am I working this right?

[Iroth Ironwolf]

I just ran across this site days ago, so I'm a little new at this one. I downloaded the latest update for RTC, but when I run it the screen goes black and nothing happens. I even have to bring up task manager to end the program. Is there something I'm missing like another download? I was searching through peoples links here and there and the only link I got was to the forum, so if there is a main page that explains all of this stuff, I have no link to it. thanks.

[beowuuf]

Each edition is a stand alone, so you don't need anything apart from the current download.
What are you machine specs, and especially operating system? It sounds like your system doesn't like RTC, or vice versa.
What should happen is the screen blacks out for a second, then the familiar DM screen, with Return to Chaos under comes up, and then the game will start to load.

Oh, one thing...RTC doesn't run in 16 bit colour...you must run in 24 or 32 bit. Could this be it?

[Iroth Ironwolf]

nope, i'm running at 32 bit. my specs are win 98, p3 500, 256 meg ram, soundblaster live, voodoo 3d. It may not be the best out there, but it handles good (besides the fact that it is a gateway ) I don't think it would be a system problem. anything I'm missing? are there any other programs I need? (like direct x or java. I have direct x 7.0 and the latest java)

[amaprotu]

it only needs directx 3 and no java. If you have version .12 that should be all you need. If its not running it is a system problem, which needs to be figured out.

[Iroth Ironwolf]

I must be missing something. I even tried downloading the game again and I get nothing. I really want to get this game to work, but I'm at an impass. I can only think that either my system is TOO good for the game, there is a bug in the download, or there is a compatability problem between the game and something in my system. I've had occasional problems with all three of these. Some games (mainly realy old ones) don't run properly because the system runs too fast. Other games (such as EverQuest) have problems with soundblaster live sound cards or voodoo 3d video cards. Does anyone have any idea what could be wrong? If anyone knows something the the game is not compatable with that I may have, please let me know. I'd hate to have to give up on a promising looking game.

[cowsmanaut]

I have win2k had been running win98 and it works on both it runs on both my p200 with 256ram and geforce2 as well as the 1ghrz machines with 512ram and geforce3 cards as well as soundblast live soundcards.

I know on some of the older init.txt files you had to set either 24bit or 32bit modes (the geforce doesn't do 24 for some odd reason I suppose the think it below them) anyway, I don't see it in the config.txt anymore so I guess it's not that. Uhm, look through the config.txt a little bit and play with the settings. I would also suggest taking a look at what you've installed un uninstalled since your last installation of win98. Many games and apps install their own versions of system dll's out of plain stupidity IMHO that tend to conflict with the operation of the computer. It could be you need to refresh installation of system dll's and perhaps even directX. It's normally a good idea anyway since win98 does tend to corrupt it's own files too. Doesn't windows just ROCK!

if after all of that it still doesn't work... well, it could be a systems conflict with the motherboard and or CPU if it's a cheaper system some of the non intel CPU's have some non standard instructions and/or are missing some. So certain programs will not work. Annother suggestion is to get the new directX8 since it wouldn't hurt anyway.

[amaprotu]

Hm I really am just guesssing here, but I do remember that for 3d support the voodoo cards didn't support anything above 16bit color (except for the last of the line). I also thought some of them had poor directx support. Has anyone else gotten RTC to run on a voodoo card (that doesn't do 32 or 24bit)?

Again I'm just guessing here since RTC forces 24 or 32 bit....

[beowuuf]

The voodoo i have does support 24 and 32, just not at 1024x768. So unless you set it to 24/32 on an 800x680, crash city

[beowuuf]

Just did a test...i get exactly the same crash (black screen, needs task manager to fix) with the added thing my mouse froze, when the setting was 16bit colour
I then reduced the screen size first and ran it in 32 bit, and all was good

oh, and i forgot..the first thing you should get is the 'choose dungeon' box, and it should come up fairly quickly

I tested this on my other machine, running win98, 64Mb RAM, 200MHz, 3dfx Voodoo

Hope this helps...if it's not the voodoo and settings, i don't know what is the problem : (

[Iroth Ironwolf]

I've tried almost everything short of deleting the c drive and reloading everything. I'm downloading the latest directx 8 just in case those files were corupted. I figured out the problem with my computer a long time ago. GATEWAY SUCKS!!!! I have had many problems with this system and every time I try to get tech support to help me out, they can only give me a temporary fix for the problem which sometimes only holds out for about an hour. I tried to change the settings on this damn thing to see if it would work and while restarting my computer the screen frose. control alt delete did not work either so I had to power off manually. after it did scandisk, it frose on the starting windows screen.

