Medieval Total War CTDs and Solutions

[Ace of Spades]

Well, I suppose trying the AA fix wouldn't hurt. Your problem does sound like those experienced by many, including myself, at some point - so I'd simply try and see if it works out.

That did the trick! Thanks Dutch guy!

[Dutch_guy]

That did the trick! Thanks Dutch guy!

Great !

Now have fun playing !

[Carcanus]

Thanks for the help Caravel, I found the right driver.

For anyone using the Intel 82845G/GL/GE/PE/GV:

At least one driver that can run MTW is version 6.14.10.3722
You may need to go to the archive on the Intel site, as it's pretty old
Some other drivers might work, but this is the only one I've found.

[caravel]

That's great news Carcanus, and thanks for reporting back with the version that worked for you, hopefully it may also work for others that are having similar problems.

[loopy00]

CARAVEL PLEASE HELP.

Been pulling my hair out, and found this thread. Read your responses, and I'm betting you can help.
Basically, I get the CTD, but its right after the total war animation at the beginning. I see this, then a split second of the Sega screen (I have Gold edition) and then CTD. Every damn time.

I was thinking it was a Vista thing, but the guy you just helped has an Intel Chipset like me and he got fixed up with old drivers.

Anyways, seeing as its crashing at startup, and not during the game or dtarting a campaign like everyone else, is there any hope for me??

ANY advice will be very appreciated. I have been spending a lOT of time fiddling with lettings and searching the net. (It actually took a google of the error report for me to find this thread, Now I have some hope again!!)

Please and thank you mate!!
(let me know if there is anyother info you need, I ll be checking a lot)

[loopy00]

In case you need it here's the Intel info.
INTEL (R) 82801G chipset
Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
from what I can gather on the Intel site my 950 is part of the accel. 945 "family"

I'm pretty computer literate, though I have never added OLD drivers before. So before I do I want to see if you think there is at least a chance this will fix it.

Thank you!

[caravel]

First, create the file "skipcredits.txt" (an plain empty text file) in your MTW working directory (the folder that contains the file "Medieval_TW.exe". Try running the game again. The "credits" (opening movies) should not run and the game should instead dump you directly at the main menu, if the movies are visible for even a second or you still think they're running, then "skipcredits.txt" is either not in the correct folder or not named correctly. Ensure you have done this before proceeding.

There are two pages of drivers here, start with the previous version to your current version and work backwards. http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Filt...eng&sType=prev

Follow the same instructions as above in my response to Carcanus (use Driver Cleaner Pro to remove the old drivers - then install the new ones, rinse and repeat etc).

[loopy00]

Thanks for the info, mate.
Ok, I added the text file - no change

Just to make sure I'm being clear: it does TW animation, then it SKIPS the CAscreen/Intro movie thing, and goes right to the screen that is usually shown AFTER the whole movie intro. (I only know this because I can play it on my XP desktop. And it is on this Sega screen where it is shown for only a split second and the ctd. So essentially the whole movie intro is already failing (i guess).

Please let me know what you think. I there something else I should try before I try the drivers? I have no problem waiting to hear from you.

Seriously, man. Thank you so much for your help, and for giving me some hope with this.

Loop

[loopy00]

Ok. Check this out...weird.
After we talked about the intro movie, it was on my mind so i went looking in the files.
In main MTW directory, in the folder CREDITS, then LEGAL, there are two .MPG files. One for the Short TW splash, and the other (labeled intro)for the CA screen and the intro movie.
Here's where it gets weird...

BOTH of these play normal on my XP system, but on my Vista problematic laptop, the TW splash plays normal and with normal sounds, but the CA/ Intro movie? It plays, with no sound, at like 10x's the normal speed!The whole movie, which is over 1 minute long is over in like 12 seconds. I'd be quick to blame VISTA as I often do, but it plays in just the regular Windows Media player, and the again, the other .MPG played fine.

Once I saw that this was not the case on my other system, I got real suspicious. Corrupt file of some sort? Should I try another reinstall (tomorrow)? Have you ever heard of this?

Sorry to blab, but I thought this was odd, and also feel it must be related somehow.

Thanks for reading!


Loop

[caravel]

You don't seem to have gotten skipcredits.txt in the right place, but as you've now found the videos, simply rename them from a .mpg extension to a .mp_ extension. This should bypass them entirely. If that still doesn't work then it's on to the drivers:

There are two pages of drivers here, start with the previous version to your current version and work backwards. http://downloadcenter.intel.com/Filt...eng&sType=prev

Follow the same instructions as above in my response to Carcanus...

If no one can recommend the version that works best then maybe you can try to find it yourself?

