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Independence War seriesIWAR2: Game starts, but there's no main menu(21 posts)solved(21 posts)solved
(21 posts)solved
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Posted March 17, 2013
Hello!

I'm trying to get I-War 2 to run reliably. Almost always, when I start the game, I get to the main menu screen, but the menu isn't there. I do get the mouse cursor, background and the animation. Sometimes when the game is freshly reinstalled, it will start and (as far as I can see) run normally until I close it. After that single run, I get the same issue.

Here are some interesting lines from flux.log:
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ishipcreation" is dependent on package "idockport", which failed to load or link
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ideathscript" is dependent on package "ishipcreation", which failed to load or link
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ipdagui" is dependent on package "ideathscript", which failed to load or link

This seems similar to me to the cursor only bug, but it looks like none of the solutions mentioned there help. I've tried installing the game in non-program flies directory, I've tried extracting the resource.zip, tried adding loader and IW2EoCGS as DEP exceptions, tried running game from EdgeOfChaos.exe, tried with everything in Windows 2000 compatibility mode, tried running as administrator but none of that helps.

Any ideas what I could try next?

EDIT: I'm using Windows 7 64bit.
Post edited March 17, 2013 by AndrejaKo
This question / problem has been solved by keramikusimage
Posted March 17, 2013
Where is it installed?
EoC doesn't like %:\Program Files%.
Posted March 18, 2013
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AndrejaKo: Hello!

I'm trying to get I-War 2 to run reliably. Almost always, when I start the game, I get to the main menu screen, but the menu isn't there. I do get the mouse cursor, background and the animation. Sometimes when the game is freshly reinstalled, it will start and (as far as I can see) run normally until I close it. After that single run, I get the same issue.

Here are some interesting lines from flux.log:
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ishipcreation" is dependent on package "idockport", which failed to load or link
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ideathscript" is dependent on package "ishipcreation", which failed to load or link
FLUX: [unknown] LINKER: The package "ipdagui" is dependent on package "ideathscript", which failed to load or link

This seems similar to me to the cursor only bug, but it looks like none of the solutions mentioned there help. I've tried installing the game in non-program flies directory, I've tried extracting the resource.zip, tried adding loader and IW2EoCGS as DEP exceptions, tried running game from EdgeOfChaos.exe, tried with everything in Windows 2000 compatibility mode, tried running as administrator but none of that helps.

Any ideas what I could try next?

EDIT: I'm using Windows 7 64bit.
Same problem since yesterday. I was playing for a month and suddenly there is no menu. I´ve tried to reinstall in diferent directories, cleaning the register, compatibility modes....

I´m using Windows 7 32bit.
Posted March 18, 2013
As I wrote, I tried both in Program Files and outside of program files (in fact several directories outside of Program Files). After repeatedly reinstalling the game, I came to the conclusion that if it's installed in Program Files, I can usually play it one time before reinstalling. If it is installed in say C:\EoC\ I cannot play it at all. Every time the main menu does not appear, the flux.log has same lines I mentioned in my first post of this thread.

Also that first time the game works, there's no mention of any packages not linking in the flux.log.
Posted March 18, 2013
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AndrejaKo: As I wrote, I tried both in Program Files and outside of program files (in fact several directories outside of Program Files). After repeatedly reinstalling the game, I came to the conclusion that if it's installed in Program Files, I can usually play it one time before reinstalling. If it is installed in say C:\EoC\ I cannot play it at all. Every time the main menu does not appear, the flux.log has same lines I mentioned in my first post of this thread.

Also that first time the game works, there's no mention of any packages not linking in the flux.log.
Sorry, I overread that part.

If the game previously worked the issue is probably that the flux.ini has become corrupted somehow, it happened to me too and had to reinstall the game.
I don't know in your case, maybe it doesn't like being installed in the root too, have you tried to contact support about this?
Posted March 19, 2013
I'm having exactly same problem as AndrejaKo, except mine will run once wherever I install it. Subsequent runs I get the main menu background, no buttons. Same 3 lines in flux.log. Anyone have any more suggestions?

The game worked fine previously and I haven't changed anything on my system...

I suspect the problem is not flux.ini b/c even if I duplicate the default.ini & rename it, nothing changes.
Posted March 19, 2013
Are you by any chance running a non English version of windows?

I remember an issue where if your localisation settings were set to show numbers in the European format instead of UK/US format then the flux.ini could become corrupt, because it wrote out wrong characters in floating point numbers.

The solution was to switch over to using US/UK style numbers in your windows localisation settings.
Posted March 19, 2013
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Ravenger: Are you by any chance running a non English version of windows?

I remember an issue where if your localisation settings were set to show numbers in the European format instead of UK/US format then the flux.ini could become corrupt, because it wrote out wrong characters in floating point numbers.

The solution was to switch over to using US/UK style numbers in your windows localisation settings.
Thanks, but doesn´t work. It should be something that i can´t erase after uninstall the game. When I tried to reinstall there is a "play" button in the autorun window instead of the "install" button that appears in the first instalation or in other computers. I used CCleaner and RegCleaner after uninstall but there´s no changes. If there´s something corrupt is still there after uninstalling the game. Restoring Windows to a date when the game works not worth it.
Posted March 19, 2013
avatar
Ravenger: Are you by any chance running a non English version of windows?

I remember an issue where if your localisation settings were set to show numbers in the European format instead of UK/US format then the flux.ini could become corrupt, because it wrote out wrong characters in floating point numbers.

