SGOTM 08 - XTeam

[leif erikson]

@CP - Perhaps when you are testing out the autosave function, you could try using a save that has more units in it. See if it will play without alt-tab for a while? Then, if that is successful, try playing it using Notepad and alt-tab to see if it crashes.

That should tell us whether we can safely continue.

 

[Cactus Pete]

Have a little time now.

@CP - Perhaps when you are testing out the autosave function, you could try using a save that has more units in it. Not sure what you are getting at, leif. See if it will play without alt-tab for a while? Then, if that is successful, try playing it using Notepad and alt-tab to see if it crashes. I'll be surprised if any BTS game that is not well into the ADs, with many units, cities, etc. will crash, as crashing has never been a problem before, but I will try with and without tabbing and with and without Word (which would seem a better test than Notepad).

That should tell us whether we can safely continue.

Certainly would like to continue, at least to re-play to point of crash. Thinking that I might try (with Administrative permission) to go on with my set, saving often during the turn and not tabbing.

Testing now, but will check thread regularly and report results when known.

 

[leif erikson]

Not sure what you are getting at, leif.

I'm trying to see if it is the stress on your system of more units, etc. that may be causing problems. The only way to do that is to use it under similar conditions.

Certainly would like to continue, at least to re-play to point of crash. Thinking that I might try (with Administrative permission) to go on with my set, saving often during the turn and not tabbing.

I think you should do this because I can not make the same moves in the same order.

Testing now, but will check thread regularly and report results when known.

OK, looking forward to it.

I'll be surprised if any BTS game that is not well into the ADs, with many units, cities, etc. will crash, as crashing has never been a problem before, but I will try with and without tabbing and with and without Word (which would seem a better test than Notepad).

At this point, the objective is to get you playing again. Whether something has happened before or not is of little consequence. Windows, unfortunately, is dynamic and the registry changes as you use the system. There could be something simple that is causing the problem. I have had problems before because a registry entry was incorrect and it messed up a few things. The only way I found out was a registry cleaning software package.

 

[Cactus Pete]

I'm trying to see if it is the stress on your system of more units, etc. that may be causing problems. The only way to do that is to use it under similar conditions. Understood, but I do not have a save available (other than ones in this game -- and I'm not sure that I'm free to open up one of those) that is any way comparable in terms of complexity of the situation. (Forgot that I'd deleted my old BTSGOTMs saves once the overall results were reported.) Would it make sense and be possible for you to supply me with an advanced game that I could open and play?

I think you should do this because I can not make the same moves in the same order. Yes, that's what I've been thinking.

At this point, the objective is to get you playing again. Whether something has happened before or not is of little consequence. Windows, unfortunately, is dynamic and the registry changes as you use the system. Didn't know that. There could be something simple that is causing the problem. I have had problems before because a registry entry was incorrect and it messed up a few things. The only way I found out was a registry cleaning software package.

Don't even know what a registry is in this context, much less cleaning softwear for it. Beginning to think I'm getting to be more trouble than I'm worth.

OK, looking forward to it. Auto save is working fine (keeping the previous 5 turns available), will now try tabbing in and out of the simple game I'm playing with Word running.

 

[ShannonCT]

CP, go to the Hall of Fame page on CFC and click on the link for the Prince, Large, Space Colony game by the player Pauliskhan. On the summary of that game, there is a link for a 1564AD save. That should provide a good test for your system.

 

[Cactus Pete]

CP, go to the Hall of Fame page on CFC and click on the link for the Prince, Large, Space Colony game by the player Pauliskhan. On the summary of that game, there is a link for a 1564AD save. That should provide a good test for your system.

I'll try that now, SCT. Just finished tabbing in and out of my simple game many times with variations without any problems.

 

[Cactus Pete]

Have played several turns in the HOF game post victory, but not sure how complex it is, since all of my units are stationary except one that I activated. It does take a long time to go from one turn to the other -- presumably from other civs moving their units. Have used diplomacy screen frequently and tabbed in and out while running Word. So far, no crash. Auto save seems to be working fine here as well.

Be back in about an hour. Any suggestions?

 

[leif erikson]

I think we have three options.

1. We can wait for AlanH to check the save to see if he can find any problem with it.

or

2. You can try to continue the game with no alt-tab and see how it goes. Should there be another crash, then I think we will have to do one of the other options.

or

3. Turn the save over to the next player and see how they fare with it?

What do you think, any other choices?

 

[AlanH]

I've played with the save a bit (no idea what I'm doing!) and alt-tabbed in and out of wordpad with no ill effects. I don't think the instability is in the save, though, of course, I haven't done the same things you would do.

What level of graphics do you run BtS at - Low/Medium/High? And what graphics card do you have?

