Freeze: touching the brightness setting

from GalCiv2 Forums
Hi,

I'm new to the game and just started experimenting with it. First I went to set up my options, screen resolution etc. Everything else was fine but when I touch the 'brightness' bar on the video settings page I get an instantaneous total freeze of my computer. This crash repeats every time, I'm unable to set brightness correctly. Only hard-boot gets me away. I have the latest drivers for graphics/sound and well above min. req. computer.

Any help would be appreciated.

Debug Message: Version v1.0X.2 last updated on: Tue Mar 7 15:02:59 2006
Debug Message: Could not find a TGN Serial No.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 3/27/2006, 19:44:45
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: SONY_VAIO
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: Finnish)
System Manufacturer: Sony Corporation
System Model: VGN-S2XP(SE)
BIOS: Phoenix FirstBIOS(tm) Notebook Pro Version 2.0.
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) M processor 1.80GHz
Physical Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 305MB used, 2158MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600/9700 Series (Omega 3.8.221)
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc. (Omega 3.8.221)
Chip Type: ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9700 AGP (0x4E50)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_4E50&SUBSYS_8196104D&REV_00
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor Name: Sony Notebook LCD (1280x800)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1280,800
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6599
Driver Date: 1/25/2006 06:52:48
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Audigy 2 [FDC0]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0008&SUBSYS_20011102&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1164
Driver Date: 12/8/2005 11:55:46
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:
Description: SoundMAX Digital Audio
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_24C5&SUBSYS_8197104D&REV_03
Manufacturer ID: 65535
Product ID: 65535
Driver Name: smwdm.sys
Provider: Analog Devices
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.5410
Driver Date: 3/28/2005 09:19:38
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1152 x 864
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): ATI MOBILITY RADEON 9600/9700 Series (Omega 3.8.221)
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 85
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\myname\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\*.StarSystems
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\myname\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\*.raceconfig
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for PirateShip. ***
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for Starbase. ***
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\myname\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipclass
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\myname\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
15,309 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hmm, are you trying to run the game outside of your max supported resolution?

"Current Display Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor Name: Sony Notebook LCD (1280x800)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1280,800"

Maybe try it in 1024x768 or 1280x800?
Also, are your sound drivers conflicting? You might want to disable one of your sound cards.

And are the Omega drivers the latest for your card? I see you have mobile gfx, so I'm guessing they are.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

>>(Regional Setting: Finnish)

There have been other parts of the game that get unhappy when the regional setting is anything other than English. Could you (just for the sake of narrowing down the problem) change your windows Regional Setting to "English" and see if the lock-up still happens?

Thanks!

 

edit: Oh, and thatnks for those suggestions Heegz - that catch of the 800 max vertical res may be the culprit.

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Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for the suggestion but I think this cannot be the reason - I'm using an external monitor (my LCD is turned off) that is capable of 1280x1024 resolution. My desktop is also 1154x864 and I play other games on 1154x864 without problem (GalCiv2 also loads without error using this resolution).

I'll try to disable the on-board sound chip if it helps, also I'll try the regional settings thingy. I'll report if they help or not.

And yes, Omega drivers are the latest for my graphics card, they are based on ATI Catalyst 6.2

UPDATE: Ok, I tried both disabling the onboard audio and changing the regional settings to English, doing this didn't solve the problem. However, I experimented a little more with the game, it seems I am able to start a new game and such ok. Most surprisingly, when I accessed the video options menu 'from the game', I was able to choose brightness ok, no freezing. And - I tried to acces the brightness setting video menu again via the main game menu - it freezes again!
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well I think it is some sort of conflict between the way your monitors are set up and the resolution the game is trying to use. Not sure how your system is set up, so hard to say for sure. If you use the native monitor do you have the same problem or just with the external?
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well I think it is some sort of conflict between the way your monitors are set up and the resolution the game is trying to use. Not sure how your system is set up, so hard to say for sure. If you use the native monitor do you have the same problem or just with the external?



The same problem occurs with the laptop LCD, game set up with native resolution. The crash doesn't seem to have anything to do with resolutions or changing them (which works perfectly fine), it is only happening due to changing brightness settings. And, the crash happens only when the video menu is accessed via main game menu.
Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
For the record, I have the same problem with my Dell Insprion laptop. It looks like I'm using the exact same graphic chipset AND omega drivers.

To be fair, I don't think it's completely GalCivII's fault because I can't change the brightness in Elite Forces II either without it freezing up. Strangely enough, I find that it only freezes up in game (with all the 3D models) than in the menu.
Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hmm, are there any other drivers you can roll back to to see if it is the Omega drivers? Or if it is just your card in this specific instance? You might email your info to SD if you haven't already. Might be they can fix this on their side. Seems like you got it narrowed down pretty close now.
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
New Omega drivers (based on Catalyst 6.3) were released yesterday. Unfortunately they didn't solve the problem