The solution was to switch over to using US/UK style numbers in your windows localisation settings.
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Hiigara: Thanks, but doesn´t work. It should be something that i can´t erase after uninstall the game. When I tried to reinstall there is a "play" button in the autorun window instead of the "install" button that appears in the first instalation or in other computers. I used CCleaner and RegCleaner after uninstall but there´s no changes. If there´s something corrupt is still there after uninstalling the game. Restoring Windows to a date when the game works not worth it.
I'm running US win 7. For me at least, the problem is not something that survives a reinstall, because it always runs ok once after a reinstall. For whatever that's worth.
Posted March 20, 2013
Hi,

Im running win 7 64-bit, Nvidia Geforce 560, quadcore processor. I have the same problem with no menu. I do a reinstall and it runs OK, even if I copy old savegames into the folder. Second time running, I have no menu, just a spinning boy and version number in bottom right corner. Even if I click mouse or keyboard there is no effect nor sound. To me, this means the UI fails to load. Mouse cursor works OK though.

As per flux.ini, here is my observation: game installs with default.ini and this file never changes. At install default.ini is the same as flux.ini. After first run of game and changes of setting, these changes are written into flux.ini. So. if one wants to get vanilla settings, you just open default.ini and save it as flux.ini, overwriting the existing file in process. Unfortunately, this does not solve the starting problem of no menu.

I deleted the planets folder - no effect, still no menu. I put the folder back - same thing.

Brainstorming:
- If the thing does not run, it means, that something changes in some files after first run. Its not savegames and i dont think its flux.ini. Could it be the windows delayed write / save feature on some other file?

EDIT: FIxed typos.
Post edited March 21, 2013 by keramikus
Posted March 20, 2013
That's really weird.

As an experiment you could try re-installing, backing up the installed folder, then run the game. When the game doesn't work do a comparison of the two folders to see what files have changed.

If copying the backup back over the original install folder fixes the issue then we know its something to do with the files that are saved when you run the game, and not a registry setting.

It's important that this is done outside the program files folder so window's compatibility settings don't muck up the install. This is because windows 7 will mirror any files the game tries to save in the program files folder, as programs are not allowed to save data there any more.
Posted March 20, 2013
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Ravenger: ...
As an experiment you could try re-installing, backing up the installed folder, then run the game. When the game doesn't work do a comparison of the two folders to see what files have changed.

If copying the backup back over the original install folder fixes the issue then we know its something to do with the files that are saved when you run the game, and not a registry setting.
...
I executed this experiment. I downloaded fresh game pack from GOG and installed. Note, I did previously NOT uninstall the old game, I just ran it over in the same directory. Also, I installed it on H: drive, far from Program files folder.

Then, before running the game, I copied entire folder elsewhere. Both copies were running the game without problems, UI start menu was there every time.

Next step - I was raising the graphics setting one by one, restarting the game every time. Detail, starfield quality, anisotropic, antialias... - I put settings to the max and resolution to 1920x1080x32. Game ran with no problems in several tries, everything works as supposed to.

BUT...

Then I restarted Windows and the problem came back. Both copies of the game started with no menu.

Does this indicate a registry problem?

EDIT: After some more attempts I confirm, that it is the restart of the system, that causes no UI menu. The second thing I only now noticed - there is no sound or music, when game loads with no menu.
Post edited March 20, 2013 by keramikus
Posted March 20, 2013
Thanks for trying that. I'm completely baffled. i did technical support for the game, and I never encountered anything like that. :(

It's possible it's a registry issue, but I would guess it's most probably it's a compatibility issue with either windows or associated software. Unfortunately you've tried most of the obvious fixes.

If you're not getting audio, perhaps there's a codec problem. I know the game has issues with certain third party MP3 codecs. Have you got any codec packs installed? DVD playback software like PowerDVD?
Posted March 20, 2013
I had a Codec pack All-in-one and some other stuff.... I uninstalled a whole lot and more, but no effect. After restart there still is no menu or sound.

I ran out of ideas and Im taking a break, hope I helped.

The only next thing I can think of is making a brand new vanilla Windows install and to try again....but right now Im not getting into that.
Posted March 20, 2013
avatar
Ravenger: ...
As an experiment you could try re-installing, backing up the installed folder, then run the game. When the game doesn't work do a comparison of the two folders to see what files have changed.

If copying the backup back over the original install folder fixes the issue then we know its something to do with the files that are saved when you run the game, and not a registry setting.
...
avatar
keramikus: I executed this experiment. I downloaded fresh game pack from GOG and installed. Note, I did previously NOT uninstall the old game, I just ran it over in the same directory. Also, I installed it on H: drive, far from Program files folder.

Then, before running the game, I copied entire folder elsewhere. Both copies were running the game without problems, UI start menu was there every time.

Next step - I was raising the graphics setting one by one, restarting the game every time. Detail, starfield quality, anisotropic, antialias... - I put settings to the max and resolution to 1920x1080x32. Game ran with no problems in several tries, everything works as supposed to.

BUT...

Then I restarted Windows and the problem came back. Both copies of the game started with no menu.

Does this indicate a registry problem?

EDIT: After some more attempts I confirm, that it is the restart of the system, that causes no UI menu. The second thing I only now noticed - there is no sound or music, when game loads with no menu.
Strangely, my symptom is slightly different: first run is fine, 2nd is buttonless whether or not I reboot in between. What's really baffling me is that several of us are having a very similar, but not quite identical problem.

I'm kinda grasping at straws looking for commonalities. It just started within the last few days (assuming no one else had the problem and declined to report). We're all running win7. Or nvidia? Like keramikus, I also have a geforce.
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Independence War seriesIWAR2: Game starts, but there's no main menu(21 posts)solved(21 posts)solved
(21 posts)solved