CMCW not starting from desktop(windows10)

[tallbear]

So I have Windows 10 and i7 9700k, AMD 5700 non-XT(if these even matter). When I try to open the application for the first time I get nothing, run as admin-->nothing. I see the mouse spin as its tries to load and nothing happens. Try the licensing tool nothing as well.  I have also tried to install without windows defender on and still nothing happens. Has anyone had these issues or know a forum area with the answer? I have bought all their previous titles but this is frustrating, really like the scenario. 

[Artkin]

I'm gonna say it's probably a graphics issue. Amds are a little finicky with the older opengl as far as I know 

[Bufo]

12 minutes ago, Artkin said:

I'm gonna say it's probably a graphics issue. Amds are a little finicky with the older opengl as far as I know 

I have an AMD 5700XT, it's not that.

[Artkin]

Oh snap I missed the bit where he said he had the previous titles. OK nevermind, my bad.

Edited August 29, 2021 by Artkin

[The_Capt]

4 hours ago, tallbear said:

So I have Windows 10 and i7 9700k, AMD 5700 non-XT(if these even matter). When I try to open the application for the first time I get nothing, run as admin-->nothing. I see the mouse spin as its tries to load and nothing happens. Try the licensing tool nothing as well.  I have also tried to install without windows defender on and still nothing happens. Has anyone had these issues or know a forum area with the answer? I have bought all their previous titles but this is frustrating, really like the scenario. 

This is a weird one for sure, only thing I can think is try a reboot and then try again.  After that I suggest you put in a support ticket to BFCElvis and they can really get you sorted.

[tallbear]

So gents I did upgrade my system to an AMD since I last played Combat Mission, so I went back and tried to open Shock Force 2. Same issue just won't open. Did a help desk ticket hope to get a response soon.

[Erwin]

4 hours ago, The_Capt said:

When I try to open the application for the first time I get nothing, run as admin-->nothing. I see the mouse spin as its tries to load and nothing happens. 

Yeah... had something similar with my new Win 10 machine last year.  (nVidia)  Unfortunately, Tech Support and even my IT guys couldn't figure it out so am left with a $3.3K lump of game machine metal sitting here.   Let me know what your solution turns out to be.

[Grey_Fox]

Some people were having trouble with the Black Sea executable being quarantined by Windows Defender. Check to make sure that the executable still exists in the folder.

Also check windows Event Viewer and look at timestamps for when you tried to launch the game for potential clues.

[ZPB II]

Do you have other Combat Mission titles installed on the same computer and if so what versions and engine numbers?

I ran into a problem with the exact symptom a few weeks ago after I installed CMFI Engine 2.0 on my computer that had other CM games using Engine 4.0. I'm not sure how relevant it is, but the more info available to solve a problem the better.

The games wouldn't start, nothing would happen. Unfortunately I can't remember right now the exact process I used to fix the problem, but I'm guessing my problem was related to the third party licensing software and not CM itself. I just woke up so I need to start my brain.

 

Edited August 30, 2021 by Zebulon Pleasure Beast II

[Grey_Fox]

1 hour ago, Zebulon Pleasure Beast II said:

I ran into a problem with the exact symptom a few weeks ago after I installed CMFI Engine 2.0 on my computer that had other CM games using Engine 4.0. I'm not sure how relevant it is, but the more info available to solve a problem the better.

This wouldn't be relevant for CW since it's on GE4. that I ran across that when I moved off windows 7 as GE1/2 won't run on I think Windows 8+.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Grey_Fox

[ZPB II]

Just now, Grey_Fox said:

That reminds me. GE1 or 2 won't run on Windows 8+, you need to purchase the engine upgrade for it to run on a modern OS. Ran across that when I moved off windows 7.

That's not true, apart from the (what I assume) licenser issue was solved the release version of CMFI worked just fine on my machine with the latest version of Win10. I played a few scenarios a week ago and then upgraded to 4.0.

[chuckdyke]

8 minutes ago, Zebulon Pleasure Beast II said:

That's not true, apart from the (what I assume) licenser issue was solved the release version of CMFI worked just fine on my machine with the latest version of Win10. I played a few scenarios a week ago and then upgraded to 4.0.

I would contact Steve just to make sure you put the upgrade in the right folder. 

