27-04-2005 03:04									#1
	Game freezes... Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

I'm having trouble with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri freezing up. When it freezes I can still hear the background sound. When I ctrl+alt+del it shows the game using 99% of my CPU. If I end the task (the game) the computer is fine and I can use other programs with no problem.

I had the exact same problem previously with Black & White (using the latest patch). Other people with far older pc's didn't have this problem. I downloaded a program that copied sound files from the Black & White cd to my hard drive. I had no more problems with that game after doing so. Unfortunately, there is no similar program for Alpha Centauri, although I copied the entire cd to my hard drive, which didn't help at all.

At this point the game keeps freezing at one particular spot, running from the cd or hard drive files. It previously froze at other random spots, but now I can't get past this particular one. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

My specs are:

Abit NF7-S (version 2) mobo
Radeon 9800 Pro video card
AMD Athlon 3000+ CPU (not overclocked)
512 MB Crucial RAM
Windows XP

I would also like to know which files I need to back up and transfer if I get desperate and decide to install and play on my old slow Win 98 computer.

Please help!!!

	27-04-2005 03:17									#2
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What is the status of your Videocard driver and ActiveX version ?

I have heard a lot of people experincing crashes but your problem sounds like VC problems.

Maybe a strange question, but have you virus check enabled and was it active during VC driver installation ? That can prevent updating drivers.

	27-04-2005 03:26									#3
	Remove this text

I updated everything when I had the trouble with Black & White, so I have Direct X 9.0C and latest ATI drivers.

Actually, I probably did have Norton running when I installed the newest drivers. I will disable it and try to install the drivers again.

Will post back with results.

Thanks!

	27-04-2005 07:11									#4
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Well, unfortunately that didn't help. I don't know what to try next...

	27-04-2005 07:32									#5
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Have you applied the patches, especially the Win2000/XP update? If not, look here:

http://www.firaxis.com/games/game_detail.php?gameid=7

	27-04-2005 07:46									#6
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

No, but I will try that next.

The game usually runs fine for awhile before freezing. When I was having this problem with Black & White I was using the Windows XP patch, didn't seem to make a difference.

I will try anyway and post back.

	27-04-2005 07:57									#7
	Put an end to popups!

The patch didn't help either.

: (

	27-04-2005 08:30									#8
	Increase the size of your Attachments

More suggestions:

* Try running the game in Win 95 or Win 98 compatibility mode (see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/.../appcompat.mspx).

* Check out the troubleshooting tips here:

http://www.civgaming.net/forums/showthread.php?t=5217

You might have to start a new game for some of these suggestions to help. Would especially recommend a complete uninstall/reinstall (including deleting all SMAC files from your HD before reinstalling) if you have't already done so.

HTH

	04-05-2005 06:54									#9
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Is your CPU Athlon 64?

	04-05-2005 08:26									#10
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No, it's an Athlon XP 3000+.

	05-05-2005 09:48									#11
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

Is the freezing random or does it happen at a particular point?

	06-05-2005 04:09									#12
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Usually it seems random, but there is one point that I can't get past now. It's been freezing at the exact same spot (even playing from the hard drive).

	06-05-2005 06:35									#13
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x

	06-05-2005 06:37									#14
	Support Apolyton, buy GURPS/ Alpha Centauri

I'm running the game on a laptop with windows ME. I don't have problems generally in MP or SP or Scenarios, but I am playing the solstice scenario & I can't get it to play 2256. The game freezes halfway through the turn. Never had this problem before but have completed 2255 a number of times & can't get through 2256. I've done things differently each time to no avail. Here's the turn. If someone can take a look for me I'd appreciate it.

Hobbes

Attachment: solstice 2255.zip
This has been downloaded 5 time(s).

	06-05-2005 08:14									#15
	Inflate your Upload Space

quote: Originally posted by H0bbes I am playing the solstice scenario & I can't get it to play 2256. The game freezes halfway through the turn. Never had this problem before but have completed 2255 a number of times & can't get through 2256.

Hi Hobbes,

I've tried to advance your game, but can't. I get to vote on raising sea levels (it passes), I get several messages that Yang has committed atrocities against Domai, and then against Miriam, then the game stops progressing.... No commands work within the game after this. Any chance you can send me 2254 and see what luck I have with that?

D

	07-05-2005 11:12									#16
	Support Apolyton, buy Galactic Civilizations: Deluxe Edition

Thanks for the response darsnan. Have sent you a copy of 2254. Here it is for anyone else who's bored.

Hobbes

Attachment: solstice 2254.zip
This has been downloaded 3 time(s).

	07-05-2005 18:47									#17
	Increase Your PM Length

OK got it to work, and forwarded the turn back to you. Good Luck!


