Galactic Civilizations II dousen't start's

from Stardock Forums

I have a problem with the game Galactic Civilizations II if i want to start the game a black window is popet up and then it doesent start.

My System

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System Information
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Time of this report: 1/27/2009, 22:06:17
       Machine name: WTH
   Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.080814-1236)
           Language: German (Regional Setting: German)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
       System Model: System Product Name
               BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU    Q6600  @ 2.40GHz (4 CPUs)
             Memory: 3070MB RAM
          Page File: 798MB used, 4157MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

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DxDiag Notes
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  DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
          Music Tab: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.
        Network Tab: No problems found.

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DirectX Debug Levels
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Direct3D:    0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

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Display Devices
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        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GT
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce 8800 GT
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0611&SUBSYS_C8013842&REV_A2
   Display Memory: 512.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1440 x 900 (32 bit) (59Hz)
          Monitor: Plug und Play-Monitor
  Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
      Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0011.8048 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 11/12/2008 14:54:00, 6148864 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: Yes
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
              VDD: Nicht zutreffend
         Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 11/12/2008 14:54:00, 6188320 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4551-11CF-8244-0AE803C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x10DE
        Device ID: 0x0611
        SubSys ID: 0xC8013842
      Revision ID: 0x00A2
      Revision ID: 0x00A2
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A
 Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run

And please answer me in German ( my english not god )

8,483 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Sorry, but we are an English speaking company.

 

Try going to  C:\Users\*yourname*\AppData\Local\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\Setting\user.setting

and try setting your screen resolution (1440 x 900) there. If that doesn't help, set 'VideoIsWindowed TRUE'.

 

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Hi all,

 

I'm using this post to report the very same problem, with both Galactic Civilizations II, and Sins of a Solar Empire.

With Galactic Civilizations II, I have the very same problem as here above (on a fresh Win install). Installations went ok, but when I hit run, I only have a black screen popping, and nothing else. I can kill the program in the task manager, but that's it. The game never launches. I checked my drivers (latest nvidia driver installed, latest directx installed, latest sound driver installed, and video codecs). I also tried to find the path given here above, but... there are many problems with this path...

 

We are both using Win XP SP3. Under XP, there is no c:\Users\*yourname*\ directory. C:\users is found under Vista. Furthermore, even by searching for AppData, I never managed to find one. And in the only one I finally found, there was no user.setting. Lastely, the game we want to play was Galactic Civilizations II. Not Sins.

Well, in my case yes, I also want to make sins work, but... i can't find user.setting... Furthermore, Sins crash a little bit differently. I have a full screen black screen, and nothing else happens. I can't even get the task manager to kill the game. The only thing i can do is to turn my computer off... Not very friendly for the disk...

If you have any idea about those both games, I would be very glad.

Thanks

Offworld Trading Company
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

I had this same issue. you need to go to C:\Documents and Settings\username\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2 and find the prefs configuration settings file. (username being your username on your pc)

once located open it, scroll down to video section, you will see Fullscreen =1, change it to Fullscreen =0, then it will log you in. from there go to options in game set your correct resolution (same as your video card resolution) and click full screen. should work fine from here on out.

 

sorry for little details as i am typing with a broken hand.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Thank you gofortheko, my path above was in relation to Sins, not GalCiv II.

For GAlCiv II;

Try going to Documents\My Games\GalCiv2 and open the Prefs.ini file in Notepad.

Change DisplayWidth and DisplayHeight to whatever your screen resolution is set for, save the file, and then try again. If that doesn't work, set Fullscreen=0

 

Reply #5 from Stardock Forums Top

I had the same problem.  I'd been playing GCII for a while and bought a new tv/monitor (26" HD, yea) and when I hooked up the monitor I got PC stuff but a black screen when I opened GCII.  I knew the game worked, so I figured it had to be something to do with the monitor/tv. 

 

I changed the prefs.ini file and now I have a lots larger view.  One note, open the prefs.ini file with notepad on a windows machine, not a full featured word processor.  Some of them can add weird characters to the file which can create problems.  prefs.ini is a straight ascii file, and needs to stay that way.