants of the not wanted online installation in the virtual store of your pc.

 

[Ozymandias]

I think that this is where I was & remain confused: precisely what do you mean by the "old offline version?" The screen shot you so kindly posted seems to be a GOG, "Civ 3 Complete" install screen, offering an option to install Complete - but bypassing GOG itself? (I did just try re-installing via GOG, and did not see an English Language equivalent of that screen.)

Also, to clarify, a "Civ 3 Complete" disk seems to be about the only option I don't own. I have:

1. The original, "traditional" set of the 3, sequentially released Civ 3 disks (; ; .)
2. GOG.
3. Steam.
4. -And, I did order, online, what was advertised as a "Complete" disk - but, instead, wound up being something I'd never encountered before: a 3 disk Atari set, with Disk 1 = ; etc.

So, in short, do I need to order a 5th option as well: a single, separate, Civ 3 Complete disk?

-z

PS Once more @vmxa - I use CCleaner. Does this suffice?

 

[Fergei]

I think that this is where I was & remain confused: precisely what do you mean by the "old offline version?" The screen shot you so kindly posted seems to be a GOG, "Civ 3 Complete" install screen, offering an option to install Complete - but bypassing GOG itself? (I did just try re-installing via GOG, and did not see an English Language equivalent of that screen.)

Also, to clarify, a "Civ 3 Complete" disk seems to be about the only option I don't own. I have:

1. The original, "traditional" set of the 3, sequentially released Civ 3 disks (; ; .)
2. GOG.
3. Steam.
4. -And, I did order, online, what was advertised as a "Complete" disk - but, instead, wound up being something I'd never encountered before: a 3 disk Atari set, with Disk 1 = ; etc.

So, in short, do I need to order a 5th option as well: a single, separate, Civ 3 Complete disk?

-z

PS Once more @vmxa - I use CCleaner. Does this suffice?

I'm an XP user so cant advise on Windows 10, bit there was definitely an English language version of the screen posted above when I downloaded from GOG a few months ago. I'd keep hunting for a route to it via either your email or your GOG account.

 

[Civinator]

Oz in short:

1. Acording to present knowledge you cannot play normal CD versions of Civ 3 and its expansions with Win 10 (it is different with Win XP, as there is no more XP support by microsoft and therefore - as far as I know - the threat for your pc by those security programs was not stopped by microsoft). This concerns not only your old original CD versions, but also all Civ 3 Complete CD versions with two exceptions: The only known CD versions that work with Win10 is Civ 3 Complete in the Civ Chronicles compilation and a German Green pepper version of Civ 3 Complete. If you want to have a CD version of Civ 3, that is still working with Win 10, you should buy the Civ Chronicles Compilation.

2. With your GOG version of Civ 3 Complete you have all you need to play Civ 3 and its expansions without a "back door" on your machine. As you have bought the GOG version you still have access to download the offline version of Civ 3 Complete (after cleaning the remnants of your online version). Do this as I showed in my screenshot in my last post in this thread. You will receive the following setup file for an installation without any "back door" on your machine. Consider this installation file working like a civ 3 installation via CD (but without the CD):

If you save this setup file you can reinstall Civ 3 Complete as you could do it with a Civ 3 Chronicles CD (but without needing a CD) if needed. The GOG version of Civ 3 complete comes with a launcher, but that launcher isn´t needed. You still can start here C3C directly from the C3C exe.

 

[Civinator]

I'm an XP user so cant advise on Windows 10, bit there was definitely an English language version of the screen posted above when I downloaded from GOG a few months ago. I'd keep hunting for a route to it via either your email or your GOG account.

Yes, you can set different languages for your communication at GOG, of course including English. I didn´t switch my communication settings to English for that screenshot as the keywords even in the current setting are in English (offline, extras). You can switch the currency from Euro to USD, too.

 

[vmxa]

It has been years, since I had to do an install. I think I just did a find with regedit and deleted all civ (infogramme (SP)) entries. Otherwise as I recall it would install back into the same location.

 

[Ozymandias]

Oz in short:

1. Acording to present knowledge you cannot play normal CD versions of Civ 3 and its expansions with Win 10 (it is different with Win XP, as there is no more XP support by microsoft and therefore - as far as I know - the threat for your pc by those security programs was not stopped by microsoft). This concerns not only your old original CD versions, but also all Civ 3 Complete CD versions with two exceptions: The only known CD versions that work with Win10 is Civ 3 Complete in the Civ Chronicles compilation and a German Green pepper version of Civ 3 Complete. If you want to have a CD version of Civ 3, that is still working with Win 10, you should buy the Civ Chronicles Compilation.

2. With your GOG version of Civ 3 Complete you have all you need to play Civ 3 and its expansions without a "back door" on your machine. As you have bought the GOG version you still have access to download the offline version of Civ 3 Complete (after cleaning the remnants of your online version). Do this as I showed in my screenshot in my last post in this thread. You will receive the following setup file for an installation without any "back door" on your machine. Consider this installation file working like a civ 3 installation via CD (but without the CD):

If you save this setup file you can reinstall Civ 3 Complete as you could do it with a Civ 3 Chronicles CD (but without needing a CD) if needed. The GOG version of Civ 3 complete comes with a launcher, but that launcher isn´t needed. You still can start here C3C directly from the C3C exe.

I had completely missed the GOG "offline" version option! (Which, I think now technically makes it 6 different versions.)

Accordingly:

 

[Civinator]