My Apologies to Stardock

Text issue fixed

from GalCiv2 Forums
After having a programmer friend of mine spend a day with me completely wiping my computer clean with a low level format and running various tests we have finally got GalCiv2 to work properly. We have dedicated many, many hours to finding a solution to this problem and it turns out it laid within the GeForce 6600 card. For some reason the game doesn't like the card. It works fine for all my other games but we had to test everything. We finally switched out the 6600 for my old 5700LE and the game fired up with no problems.
Brian Clair and Mike Haber tried relentlessly to help find the problem but not having access to my computer proved to be the pivotal factor. Even though they did not fix the problem for me I have to apologize for flaming the company because they did try and help after my many rants were noticed.
For any others that have the 6600 video card, I would suggest you swap out just to see if the game runs on another card. My friend is going to be running some diag. on the 6600 to see if the card itself is flawed or if it is a compatability issue. My friend did make a solid observation in that we put enough use on a video card gaming in one year that equates to 4 years of regular computing.

So in closing, I offer my humble apologies to Stardock for flaming them about their service. Even though they did not find the cure for my problem, I truely believe they tried their hardest to help me.

Psio

18,043 views 34 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Was it a vanilla 6600? I had a 6600GT before I got my 7800GS, and it worked fine on it. Nice sentiment, regardless.
Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Thanks, Psio.

And yes, anyone else with a GeForce 6600, please post here and let us know if you're getting strange graphical glitches (specifically with the text in the game).

CursorFX - Customize your Windows cursor
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
psio, be prepared to be sucked into countless hours of suspension-of-real-life-activities...

cartons of soda... check.
bags of snacks... check.
auto-feed-the-dog-a-day machine... check.

put any more good stuff in galciv2, and somebody might start to prop their desktop in front of the toilet... I hope that's not gonna be me.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As my friend stated we put serious amounts of punishment gaming on these cards. He is not done running diag s on my 6600 but I'm thinking just due to the shear magnitude of gaming I do (about 5-6 hours a day) I probably overclocked or burned the card out. I have the perfect job, I work maybe 4 hours a day and get to spend alot of time screwing off playing games. The more I think about it, I'm suprised the card lasted as long as it did. I have a box of vid cards, and I probably run through one a year or less. I'm done making my own systems from here on out though, I'm going to start buying Alien systems and not have all the hassles. When you add up video cards and keyboards and ram and the likes. I should just spend the 2 grand on a decent system and be done with it.





Reply #6 from GalCiv2 Forums Top

I tip my virtual cap to your gaming prowess, though I don't envy going through a card a year.

Maybe you should get into gaming journalism?  Sounds like you'd probably do well at it (seriously).

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
hey psio, i thought it would cost less to do it the way you've been doing? or wait a minute, you mean you don't care abt the extra cost, as long as it's less of a hassle?
Reply #8 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
As you can see Medcatt from my posts, I hate hassle and I hate when games don't work. The extra money for a system designed purely for gaming seems the logical choice for me.

Yarlen, as you can tell from my prior posts, I lack a certain tact when expressing my displeasure. I think the journalism field belongs to the more diplomatic.

I sell Real Estate related services so my job requires alot of technical knowledge of my industry, I don't have time to walk myself through a game and critique it. I use gaming as a constructive release. I used to spend my time drinking to escape the high intensity jobs I have had, now I just game. It's better for everyone that I remain a gamer. My wife agrees too, so as long as she isn't barking at me I'm content.

Reply #9 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Its probably that particular manufacturers variant of the standard 6600 series card. For example ive got a Gigabyte 6600GT (even though its not the same card, same series not the same card, insert more defining factors) i could find a card model number aswell if i had to. The point is whats the name of that particular 6600 card so it can be avoided/tested.
Reply #10 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Well I think Psio should be banned from this forum, have his solar system revoked and his tech tree burned down for being so rude to Stardock.....how dare he flame my favourite software house?
Reply #11 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
or we could give him a couple of our diplomatic techs...
Reply #12 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I can't recall anyone ever apologizing for flaming someone. Is this still the Internet? Your apology shows a lot of class, and I respect that. Enjoy your gaming!
Reply #13 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Like empyrean said, I thank you for apologising. Too often we get someone saying the game is broken and busted, and you can always tell it was their fault because someone will suggest a fix, and they won't be heard of ever again.

