Problem with game or my patience? [WONT LAUNCH FROM STEAM]

[GfxJG]

So. Recently I was messing about with the XML files, trying to get the game to remember my Advanced Settings. Then, after I did that, the game would not start. The Steam box where it says "Steam is preparing to start "Sid Meiers Civilization V" just stays there, opening no game. So naturally, I though I'd messed up the XML, and reinstalled the data. Did it help? No siree.

I've left it on that box for 10 minutes now, and no game should take that long, when previously it took 20 seconds, max.

Does anyone have a solution or at least the same problem?

EDIT: Been running for over 30 minutes now... I'm just gonna leave it trying

 

[kcd_swede]

So. Recently I was messing about with the XML files, trying to get the game to remember my Advanced Settings. Then, after I did that, the game would not start. The Steam box where it says "Steam is preparing to start "Sid Meiers Civilization V" just stays there, opening no game. So naturally, I though I'd messed up the XML, and reinstalled the data. Did it help? No siree.

I've left it on that box for 10 minutes now, and no game should take that long, when previously it took 20 seconds, max.

Does anyone have a solution or at least the same problem?

I have the exact same problem, and I have NOT messed with any XML or used any MOD ever. I think it is the recent patch. I do NOT think it is download time since I have 2Mbps bandwith on download. I think the patch is gorking something with Win7 or firewalls, but I would really like help with getting it working again. Note, other Steam games load and run fine. Its just CiV, post-patch, that is giving me headache.

 

[GfxJG]

I thought that too. But it has worked after the patch until yesterday evening, which was when I was messing with the XML.

 

[kcd_swede]

Hmmm... sounds like we were trying at about the same time. Maybe its a Steam thing? I'll go check out their tech support page and see if I get any smarter.

 

[GfxJG]

Do that, and report back ;D

 

[kcd_swede]

Report: Steam forum is worthless for CiV.

However, I was told in another thread here that it took one of the staff over 30 minutes to patch and launch with the new patch. So I tried being patient... and it worked.

Total download/patching time was slightly over 30 minutes for me as well.

Note, if you have re-installed from a disk, you need not just one patch but SEVERAL patches. be prepared for a bit longer time. I suggest doing it at night before you go to sleep, and then it should be ready to play when you wake up.

 

[GfxJG]

Mine is run from Steam =P So I guess I'll just start it up and leave it for the rest of the day. It's just 1.) It shows no sign of downloading anything, and 2.) It was sitting there for almost an hour yesterday >.<

 

[kcd_swede]

Mine is run from Steam =P So I guess I'll just start it up and leave it for the rest of the day. It's just 1.) It shows no sign of downloading anything, and 2.) It was sitting there for almost an hour yesterday >.<

Yeah, I saw no signs of downloading anything either. Not even the LED's on the router. But I think I did see the LED that indicates writing to the hard drive blink every now and then. Its probably not just download time but also a lot of processor being used to find and update files. I don't really know. I do recall the first time I loaded a different game from Steam I had to wait ages for each patch to download and install one after the other, though. But that game interface told you what it was doing (although it incorrectly said it was patching to just the last patch each time, so it looked like it was just re-installing the same patch over and over.... Starcraft II, maybe.)

I'm not normally a patient person... so Steam is making me a better person.

 

[GfxJG]

I'm not patient either... Steam isn't making it better >.< Anyways, I was messing around a bit in Steam, looking for an option that shows what update version the game is in. I found an option called "Validate Game Files", or something along the lines. I did that, and it actually did say "Validation Failed", and it downloaded said file again (It was 1 file). Still doesn't work though >.< I also tried defragmenting it. Nope. I'm just gonna leave it for the rest of the morning (3 hours should be enough to make up it's mind lol), see what it does.

 

[GfxJG]

Alright, the Steam launch screen has been running for 3 hours and 47 minutes now, and my patience is running out. Steam, or maybe rather 2K/Firaxis, what is wrong? Other games work fine, but that's not helping when Civ is all I play on Steam pretty much >.<

 

[GfxJG]

Oh. My. God. I just facepalmed. I just restarted my computer because Windows needed an update (Usually I only put it in Sleep). Guess what game works fine now. Epic fail by me.

 

[Crabcz]

The same thing happened to me, I just restarted steam and it worked.

 

[kcd_swede]

Oh. My. God. I just facepalmed. I just restarted my computer because Windows needed an update (Usually I only put it in Sleep). Guess what game works fine now. Epic fail by me.

Glad to hear you got it working, at least.

 

[Maniacal]

When in doubt, restarting often solves problems.Though I also learned that the hard way xD