Warning: Your system may not be compatible with Civ 4!

[Willem]

I just purchased Pirates! a short while ago, and I can't even play the game because it crashes to desktop constantly. Since it uses the same 3D engine that Civ 4 does, that means Civ 4 will probably do the same. I've been trying to solve the problem, but I've been getting nowhere on it. The Atari site known issues section didn't do me one bit of good, and I haven't recieved a single response to my post over at Addicted to Pirates. It's looking like Civ 3 is the end of the line for me as far as the Civ games are concerned, since I'm not going to buy the game unless I get Pirates! working.

 

[JavalTigar]

What are you running? (Spec wise)

 

[Hyronymus]

Until you specify what you're running, what the exact problem is and how you can be 100% certain that Firaxis simply cut & pasted the Pirates! engine I don't think your warning is anything more than a loose thread. No personal offence meant but this really isn't of any use so far.

 

[tcjsavannah]

Warning! Your post may not be compatible for this forum!

 

[Stilgar08]

agreed on above posters.

As far as I recall one of the reasons for parting with Amiga was the extremely poor support provided for gamers...

BTW, Pirates works fine on my system. And furthermore: I didn't have such a bug-free game out of the box in ages! Seems like Firaxis learned from civ3

 

[I_pity_the_fool]

Hmm. Have you updated all your drivers - motherboard, video etc? Sorry if I'm suggesting something you've tried before, but it never hurts to make sure.

Conquests didn't work for me until I installed the latest drivers for my motherboard.

 

[Willem]

What are you running? (Spec wise)

Here's my system info and the error info that Windows has given me. This is a brand new motherboard BTW, I just installed it 3 weeks ago, though the processor is older. My system meets all the specs required for the game so by all rights it should run. While browsing the forums at a couple of Pirates! sites, it seems that persistent crashing is a pretty common problem. Someone posted a poll and almost as many people reporting having crashes as those who experienced no problems. And yes, I do have the latest patch for the game.

System Info:

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Manufacturer ASUS
System Model A7V400-MX
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 6 Model 8 Stepping 0 AuthenticAMD ~1460 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date Phoenix Technologies, LTD ASUS A7V400-MX ACPI BIOS Revision 1009, 12/21/2004
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Total Physical Memory 1,024.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 755.83 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB

[Sound Device]

Name SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
Manufacturer Analog Devices, Inc.
Status OK
PNP Device ID
PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_3059&SUBSYS_80B01043&REV_50\3&61AAA01&0&8D
I/O Port 0x0000E000-0x0000E0FF
IRQ Channel IRQ 22
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\smwdm.sys(5.12.01.3663, 564.81 KB (578,368 bytes), 5/20/2005 5:13 PM)

[Display]

Item Value
Name VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP
PNP Device ID PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_7205&SUBSYS_81181043&REV_01\4&1FEB96E4&0&0008
Adapter Type VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP, VIA/S3G compatible
Adapter Description VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP
Adapter RAM 64.00 MB (67,108,864 bytes)
Installed Drivers vtdisp.dll
Driver Version 6.14.10.0212-16.94.42.16
INF File oem7.inf (viagfx_3205 section)
Color Planes 1
Color Table Entries 4294967296
Resolution 1024 x 768 x 60 hertz
Bits/Pixel 32
Memory Address 0xE4000000-0xE7FFFFFF
Memory Address 0xE8000000-0xE9FFFFFF
IRQ Channel IRQ 16
Memory Address 0xA0000-0xBFFFF
I/O Port 0x000003B0-0x000003BB
I/O Port 0x000003C0-0x000003DF
Driver c:\windows\system32\drivers\vtmini.sys (6.14.10.0212-16.94.42.16, 168.50 KB (172,544 bytes), 5/20/2005 5:13 PM)



Error Message:

AppName: pirates!.exe AppVer: 1.0.1.0 ModName: ntdll.dll
ModVer: 5.1.2600.2180 Offset: 00011e5a

Included File:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?>
<DATABASE>
<EXE NAME="Pirates!.exe" FILTER="GRABMI_FILTER_PRIVACY">

<MATCHING_FILE NAME="binkw32.dll" SIZE="338944" CHECKSUM="0x84ACF157" BIN_FILE_VERSION="1.6.6.0" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="1.6.6.0" PRODUCT_VERSION="1.6g" FILE_DESCRIPTION="RAD Video Tools" COMPANY_NAME="RAD Game Tools, Inc." PRODUCT_NAME="Bink and Smacker" FILE_VERSION="1.6g" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="Copyright (C) 1994-2004, RAD Game Tools, Inc." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x0" VERFILETYPE="0x1" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x0" LINKER_VERSION="0x0" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="1.6.6.0" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="1.6.6.0" LINK_DATE="09/02/2004 17:21:02" UPTO_LINK_DATE="09/02/2004 17:21:02" />

<MATCHING_FILE NAME="Mss32.dll" SIZE="372736" CHECKSUM="0x18C9585F" BIN_FILE_VERSION="3.0.0.0" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="3.0.0.0" PRODUCT_VERSION="6.6a" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Miles Sound System" COMPANY_NAME="RAD Game Tools, Inc." PRODUCT_NAME="Miles Sound System" FILE_VERSION="6.6a" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="Copyright (C) 1991-2004, RAD Game Tools, Inc." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x0" VERFILETYPE="0x1" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x0" LINKER_VERSION="0x0" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="3.0.0.0" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="3.0.0.0" LINK_DATE="04/02/2004 04:22:59" UPTO_LINK_DATE="04/02/2004 04:22:59" />

