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donnieitaly

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Posts posted by donnieitaly

    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    I hesitate to say that the problem is fixed, but I have now played the first two scenarios of the Marine campaign with some saves but without ANY crashes.

    I am set on "Balanced" but I think what cracked it was the download you suggested. I am at a loss to understand why I can have played this game to fruition many times and yet suddenly I need a new download. It doesn't make sense to me, but then again I don't claim to be any kind of computer expert.

    Anyway my thanks again, to those of you who puzzled this one. I wonder how many other customers have bought a game that requires Parches to make it current and have then found their hardware to be deficient?

    But it works, many thanks :-)

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    The date on your ATI/AMD Radeon Catalyst driver suggests that it may be a version 9.8 or 9.9. Both of those had crashing problems with CMSF, though it is interesting that you are only seeing problems with the latest patch. I can't remember if those particular Catalysts could cause an 'insufficient memory' error. However it is also possible to get that error regardless of the video driver that is installed. The texture memory management problem of the 9.4 - 9.9 Catalysts would usually crash CMSF without an error dialog box (if I recall correctly); usually within 5 -20 minutes of play.

    Assuming you have a 64-bit version of Windows 7, you may want to try the following utility to determine if your laptop can use the AMD-provided Catalyst driver (many laptops cannot):

    Windows Vista/7/8 64-bit Catalyst 13.1 Utility

    If this utility determines that your laptop can use the AMD-provided 13.1 Catalyst it will download it and you can install it.

    >>> I have done so thanks.

    When you were testing each upgrade step, were you replaying the same battle/campaign (and mission if it was a campaign) or were you 'progressing' through and these were different actions with each upgrade ? In other words were you testing the exact same thing each time before you got your 'insufficient memory' error ?

    >>> I was playing the same mission from the two campaigns. I never got far enough to move on to the respective second missions.

    I think another thing that somewhat minimizes the 'insufficient memory' error is using a lower '3D Texture Quality' and '3D Model Quality' setting. Typically 'Balanced' should be a good setting. I'm not sure if there are benefits to going to an even lower video quality or not. These settings don't resolve most of the 'insufficient memory' errors, but they are worth trying.

    >>> I don't think I have much time free this week but I will try the game again and then if I have problems, change the 3D settings and try again, again!

    >>> Many thanks.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    First I uninstalled EVERTYHING from Battle front.

    Then I re-downloaded and installed the Marines and CMSF bundle.

    I ran a three D screen for about an hour without crashed. Then I played the first scenario for about 40 minutes of game time. Without crashes.

    I downloaded the first patch and did the above.

    I downloaded all the other patches repeating the exercise of leaving the screen alone and then playing the game.

    With all the patches installed the first crash came with 20 minutes to go in the first scenario. Interestingly enough the computer reported “Insufficient memory. I went to C drive 86 saved games and deleted all but the last one.

    With 16 minutes to go the computer crashed and locked me out of everything. I cannot even access the other options like Quick battles.

    I deleted the final save but am still locked out.

    I have not had time to sort out the other suggestions in your e-mail but will try to do some of it later today.

    ……………….

    When I load the CD a graphic of the front of the “box” appears on the screen with four options. (I think they are Run, Play, Install or something like that.) The Install Option is greyed out and cannot be used.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    Well it's still crashing.

    I can open the saved games and make saves. I have played the first Marine scenario (again!) and completed it (Total Victory <g>)

    I have gone into program files 86 and deleted all the saved games but the last two in the theory if one of them is corrupt I'll be killing it. (Yes, I know little about computers and nothing about programming , nor do I care.)

    I'll carry on playing it this week.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    First. Thanks for the Admin tip although I'm not sure it works for see below.

    A real time game doesn#t seem to crash although I only ran it for about five minutes.

    I saved it and then tried to go back to the save. Now I can't access that save or any other.

    I then ran a battle which didn#t crash but I saved it and couldn't get back.

    So I can't access any saved games now.

