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Free BC3K prompting for CD-ROM!


Guest Silverfox
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Guest Silverfox

i installet the game,in c:battelc3k and if i try to run the game with the win exe it says i should insert my cd in drive c:

what make i wrong?

[ 07-26-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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It just figures, doesn't it? People DON'T read instructions. They DON'T heed warnings. THEN they come crying for help.

OK, one LAST time:

DEMOS AND THE FREE VERSION OF BC3K ARE UNSUPPORTED - ESPECIALLY IF YOU DON'T **READ** THE FRIGGING DOCS!!

The free version does NOT need a CD-ROM. If its asking for one, its because it CANNOT find the path in the INI file....and thats usually because its more than 8 characters.

And if you go manually tinkering with the INI file, you won't be able to uninstall it from Control Panel either.

It is always a good idea to always have a CD-ROM in your drive (any kind), in case the copy protection kicks in at some point during the game.

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uh, sorry to disappoint you, but i just tried to start the windows-version myself, and i got the same error.

yes, the installation path is the correct one (BC3000AD). i┬┤m absolutely positive that i did everything required by the documentation.

to be sure i completely reinstalled the game from scratch.

here is what i did:

1. uninstall (salvage the savegames first )

2. delete manually all the remaining files,

3. get system mechanic to sweep any registry remnants,

4. install,

5. unzip the win.exe,

6. run setup,

7. put a CD in the tray,

8. run bc3kwin-full.exe.

but still, it promts me to insert the BC-CD...

did i miss a step ?

don┬┤t worry, silverfox, we will get to the bottom of this mystery

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Its not a mystery. I don't think I compiled the Windows test version with debug turned on. But try adding /d1 to the shortcut to the bc3kwin.exe or bc3kwin-full.exe files and see if that works.

Since I have no plans to touch that source code, here is part of the CD-ROM check.

Regardless of whether the path in the INI file points to a valid CD-ROM or a hard drive (as is the case of the free download), it will check for these files and sizes on the CD-ROM (actual CD-ROM or CD-ROM= path stated in the INI file). If it finds them, then you won't be prompted.

ANIM3klogo.ani (file size 1400233)

ANIMbcintro.ani (file size 42516829)

Thats as far as I can remember. So, see if these files are actually present on your hard drive

If all else fails, the you can hack into the BC3000AD.GLD (glide version) or BC3000AD.DAT (software version) as well as both Windows .EXE files, and look for those entries above, then remove the check. This will disable this portion of the CD-ROM check and you can run the game in non-debug mode and without the /d1 parameter in the .BAT files.

Don't even think of asking me to do it, cuz I won't. If anyone does it, I'd like to know about it, however

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hacking ? i can┬┤t even program HTML, let alone touching some EXE

ok, here it goes:

Regardless of whether the path in the INI file points to a valid CD-ROM or a hard drive

yes, the INI does point to the proper directory on the gard drive.

it will check for these files and sizes on the CD-ROM (actual CD-ROM or CD-ROM= path stated in the INI file). If it finds them, then you won't be prompted.

ANIM3klogo.ani (file size 1400233)

ANIMbcintro.ani (file size 42516829)

both files are present in the directory "BC3000AD/anim". i moved them directly into the parent directory, but still got the same result, so i put them back again.

so that shouldn┬┤t be the problem.

now for the hard part:

try adding /d1 to the shortcut to the bc3kwin.exe or bc3kwin-full.exe files and see if that works.

where exactly am i to add "/d1" ? when i open the properties of the shortcut, i get only 2 tabs. one says "general" and the other "shortcut".

under "shortcut" there are the following text fields:

path: C:ProgrammeBC3000ADbc3kwin-full.exe

execute in: C:ProgrammeBC3000AD

keyboard shortcut: none

display in: normal window (pull down menu).

i have windows 98 SE.

well, anyway, it┬┤s not that important, as i can still run it from bc3k3dfx.bat without problems.

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quote:


i have windows 98 SE.

Learn how to use it

Considering that fact that you didn't even install the game in a proper folder (how many characters is in the word programme), quit wasting our time and go RTFD

[ 07-25-2001: Message edited by: Supreme Cmdr ]

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oops

as "programme" is the default name for "programs" in the german version of windows, it never crossed my mind that it could have any impact. obvious when you are used to "programs", but for me it was just something i took as given.

sorry for wasting your time. i know, that┬┤s embarassing...

silver fox will most certainly have exactly the same reason for not being able to run it, as he is german, and will probably have his parent folder also named "programme".

thank you for your time, and excuse my foolishness.

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apollon:

Don't move the animations. leav them in the anim dir.

open up a file, I think it's called BC3000AD.INI, should be in the bade BC3K dirrectory. look for a line that says something to the effect of "CDROM=X:" change it from X: to the path(include drive)you nstalled BC3K to. save the file.

You should be able to run it without the debug param.

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well, this is the content of bc3000.ini:

[bC3000AD]

;cdrom drive letter. Set by INSTALL or if user relocates game after install

cdrom=C:Bc3000ad

;Home directory. Set by INSTALL or if user relocates game after install

home=C:BC3000AD

;current game version. Usually updated by install and patch updates

version=2.09 + map pak

;installation type. Full, Medium, or Small

install=Full

;location of PTE config & texture files. If blank, Home directory is searched

ptefiles=bc3lib3.res

;Installed language

language=english

as you can see, i installed it again, this time directly into C: (since the SC noted that it would not run in a folder named with more than 8 characters), and .

again, the bc3k3dfx.bat runs smoothly (like it did when it was located in the folder "programme"), while bc3kwin-full.exe still won┬┤t run.

i think that the name of the parent folder had nothing to do with that, or else the DOS version wouldn┬┤t run either...

thank you all for trying to help anyway...

i┬┤ll just go on playing in DOS mode.

