Need a bit of help with install/patching issues

from GalCiv2 Forums

First, I own legitimate licenses for GalCiv2: DL (purchased Game of the Year Edition at a retail store) and both DA and TotA (purchased direct from Stardock).  I gladly support any company that supports modding and resists Starforce.

I installed the game and expansions sequentially from CD, then used Impulse to patch each to the latest versions.  Is this the proper method of installation, or should I have patched each before installing the next?  Does it matter?

If the above is good, then I have successfully installed the game on my labtop.  Now I'd like to install it on my gaming PC at home (no internet).  Can I install the game from CD on my home computer and then overwrite the game directory with an image of the game directory on my labtop?  Or is part of the installation/activation specific to my labtop?

Thanks for any help you can provide to get me up and running! :)

10,187 views 6 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

The easist way is to install Impulse, register the games there, and let it install the latest availalbe.

Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

The problem with your suggestion is the massive download required.  I primarily access the Net at my local library (wireless to my labtop).  It was a long wait (about half a novel) just to download Impulse and the damn patches! ;)

I need to know if what I did will work properly, and how to get the game onto my offline PC.  Thanks!

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

Technically, you can use Impulse to archive the installed applications and simply transfer the archives to your desktop.  At present, Impulse needs to access the net first for this to be doable (some sort of verification or something, I'm not positive), so you can't actually do it entirely offline.  It will however save you that precious bandwidth-and time.

I don't know if your circumstances permit it, though.

The other issue here is if you're attempting to transfer it from one OS to another-because Impulse archives the installed application, if you're on XP and transferring to Vista (or vice versa), the archive won't work on the other system.  Obviously, neither will transferring to Windows 7.

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

Stardock Central lets you Archive a game on an internet-connected PC, and Restore to a non-internet PC, but SDC doesn't have the latest updates.

Our Impulse Developers are at this moment working on allowing Impulse to do this also. Another issue with moving the game files, is the games have System Registry Keys that get entered during install. Moving the files won't place thsoe Keys in the Registry.

 

Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

@Sole Soul:  Hmm.  I would be transferring from Vista (labtop) to XP (PC).

@highlander:  I want the latest patches, of course, so using SC isn't a satisfactory option.  Do you have any info concerning the time frame for the update to Impulse that would allow archive transfers?  Also, will it be able to bridge the gap between XP and Vista?

Would it be illegal for me to use a crack (assuming I can get one)?  It certainly would NOT be immoral because I own legitimate licenses and thus would not be stealing anything, but I don't know how the law would apply to this situation.

Thanks!

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

I can't give you an exact date on when the Impulse 'off-line' feature will be ready, I'll ask the Dev to make a post when this happens.

Also, we of course do not support any 'crack' of the game, and if you proceed it may make your game unable to respond to the actual updates we post.