    The windows report says that the game encountered a problem and windows will close the program and let me know if a solution is available. There has been no solution of course.

    I have looked out my hard copy of the CMSF game I bought when it first came out and am thinking of uninstalling everything and running the CD.

    Oh, I have no idea what cards I have set up but could probably find out if you think that will help. The game ran perfectly until this past week after a pause of maybe a year of not playing. No alterations to the hardware of the computer have taken place since then.

    I don't think it can be a hardware issue since the game ran fine originally with the same hardware as last week.

    I cannot find the computer storage of the saved games. If I could I'd delete them all.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    Well this is weird.

    The game is running and the save function is working and it hasn't crashed.

    YIPPEEE!

    I don't know what I did.

    I looked for the old saved games and couldn't find them although I found old Normandy saves (that game crashes too btw <g>)

    So, for want of some action to take I looked up all the programs under Battlefront as listed in the Windows 7 Start button, All programs.

    I RIGHT clicked on the program and opened the game as an Administrator and the computer asked me if I wanted to allow BF to make changes to my computer. I said yes and its running. The only saved games showing are 1 - 6 that I have just saved in these last few minutes.

    If I try to open the games with a LEFT click I don't get asked that security question but I then can't get into Saved games and the computer crashed.

    I don't know what I did but I don't really think it matters.

    I'm a bit grateful and if you have a young daughter or sister I will marry her and care for her for the rest of her life - or alternatively sacrificed a small animal to you.

    Please tell me you seem to have solved it?

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    >>>>First of all I appreciate the efforts you're making :-) It is frustrating to be having problems with a game (and incidentally I have only three games on my computer and two of them are yours!) that I have played and enjoyed since it was first produced. What is causing these current problems I obviously, have no idea.

    Please read a little closer in my previous post and you will see that after the 1.20 patch the SAVED GAMES ARE NOT COMPATIBLE. You will need another install of the game, located in a different directory and limited to the 1.10/1.11 patch, in order to play those OLDER saved games.

    >>>> Yes, I understood this. I'm not bothered by the saved games now; I'll play the da*mn things all over again if have to <g>.

    I'm not sure of all of the reasons why the downloads are not the latest version. One reason was to allow players to finish off previous PBEMs, etc. and allow for a reinstall to support an older saved game. Updating each of the games/modules is a bit labor intensive (an installer has to be reconfigured and recompiled for an update). With CMSF and later games, each of the modules came out and supported an update to the base game. In the case of CMSF Marines was 1.10, British Forces 1.20 and NATO 1.30.

    >>>>If you don't have the resources then I guess it's understandable but it isn't very good business. A product sold should be fit for purpose and some of those patches are years old.

    Regarding your crashes with CMSF + Marines at 1.32. Are you saying that a new saved game created with 1.32 crashed the game when you attempted to load it in 1.32 ? If you are clicking on the 'Saved Games' and it crashes, then one of the game saves is corrupt. Removing this file (outside of CMSF with CMSF shut down) will allow the Saved Games listing to come up (but the file will obviously not be there). I'm not sure what caused the corruption in the game save.

    >>>>Okay. I downloaded, installed and played the CMSF Marine combo. I patched it (them?) up to 1.32. I played about three turns of the first scenario and then saved it. On trying to access that saved game the computer crashed. I then played a "Battle" for a couple of turns, saved that, and then tried to access it. The computer crashed. I can open all options except Saved games. This is all on 1.32 newly downloaded .

    Interesting fact. The FIRST SAVE I made on the NEW 1.32 game was labelled by the computer, as Save Number 119. Obviously it should have been Save Number 1. The LAST Save I made with the OLD game/s was Save Number 118.

    >>> I'm wondering that if |I can find the computer save of these games and delete them all (I don't care if I now lose them.) will that destroy/delete any corruption? On re-reading your comments above I wonder if just moving them somewhere else would do it. I'm not sure I have the requisite computer skills to do this.

