Game Freezes at Intro

[Guest Varsuda]

After waiting for around 2 years to get my hands on this game, I was finally able to purchase v2.08 here in Australia. However, after spending 3 hours to try to get it to run, I have almost given up.

Basically, the game freezes right at the begining...I see a green rectangle on the screen (which I assume is some sort of movie that has frozen) and some music playing. The machine freezes right there. I have tried everything...checked the FAQ, downloaded the patch and used Scitech Display Doctor - all to no avail. I really want to play this game!!

My machine specs are:

Pentium III 450

Savage 4

Voodoo 2

128Mb RAM

Windows 98

I believe the problem lies with the Savage 4. I tried using the /v57 and /v1 extensions as per the FAQ and then tried Scitech DD, but nothing worked.

Before I tried anything, however, the game just used to give me a black screen that I could CTRL-ALT-DEL -> END TASK out of. Afterwards, I got the green rectangle and I had to actually turn the computer off as it had frozen...don't know if this helps.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

[Supreme Cmdr]

Try this

1. apply the 2.08 to 2.09

2. install the Voodoo2 drivers available on the downloads page. Read the included text file first!

The above have nothing to do with the problem you are having btw. I just want to make sure those two issues were covered.

Once you've done that, edit the bc3k3dfx.bat file and add /v1 to the commandline that executes the program. Do NOT install SDD. because you don't need it.

This should now work. If it doesn't, then you may want to use /n in the bc3k3dfx.bat file to bypass the intro. I doubt that this is the problem, but you never know.

I am assuming that you setup your sound card before attempting to run the game?

btw, if you search the FAQ on the downloads page for the word savage, you will see what it says.

[Guest Varsuda]

Thanks for your help. I have already applied the 2.09 patch and used the 3dfx drivers from your page. Also, I put the /n in the .bat file and I got the music for the main menu, but got a black screen.I was then dumped back to the desktop.

I will keep trying as I am dying to play this game. Also, the free version I played last month worked perfectly...but I don't know if there is any significance to that.

[Rattler]

Boss, I remember having this problem once, or even twice1 Setup.cfg is corrupted. Most likely during his intitial configuration after installing and attempting to run the game for the first time. If so, it's easily corrected. Delete Setup.cfg from your BC folder, and if Joystick.cfg is there, delete it as well. Then restart the game. When the options page shows up, select config, turn off Midi, and do not attempt to have it run via Joystick. Let me know if you get that far, and what happened after you didn't try to install a joystick.

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Rattler, Insurgent One

Spectre Fleet

Spectre StarStation

ICV Necromancer

Official BC3K Tester

[email protected]

ICQ 12894104

"Long Live The Insurgency, Long Live Mother Earth, And Long Live Battlecruiser Developers and Fans!"

[Guest aramike01]

Same prob. here when I first patched up to v2.08. I had to reinstall and re-patch. After that, everything was A-OK.

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Cmdr. Michael Kristophers

Spectre Fleet

Commanding Officer, Spectre StarStation

ICV-Intrepid

Recruitment Officer

"You won't get the Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole!"

[Supreme Cmdr]

I suggest that you uninstall and start from scratch. After uninstalling from control panel, be sure to remove the install folder.

Make sure you remove DD from your system. You should not even need the /v1 parameter in the .bat file to run under the Savage4. So, you may want to ensure that you have the latest Savage4 drivers from their website.

[This message has been edited by Supreme Cmdr (edited 03-11-2000).]

[Guest Varsuda]

Thanks guys for your help...I really appreciate it. I'll do as you suggest and I'll get back to you...

Thanks again.

[Guest Varsuda]

I have tried everything and I still can't get this game to work. This is the first game in 6 years that I can't get a game to work (I work in the computer industry) and considering that I have been waiting years to play this game, to say that I am disappointed is an understatement.

Please don't misunderstand me...in no way am I trashing the quality of the game or team who made it. It's just that to wait so long to get the game, and then not being able to play it...

I think I will hold on to it for a little while longer. If I can't get it to work, then I'll wait for BC:Millenium (if that ever gets to the Australian shores!).

Anyways, thanks guys for you help and I'll post back if I anything changes.