D

	08-05-2005 00:29									#18
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I downloaded the turn mainly to see what the AI factions have done in 126 turns, and I like what I see. I turned on the scenario editor and clicked Turn Complete so I could see what might be causing problems. It looks like the AI was just being very slow. Domai crashed about a dozen missiles at sea near Shanty Town because he couldn't decide what to do with them. This alone took several minutes. I don't know what happened at Shanty Town, but the arrangement of units there after the turn is ludicrousl

	08-05-2005 04:36									#19
	Increase Your PM Length

This is a great scenario, this is the best I've done in about 20+ attempts. For some reason Miriam was not so aggressive & I also managed to get Doc Air reasonably soon. Weirdly I was not able to make friends with Aki Z- and she usually makes a great tech-sharing pactmate. I tried with the 2254 turn and the same thing happened- freezing up. I'll try with the turn you played through Darsna; thanks.

Hobbes

	08-05-2005 06:21									#20
	Browse Apolyton AD-FREE

I'm happy I made it so entertaining. It's the first (and so far only) scenario I've made. Aki Zeta-5 is doing pretty well in this game, as in my tests she would die around 2200. You've been diverting Miriam's attention some.

	09-05-2005 00:32									#21
	Support Apolyton, buy Civilization: The Boardgame

quote: Originally posted by H0bbes I'm running the game on a laptop with windows ME. I don't have problems generally in MP or SP or Scenarios, but I am playing the solstice scenario & I can't get it to play 2256. The game freezes halfway through the turn. Never had this problem before but have completed 2255 a number of times & can't get through 2256. I've done things differently each time to no avail. Here's the turn. If someone can take a look for me I'd appreciate it. Hobbes

When your game froze, did you notice unusually high CPU usage, like mine had?

	09-05-2005 04:16									#22
	Get a bigger avatar today!

I suspect that it may have been something to do with the number of units that the AI has been attempting to move. Subsequent turns are taking 5mins+ for the AI. I don't have anything to measure CPU usage while SMAX was running so I can't help you there. (Don't see anything on ctrl alt del with ME that I can see.) The turn Darsnan played for me works fine.

Does it happen at the same spot all the time? Can you post a save at all?

Hobbes

	09-05-2005 21:46									#23
	Enter the AD-FREE zone

quote: Originally posted by H0bbes I suspect that it may have been something to do with the number of units that the AI has been attempting to move. Subsequent turns are taking 5mins+ for the AI. I don't have anything to measure CPU usage while SMAX was running so I can't help you there. (Don't see anything on ctrl alt del with ME that I can see.) The turn Darsnan played for me works fine. Does it happen at the same spot all the time? Can you post a save at all? Hobbes

I'd be glad to post a save, if you'll tell me how.

	09-05-2005 21:53									#24
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quote: Originally posted by flankadank I'd be glad to post a save, if you'll tell me how.

Try click on "post reply" and put your file name in "Attach file"

	11-05-2005 07:16									#25
	Help yourself to an AD-FREE life

I tried to attach the save file, but got a message saying the file is too big.

	11-05-2005 07:57									#26
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Compress it and it should fit.

	12-05-2005 03:40									#27
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Ok, I think I've got it.

Attachment: save zip.zip
This has been downloaded 2 time(s).

	12-05-2005 04:49									#28
	Tired of ads?

Well, the program are also doing looping the loop here and I don't have the experience to dig furter.

Though, a coulple of things worries me a bit.

What are your intentions whit the CP ? Goddammit, you are at war with miriam an you are building a CP in a borderline colony ?

Another thing, study the section about SE - by choosing Demo, Free market, Knowl and Cyber you can reduce your research to breakthroughs every two years and get 135 energy against your presen 9 year and -15 energy. SE is your friend although it doesn't seem that way from start.

Oh, don't cast any spells upon me - I have done funny things too

	12-05-2005 06:17									#29
	Support Apolyton, pre-order Civilization IV

try d3d=0 in your alpha centauri.ini file. See if it's a vidcard issue.

	12-05-2005 07:04									#30
	Avatar Enlargement: We've got the solution

Flankadank,

I opened your save and ran into the same problem: Game froze at about the same point several times. By trial and error, and using the scenario editor, I think I found the problem. It's the Graviton Battery in Flankity Robotics. After I disbanded this unit, the game successfully completed the turn.

I don't know why this happened. Game files sometimes become corrupted, especially late in the game with lots of units present.

BlackCat -- That colony pod you mentioned and the SE choices -- It appears that Flankadank is automating all units and has the governor turned on in all bases. It's really the computer playing the game.

Flankadank -- You appear to be ready to move to a higher difficulty level and to start taking control of the game. If you like, start off easy and just control one base and one former. Read past threads here for strategy tips. Another good resource is here:

http://www.civgaming.net/smac/academy.shtml

You'll also want to look at Vel's Strategy Guide v3.0, which can be found here:

http://smac.2be.cc/tools.html

(For a more recent version of this guide, which is not free, see the topped thread in this forum titled "At Long Last ...".

If you have any questions, post them here!