Smeds - Err_badpicformat

[Boat4643]

Hello All, and heylp!

I recently reinstalled Civ II Multiplayer and every time I run into a computer player and agree to meet it crashes with

SMEDS Application Error
Error: ERR_BADPICFORMAT
File: D:\Ss\Smeds32\Port.cpp
Line: 1032

On an XP machine I've tried two different sets of Indeo drivers, applied Patch 3, even tried running it in Win98 compatability mode but no difference. Turning off Heralds doesn't work any more either, which used to last time I had this problem. (Guess I'm an addict since I keep coming back to it!)

Also tried an installation on an old Windows 2000 doorstop and after a bit of a fiddle to get the Indeo drivers to install it still has the same problems

All the files in the Kings folders play quite happily (viewed in Media Player) so I don't think they're fundamentally broken, but the smeds.log ends with

( 27) Error: GIF contains no global color map -

And the intro video, all the units, wonder videos and Council character play fine in the game too. It's just the diplopatic stuff that's knackered. And the French are begging me to end the war too...

This used to run quite happily a few years ago, so I can't help wondering if this is due to "upgrades" somewhere.

Any ideas appreciated!

Ric

 

[Mercator]

Does it still crash if you turn off the Diplomacy Screen in the Graphic Options?

 

[Boat4643]

Thanks for that Mercator.
Turning off the diplomacy option gets around the problem and gives just basic dialog boxes instead. It works, but it ain't quite the same. Seems a bit odd that it's thrown a wobbly like that.

Ta!
=Richard

 

[Mercator]

That's good to know... That means it's not a problem with the video drivers, but a problem with the images.

The MK.DLL file is where it gets the diplomacy screen images from. That file might be corrupt (maybe your CD is scratched?).

Try downloading this file:
http://www.civfanatics.net/downloads/civ2/utility/Civ2MGE4.zip

Back up your Mk.dll file and replace it by the one in the zip. If that doesn't fix it I'm not sure what it could be...

Did you happen to edit any files or create any new files in your Civ2 folder?

 

[Boat4643]

Yep, that's done the trick. Genius!

Had to turn off Heralds a few years back and even those work now. The new .dll is a little bit larger but has same time stamp. Since the original comes out of data1.cab it does suggest there's some corruption there but I'm surprised it didn't fail to extract. Very weird.

As for the CD being scratched, it looks like it's been used to scrape the weed from the hull of a trireme...

And no, I haven't (yet) tried editing any images as when I did try that once it really didn't like it. But one day when I have some time who knows?

 

[Mercator]

It might have been just a fluke while extracting it during installation? Had you tried extracting it from the data1.cab again and replacing your existing copy? Otherwise it's probably that trireme hull.

In any case, good to see it work again.