<MATCHING_FILE NAME="Pirates!.exe" SIZE="7024640" CHECKSUM="0xAAE5D227" BIN_FILE_VERSION="1.0.1.0" BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="1.0.1.0" PRODUCT_VERSION="1, 0, 1, 0, (21361)" FILE_DESCRIPTION="Sid Meier's Pirates!" COMPANY_NAME="Firaxis Games" PRODUCT_NAME="Sid Meier's Pirates!" FILE_VERSION="1, 0, 1, 0, (21361)" ORIGINAL_FILENAME="Pirates!.exe" INTERNAL_NAME="Sid Meier's Pirates!" LEGAL_COPYRIGHT="Copyright (C) Firaxis Games. All Rights Reserved." VERFILEDATEHI="0x0" VERFILEDATELO="0x0" VERFILEOS="0x4" VERFILETYPE="0x1" MODULE_TYPE="WIN32" PE_CHECKSUM="0x0" LINKER_VERSION="0x0" UPTO_BIN_FILE_VERSION="1.0.1.0" UPTO_BIN_PRODUCT_VERSION="1.0.1.0" LINK_DATE="02/28/2005 16:59:46" UPTO_LINK_DATE="02/28/2005 16:59:46" VER_LANGUAGE="English (United States) [0x409]" />

 

[Willem]

Hmm. Have you updated all your drivers - motherboard, video etc? Sorry if I'm suggesting something you've tried before, but it never hurts to make sure.

Conquests didn't work for me until I installed the latest drivers for my motherboard.

Yes, I've done all that.

 

[Willem]

Until you specify what you're running, what the exact problem is and how you can be 100% certain that Firaxis simply cut & pasted the Pirates! engine I don't think your warning is anything more than a loose thread.

In an interview that was posted here at CivFanatics, someone from Firaxis, maybe even Sid himself, mentioned that Civ 4 will be using the same 3D engine that Pirates! uses. I don't recall which one it was however. I'll see if I can track it down.

It's also listed in the Prerelease thread. Here's the entry:

"Civilization IV will be using NDL’s Gamebryo 3D graphics engine. Firaxis’ PC hit, Sid Meier’s Pirates! also uses it."

 

[vbraun]

The only things I can think of are:
You don't have the correct version of DirectX
Your video card isn't powerful enough
You have a corrupt version of the game

They are in order at greatest chance.

I have pretty much the exact same system except I have a better video card, and works just fine.

 

[JavalTigar]

Do you have any emulators on your system? Stuff like Alcohol 120% or some other type of software that creates virtual drives on your machine? I couldn't run certain games on my system until I deactivated them.

The privacy in the error makes me think of that.

 

[Dearmad]

WTH is that video card? I don't recognize it. Get a real video card, then get back to us.

 

[Willem]

The only things I can think of are:
You don't have the correct version of DirectX

I'm using the Direct X that Pirates! installed itself.

Your video card isn't powerful enough

I'm guessing that's where the problem is, it's an integrated card that came with the board. It shares 64 meg of system RAM but apparently it doesn't have texture capability. I discovered that when I installed Railroad Tycoon 3 a little while ago. From the forums I read, it seems that the game doesn't like the Intel onboard card, so I'm guessing the same goes for the VIA card.

But I'm not going to pay out any money for a new one unless I know for sure that's where the problem is. Especially since that's the only game I'm having trouble with. All the other 3D games I have are working just fine with it.

 

[Willem]

Do you have any emulators on your system? Stuff like Alcohol 120% or some other type of software that creates virtual drives on your machine? I couldn't run certain games on my system until I deactivated them.

The privacy in the error makes me think of that.

No, in fact I don't really have very much installed at all at the moment. I redid my system when I installed the motherboard and I haven't bothered putting everything back in yet. I plan on getting a new hard drive sometime soon so I'll just have to redo everything anyway.

 

[warpstorm]

Well, a quick google of your video card shows that it pretty much doesn't work with many of the current 3d games. You should consider one based on nVidia or ATI chipsets. They are fairly compatible with most any game out there. You can get one that is more than powerful enough to run Pirates! well (and presumably Civ4) for under $100.

 

[Captain Carnage]

Attention: My system barely runs Civ 3 as it is.

 

[Wolfwood]

I haven't recieved a single response to my post over at Addicted to Pirates.

The gaming boards for Pirates! are pretty active, especially HoP/HookedonPirates (even if I say so myself), so you should have had a response by now even at AtP.

It is the Intel onboard video card that causes the problems, most likely. It does so to everyone else trying to play the game with one. I suspect this will be the same with Civ4, so we should be careful to check the requirements before buying the game.

 

[Landmonitor]

About the graphics card, my friend has a really low-end Dell with an integrated video card (128 MB in a Dimension 3000 computer) and he can run Pirates on high graphics settings, so I doubt that's the problem.

 

[Willem]

The gaming boards for Pirates! are pretty active, especially HoP/HookedonPirates (even if I say so myself), so you should have had a response by now even at AtP.

Nope, I still haven't recieved a single response to my post. Fortunately I just recieved a message from someone from Atari's tech support dept. It is in fact the video card. It has to support Hardware T&L, which mine doesn't. At least I know exactly what the problem is now finally.

So people should be aware that they may be required to upgrade their video card in order to play Civ 4.

 

[obscenename]

Doesn't matter, if your friends low end dell can run it or not, every graphics card is different. Doesn't help when you have a differnt manufacturer at all.

Get a ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.
Best bang for your buck right now.