I would call gateway if I thought it would help, but those guys have their thumbs up their butts so far they are gaging. Many things I have asked them about, their response was,"I'm looking it up in the help desk thing on this computer and their is no subject for this. to be quite honest, I don't know what your talking about." In other words, someone with a third grade reading level with an IQ of 75 could probably get that job.

Anyway, thanks for the help. If anyone has any other suggestions (besides getting a computer that does not suck) please let me know. I'm gonna load the latest directx now. I'll let you guys know if it works.

[amaprotu]

For all companies there is a (unfortunatly secret) code phrase you can say to get good tech support. (Seriously, don't stop reading, i'm not joking.)

For example, I use AT&T's @home cable internet service. If I call up and try to get help, they transfer me to a kindergartner, if hes in that day. However if I call and say "Hi I need to talk to teir two technical support" I get transfered to someone who knows what a computer is AND knows that there are people that know more that could help me.

Another trick is to try *all* methods of support. E-mail them, if you don't get any intelligable answers, fax them (if you can...).

All companies send their different types of techsupport through different channels. I find that a lot of companies that don't offer good phone support find that with e-mails, they can keep forwarding it around and up until someone has some clue how to help me.

And, seriously, be nice. It is never easy but remember these three things when you call for tech support:
1) The person didn't build your computer.
2) The person has most likely not graduated 6th grade.
3) And they are stuck in a 6' by 6' fabric covered box like most every one else in the world these days, and all day long all they hear are people yelling about problems they obviously don't have or aren't their products fault because there is no mention of the problem in the online help files available to everyone in the world.

Sooooooo anyone guess how many times I've had to deal with tech support? I only worked as a tech in an office of less than 100 people for 2 years too.

- Amaprotu

[Joshua Mage]

I'm using Voodoo 3 and have had some problems in the past with different games. Try this site www.3dfx.com - and download the fix.
RTC loads and plays fine. My spec is similar to yours.

[Iroth Ironwolf]

I'm trying to get the fix now. Unfortunatly, half way through the download the file transfer died (does anyone else have this problem? you try to download, but halfway through it isn't transfering anymore data.) Anyway, I'm gonna download it again and hope that it works. Thanks for the tip.

[Gambit37]

Get hold of GetRight or Gozilla which can resume broken downloads. Indispensable tools if you're ISP isn't up to scratch, and mine never is....

[Iroth Ironwolf]

I ment to put this in a few days ago, but I guess I forgot. Josh, I downloaded the "fix" but it did not fix anything. Maybe I downloaded the wrong file? I went under downloads and got the file labled 1.07.00 under Voodoo 3 3000 win 98, but it didn't change anything that I can tell. It just added a tools icon to my taskbar at the bottom and I still can't run the program. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do with the 3dfx tools thing. It allows me to change my settings, but I'm not sure what I need to change those to or if I need to change them. please let me know what file to download (or if it was the right file, what settings you changed them to.) Please help me out. Thanks man.

[Giltar]

I have the same problem. I had problems with many similar games, so I think that is the problem. I think that there is problem with Win 98 SE. I ve played Hard Truck 2 (at least a gues) on Win 98 SE and there weve problems, but not in the first versin, i dont know where the problem might be, i mean if that is true. but you shoul think about it. Giltar

[Mental4]

If you alt-tab when you get this crash, you can see that the error message displayed is "Terminal error. Could not set 640x480x24 video mode".

NVidia video cards don't have 24-bit video modes, only 16 or 32, so I would assume that is the problem.

Hopefully this will be fixed soon?

[Mental4]

You can edit config.txt and change the SCREEN_MODE entry to 640x480x32. This solved the problem for me and now RTC works again.