Loading Game crash

There should be a file named prefs.ini in My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2 (or your language's equivalent). Open that file with notepad and find the following lines:

DisplayWidth=1024
DisplayHeight=768
Fullscreen=1

First try setting DisplayWidth to 1280 and DisplayHeight to 1024, then save the file and run the game. If it still crashes, you can also try setting Fullscreen to 0. If that still doesn't do the trick, post back here again.

I launched the game with settings:
game res = desktop res = 1024x768, Fullscreen=1 and 0.
game res = desktop res = 1280x1024, Fullscreen=1 and 0.
No effect.
Also, I changed folder My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2 name and launch the game with default settings (new Prefs.ini was generated) - no effect too.
I tested DirectX with dxdiag.exe, all tests were successfull. So, the problem is actual.

Languages: English (Regional Setting: Russian)

Could this mismatch have anything to do with it?

Perhaps set Regional to English as well?

Thanks for your replies.
I think not... I set regional settings to English(United States) yesterday with no effect for game. Game reinstall didn't help too. Have you any other ideas? Can video and audio codecs be a source of this problem? I launched the game with disabled sound device, the problem still exists.

I have the same problem as Zmeekvik. I tried the suggestions above with no luck at all. My machine can run Dawn of War, which has equivalent requirements. I updated DirectX9, no change. I get the hint page and then get booted out or the screen just locks up. Not making me a happy guy.

I have the same problem as Zmeekvik. I tried the suggestions above with no luck at all. My machine can run Dawn of War, which has equivalent requirements. I updated DirectX9, no change. I get the hint page and then get booted out or the screen just locks up. Not making me a happy guy.

Please post the contents of your debug.err file too. It could be a different problem, so it's best if we can see your system's info in order to help you.

Kryo, thanks for the response. I just figured out where the Debug.err was. This is what I copied out of notepad:

Debug Message: Version v1.4x last updated on: Mon Oct 23 17:43:56 2006
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 1/19/2007, 22:43:46
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: DEADITE-0
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 1 (2600.xpsp1.020828-1920)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: VIA Technologies, Inc.
System Model: VT8363
BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) Processor, ~1.0GHz
Physical Memory: 640MB RAM
Page File: 108MB used, 1454MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: RADEON 7200 (Microsoft Corporation)
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: Radeon 7200 AGP (QD)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(350MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_5144&SUBSYS_001A1002&REV_00
Display Memory: 64.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (85Hz)
Monitor Name: ViewSonic G773
Monitor Max Resolution: 1280,1024
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.13.0010.6153
Driver Date: 8/29/2002 03:40:48
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Creative Sound Blaster PCI
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1274&DEV_5000&SUBSYS_4C4C4942&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ES1370MP.sys
Provider: Microsoft
Driver Version: 5.01.2501.0000
Driver Date: 8/17/2001 12:19:38
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_NONMASKABLE
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1280 x 1024
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (sw vp): RADEON 7200 (Microsoft Corporation)
Debug Message: D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message: Refresh rate: 85
Debug Message: Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message: *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message: Hardware does not support a color cursor.
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\Rick Milanowski\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Rick Milanowski\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
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 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: 5 x 5
Debug Message: Creating Random Map
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message: Number of Unplaced Stars: 9.
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 59
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message: Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 32
Debug Message: Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 26
Debug Message: Yor Collective: Intellence -> 39
Debug Message: Dominion of Korx: Intellence -> 38
Debug Message: Iconian Refuge: Intellence -> 21
Debug Message: Boojaxians: Intellence -> 36
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 = 10
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled

Thaks for the help. I hope this helps, I really want to play this game.

Boojackanol, you have a very dated system.
At the very least you need to update your video drivers (and probably audio as well). Your video card is only DX7 compliant, so even if you get the game to run you will be missing many of the textures. And don't expect things to run very quickly, in any case.

And you should try to keep the game resolution at or below that of your desktop.