IMPORTANT: Support page & New Fix for Radeon Cards

[gabe]

whenever i start the game, it stops (as if it were closed) right after it says "checking XML." i've tried every solution on the board. i've called 2k about 20 times, talked to them five times, and spent about 3-4 hours on hold (or it seems like it). I installed the XML parser service pak 5 and 7, my windows updates are all current, i've tried [updating] my DirectX drivers, i've tried the art file unpack, i've tried messing with my hardware acceleration, i don't think i can even recall all the things i've tried. i logged my init file and it looks like this:
[1526.703] DBG: FILE Cat Init
[1526.906] DBG: NOT Using XML cache, failed to find crc.dat file
[1526.921] DBG: Game Init
[1526.921] DBG: Multiplayer Init
this is the ONLY log in the folder after i enable logging. this problem doesn't seem like it would be hard to fix (by someone a bit savvier than I)!!!!!!!!
I have a Presario Pentium 4 2.66, 512 megs of ram, a mobility radeon 9000 IGP (128 megs), and I MAINTAIN MY PC VERY WELL AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A @#$%ing PROBLEM WITH IT EVER. EVER. EVER. EVERY OTHER GAME RUNS ON IT, THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS WITH A TURN BASED STRATEGY GAME!!!
Civ is my favorite game ever. I used to play the original on my fancy new 286 when I was 10 years old. [edited] Anyone else that has this problem email me and we'll start milita and wage war on Britain and get our franchise back.

 

[De Sade]

Can someone tell me how I can access the application data folder, I don't seem to have it anywhere

 

[gabe]

many folders may have a hidden "application data folder." on my pc, the application data folder with my games\Civ 4\cache is located in the "test" folder, not my username folder. (hope it works 4 u cuz it didnt 4 me)
p.s. if it doesn't work, would you like to join my invasion of Britain?

 

[De Sade]

Can someone tell me how I can access the application data folder, I don't seem to have it anywhere

Nevermind, I finally found it and the game is now loading and lauching

Thanks Thunderfall for that temporary solution with the hidden cache file

I hope Firaxis will release a patch for this, these kind of things shouldn't happen and would hate to have to do this everytime I have to reinstall the game

I wasted a whole afternoon yesterday because the game wouldn't load even after I used the unpack, I even deleted and reinstalled my driver which was 5.10 to start with, I was hoping to play the game this weekend

I got to go and try the game now, I hope I won't have anymore bad surprises

De Sade

 

[WildWeazel]

I did that [cleared the cache] and it still does exactly the same thing. It just stops after the "loading" splash and then the CD drive beeps at me.
I'm going to try reinstalling. I don't know what could have changed, but it was working fine until yesterday.

I reinstalled and it works now, but I can't help but wonder if it will happen again. Is there anything else that could cause the game to stop loading after the first splash?

 

[jascob]

whenever i start the game, it stops (as if it were closed) right after it says "checking XML." i've tried every solution on the board. i've called 2k about 20 times, talked to them five times, and spent about 3-4 hours on hold (or it seems like it). I installed the XML parser service pak 5 and 7, my windows updates are all current, i've tried [updating] my DirectX drivers, i've tried the art file unpack, i've tried messing with my hardware acceleration, i don't think i can even recall all the things i've tried. i logged my init file and it looks like this:
[1526.703] DBG: FILE Cat Init
[1526.906] DBG: NOT Using XML cache, failed to find crc.dat file
[1526.921] DBG: Game Init
[1526.921] DBG: Multiplayer Init
this is the ONLY log in the folder after i enable logging. this problem doesn't seem like it would be hard to fix (by someone a bit savvier than I)!!!!!!!!
I have a Presario Pentium 4 2.66, 512 megs of ram, a mobility radeon 9000 IGP (128 megs), and I MAINTAIN MY PC VERY WELL AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A @#$%ing PROBLEM WITH IT EVER. EVER. EVER. EVERY OTHER GAME RUNS ON IT, THERE SHOULD BE NO PROBLEMS WITH A TURN BASED STRATEGY GAME!!!
Civ is my favorite game ever. I used to play the original on my fancy new 286 when I was 10 years old. [edited] Anyone else that has this problem email me and we'll start milita and wage war on Britain and get our franchise back.

I have exactly the same problem and I have tried everything that I could find on the support site and this forum; nothing works. My Machine is a Pentium 4 3.0, 1 Gb ram, and a Radeon X300. All games have worked without problem on my computer until Civ IV.

 

[gabe]

I have exactly the same problem and I have tried everything that I could find on the support site and this forum; nothing works. My Machine is a Pentium 4 3.0, 1 Gb ram, and a Radeon X300. All games have worked without problem on my computer until Civ IV.

i'll keep you posted jascob. i'll email after i figure it (or have to buy a new PC). u do the same, okay dude?? in the meantime, the brits better keep their queen in a bunker because i'm comin for her after i destroy 2k and take firaxis back to the states

 

[al_thor]

Well, I unpacked the Art0 and moved the original. Game still crashes during the start-up.

I did not find the folder named "cache".

I updated my video driver. Game still crashes (causing computer to crash)during start.

It takes me several tries to get the computer back up.

