Beta 5 - Multimedia Bugs (.bik files)

from Stardock Forums
This happens on 2 different machines - both with Win98:

The following animations: "mini_colony.bik", "mini_starbase.bik" and "mini_freighter.bik"
Do NOT show up when the event happens (first colonization, first starbase, first trade route)
The event screen appears with the text and music but the video window is blank.

Looking at the FileMon log I see that GalCiv.exe reads the .bik file - it is just not displayed.

This bug was already present in Beta 4Z, but NOT in 4D
Since you replaced these animations from 4D to 4Z it may be a problem with the way you created these .bik files and not with the .bik playing code.
Please try and fix it for 5A.

I think it only happens on Win98







341 views 17 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top
It also happens on WinME. Also I think I saw a post where Brad (or Cari) said that the first time events (like the first colonization, first star base, first trade route, etc.) were intentionally blank because the file sizes were so big that the download time would be prohibitive.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top
hi jack!

I have those files in my complete download from yesterday. But i'm on win xp pro


cheers,
rich

ps. goodies will go out sometime tomorrow
Fences - Organize your desktop icons today!
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top
I haven't downloaded Beta 5 yet, but they're in 4Z on Win XP Pro.

Asmodean
Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top
I don't think we're including those files in the beta. And their location has been moved. (they go into a \movies subdirectory now).
Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top
I have these files and they are indeed in the movies folder (their new place according to Brad)

Do you guys with XP machines see the animations from within the game?

The FileMon log clearly shows that GalCiv READS the .bik file, it's just not being displayed.

My point is - if you intentionaly changed the code to not display the animation in the beta but it will be changed back for the final version, then fine.
But if this is not intentional then it is probably some bug that needs to be addressed.

If guys with XP/2000 machines can watch these animations in the last beta (from within the game) then it is certainly a bug because on two Win98 machines these animations do not appear.




Reply #7 from Stardock Forums Top
Even with the files being moved into the \movies directory there has to be a file there to keep the game from crashing when it tries to display it. A blank screen movie "place holder" file would be many orders of magnitude smaller than the ultimate movie file.
Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top
Let me make sure we're tlaking about the same thing:

So if it can't find the file the game crashes? On XP, it doesn't crash. Some of us, and I won't name names, are too lazy to download the BIK files and so I er I mean they, the lazy person who isn't me, never sees the animation on the home XP box.

So if not having the BIK file is causing a crash, I definitely want to know whether this is an OS dependent thing.
Reply #9 from Stardock Forums Top
I have mini_freighter.bik, mini_starbase.bik, and mini_colony.bik, plus a bunch of n_tradenn.bik files in my Dregin.net\galciv\movies directory. I don't see the freighter/starbase/colony animations, but neither do I have a crash. Win98SE. Hopes this helps.
Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top
i see all 3, running xp pro on a 1.6g p4. Every animation seems smooth on my machine. Also Defragged just before installing beta 5

Do you want me to erase the bik files and see if i have a crash?
Reply #11 from Stardock Forums Top
The game does NOT crash if the files are not there.
I deleted the mini_colony.bik and ran the game, it works fine, no crash when the movie should play.

Since midnight_louie reports he CAN see these animations on his WinXP machine and others with 98/ME machines can't see them - I guess it's a bug and needs to be looked into.

If it's not a bug then I'll shut-up about it :)
Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Win98 here also ... all the extra mini-movies are just a black screen with some stutering music. I assumed that was deliberate to keep the download size lower but it sounds like XP machines can see them fine.

Myros
Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top
there's a movie player for BIK files at http://www.radgametools.com/bnkmain.htm

One of you might want to try and download it and see if the movies play.

the mini_colony.bik is about 15 megs.

Hope this helps
rich
Reply #14 from Stardock Forums Top
all of the above movie files play in game on my ex home machine and have played on my machine for ages - but they are a tad jerky.
s
Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top
I meant XP Home OS
Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top
Ok, I downloaded the bink player and was able to view the mini-movies outisde the game without problem. So the movies are there and complete.

But still when they play in game (first colonization) its just a black screen (the part where the movie should be is black) with stuttering sound. This is with version 5a.

I guess if nobody with win98 can see in-game movies this could be considered a major bug ;)

Myros
Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top
I would say so. Very weird one too. We might have a build tomororw posted here to see if it's addressed.

The game is moving into our full compatibility lab (used mainly for Object Desktop) tomorrow.