Graphics/Sound Problems? - Please post your DX Logs.

I have been using v1.09 patch with no issues. Today, I upgraded my memory to 1.23G of RAM (from 512) and then downloaded and installed v1.52. By the way, I am running the Direct2Drive version. Now when I try to run the game I get:

FATAL_ERROR
Your system has run out of video memory. Please try reducing your video settings. File:\main\civilization4.bak\SDKs\gamebryo2_0\core libs\NiDX9Renderer\NiDX9RenderedTextureData.cpp, Line:167

Followed by:

Microsoft Visual C++ runtime library
RUNTIME ERROR!
Program:...Raxis games\sid Meier's civilization 4\civilization4.exe
This application has requested the runtime to terminate in an unusual way.
Please contact the support team for more information.

I could sure use some help on this. So far I have tried the following:

1. Set memsaver to on in CivIV ini file, using the memsaver = 1 setting
2. Set memsaver to off in CivIV ini file, using the memsaver = 0 setting
3. Turn off Autosave in the CivIV ini file, using Autosave interval = 0
4. Set this item - Bink16Bit = 1

My system specs are:
Compaq Presario R3000 Laptop
Pentium 4 2.8GHz
1.23GB RAM
ATI Mobility Radeon 9000/9100 IGP (Driver version 6.14.10.6436)
Windows XP Home sp2 + updates
I updated all my drivers and are the latest ones according to HP.

My dxdiag is attached for someone's viewing pleasure.

 

The problem i seem to be having, seems to happen at the later points in the game. First off, I have patch 1.52 installed, but i have to use Nvidia driver 61.77 because it is the most stable driver i have found. What happens is that about 1800 ad I seem to start experiencing a graphics and lag problem. It seems that i cant go to a certain area on the map with it freezing up and i ultimately have to reboot. PLEASE HELP!!!!

 

TexasBadger

Your beastie is below spec for the game. Minimum hardware requirements are:

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_msr.htm

The changes fromV1.09 to V1.52 placed more work on graphics cards, you dont have one, its integrated graphics, therefore the extra work tipped the balance and it crashed. You could try going back to V1.09, but thats a huge backward step, and you would be stuckthere, you would not benefitor see any future game improvements as it gets patched / developed over time.

Contact HP and see if a card could be fitted, however if they say yes, research carefully the type and any possible heating issues - particularly if you fit it yourself. In the latter case the salesman dont care, if they fit it they do care as they are liable if it does not work with the rest oif the hardware

Regards
Zy

 

RyanG4

You have a very low spec machine,only just above the minimum specs, and arguably below spec with a GeForce 3. You willnot run this game satisfactorily in the medium to long term, you need a PC/Laptop upgrade. Min specs are:

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_msr.htm

The fact that you got to the 1800's what your current spec shows V1.52 improvements helped you, but ....

The only thing you can do in the short term is minimise the graphics load by any and every possible means, every little bit helps. There are many posts in the forum dealing with squeezing the last drop out of existing hardware. Research them and give them a go, but keep expectations down, I do not see significant improvement without a hardware upgrade.

EDIT: You could try the latest NVidia driver set releasd 21 Dec 05 - it was a good release, stable, and provided DirectX 9.0c support - well worth a shot

Regards
Zy

 

The game loads fine, I can start a game, but I can't get any further than the first millenium BC before I get a CTD. Sometimes it happens immediately, sometimes after a few hours. I've gone from an ATI Radeon 9600 to eVGA Nvidia GeForce 6600GT with no luck, graphics settings seem to have no effect..I am about to try the 71.89 version nvidia drivers. Attached is my dx log.

My system:
Athlon XP3200
Gigabyte 7N400S-L mboard
512M Ram
Nvidia GeForce 6600GT 128M
using onboard Realtec AC97 sound card

Any thoughts?
View attachment DxDiag.txt

 

Change your pagefile to 2000mb min=max

Load these drivers - released on 21 Dec 05 - a good set with many plaudits given
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_81.98.html

Make sure you have loaded V1.52 Patch its a must have - it fixed many critical memory issues that had existed pre-1.52. The latest driver & the V1.52 Patch are the main issues that couild make a significant difference to you

If still issues post on the main tech forum

Regards
Zy

 

Zydor (or anyone else), since my laptop video will not support 1.52 and HP tells me that it cannot be upgraded, could you recommend a laptop manufacturer that does not use integrated graphics? Or would I be better off to just set my sights on a desktop machine configured for gaming? I really love the convenience of the laptop (I have to smoke in my garage so I can keep playing when I want to smoke) so if there is a manufacturer (or model) that someone could recommend I would be truly appreciative.

Thanks,
TexasBadger

 

I would suggest you post in the main tech sp forum with a new thread

"New Laptop for Civ IV - any recommendations Please?"

