[Caprice]

Hello all

Somehow I'm sure that everyone and their mother has asked this question and has to one degree or another receieved help that is still stored on this forum, but the search feature on this forum hangs when I try to use it (actually, all forum search features hang when I try to use them...).

Anyway, I am using a newer PC with Vista.  My machine meets all other system requrements.

Can the game be run on Vista?

When I attempt to open the program my screen goes black several times (it always does it once when games switch my display resolutions, but never three or four times like this does).  Then it displays an error that remains on my screen until I go into the task manager and end it's process.

The error I am receieving when I open the program is:  "Unable to get proper pixel format for OpenGL W32!"  The dialogue box has an "OK" button that I cannot click -- when I try, the display goes black again several times but nothing on the screen changes.

Any suggestions?  Some threads I have read suggest that I need to install another program (I do not know what OpenGL is, or if it works with Vista, or what version or build I need to download and install).

Thank you for your time.
- Caprice

[Vidmaster]

well, you are going to need OpenGL      And Vista should make no problems with FS2, WCS or OpenGL

[Jeff Vader]

OpenGL is included(?) in the drivers of your graphics card. It's an API, like DirectX.

And I did a quick search (works on this end at least). Though I haven't played Prologue, I assume that it, as all the other FS related games, came with a Launcher. Open it, open the Video tab and select OpenGL instead of Direct3D.

[Caprice]

OpenGL is included(?) in the drivers of your graphics card. It's an API, like DirectX.

And I did a quick search (works on this end at least). Though I haven't played Prologue, I assume that it, as all the other FS related games, came with a Launcher. Open it, open the Video tab and select OpenGL instead of Direct3D.

I have a "Launch Prologue" Icon, but when I open it, the sequence described above occurs.  I never get to anything that has any options to it...

I wouldn't know whether OpenGL is included in my video drivers or not.  My video card is a 256MB ATI Radeon X1300PRO, which seems to be higher than the minimum specs by a significant value.

[Caprice]

well, you are going to need OpenGL      And Vista should make no problems with FS2, WCS or OpenGL

Where will I find OpenGL?  I noted a series of three links on another thread (will have to review my browsing history, don't remember exactly which thread), but I didn't know which one to download...

[Tolwyn]

You need to install latest AMD drivers for your video card. Standard gpu driver shipped with vista does not include Open GL mode.

Catalyst™ Drivers

[Caprice]

You need to install latest AMD drivers for your video card. Standard gpu driver shipped with vista does not include Open GL mode.

Catalyst™ Drivers

OK, trying this now.

I will post again afterward with update. 

Thank you!  (all of you)

[Tolwyn]

I am pretty sure that the new driver will do the trick. You are lucky to have a relatively new card - older GPUs, like Radeon 9000, are not supported.

[karajorma]

This problem used to crop up all the time when BtRL launched but became less common as more people updated their graphics drivers. So I'm also pretty sure a new driver will solve it.

[Caprice]

Thank you all very much -- that worked. 

I do tend to not update my PC's drivers simply because on one particular occasion I did so (it was a graphics driver that time too, on a different PC though) I completely demolished Windows (was XP at the time) and did not have a reasonably current backup of my critical files.

Generally speaking, every time I update something to fix a problem there ends up being something else that doesn't work afterward...  LOL

Again, thank you.  I'll have to spend some time over the next few days getting familiar with the game. 

[gevatter Lars]

I partial know the problem with updateing drivers. For me the latest graphicdrivers made some problems in different programs. Going back a version solved the problem. I still hope they fix what ever caused the problem because when it was working it was a bit faster then the old driver.

[CaptJosh]

You need to install latest ATi drivers for your video card. Standard gpu driver shipped with vista does not include Open GL mode.

Catalyst™ Drivers

Fixed.  

[Tolwyn]

ATI belongs to AMD

[CaptJosh]

But AMD doesn't write the drivers. (I wish they did. ATi's own people don't write drivers worth crap for the most part.)