Should I re-install the game? (Of course, I would probably do the "unpack" again after the install finishes).

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

I have a Radeon 9200 card.

 

[triso_fr]

Hi al_thor,

I have a laptop with a Radeon 9200 card (32Mo) , and I experience crashes with Civ4 too.
You wrote : "Game still crashes during the start-up". Is it during the start-up of the program or when you are launching a new single player game ?

 

[SilverKnight]

After finding out that NONE of the 3D graphics would work on my brand-spankin' new laptop (Pentium 4 3.08 GHz), I was almost too upset to go to my OWN Halloween party this Friday! (Keyword: almost. The party was great ) Paid for everything myself- not easy to do in college- two days late on one-day shipping, all my friends in my dorm room waiting, install, load... and see only Hatsetshup's teeth and eyeballs. And none of the terrain showed up, either. But like a true CivFanatic, I turned on "Show Tile Yield" and chugged away not being able to see anything but food and production. Sure enough, bits and pieces of my "Duel" sized world were becoming visible, and the next thing I knew I was looking at 1280x800 pixels of Civ4! It was slow, jumpy, and on the lowest setting for graphics (also Duel size), but it worked!!! Everytime I start a new game this happens, longer on bigger maps.

SilverKnight

 

[Renatus]

After finding out that NONE of the 3D graphics would work on my brand-spankin' new laptop (Pentium 4 3.08 GHz), I was almost too upset to go to my OWN Halloween party this Friday! (Keyword: almost. The party was great ) Paid for everything myself- not easy to do in college- two days late on one-day shipping, all my friends in my dorm room waiting, install, load... and see only Hatsetshup's teeth and eyeballs. And none of the terrain showed up, either. But like a true CivFanatic, I turned on "Show Tile Yield" and chugged away not being able to see anything but food and production. Sure enough, bits and pieces of my "Duel" sized world were becoming visible, and the next thing I knew I was looking at 1280x800 pixels of Civ4! It was slow, jumpy, and on the lowest setting for graphics (also Duel size), but it worked!!! Everytime I start a new game this happens, longer on bigger maps.

SilverKnight

What video chipset does your laptop have SilverKnight?

 

[Jonah of Whales]

You may want to turn off movies for now, and re-enable it after a patch comes out.

The unpak thing just unpacks the game asset files, so if you want you can try it to see if it makes any difference for your nVidia card. It doesn't cause any harm.

I turned off movies but it actually made the game have a screwy picture all the time. Now when a movie gets played, I, with a cleanly restarted system, hit the windows key bringing me back to the desktop. If I then click back on to my game of Civ4 the game comes up graphically correct (most of the time).

Will a patch possibly help the game run even more smoothly in a way that would allow my powerful desktop to be able to play some of the bigger maps?
What would you say the requirments are not just for playing the game, but to be able to play larger maps and large scenario.

 

[erpcon]

Have you had any luck seeing your terrain?

 

[zerokarma]

None of this fixes the Darkness / No 3D head problem though, I wish they would come up with a patch or fix for this problem sooner.

 

[Emerentius]

no luck for me
got crashes to desktop after playing some turns
have x800 platinum.
could someone help please.

 

[SilverKnight]

What video chipset does your laptop have SilverKnight?

If only I knew how to find out... I'm computer ******ed, sorry... That was okay back in the Civ 2 days, but I guess now I should educate myself.

SilverKnight

 

[Thunderfall]

The official site has a link to the Unpak program for Windows 2000.

If you have Windows 2000 and have initialization errors with Civ4, download the program and try the unpak fix:

http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/downloads/PakBuild-Win2000.zip

Full instructions: http://www.2kgames.com/civ4/support_ati.htm

 

[Dargoth]

Hmm

I wont have Civ4 until it comes out on thursday but I am using a Radeon 9800XT with Windows XP

Am I likely to have problems when I install Civ4 or is this mainly an issue with older Radeon cards?

Thanks in advance

 

[biggusdicus]

Greetings...just spent the last 1/2 hour or reading posts on this subject...alas I'm in the same boat as most of you, however I have none of the symptons re. not loading but do have issues with slow play and some dark screens. I have the 64mb ATI Mobility 9600, which is a minimum requirement, and turned all graphics to minimum. Game starts out ok, but has moments of v.slow play and the occassional dark screen...Was wondering if anyone else just has slow playing and whether or not a work around or settings change was available to make playable?

 

[bio_hazard]

I have the same black terrian/eyes and chompers leaders that some people have reported. The game seems to run fine otherwise, although the opening movies stutter.

I did the unpak fix, and deleted the cache (although it reappeared- will try the game again...)

I'm worried I may be at the lower limit of requirements (having trouble figuring out exactly what my laptop has).

Compaq Presario 2195us
Mobile AMD Athalon 1.86ghz
512mb ram
graphics card (I think) is Radeon IGP 320M. Its running driver 6.14.10.6436

I saw in another thread that this graphics card should be ok? I'm confused about the driver issue- with a laptop can I update the driver?

Thanks for any help or suggestions to get rid of the black terrain.

Maybe I'll wait for the mac version to come out! If they had announced that early enough for me to cancel my pre-order I probably would have...