misaligned screen

Please go to C:\Program Files\Stardock\Totalgaming\GalCiv2 (or wherever you installed the game at), open the debug.err file you find there in notepad, and copy/paste the contents into a post here. This will give us some technical information that can help troubleshoot your problem.

System Info
Time: 8/18/2006, 21:35:55
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: CATATONIC
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: vpr Matrix, Inc.
System Model: Personal Computer
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.00GHz
Physical Memory: 512MB RAM
Page File: 391MB used, 8279MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce2 GTS/GeForce2 Pro
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce2 GTS/GeForce2 Pro
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0150&SUBSYS_002E1545&REV_A3
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: SyncMaster 753DF(X)/703DF(X)/783DF(X), SyncMaster Magic CD173A(T)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1280,1024
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6693
Driver Date: 10/29/2004 16:50:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB Live! Wave Device
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0002&SUBSYS_80641102&REV_07
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: emu10k1m.sys
Provider: Microsoft
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.3300
Driver Date: 8/17/2001 08:19:26
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0

Sound device 1:
Description: Modem #0 Line Playback (emulated)
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID:
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 81
Driver Name:
Provider:
Driver Version:
Driver Date:
Type: Emulated
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0



Debug Message: *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message: Entering WinMain
Debug Message: ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message: Going Fullscreen
Debug Message: Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message: Multisample Type chosen in prefs not supported. Forcing a supported type.
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONMASKABLE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): NVIDIA GeForce2 GTS/GeForce2 Pro
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 60
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message: RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: Create setup screens.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Set mouse.
Debug Message: Set update timer.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Eric Wang\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\*.StarSystems
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for PirateShip. ***
*DEBUG ERROR: ***Unable to find required tech ImpossibleTech for Starbase. ***
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Eric Wang\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipclass
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Eric Wang\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: TitleWnd: Quit Button.
Debug Message: Posting WM_CLOSE message.
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Killing misc objects.
Debug Message: Killing stars.
Debug Message: Killing anomalies.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message: Clear influence.
Debug Message: Clear up laws.
Debug Message: Clear first time events.
Debug Message: Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message: Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing Galaxy: Completed
Debug Message: GameUninitialize end
Debug Message: Device not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: D3D not cleared. 1 counts left.
Debug Message: Destroying Window.
Debug Message: Main Shell terminating normally

You definitely need to update your video drivers (you most likely encountered a popup message to that effect when you started the game the first time).

Hopefully that gets things into a playable state for you, but even if it does you're likely to have problems such as missing textures from the 3d models in-game--GeForce2 cards are not supported, as the game requires a video chipset with proper DirectX9 support, and GF2's only support DX7 features (regardless whether you have DX9 on your system).

driver update wont seem to work for me. it says there's no drivers for my current hardware. but according to this site: http://www.systemrequirementslab.com/referrer/srtest i should be able to play it even with my driver version. are you sure that's why the screen is misaligned?

driver update wont seem to work for me. it says there's no drivers for my current hardware.

How are you trying to update your drivers? By clicking 'update' in the device manager, or going out to the manufacturer's website and getting the latest? With a GeForce 2, you'd want to go to nvidia's website and download their latest driver, then install it. Just make sure you disable any anti-virus software you have during the update, I've had it get rather mad at me before when I didn't. (Well, more like seriously corrupted the install, rather than get mad.)

If you are trying to do it through Windows Update, that is the wrong way.

Go to www.nvidia.com and download the latest certified drivers. They do support your card.

Uninstall the old Nvidia drivers through Add/Remove Programs and reboot before you run the install for the new drivers.

It would also be a good idea to update your audio drivers as well.
And as with the video card, it should never be updated through Windows Update. That is one of the surest ways to hose your system.
Go to www.soundblaster.com to obtain your updated sound card drivers and software.

clicky!

That *should* be a link to the latest drivers for your card from nvidia's website.

i tried all that. still didnt find any compatible drivers for my hardware... thanks for all the help btw

I am sorry but you are mistaken, 91.31 DOES NOT support geforce 2 series, heres the proof http://www.nvidia.com/object/91.31_winxp_32_supported.html

for the drivers that DO work here is the link
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_71.89.html

Enjoy the game IF you can

Monc34

its a geforce 2.... what are you expecting lol

And as everyone has said update your drivers. Dont use windows or windows update you need to download it from manufacture and then double click the .exe and it will do the rest.

I am sorry but you are mistaken, 91.31 DOES NOT support geforce 2 series, heres the proof http://www.nvidia.com/object/91.31_winxp_32_supported.html

Eh, then Nvidia's website needs to get a little more detailed in what it asks you for. I clicked on 'download drivers', then selected graphics drivers, then selected 'geforce' (note: there was no 'old geforce' option), then selected 'windows 2000/xp' as his post showed that was his OS. At no point did nvidia's website indicate those drivers weren't for the older GeForce 2 cards. In either event, sorry for the incorrect link. Honestly, if you spend like $50 you could quite probably buy a far better graphics card than you have in the box now.

Honestly, if you spend like $50 you could quite probably buy a far better graphics card than you have in the box now.

In that I would have to agree with you

http://www.pricewatch.com/video_cards/

Just Glancing at pricewatch I can see the 6600's are dirst cheap by now, and it probably is 10 X's faster than a geforce 2, thats so funny to me cuz I remmember when my cousing bought that card for $250 and after that I tried to beat him buying the Geforce 3 ti 500 for $300. LOLZZ   I upgraded to mine 2 years ago and Im still quite happy with my $440+s/h Geforce 6800gt JAJAJAJ. Im going to wait for the direct x 10 cards to come out and Ill get the medium model, porbably the 8800gt or however it is called.


Monc34

You should still be able to get it running once you upgrade the drivers to the last version that does support your card if you can't afford a new card right now.

Open the prefs.ini file located in My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2.

Try turning off anti-aliasing by setting Multisample=0.

You may also want to try running in a window. Set Fullscreen = 0 or you could manually edit the resolution to be the same size as your desktop.

Finally, add these lines under Video:

NoPointSprites=1
GfxForceNoPointSprites=1

 

One thing you might like to check after it happened to me.. Are you running any program such as WindowBlinds? If you are this can cause the issue you are having as well.

If you do run a windows program that alters the UI pleas ensure to exclude the GCII .exe

DG