[Supreme Cmdr]

I have never known anyone that is unable to install, setup and run the game after all these suggestions. Dunno about the other guys, but I'm at a total loss, especially since your system specs are more than adequate to run the game.

Just return it to the store for a refund. You can pick up Freespace2, cheap these days.

[Guest Varsuda]

Freespace 2...already have it. I own almost every space sim released. Battlecruiser was the one I was waiting for for so long because the depth of gameplay it provided was fantastic.

Anyways, lets just hope I can get it to work!

[Supreme Cmdr]

Follow the FAQ instructions and start from scratch. You don't even need the /v1 parameter for the Savage4. I know, because I have a machine here that has one in it.

There's gotta be something we're missing, in whatever it is you are doing.

btw, what sound card do you have? Did you run the sound setup program? Did the sound test work?

[Supreme Cmdr]

btw, I came across some DX7 drivers for the Savage4. Use at your own risk

http://home.wanadoo.nl/jankees/w9x82007.zip

[Guest Varsuda]

I have a standard ESS soundcard that came with my computer. I set up the soundcard as a SoundBlaster Pro (its what I usually pick for DOS games) and it tested fine.

Thanks heaps for the new drivers...

I am as lost as you are to get this game to work. Basically, this is what I do:

1. Install game and run the 2.09 patch.

2. Install the Voodoo2 drivers from your web page

3. Run "Sound Setup" and choose Soundblaster Pro...tests OK.

4. Put the /v57 extention in the .bat file. This seems to not do anything anyway, I've tried it with and without. When the game starts, you see writing on a screen (like when you start a DOS game) and it recognises the S3 card (as you said it should).

5. Run the game...freezes at intro and have to reboot computer.

6. Place /n in the bat file to bypass intro and I hear the menu music, but have a black screen. I can CTRL-ALT-DEL and END TASK out of this one, unlike 5 above. Does this regardless of wether I use the 3DFX shortcut or not.

I have an USB mouse (MS Explorer)...would this effect anything (I can't see how)? Also, the free version of the game worked fine...

It has me stumped...

By the way, thanks for your help Supreme Cmdr...its rare to see an Administrator (or anyone) take so much effort to help out.

[Supreme Cmdr]

Try this, assuming you've patched to v2.09 properly. To find out if you have patched to this version properly, the BC3000AD.GLD file would be 2,200,026 bytes and dated 1-04-00

1. run sound setup and select No Sound Device for both digital and midi music. Save the option.

2. Add /n and /v1 to the bc3k.bat file. Do *not* add anything else.

I don't think its a mouse problem otherwise the game will give you an error message when it is displaying the startup diagnostics console messages (the black screen with scrolling text).

You may also want to disable the 'close on exit' button in the BC3K shortcut, so then when it exits, you still have the screen output. You should be looking for any startup errors in the diagnostics displayed during startup. You could try hitting the PAUSE key to stop it, so that you can read it before the game actually starts.

I can't remember if you said the Intro ran or not. If it doesn't, then I'm positive that this problem is related to your card's VESA support. That intro is not even part of the game. It is run outside of the game and only uses VESA support. If the intro doesn't run, then this problem is video card related. And if this is the case, then SDD is required. Again, I have a Savage4 here and I have no problems running it, don't need any /v? parameter nor SDD. And the game runs fine.

[Andergum]

S3/Diamond has released new drivers (version 8.20.11) for the Savage 4.

ftp://ftp.diamondmm.com/pub/s3/desktop/39...win9x_82011.exe

you might want to give them a try also.

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Cmdr. Andergum

Spectre Fleet

Pre. comm. Cmdr. New America StarStation

ICV Gummy 1

Official tester of BC3K the series...

Long live the Insurgency!

ICQ # 215323

[Guest Sorrow]

*bonk bonk*

Ok- this is WAAAY out of date I know- but!

The problem was his ESS card. I am dealing with this problem RIGHT now on my new machine. I simply couldn't get past the intro. Turns out a re-install of 2.0 and following the exact FAQ setup for the ESS with just the i/o changed to mine let me past the intro. This is just his sound card crashing the intro.