1) You should download the previous driver first, and start with that one and work backwards.

2) Go to add/remove programs and remove all of the Intel Extreme graphics drivers and control panels

3) Download driver cleaner Pro install and run it. Remove the "Intel Extreme" this will remove all of your current drivers. Reboot and when the new hardware found appears, leave it.

4) Install the driver you downloaded and reboot again. Test MTW campaign game and see if it works.

If it doesn't work move on to the next (older) driver and repeat steps 2 to 4.

[loopy00]

Caravel, you are my hero for the day!

I renamed the intro.mpg to intro.mp_ (this is the movie intro file) and it worked!! Wahoo!

Loaded beautifully, and I can play now! In fact, for some reason, the load times are much quicker on my laptop than on my desktop. Didn't need to start messing with the drivers either. You are the best. Thank you so much for your assistance on this.

Loopy

[caravel]

To install the skipcredits.txt correctly for a standard MTW or MTW + VI installation installed to the default location go to the start menu -> click run -> enter "cmd" into the console and do:

cd Program Files
cd Total War
cd Medieval - Total War
echo. 2>skipcredits.txt

I know that some other versions are installed in "Sega" or "Creative Assembly" folders or something similar.

[Shay O'Phalen]

Hiya same problem as every one else,

can play custom battles and stuff but after trying to start a campain it crashed to the pause menu and then in the strategy map is set at 800-640 or whatever it is it CTD if it is higher it stays on menu.

Im not reyt sure bout all my specs cos i dont really know owt bout computers but it says i have an ATi Rage 128 pro ultra GL AGP is that my problem?

I have tried every thing except the changing drivers cos im not sure how to do and Im worried bout braking my computer

Ive done skip creds, disabled AGP, used every different screen setting i can, changed compatability etc just wondering if anyone can help cos im bored of my other games now and loved this game a couple of years ago when i used to play it.

thanks in advance

[Dutch_guy]

Hello,

Press start --> run --> type: 'dxdiag'.

A list of your computer specs will show up, let us know exactly what those are.

Further more, have you also tried the Anti-Aliasing fix as described in the first post of this thread ?

[Shay O'Phalen]

operating system: windows xp proffesional
system manufacturer: GBT
System model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Award modular bios v6.00pg
Processor: Intel pentium 4 cpu 1.60 ghz
memory: 576MB ram
Page file: 296 used, 1110mb available
Direct x version 9

is that what you need?

as for the anti aliasing, i dont know how to do it,

it says that you should see the name of your driver when you go to settings on display or something like that but i dont

thanks for the help

[Dutch_guy]

So basically you can't find something, a tab, which says ATi Rage 128 pro once you've completed step 1 ?

If it helps, after completing step one, for me the tab meant is on the utmost right of the screen.

1- Right Click your desktop and Properties > Settings > Advanced.
2- Look for the tab labelled by your graphics card model name.
3- Click "Performance & Quality Settings" from the panel opened leftwards.
4- Under General Driver Settings there should be a box telling the name of the settings and their values, such as "Antialiasing - Application Controlled", "Anisotropic Filtering - Application Controlled" and so on. Now you should left click where it says Antialiasing. You should see that there is a checkbox saying "Application Controlled" ticked. Remove the tick, so that now the slider is controllable. Draw the slider right for once, it should be now under 2x. Click Apply, then OK, another OK to close this window with modified settings. Voila!

Are you sure this really doesn't work for you ?

[Shay O'Phalen]

there isnt one,

it says it at the very top of the box, along with the name of my monitor though, but no tab

[Dutch_guy]

there isnt one,

it says it at the very top of the box, along with the name of my monitor though, but no tab

Ok

Ehm, you could try the following: next to the current time on your desktop, there should be a couple of little icons. Can you locate an ATI icon, and does right clicking on it bring up any sort of pop up menu ?

[Shay O'Phalen]

No there isnt one there

sorry i bet u think im taking the piss, thanks for bein patient

i have recently reformatted my computer if that might have something to do with,

although i couldnt plat MTW before i reformatted either,

thank you very much

[caravel]

Perhaps you simply haven't installed the driver and are running under the default driver that comes with WinXP? "ATi Rage 128 pro ultra GL AGP" sounds like the Microsoft driver. WinXP supports a lot of old graphics cards but not fully and never with the correct control panel to allow you to change certain settings.

Go to ATI's website and download and install the first driver in this list (6.13.3279): http://ati.amd.com/support/drivers/xp/legacy-xp.html

After installing this driver test the game again and it should work. It is probably not worth your while trying the 2x anti aliasing fix as that is mainly for newer Nvidia cards using newer drivers.

