MoO2: technical problems

[n0cx]

After patching my MoO to 1.31 yesterday, I am experiencing game-crashes from time to time, which hasn't ever happened before

Here's what the dosbox's status window is saying:


I am running Windows XP and I'm using dosbox for playing Master of Orion. Although I read somewhere that MoO should run in the 1.31 version without dosbox by using the Orion95.exe, it does not and if I try, I get an error telling me that the smackw32.dll cannot be found.

Does anyone know, what the problem might be here?

_n0cx

 

[vmxa]

It works fine in XP, just Win7. Older games often run into smack32.dll issues. Search for it and if found, copy to Orion directory. If not it can be recovered or d/l. A quick goggle will point you to a site. Watch out for site that want you to use their tools to fix your register.

I would also check for the 1.31 in a German version, not sure if it exist or not. A reinstall from scratch can be done as well.

 

[n0cx]

Thank you!

 

[n0cx]

Hmm... I had a smackw32.dll in my Diablo2-Folder, copied it into my MoO-Folder and it still happens... I think I'll look for a German Patch, re-install and try it again.

Interesetingly, the game crashed at the exact same situation, with or without the dll; it crashed the moment, when I retreated a frigatte as last remaining ship from combat.

_n0cx

edit:
There isn't any German patch, but that's not a problem at all because the language is just overwritten and set to English when patching. The possibility to choose the language disappears because the people who made the patch worked on the mono-lingual English version, which in order does not support this possibility. At least that's what I got from googling and looking around in German civforum.de... anyhow, English is not my problem, is it? But maybe reinstalling could get the dll-crashes fixed.

Partly offtopic: would you recommend a patch to v1.40?

 

[vmxa]

It was done primarily for MP. It does fix some issues with the game. I never ued it as I like to stay with the version that was in general use. Then it compares to others and I can load their saves.

It is easy to install and free, so give it a shot and if the problem is solved then go for it. Did you find your exact problem on Google? If all else fails, then go back to what was working. 1.30 and 1.31 were not big differences as I recall. I think inititive was one of the changes. Maybe change to Hall of Fame and some tweaks to the too powerful msg, which is mostly for lower level games.

All in all nothing critical, though the inititive was cool. Before the attacker always was first, I think. It was always the attacker or always the defender, foret which one. Now it is a function of the ships )I hope). Been too long since I messed with that.

 

[vmxa]

Hum, I seem to recall seeing that GoG was shipping Moo2 with 1.40 applied. If that is so, then applying 1.31 could be a problem.

 

[n0cx]

Interesetingly, the game crashed at the exact same situation, with or without the dll; it crashed the moment, when I retreated a frigatte as last remaining ship from combat.

I found out, that this is a known bug:
http://masteroforion2.blogspot.de/2005/03/master-of-orion-ii-strategy-guide.html (see "Retreat From The Mapedge")

 

[neilkaz]

I found out, that this is a known bug:
http://masteroforion2.blogspot.de/2005/03/master-of-orion-ii-strategy-guide.html (see "Retreat From The Mapedge")

Yeah,,I have the game as bought from GoG so it is 1.40b23 patch and still this bug. If you have moved a frigate to the corner (usually when attacking with missiles) and then retreat it, the game crashes. Sometimes, you have to keep it once space away from the edge and then it gets hit as it tries to retreat and dies. Perhaps use more than 1 frigate so 1 survives.

 

[vmxa]

Not run ino that one.