Although, we might not hear from you again soon, once you've started playing the game
Reply #14 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I can honestly say that Mike H. is the man... he helped me a bunch too.
Reply #16 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Psio, it takes a very big person to apologize, and it speaks to your character.
Reply #18 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
GF6800 GT here, np with GC2 either.

however in DAoC and D&D Online in a small set of zones/instances my system freezes with some graphical errors (then the monitor shuts down and I have to hit reset). In DAoC its in the battlegrounds (Thidranki/Molvik) and in DDO its in the outside hack&slay instances. I dont have any problem with any other game including TES IV Oblivion, Battlefield 2, WoW etc and dont have any single problem with DAoC or DDO in other zones/instances. if I put graphics hardware acceleration 2 levels down in the advanced displaye settings the problem is fixed (but then my mouse cursor is flickering). man that pisses me off. especially as I tried already like every single driver from 71.XX to 84.21, as well as bios settings and a complete new windows installation. ><

of course I had zero problems with my good ole Gainward GFX5900 Golden Sample.
Reply #19 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Dyna,

I admit I acted inappropriately in this forum and showed little respect for Stardock. My behavior was tasteless due mostly to my own ignorance. I figured since all my other games worked and I had never experienced the problems I had with any other game that it must be Stardock's fault.
I have come to find over the past month that it was my own error that caused this problem. Not mine per se but my overworked card. I was enlightened to the fact I punish my video cards badly and I admit my fault. If banning me from the forum is proper restitution, than I accept that. I don't deny my bad behavior and I don't skirt around responsibility. If I offended you, then I am truely sorry.

Reply #20 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I have to go work for a couple hours so i accept any outcome when I return.

Reply #21 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Thanks for your apology Psio, but i dont think even with heavy gaming (like i do) that u can go through a vid card in one year. Unless you O/C or dont maintain it (IE keepin your comp clean internally, making sure its not to dusty and keepin the GPU fan clear of debris and clean.

Ive been building comps since '97 for people and have not once had a vid card die out there. I my self game about 5-6hrs a day, i dont o/c my vid cards so the are very stable and run every game i own with perfection. I had a 6800 GT for 2 yrs before i sold it, and its out there now runnig farcry, BFME2, FEAR etc. I had a 7800gt for a year and a half before i sold that as well and its out there gaming it up as we speak. And now am Running a x1900XTX 512mb and its runnig great.

So yea unless you dont maintain your comp by keepin it releatively clean and not o/c you vid card , it should last 3yrs+.

One other thing, i have come accross vid cards that play some games but will not play others. Usually its a odd brand, if you every get a nvidia, I recommend get one made by EVGA, XGX,or by NVIDA its self.

ATI- Sappire (which is what ihave) , PowerColor


BTW, i think you have great guts to come back and say your sorry for ranting/flaming stardock etc. And i dont believe you should be banned, you made a mistake yes, but you recovered from it. Unlike a ton of trolls who comes through these parts.



SPAXSPORE
Reply #22 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I don't think Dyna was serious about that. Just share a few harmony crystals with us and everyone will be pleased again
Reply #23 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I also game a lot, and believe it or not, I am still running beautifully on my Ti 4200
Reply #24 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I had one of those, then i gave it to my dad, and he ran it for 3yrs, and now its my moms comp
Reply #25 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Actually all I'd like to say is that's rather sporting of you to come back here and apologize.

No company ever wants customers to be unhappy. And in the world of computers it is often times a very difficult task as I'm sure you figured out. The engineering phrase that comes to mind is *it can't all be right and still not work*.

Anyway I'm glad you figured it out and can now enjoy this great time traveling game. What's that? You say it's not a time travel game?!?? How is this possible? Everytime I start a game I travel 6 hours into the future in a matter of seconds