    Usually CM games will have issues with security software when it comes to just running the games. The saved game files themselves usually will not be a problem. If you game is installed to the 'Program Files' / 'Program Files (x86)' directory, then you may want to try launching the game by right-clicking and selecting "Run as administrator" from the popup menu.

    >>> I regret I don't understand this,, but I'll go have a look.

    Ciao.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    Well, first of all why is the game I have bought not up to date? Why am I downloading patches at all?

    I have CMSF and the Marines only. (I did buy those and the Brit forces but that was a long time ago and I'm not currently bothered about the Brit forces.)

    So I uninstalled the CMSF listing I had in "All programs".

    Then I downloaded again my purchased CMSF and marines bundle.

    I then checked the Version 1.11, and went through the laborious and confusing and unnecessary process of downloading from a myriad of sites offering me all sort of confusing claptrap until I had all three patches downloaded and installed.

    So now I have a CMSF and Marines bundle patched up to 1.32.

    So I ran the game.

    Saved games would not open. And indeed crashed the computer. So I ran the game again and played a couple of turns of the Marines Campaign. This I saved.

    I exited, went back in and clicked on Saved games and the computer crashed.

    I can start to play any campaign or battle and save them. When I open the saved games the computer crashes.

    Oh, I DID NOT turn off my virus checker when doing all the above.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    Okay. So I've loaded the patch and am now up to date.

    I've clicked on Administrator and the game has loaded.

    All my saved games are gone.

    I've "played" the first and second scenarios of the marine campaign.

    Whilst playing my Marines are now named, in the bottom left hand corner of the screen as "Stug 1v" - a world war two German weapon. (Yes I do have the Battle front Overlord bought and saved.

    It doesn't seem to crash anymore. I just can't now access a saed game of any kind!

    Over to you. (It's 23:24 here in the UK.)

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    I've updated the gfame to 1.32 the version that your website tells me is the lastest, but now my computer tells me trhat I have to have Administrator rights to complete the installation! Well according to my log on details I AM an administrator so...?

    I have contacted my son. All should be well...

    Incidentally I still have the British manual on computer from (presumably) the first time I bought the game. The second installation didn't seem to wipe that out - although having said that maybe the patch will.

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    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    Jeez chaps, I'm 65, my son usually figures all this stuff out for me <g>.

    I'm now on the fourth scenario, actually just finished that, and the crashing seems to have stopped. (Tempting fate.) I'll keep playing until it crashes badly or I forget it used to crash.

    What I can't figure is that I had NO problems the first time I bought the game (the CD version) and no problems when I added the Marines and British.

    If I add patch 1.31 will that delete all my saves? I simply couldn't go through all those scenarios again. (You ought to think of a way to offer the campaign as a series of stand alone scenarios, and forget about making them dependent on the result of the previous battle. ((Optionally I mean, not instead of the campaign.)) )

    If I have just bought a "brand new" CMSF and Marines bundle why do I need to download patches? Don't you retro fit them to the products you are selling?

    I wasn't prompted to use a licence key and don't know what that is this time around.

    How do I discover which version of the game I do have?

    You tech people are really good at offering help. Many thanks even if we don't figure this out. :-)

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    Aquire

    in CMSF Strategy and Tactics Forum

    Posted

    I just bought a new download version of the Army and Marine combo.

    I can't seem to Aquire for my Marines as I could before. No, for that matter, Hide.

    Is this a change or am I misunderstanding?

    (No I haven't read the manual. It's long and tedious and on my computer. <g>).

    0

    Marines campaign crashing?

    in Combat Mission: Shock Force Tech Support

    Posted

    I bought this game years ago when it first came out, but when playing it recently I had multiple crashes. Not wishing to try to find the hard copy I had bought (!) I bought and downloaded a new version (the Army and Marine combo.)

    On the second scenario of the Marine campaign it still crashed mightily, and I have had to save every turn.

    Is this me or a known problem?

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