Complaint about Patching Dark Avatar

from GalCiv2 Forums

I just bought the Gold Edition.  It comes with Dark Avatar 1.5.  For the life of me, I can't figure out how to get the 1.8 patch.

I'm a programmer and have been playing computer games for more than 20 years. I love Stardock's games, but I swear they have the most unfriendly patching I've ever encountered. I always have troubles, and this time is the worst.

The manual to Dark Avatar says you can get the patch by going to www.galciv2.com and checking the "Updates" section. Of course, there is no such section. The Downloads section says that you can get updates on Stardock Central.

When I use Stardock Central, whether I load it from the "Update" buttom on the Dark Avatar start menu, or directly from the Start menu, it correctly logs me in, correctly identifies the Stardock programs I have on this box, and correctly tells me that I have DA 1.5 and a 1.8 something patch is available.

But when I click on the Update button that is connected to the line for DA, nothing happens! It will let me try to download an update for Sins of a Solar Empire, which I don't want any more (I think GalCiv is a MUCH better game). But apparently DA 1.8 is no longer available on Stardock. What's the deal!  Am I being forced to go to Twilight of the Arnor?  Shoot, I just bought DA one week ago. (Spent the last year playing Lord of the Rings Online most of the time, now back to GalCiv for about the fifth time...I started on it in 1994 when it was only available for OS/2).

So how can I patch DA? Please don't mindlessly tell me to go to Stardock Central.

5,409 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Hi!
But when I click on the Update button that is connected to the line for DA, nothing happens!
End of quote

Might be a problem with SDC settings. Try swappig the server (Tools / Settins / Internet / Server) - just choose another one.

BR, Iztok
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You need to use Stardock Central or Impulse to get the latest updates to GalCiv2 and its expansions. If you were interested in standalone patches (via the URL that's prob. listed in the manual), only a few updates over the years have been done that way. Here's the complete steps for SDC. You probably have done some of them, but they're all here for completeness sake:

1. Install from the CDs.

2. Go to this URL, create a Stardock Central account, then download the Stardock Central software.

3. Install Stardock Central.

4. Launch Stardock Central, log in to Stardock Central with the account you created in 2).

5. Choose Tools - Register Products, choose "My Games" on the left, then pick "Galactic Civilizations II", enter your serial number that came with the game, and press the "Register" button. You may also have to do the same thing for Dark Avatar. If you bought the gold edition, I believe you use the same serial number.

This should activate the game, and then you can go to the main area of Stardock Central and download your updates.

-HM
Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
But apparently DA 1.8 is no longer available on Stardock.
End of quote


If you're getting a 'version no longer available' error, make sure you have the show prerelease versions option off.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks very much for these instant responses!

None of these hit the nail on the head--but they led me to figuring it out. In particular, they led me to poke around with the Stardock settings, and I decided to go to Games and to register the game again from within Stardock. That worked.

That was a little counterintuitive, because I had already gone to the trouble to register the game once, as prompted, when installing from the CD. And it is a big trouble for me to type in the 30-digit serial code, since I have very poor eyesight and have to use a magnifying glass. Earlier this weekend, I had assumed that Stardock Central knew that I had already registered the DA expansion, because as I said above, when I logged on to SDC, it accurately found all my installed Stardock games, and it gave me an update button for DA.

In any event, I'm happy to be up to date on this excellent game.