 

[Cactus Pete]

What level of graphics do you run BtS at - Low/Medium/High? And what graphics card do you have?

I don't know the answer to either of those two questions. Is there somewhere I can go to look, as I did for the amount of memory my computer has?

Know it's not easy to work with the computer illiterate.

Played a few more turns of the HOF game, alt tabbing, etc. without incident. Is it possible that when I restarted my computer, the 'registry problem' that leif hypothesized could have been corrected?

 

[AlanH]

In BtS, hit Escape to get the main menu. Click 'Options' and select the 'Graphics' tab. That has a 'Graphics Level' pop-up menu. I have it set to 'Low' on my system. That setting on your system is the answer to the first question. If you have it set to 'Medium' or 'high', it may be worth setting it to 'Low' and relaunching BtS as a test.

For the second question, right click on the Windows desktop and select 'Properties'. In the window that opens, select the 'Settings' tab. Below the image of a display, and above the 'Screen resolution' slider, you will see some text headed 'Display'. Make a note of what it says and post it here. If this doesn't say very much it might be necessary to hit the 'Advance' button and tell us what you see in the 'Adaptor' tab of that window.

 

[Cactus Pete]

In BtS, hit Escape to get the main menu. Click 'Options' and select the 'Graphics' tab. That has a 'Graphics Level' pop-up menu. I have it set to 'Low' on my system. That setting on your system is the answer to the first question. If you have it set to 'Medium' or 'high', it may be worth setting it to 'Low' and relaunching BtS as a test. Graphics level is high. What are we testing?
For the second question, right click on the Windows desktop and select 'Properties'. In the window that opens, select the 'Settings' tab. Below the image of a display, and above the 'Screen resolution' slider, you will see some text headed 'Display'. Make a note of what it says and post it here. If this doesn't say very much it might be necessary to hit the 'Advance' button and tell us what you see in the 'Adaptor' tab of that window.

1. Plug and Play Monitor on RADEON 9250. Thru adaptor tab get RADEON 9250, plus some info including 128mb.

 

[AlanH]

Graphics level is high. What are we testing?

High graphics level demands more from your system, so reducing it to Low might result in fewer crashes if your system is near the limits of being able to handle this map at this stage in the game.

I would have expected that a Radeon 9250 with 128MBytes graphics RAM *ought* to be able to run at High graphics level. It may be worth checking to see if there are any updates for your graphics drivers, but you may need assistance on that from some of our more Windows-savvy friends.

 

[ShannonCT]

I suggest CP tries to play out his turnset with graphics on Low and saving frequently, especially after battles and other irreversible actions. Just use pen and paper to keep notes. After the your set, rrau, leif, and I can finish the final turnsets.

 

[leif erikson]

I suggest CP tries to play out his turnset with graphics on Low and saving frequently, especially after battles and other irreversible actions. Just use pen and paper to keep notes. After the your set, rrau, leif, and I can finish the final turnsets.

I agree that this is worth a try.

 

[Cactus Pete]

I seem to have acquired several Windows-savvy friends, and I would need them to check a 'graphics driver.'

I suggest CP tries to play out his turnset with graphics on Low and saving frequently, especially after battles and other irreversible actions. Just use pen and paper to keep notes. After the your set, rrau, leif, and I can finish the final turnsets.

Okay, I'll set graphics on low, save after battles and anything else that might be rng influenced, keep written notes, and give it a shot, but won't have much time tonight or during day tomorrow. Indeed, got to go now for several hours.

All the help is much appreciated.

 

[leif erikson]

I seem to have acquired several Windows-savvy friends, and I would need them to check a 'graphics driver.'

You bet! Always ready to lend a hand.

Indeed, got to go now for several hours.

All the help is much appreciated.[/COLOR]

Time is not a problem.

You welcome. We're glad you're still with us.

 

[Cactus Pete]

Appreciate the support. Had no time tonight. Hope to play some late tomorrow afternoon.

 

[Mad Professor]

Getting to know Kenya. In Nairobi ast week and managed to catch up on some reading. Didn't post. In Kisumu this morning.

Keep up the good work friends.

The computer hassles are frustrating CP - 640MB RAM does seem light though is that 128MB of graphic is actually dedicated that would help a real lot. My laptop I usually play on has trouble late game with larger maps. The number of active units seems to affect the problem consoderably. Very few active units and there are no problems. I think the computer has trouble with all those different unit animations when it's close to its limit. Graphics on low should help a lot, as that reduces the unit animations and particularly the battle animations. Good luck!!

 

[leif erikson]

Getting to know Kenya. In Nairobi ast week and managed to catch up on some reading. Didn't post. In Kisumu this morning.

Keep up the good work friends.

Hi MP. Glad to see you are still with us.

Thanks and hope all is going well with you, wherever you may be...