Problems with CMBO on new computer

[EricM]

Just got a new computer and tried installing CMBO. I have run into some issues and need advice.

The computer is an HP Pavilion A210Y series with a 2.4GHz Pentium4, 512MB DDR RAM. It has a NVIDIA GeForce4 MX 440 video card and a Sound Blaster Audigy Card.

The problems I am having are:

1- I have downloaded the 1.12 patch twice but the version on the start screen says 1.02. After I download the patch a screen comes up showing where it's to go. I press finish, it does it's thing but no update. What am I doing wrong.

2- Each time I have started up to check the patch the Direct 3X box (I think that's what it says) asks what resolution I want. Once I pick one, things seem OK. But when I start again it runs thru the same process.

3- With the higher resolutions do I need the faster MGz settings? I pick the lower ones and the movements seem choppy. If I pick the higher ones, the game takes a while to respond to and selected buttons.

Thanks,

Eric

[Schrullenhaft]

I can't remember off-hand, but I believe that the patch extracts to its own subdirectory. In other words, the files are not where they need to be in order to run the newer version. You'll have to manually move the WAV files, BMP files and the executable itself (along with the OpenPlay Modules folder, etc.).

I don't know which NVidia Detonator driver you're running, but if CM is going to be your main addiction, then you may want to install the 30.82/30.87 drivers. These drivers have the least amount of problems with CM (and should work with your GeForce 4 MX). However other games may prefer the bug fixes in newer driver versions.

How do you launch CM, a short cut on the desktop ? It sounds like you are accidentally launching it from the CD rather than a directory on the hard drive. CMBO is capable of being played directly from the CD. One way of telling if this is the case is to right-click on the icon you use to launch CMBO and select "Properties". In here look for the drive letter where CMBO is being launched from and see if it your CDROM drive. You can also tell by creating a quick scenario and seeing if it appears in your scenario listing (alphabetically of course). If it doesn't, then you may be running off of the CD. When you play off of the CD CMBO is unable to save the Preferences file, which is where CM stores the resolution that you select. If this file isn't found, then CM goes through the resolution selection process.

In the resolution selection process you start with the current desktop resolution and the highest refresh rate your video drivers will support at that resolution (which might be higher than your monitor can support). The number followed by 'Hz' is the frequency of your screen refresh. Generally you'll want to select 75Hz or higher (if your monitor handles these refresh rates properly). Generally these refresh rates should make almost no difference in the framerate performance of the game (though they can make a difference in 'eye strain'). Resolution will make a bigger difference (with higher resolution obviously being a bit more slower). You may also want to double check that you don't have FSAA enabled since this can be a major performance drain on the video card. The same is true of Anisotropic Filtering, which can significantly slow down video cards (though some can handle this with only minor performance penalties).

[Madmatt]

The patch does NOT extract into its own subdiretory.

When it asks you where to install you should select your current CMBO folder. By default that location is C:\Program Files\CMBO.

Then go ahead and create a NEW desktop shortcut that points to the Combat Mission.exe located in the CMBO directory on your computer.

I am thinking that perhaps your existing CMBO shortcut is actually pointing the CD and thats why it keeps asking you to select the resolution and always reports 1.02 as the current version instead of 1.12.

Madmatt

[ August 02, 2003, 01:17 AM: Message edited by: Madmatt ]