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| 3 JAN 2003 at 1:56am |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | The game is notorious for graphical glitches (minor - but still glitches.)
What are your PC specs? Memory, Video Card, Processor etc...
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| 4 JAN 2003 at 9:07pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | Thank you for responding.
I have a compaq presario, 5000 series. Pentium III processor. It has 127 MB of RAM, 65% free. The C drive has 27.3 GB of memory free
My operating system is windows ME
I think the video card is called Intel 82810e. If this isn't the right thing, then I haven't yet figured out how to identify my video card (I'm obviously not very computer savvy).
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| 4 JAN 2003 at 9:46pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | I don't see any patches posted for the game on the Trecision web site. So, short of that, you may want to validate that you're running with the most recent set of video drivers for the chipset.
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/810/810e.htm?iid=PCG+devleftnav&
Hit the Microsoft site as well and get an updated copy DirectX:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.asp
I don't recall if the game utilized any of the DirectX functions, but it probably wouldn't hurt to upgrade to DX9. I've been running it for 6 months or so, and have had no problems.
I'm also not all that familiar with the onboard video configurations. Most (if not all) require you to allocate a portion of your physical RAM for video memory - maybe you can increase this value in the BIOS setup?
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| 4 JAN 2003 at 10:03pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | Once again - not being all too familiar with the video chipset you're running. Try the following:
Click Start, Run and Enter DXDIAG (click okay). On the Display Tab you'll find a value for the approximate total video memory. According to the Publisher (Got Games Entertainment) these are the minimum system requirements.
Minimal system requirements:
Windows 95/98/ME/2000
Pentium II 266 MMX or similar
64 MB RAM
3D Graphic Card with at least 8 MB Video Memory
150 MB of free space on the Hard Disk
CD-Rom 8x
DirectX7
Make sure you're got an adequate amount of video memory.
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| 5 JAN 2003 at 8:31pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | I have downloaded directX and recent video driver updates from Compaq.
When I try to run dxdiag I get an error message that says to use the "non-unicode version". I have no idea how to do so. :-/
I don't know how to make sure I have enough video memory. :-[
I don't know how to allocate a portion of my physical RAM for video memory. :'(
I don't know to increase the value in the BIOS setup. ???
Sorry for being such a computer dunce. It's hard for me to understand why I could run Syberia without any problems, but not Watchmaker. Syberia seems so much more sophisticated.
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| 5 JAN 2003 at 9:56pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | Is this a non English version of Win ME by any chance?
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| 6 JAN 2003 at 1:49pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | Shouldn't be. I bought my computer in Lexington Kentucky..... but you never know around here!
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| 6 JAN 2003 at 5:11pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | Well, if you’re sure you're running ME it almost sounds like you have the wrong version of DirectX installed. How this could happen is beyond me - it shouldn't have installed.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but as I understand it the Unicode version is intended for NT/2000/XP systems.
Check your regional settings on the control panel as well - Select English US. Unicode provides support for multi language formats. (a long shot buy, maybe?)
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| 7 JAN 2003 at 8:01pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | If I had the wrong version of direct X, wouldn't that affect ALL my games? Most do fine. some don't. Auryn Quest did something similar. All I could see was big blocks of color. The cursor would move around, and in & out, but I just wandered from one big color to another. It was very surreal.
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| 7 JAN 2003 at 8:57pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | Regional settings are OK
How do I find out more about my video card? Somewhere (maybe in the "system" or "display" menu) I found the name Intel 82810e. The system is no more than 2 years old. Shouldn't it have a 3D graphic card? Especially since I have been able to run the Mysts, Syberia, Amerizone, etc. with no trouble?
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| 7 JAN 2003 at 9:04pm |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By shipprah (7 JAN 2003 8:57pm)
How do I find out more about my video card? Somewhere (maybe in the "system" or "display" menu) I found the name Intel 82810e. The system is no more than 2 years old. Shouldn't it have a 3D graphic card?
The i810 is not a graphics card, it is an integrated chipset (on the motherboard). It has some sort of 3D support but it's not exactly impressive performance wise.
I forgot my sig.
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| 8 JAN 2003 at 4:16am |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | If I had the wrong version of direct X, wouldn't that affect ALL my games?
Nope - Only those that utilized DirectX... I've posted the problem to my friends at MS (I've not been able to find any references to this error anywhere...)
It's a mystery at the moment... ???
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| 8 JAN 2003 at 5:35pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | Alright then – I received two responses which may help… .
1.) Do you possibly have a dual-boot machine with Windows 2000/XP besides
WinME? And did you possibly run the dxdiag.exe from the Windows 2000/XP
installation instead of the one installed to the Windows ME directory?
