Crash at Mission 3

[duodsg]

Well I AM running Vista 64-bit, but as I said the problem is even on the unmodified version of the game even before I install mods...

I keep thinking it must be something in the files mentioned before, simply because the game runs perfectly up until Mission 3 and then it just dies.

However, if I was to install it in a different directory (instead of Program Files x86), then is there a certain place that's recommended?  I can definitely it a try.

[Nebula]

just make a new folder called Games outside programfiles on your C drive.

[Mario]

Well I AM running Vista 64-bit, but as I said the problem is even on the unmodified version of the game even before I install mods...

I keep thinking it must be something in the files mentioned before, simply because the game runs perfectly up until Mission 3 and then it just dies.

However, if I was to install it in a different directory (instead of Program Files x86), then is there a certain place that's recommended?  I can definitely it a try.

This means that simply on your hard drive there is a virtualized BC folder. Delete those contents and the unmodified version will work well.

You can access it:
1. Go to C:\Program Files\Activision\Bridge Commander and click on the Compatibility Files option in the explorer
2. Start -> Run -> C:\Users\{Username}\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Activision\Bridge Commander, replace {Username} with your username

In this location you should see couple of BC files which the game actually reads once ran in non admin environment i.e. you didn't use run as admin on stbc.exe.

[duodsg]

Thanks for the reply- this may be it, since Vista will be running from this folder regardless of any superficial changes I make to the STBC folder in my Program Files.

The only problem is that on NO files on my system does the Compatibility Files button show up (not even in the Windows directory, which is what everyone online says should have it come up for at the very least).

From everything I read this morning, if I install STBC on a localized folder (like Users>Games or something like that) then Vista won't spare out the directories like it would if I placed it in the Program Files folder.  Let me try that and see what happens.

Unless I can find some way to make Vista give me the Compatibility Files option in Explorer, which seems nigh impossible.

[Mario]

Try to navigate manually to the folder which I explained as an alternative way to get to it (step 2.)

2. Start -> Run -> C:\Users\{Username}\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Activision\Bridge Commander, replace {Username} with your username

[duodsg]

Well, I tried to navigate to that directory, but Windows won't navigate to that location since it says it's not a valid location...

Perhaps there is a specific directory in my C: drive I can install it to that won't create a virtual folder?  I installed it in C:/Games, but that may still be causing the same problem as if I installed it in the Program Files (x86) directory.  In My Documents somewhere, perhaps?

[086gf]

C:/Games should be fine.

[duodsg]

Sorry I haven't posted in a while-

Anyway, I installed the game in C:/Games and nothing happened.  Even without the updated Sovereign model, I just updated the already existing Sovereign file so it reflects QuantumTorpedoes, but the crash still occurs.

If it makes any difference, it takes a LONG time for it to crash- almost a full minute of it loading.  But the music never starts playing or anything.

Is there any kind of a console that I can run while I try to load this savegame that will have the program-specific info on it relating to the crash?  Perhaps someone can see what the game is trying to do before the crash by looking at a file (or error report) it creates and thereby track the problem.

Or if there's something else I can try, by all means.

In the meantime, I will dust off my old 1GHz dinosaur laptop running XP and install it on there just to see if it works out (since from the sounds of it, XP doesn't use virtualized folders).

[KrrKs]

Maybe the savegame is faulty, too (had once that problem). Did you try starting in TestMode an running the Mission from the mission - selection?

[duodsg]

How exactly do I run the game in Test Mode?

Also, for mission select, how do I do that?  I was under the impression that the only way to go into other missions was using a savegame.

[Kirk]

Please look at the stickies at the top of this sub-forum.

[duodsg]

Sorry about that.

Thank you, I will follow those instructions and go from there.

[Mario]

Well, I tried to navigate to that directory, but Windows won't navigate to that location since it says it's not a valid location...

I figured it was kinda self explanatory that you should replace {Username} with the name of your private folder in C:\Users. Private folder location should be the same on 32 bit or 64 bit.

As for the crash, could be that the save can't be loaded because the state of the game before and after doesn't match (i.e. you're using different hps = IIRC changes to it did make an impact).

[duodsg]

Well, I tried to navigate to that directory, but Windows won't navigate to that location since it says it's not a valid location...

I figured it was kinda self explanatory that you should replace {Username} with the name of your private folder in C:\Users. Private folder location should be the same on 32 bit or 64 bit.

As for the crash, could be that the save can't be loaded because the state of the game before and after doesn't match (i.e. you're using different hps = IIRC changes to it did make an impact).

Yeah, I figured as much for the username.

The savegame thing makes a bit more sense too- I am pretty sure I did start a brand new game with the new Sovereign changes, but I will run through it that way to see if it continues on its way instead of crashing as soon as that mission starts.

That and I'll install it on my other laptop either tonight or tomorrow. Thanks!