Game crashes - cannot play at all

Goto your C:/Program files/Stardock/GalCiv2 directory and open the debug.err file in notepad, then copy and paste it here in a reply. It will give info that could help find your problem.

I'll gladly supply any logs if needed.

Yes, at the very least we'll need your debug.err to be of any help.

Here we go. The Dark Avatar folder is 247MB. Is that the right size? It was installed as a subfolder of GalCiv2.

Debug Message: Version beta 1a last updated on: Tue Nov 21 16:26:52 2006
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 12/5/2006, 21:16:58
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: OREN-1
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: n/a
System Model: n/a
BIOS: n/a
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz (2 CPUs)
Physical Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 718MB used, 2713MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: Radeon X1900 Series
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: Radeon X1900 Series (0x7249)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_7249&SUBSYS_0B121002&REV_00
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6648
Driver Date: 10/12/2006 02:44:09
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Realtek HD Audio output
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0882&SUBSYS_1043E601&REV_1001
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5188
Driver Date: 11/25/2005 05:53:00
Type: WDM
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: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): Radeon X1900 Series
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 85
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: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 bf6a6160
Debug Message: Initializing sound card.
Debug Message: initailizing bink
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Movies\techs\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Tutorials\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Oren\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Music\*.mp3
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: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=0
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding FullscreenBink
Debug Message: Clear data definitions.
Debug Message: Killing ship styles:
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Oren\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Oren\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Oren\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask Gfx\Planets\C0*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/1SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/2SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/3SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideN*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideE*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideS*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask gfx/Terrain/4SideW*.png
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Oren\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=1
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_MoreDetails_FText
Debug Message: GalaxyWnd: Cannot find OBJID Scenaro_Details_FormattedText
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/CustomMaps/*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
*DEBUG ERROR: ***CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry ***
*DEBUG ERROR: ***CustomShipStyleWnd: Unknown edit field ShipList_Avalible_List_Entry type: CustomListEntry ***
Debug Message: WARNING: GetShipStylePrefix called for civ and civ has no ship style
Debug Message: LoadHardpointsFromPrefsFile failed to load ship config file: ./Data/ShipCfg/\(null)_ColonyShip.shipcfg
Debug Message: Creating 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 asteroid fields.
Debug Message: Killing asteroid field mining bases.
Debug Message: Killing space resources.
Debug Message: Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message: killing scenario.
Debug Message: Clearing Turn Event Log
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: Galaxy Size Set: 4 x 4
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 5.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 167
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Asteroid Fields
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 15
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 15
Debug Message: Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 15
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: setting size 16 x 0
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Button_Move
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Dial_Yaw
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Dial_Pitch
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Dial_Roll
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Slots_ListGrid
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Button_Refresh
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Button_All
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Button_Componets
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_Button_Extras
Debug Message: ShipDesignScreen: Cannot find OBJID SDesign_ListGrid_Scroll
Debug Message: Could not parse file screens\OptionsModsWnd.dxpack for EFDX objects.
Debug Message: : Cannot find OBJID Options_Mods_Title
Debug Message: : Cannot find OBJID Options_Mods_Text_Value
Debug Message: : Cannot find OBJID Options_Mods_Change_Button
Debug Message: : Cannot find OBJID Mod_Discription

Looks like the Options screen dxpack got corrupted--you should use SDC to remove DA and reinstall it.

I did that already earlier today and to no avail. I'm willing to try again though  

if your vidio card is getting old, why not upgrade to a new one?
New hardware is most often the quickest, easiest bypass of problems... so long as you would be in need of the upgrade if there was no prolem.

Card Name: Radeon X1900 Series
Display Memory: 512.0 MB

Mystikmind, where do you get the idea that his video card needs to be upgraded?

I did that already earlier today and to no avail. I'm willing to try again though

On further examination, it appears that is one of the files DA shares from standard GC2--it may have been damaged in the minor update that was required for DA. I've emailed you a valid copy to save you yet another reinstall

Sorry, i'm not familiar with what's a good vidio card anymore.... stopped trying to keep up with the latest tech five years ago!! hehehe

Thanks Kyro, that did the work! And now I know first-hand that what I've been reading, about Stardock having a great customer service, is really true!   

Stardock rules, that's for sure.

And Kryo is their first line of defense.