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I HACKED IT!!!!

Check the size of your BCINTRO.ANI. It's 98 bytes longer than the size SC stated. (Or I have a bad install, my nose!) So, I cut it off and guess wat? Besides some text during startup telling there is something wrong with the movie part, the game still starts. Perfectly

If you want to cut those 98 bytes too? Backup the movie, and use a hexeditor of some sort. I used this one: Hex Workshop Mark the first 98 bytes (text section, 6 lines + 2 on the next), and press delete. And save to BCINTRO.ANI. But even opening in Wordpad should do the trick, I think ...with your system having it's tongue hanging out panting . And you have to count the bytes manually.

My BCINTRO.ANI is 42.516.927 bytes long.

here's my bc3000ad.ini

code:

[bC3000AD]

;cdrom drive letter. Set by INSTALL or if user relocates game after install

cdrom=C:RICOBC3000AD

;Home directory. Set by INSTALL or if user relocates game after install

home=C:RICOBC3000AD

;current game version. Usually updated by install and patch updates

version=2.09 + map pak

;installation type. Full, Medium, or Small

install=Full

;location of PTE config & texture files. If blank, Home directory is searched

ptefiles=bc3lib3.res

;Installed language

language=english

And my BC3K.BAT

code:

@echo off

REM /d1 = debug mode (if enabled in distribution. Also required to bypass CD check)

REM /n = do not play intro

REM /v? = display list of 2D video cards supported in native mode

REM /v1 = play it safe and use VESA mode

REM /vn = use specific 2D video card where n=card num displayed in /v?

REM use /v1 for VESA mode if card not supported directly

REM /g = run 3DFX Glide version (v1.07C or higher)

bc3000ad /v1

[ 07-25-2001: Message edited by: Rico Jansen ]

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ok, now that's funny. Different sizes.

I have just started the game for the second time, and it's no joke. My original file and absense of the /d1 parameter causes the insert-cd roadblock, but having cut the bcintro file 98 bytes shorter makes it disappear.

I have no idea why your intro is different in size. Unless you are looking at the wrong numbers. For example WinMe here reports two sizes in the properties window: "Size" (42.516.927 original install) .. and "Size on disk" (42.532.864 original instal). Not sure why the difference, but I expect something to do with the filesystem. Just for curiousity, what was your OS?

In any event, I suggest cutting or adding the appropriate amount of bytes off/add to the neccesary files. NO guarantees that my idea/solution works.

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i quit.

your solution worked at first. i even got to load a savegame, but after 10 seconds it crashes to a corrupt, funny colored desktop. from that point my computer is frozen and i have to reset.

i did it twice.

i now bow to my fate and will leave the dreaded WIN version for those who know how to handle comuters professionally.

and i was going to design a whole new bridge graphic... *sob*

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Ehm, let me please state I have never touched the win version. (as part of the freeware release) I wasn't quite happy with some of the key controls missing, at the time of SC first release of the win verison. I suspect it is still the same as then. I only worked with BC3K.BAT.

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Ok, then it sounds like something did go wrong during download or instal. The original intro did start normally, but ended abruptly during the asteroid swarm scene. Some error message with numbers appeared. Can't remember.

Better get the big one downloaded again then, I suppose.

[ 07-25-2001: Message edited by: Rico Jansen ]

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Guest kpic2003

I had the same problem. It took a while and I finally figured it out. this is what my bc3k.ini file looks like:

@echo off

REM /d1 = debug mode (if enabled in distribution. Also required to bypass CD check)

REM /n = do not play intro

REM /v? = display list of 2D video cards supported in native mode

REM /v1 = play it safe and use VESA mode

REM /vn = use specific 2D video card where n=card num displayed in /v?

REM use /v1 for VESA mode if card not supported directly

REM /g = run 3DFX Glide version (v1.07C or higher)

bc3000ad /d1 /v1 /n

if you don't have the /di extension it will ask for the cd-rom, and I have a S3 Savage 4 card installed so that would work so I just used the /v1 for the regular graphics.

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I don't think anything went wrong with download or install on my end. The file I downloaded from Fileplanet (blue yonder mirror) had the exact same size as their download page states: Size: 140.789.797 bytes. And after a complete de-install, manual remove of remaining folder, letting my system take a breath, and finally a fresh install, the same (bad) size of the intro file, 42.516.927 bytes. If there's something wrong somewhere, it didn't start on my end.

SC, you might want to inform with Fileplanet if they have the same sizes as you have/had. I consider also the possibility there is some kind of strange bug in the installer code. Screwing up extraction(?) to some limit. But you might just consider this a proverbial goose chase. I don't know, I can help myself fixing it(as above). The game's code seemed unaffected, as I was able to run it. But who says all the code has been run in those 10 minutes I played. Anyway, I'll take the gamble. Apart from owning 2 boxed versions. But that's not what it is about.

I'm done

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Its nothing to do with file planet, since that file is inside an installer.

It could be related to your HDD cluster sizes. If you go into Explorer and checked the file properties, it should say 41,521KB. If you right-click on it and pull up the properties, it will say 42,516,829 bytes, and is dated 8/3/98 time 2.00

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