2.) Hmm, that shouldn't happen.
It sounds like somehow the unicode version of dxdiag got onto your system.
The unicode version is installed on Windows 2k and Windows XP, but not
Windows ME.
It's unlikely, but do you know if you tried to run or copied the dxdiag.exe
from the cab file called dxnt.cab?
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| 8 JAN 2003 at 6:04pm |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | I'm pretty sure I don't have a dual-boot system (not that i really know what that is). when I turn on my machine, I get a brief screen that has the windows ME logo on it. The literature that came with my computer says: Your computer is equiped with the latest software from Microsoft. Microsoft Windows Me! I've not added any software other than the games I've played, the direct X and Quicktime that comes with the games, and a couple of video drivers I downloaded from the Compaq site.
I tried to run the dxdiag from the Run line on the desktop menu. I had also tried it before you suggested it when I was following the built in trouble shooting menu.
I don't know what a cab file is.
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| 8 JAN 2003 at 6:43pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | I'm pretty sure I don't have a dual-boot system (not that i really know what that is). when I turn on my machine, I get a brief screen that has the windows ME logo on it.
You'd definately know if you had a dual boot system - it would prompt you for the OS to run at each boot.
Try running the DirectX download for ME at the link above... It's version 9... and should update dxdiag with the correct (non unicode) version.
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| 10 JAN 2003 at 11:57am |
shipprahIntergalactic Janitor
Posts : 22
Joined: 21 DEC 2002
Status : Online | I have downloaded direct X 9 twice. Once before we started on this journey and once after.
Once the file is downloaded, will it automatically do what it is supposed to do? Or do I have to do something to activate it?
I recently played a Nancy Drew game with out any difficulty. I know that game uses direct X.
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| 10 JAN 2003 at 4:17pm |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | If you choose to save the file to disk - you'll need to run the executable manually.
Search your drive for a file named: dx90_redist.exe
The program can be run from directly from the Search Results list by left clicking it.
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 4:52am |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | I'd say. (Easy way). Uninstall Watchmaker ..... reboot, run scandisk and defrag (she may not have done this - ever!)
Yes, this does solve everything.
Get some free program and clean up the hard drive (before running scandisk, etc) also get a free clean up registry program (Necrofile is fine) and do a weekly "housekeeping". Then re-install the game.
When your first suggestion fails - I suppose this works?
If you bothered to read - and you can do that - right... You'd notice that the video display wasn't (watch out - big word follows) behaving... And.. We all know SCANDISK and Registry cleaners clean that up, now don't we...
Am I the ONLY person who has WinME and has never had any problems with it?
You just may be... or....
By the way - don't sell shipprah short. I never got the impression that he/she felt confused (as you obviously do).
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 5:04am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Willow (11 JAN 2003 4:18am)
Stop confusing the person with your superior (male) buzz words and convoluted tech terms.
So because you don't know what you're talking about and InlandAZ does that makes you somehow superior? Get real.
I forgot my sig.
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 5:39am |
BelindaSchattenjger
Posts : 2093
Joined: 21 OCT 2002
Status : Online | Could it be possible the resolution of her monitor is doing this?
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 5:53am |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | Could it be possible the resolution of her monitor is doing this?
I don't recall if the game allowed you to configure the video resolution or not - but YES... It could cause part of the problem (the grey banding at the top of the monitor)...
This could of course be resolved with dxdiag - if we could get it up and running...
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 6:04am |
InlandAZGuild Master
Posts : 5586
Joined: 4 MAY 2007
Status : Offline | WOW InlandAK and MichalN contradicting each other. A first?
Nuff said - Apparently you can't read... Let alone offer advice. ???
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 6:04am |
BelindaSchattenjger
Posts : 2093
Joined: 21 OCT 2002
Status : Online | You're soooo smart hunny...... :-*
And I like your advice too Willow.
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| 11 JAN 2003 at 6:14am |
MichalNGrand Inquisitor
Posts : 7058
Joined: 14 SEP 2003
Status : Online | Originally Posted By Willow (11 JAN 2003 5:52am)
WOW InlandAK and MichalN contradicting each other. A first?
Must be, I haven't noticed any contradiction. BTW you seem to have a knack for misspelling InlandAZ's name...
The person concerned already said her graphics card and etcetera was "up to date" do you doubt it?
Here's a question: if her graphics card etcetera is "up to date", why does the game not display properly?
Confusing newbies with a bunch of tech advice is cruel.
I think telling people to reinstall is even more cruel.
Or do you think most people are complete morons who can't understand technical advice?
I forgot my sig.
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