That will be more visible, and you willget a fair number of responses - lots of helpful peeps on this board. Dont forget to say if you are UK / USA / another country etc

Regards
Zy

 

My comp specification is

Celeron 2,4ghz, 512 ram nvidifa fx 5200 256MB

and the main problem is in fps and game scroll, on the start fps is about
25-35 but with bigger revealed map it is going to 15 and so on...

For some people who have fs 5200. I had a problem with stuttering video from
patch 1.52, but problem was in the ini on line
AllowScreenShots = 0 when i changed to 1 the problem was gone.

I'm attaching dxdiag.

Just where is the problem... perhaps in game but some ideas?

It's funny that if i am scrolling with mouse on the minimap the fps is going rapidly
up as in scrolling with mouse on the border of display.

Sorry for my english

 

Hi all, quick question? all the videos seem to jerk around every other second on my Civ4, so does the sound on them? id luv too see the opening sequence un-interupted if ne1 has some advice!?
Cheers in advance

 

Hi everyone,

Ok I've upgraded my gfx card, added more RAM & the latest patch has helped a lot, but things are still lagging badly in the late game.
My main problems are:

- choppy wonder videos (intermittent, but never perfect from the start)
- the usual lags (suffered by many), e.g.
grid on/off,
opening advisor screens (esp. military)
really bad when going past the cloud layer

I try to get the best performance by restarting windows b4 playing, and closing any apps/services that might cause problems - anti-spyware, AV etc.

My CPUs not that great so I'm thinking the calculation intensive stuff might be explained by that (esp. advisor screens & late game lag).
But cloud layer problems are probably a gfx issue.

Anyone got any suggestions to help performance?

Thanks

 

I have a Sony Vaio. I downloaded the patches and that doesn't help. If I build an oracle it always crashes and now it crashed right after I finished building Broadway. It seems to have trouble with those fancy little movies you get after a wonder is finished. Sometimes it plays them and other times it won'. It had no trouble with the Parthenon or Notre Dame.

I have all the graphics settings on low.

 

hi,
choppy sound and video during all in-game videos.
choppy scrolling of camera too, but thats RQ I think...

 

JerichoMyst

It is .... sorry ... it does not meet hardware requirements, they do not support that setup

You have integrated on-board graphics and the game needs hardware video support for T&L.

Its not going to run properly on that SIS setup. You might get it to run lowest setting games, but not working well,and its unlikely some of the 'eye candy' and sound will run properly. If it runs at all, you will I suspect face problems in the late game - or on large / huge maps.

Regards
Zy

 

Game runs OK, but is very slow at loading saved games and during the game it will stop for a while during and between turns.
I have the latest patch which helped a little and have tried it with memory saver=1 which did not seem to help speed

Do I need a different video card or more RAM?

Thanks

 

Follow up:

I've shut down antivirus and every non-essential process in the task manager, and am playing the game on minimal video and sound settings (like, OFF). Two games, no crashes, freezes, or anything. So I'm going to incrementally start adding things back in like bigger maps and better graphics. Anyone determined what the breaking point is yet?

 

having black screen, freeze, then CTD and cursor looks like game cursor after the CTD....

Usually happens mid to late game after playing an hour or so.....

any ideas?

 

well I would sure like to know what you have done to fix it, for I am not able to get it to run right. Have installed all the latest drivers for everything on my computer, I defraged, clean disk, re-installed, still runs like a bunch of whooey. Did install the first patch and it helped a little, but game play is impossibly slow, takes forever to load a saved game (from 10 to 22 minutes - really), there is a down time period of 3 to 7 minutes between each turn, the graphics are all messed up (when it gets finally to a new turn the unit that's up will already be in new spot then the trails of the movement show up and finally catch up with the unit. The music skips. It is just so darn frustrating. I tried to email the different companies that are listed on the credits but never heard back from anyone at all. I been playing since CIV I, heck I'm addicted, but this latest game is just a irratating mess. I have a new strong computer, have never had any problems on any other game I play. This is more disappointing than Play the World which didn't. I could sure use some ideas of what to do in order to PLAY this game rather than just swear at it.

 

Make sure you have loaded Patch V1.52 - after checking you are within the hardware spec for the game.

If still issues,post in the main tech forum with attached dxdiag

Regards
Zy

 

Just a guess but I am betting that Civ4 has a memory leak problem and only having "512M Ram" isnt helping. If you can get a hold of more RAM to put in and test....I would try that.

I have 2 Gigs of RAM in my PC and have to reboot once in a while because the game starts to slow down/stutter if I dont. I am also running Nvidia 8185 drivers.
"using onboard Realtec AC97 sound card"....I have this too....not the best Audio Device that is for sure.


On another note.....
Does anyone have 'performance' problems running AMD CPUs? Just glancing, I see a lot of people with Intel CPUs with these issues.
I am running a Dual core 3800 AMD and do not see these problems.