[Shay O'Phalen]

right,

went to that link and downloaded first in the list, but during set up it said that it werent compatable with the display driver(s) currently installed in my system,

do i need to uninstall something maybe

ta muchly

[caravel]

Try the second driver in the list, if that fails to work then we'll need some more system info. It may be an onboard graphics chip such as the Rage IIC, if this is the case there is no XP driver for this apart from the M$ driver that comes with XP, though Win2K drivers may work. If you can ID your motherboard I can tell you if you have the Rage IIC or not. Is this a branded system? If so what is the model number. Failing that you should check the boot up screen when the system starts up. There is usually a model number displayed just before the system boots, while the system memory test is running, this is the BIOS string and should help in identifying the board. Hitting the pause/break key will halt the boot process while you write it down, enter resumes.

[Shay O'Phalen]

Rite, the second driver doesnt work either, says the same thing.

Its not a branded system, i dont think, the BIOS is 01/04/2002-8idx-6a69vg0cc-00

i think it is anyway- that is what you meant isnt it.

hope that helps, you guys are really helpfull and i appreciate it hugely,

you deserve more than one award

[caravel]

The GA-8IDX is your motherboard. This has no integrated graphics.

The best way for you to ID this card is to open the machine and actually have a look at it. It may not be a Rage and the wrong driver may currently be installed. Your motherboard and system specs are way ahead of a Rage which does make me suspicious.

[Shay O'Phalen]

ok, i will do this tomorrow as it is too late now, and will post up what i find,
what exactly am i looking fo when i open it up?

[caravel]

Any and every number you can find on the graphics card, either silk screened on to the PCB itself of on any stickers fixed to the PCB. Try not to take the graphics card out to do this, as if you're not familiar with PC hardware you may have trouble getting it back in or dislodge/damage another component in the process. Do not remove any heatsinks/fans from the card.

[Dutch_guy]

How goes it Shay ?

[GamblerTuba]

OS Win Vista Home basic (6.0 build6000)
Dell Inspiron (not sure if that matters)
AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual core 4000+
1022MB RAM
Direct X 10

NVidia GEForce 8300 GS 128MB Ram
Integrated RAMDAC
Approx total mem 368MB

Driver nvd3dum.dll,nvwdgf2um.dll
version 7.15.0011.5828

Ok folks, new to the board because i have a new computer and this ol' game and the two do not get along. (kinda like quantum theory and general relativity) And i am hoping to get them to coexist. (kinda like perfecting superstring theory)

Anyway, my CTD occurs whenever the campaign map should open regardless of computer or program resolution. Custom battles work ok but no campaign map EVER.

I have tried forcing AA to 2X and got nowhere. I tried turning off vertical synch (saw that somewhere) and no luck. When i run dxdiag i can see where AGP texture acceleration is enabled but it is not selectable. Possibly a change with Vista? I cannot disable the AGP text acc in that window, is there another way?

So far as drivers, seems like i have a newer grafix card than a lot of the ones discussed here but if i need to fiddle with the drivers i guess i will have to.

Any suggestions at all? Or should i go out and buy MTW2 and forget it? (is this comp beefy enough to handle MTW2?)

Thanks in advance all!
The Gambler

[caravel]

I have tried forcing AA to 2X and got nowhere. I tried turning off vertical synch (saw that somewhere) and no luck. When i run dxdiag i can see where AGP texture acceleration is enabled but it is not selectable. Possibly a change with Vista? I cannot disable the AGP text acc in that window, is there another way?

So far as drivers, seems like i have a newer grafix card than a lot of the ones discussed here but if i need to fiddle with the drivers i guess i will have to.

Try forcing even higher levels of AA, and see if that makes any difference. AGP doesn't really apply to you as the card is probably not an AGP card. I expect it's a PCI-E one.

Older drivers might fix it but there is only so far back that you can go with an 8xxx series card.

Try testing with different settings and try to lower your desktop resolution and colour depth to 1024*768*16 bit and set MTW to a 1024*768 campaign map resolution.

[GamblerTuba]

Thanks so much Cambyses! ?I think the culprit was actually the colors needed to be toned down to 16bit. Will let you know the long-term stability.

Here's the new problem (gggrrrrrr) when i enter the battle screen, i can select units group etc. but i cannot give the units any orders on the map itself. The move/attack cursor never appears. So now i can play on the campaign map but cannot play any battles. I can send them to another point using the minimap. (I even won a very simple siege that way) but in the main battle map the cursor never changes.

BTW i just ran out and bought Rome TW so we'll see if that works any better.