[ZPB II]

Just now, chuckdyke said:

I would contact Steve just to make sure you put the upgrade in the right folder. 

Everything works now, and only stopped working for a while with the same symptom, game not starting at all.

From my experience both as a gamer and a programmer, graphic related issues have a tendency to produce either visibly corrupt graphics or error messages that help tracking down the source of the issue. Direct3d/OpenGL/Vulkan all have rather well documented & tried and tested pipelines and error handling and it's much easier to inspect their interaction with both your hardware and OS whereas a proprietary licensing software is a black box in comparison.

Installed CMFI vanilla 2.0, it worked just fine. Played other CM 4.0 titles, suddenly CMFI 2.0 stopped working and soon after neither CMSF2 4.0 or CMCW 4.0 wouldn't start either, fiddled around with licenser etc. and then it worked again. Then I upgraded to CMFI 4.0 and it worked perfectly also.

I'm asking if OP has other CM games installed out of curiosity, since I had a similar symptom.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Zebulon Pleasure Beast II

[chuckdyke]

3 minutes ago, Zebulon Pleasure Beast II said:

Everything works now,

Ends well all well. 

[Grey_Fox]

7 hours ago, Zebulon Pleasure Beast II said:

That's not true, apart from the (what I assume) licenser issue was solved the release version of CMFI worked just fine on my machine with the latest version of Win10. I played a few scenarios a week ago and then upgraded to 4.0.

Per Elvis in the above link:

"the original CMBN Game Engine 1 will not run on Windows 10. You need at least one of the Upgrades."
That was my issue a few years ago. I guess I was mistaken in thinking that it applied to the other GE1 games.

Edited August 30, 2021 by Grey_Fox

[BFCElvis]

1 hour ago, Grey_Fox said:

I guess I was mistaken in thinking that it applied to the other GE1 games.

Yes. You are. Only one title used Game Engine1 - Normandy. The next game in the series, CMFI, was the first title with Game Engine 2.

The issue with CMBN v1.x is related to the licensing software. That is why CMSF1 isn't affected in the same way. 

[tallbear]

On 8/30/2021 at 4:19 PM, Zebulon Pleasure Beast II said:

Everything works now, and only stopped working for a while with the same symptom, game not starting at all.

From my experience both as a gamer and a programmer, graphic related issues have a tendency to produce either visibly corrupt graphics or error messages that help tracking down the source of the issue. Direct3d/OpenGL/Vulkan all have rather well documented & tried and tested pipelines and error handling and it's much easier to inspect their interaction with both your hardware and OS whereas a proprietary licensing software is a black box in comparison.

Installed CMFI vanilla 2.0, it worked just fine. Played other CM 4.0 titles, suddenly CMFI 2.0 stopped working and soon after neither CMSF2 4.0 or CMCW 4.0 wouldn't start either, fiddled around with licenser etc. and then it worked again. Then I upgraded to CMFI 4.0 and it worked perfectly also.

I'm asking if OP has other CM games installed out of curiosity, since I had a similar symptom.

I only have shock force 2 installed right now. I it has the same issues but that is engine 4 as well. I am working with the support office now but I really can't imagine what the issue could be related to. I have tried lookin gin event viewer and I have no warnings or messages, but I also don't know where to look on that program.

[slippy]

I have just reinstalled all my CM titles on a new computer. I found that none of the titles would load, I just had a black screen on loading.

I inadvertently left one game loading when I left the computer for about 10 minutes, I came back and the game was showing the main menu, from which it launched ok.

I tried with all titles and get the same result. For some reason they are taking quite a while to load, much longer than they did on my old system, during which I get a black screen, but when they do load all is fine and they run really smoothly.

So have you just tried leaving it to load for 5 minutes or so? Maybe you have the same issue as myself. It's only by leaving it by mistake one day that I found this out, before that I was Alt deleting to exit from the black screen thinking something was wrong.

Just an idea

 

Regards

[tallbear]

Fixed it..... So it was windows defender, you need to turn off the service then restart the computer, then try opening the game. I have been playing the game on my MacBook because of this issue. But it was struggling on the big maps. Thanks for all the advice and have fun playing.

[Artkin]

We all miss Windows MSE.