[Wonz]

I've done everything instructed in the Windows instructions for installing Freespace 2 Open. (Bought it from GOG, latest build and launcher and all).
When clicking "Run" in the Launcher the game just stops. Black screen. (and with mediavps the same image as in the Launcher Mod -tab).

And nothing happens after that. It just crashes.

Here are links to logs:

Build 3.6.12
http://pastebin.com/zhz32V4g
/w Filter
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42808060/fs2_open_improved.log
/w MediaVPs
http://pastebin.com/9FB42EqJ

Build 3.6.14RC
http://pastebin.com/JnAUr50m
/w Filter
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/42808060/3.6.14RC%20improved%20fs2_open.log

I really would wanna play this game. Is there anything to be done?
Ask if you need any additional info.

Wonz

[Jeff Vader]

I'm really tired now so I can't twist my brain into any reasonable direction and therefore probably can't be of much assistance, but  for the log. Or rather, logs.

Off the top of my head, I'd suggest running in windowed mode (Launcher -> Features -> under the "Dev Tool" list type) and seeing if the game starts then or if there's a firewall popup or something that prevents the game from running.

[Wonz]

Maybe after a good night sleep, your brain can figure something out. Hope so!
I ran these debugs in window and no pop-ups.
And it doesn't even shut when forced. Actually if I want FS out of memory I have restart whole machine.
Window closes but it stays in the task manager.

Off to sleep. Hoping to find solution tomorrow
Thanks for everything in advance.

[Yarn]

Try moving (without deleting!) everything out of the data/movies folder. Does the game work if you do that? (Note that you won't get any cutscenes if you do this.)

[FreeSpaceFreak]

There doesn't seem anything wrong with the logs, at least to my untrained eye... the retail pack checksums all match up.
Which OS, AV and firewall do you have? If something is auto-sandboxing FS without notifying you, this would be pretty much what happens. The first time I run a new FS build, I always get a Windows Firewall notification "I have blocked some of the features of this program, do you wish to unblock?". Might be a similar issue you're having.

Good one posting the logs Wish all newbies would get that right the first time.

[Wonz]

Tried removing movies, no help.
Here's the log:
http://pastebin.com/xnUNNy4e


I've got Windows 7 Home Premium, F-Secure Client and the firewall is F-secure's fw, not Windows'.
Sandboxing sounds a good clue on what might be wrong. Problem is, I don't think I've initiated such. Gotta look in to this.
Thanks for the idea!

[The_Force]

Try setting in the launcher resolution to 1024x768 and set it to 32 bit

[Jeff Vader]

^ In regards to that, set the max resolution your monitor allows. Even though I don't remember the color depth and resolution ever causing this, 32-bit colors tend to work better than 16-bit and resolutions under 1024x768 tend to cause problems.

[Wonz]

1080p res and 32 bit, no avail.
http://pastebin.com/kdb4yUXz

I'm running Advanced System Care and IOBit Malware Fighter but to my eye these shouldn't cause FS crash, turned off anything that hinted anything of protecting from run programs. I think I did.

*Sigh*

[General Battuta]

Normally we can solve bugs really fast, but I've got to tell you, this is one of the more baffling ones I've ever seen.

Do you have any other hardware nearby you can try?

[The E]

Just out of curiousity, what CPU are you using?

[Wonz]

Thanks for the effort still.  I don't know much of how these things work, but this is very odd indeed.

I've got a laptop /w an WinXP and a one /w Lubuntu.
I thought to try on the Linux but it seemed to take more knowledge than I can hack. (WinXP is actually my wife's laptop... maybe I should sneak and steal it for a while )
Perhaps I'll try it still.

This PC's got an AMD Athlon II X4 635.

[LHN91]

I'm running the X4 635's slower brother, the 620, and haven't had any issues; so I doubt that's it. Having not used F-secure, I really can't speak to that, but despite not particularly liking Advanced System Care I haven't noticed it give me issues when I use friends computers who do use it.

The Geforce 420 isn't particularly powerful, but it shouldn't be hindering the games ability to run.

Strange.

[jr2]

TBM  =>  Starting parse of 'mv_core-lcl.tbm' ...

Is that .tbm in the media vps?  I don't have it in my system, and I've got a fresh install, so unless it's in one of the .vps...  Anyone here know that it's supposed to be there?

EDIT: Scratch that, there are other .tbms mentioned, and I just ran a debug build, and checked my log, and I have them too, so ignore my post. 

[General Battuta]

Doesn't seem unusual, it's just a strings.tbl extension.

[jr2]

Yeah, that's my bad.

EDIT: Did a WinMerge on his log and my log (after find and replace to get FreeSpace 2 to show as Freespace2 on my log... and, both of our versions are GOG.com) so far:

He's missing these:

Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango1_fs2.vp' ... 32 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango2_fs2.vp' ... 15 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango3_fs2.vp' ... 10 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tangoA_fs2.vp' ... 0 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tangoB_fs2.vp' ... 0 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\warble_fs2.vp' ... 52 files

EDIT 2:

His log stops here:

ANI 2_radar1 with size 209x170 (33.6% wasted)

Mine continues, after stating the above line, with this:

TBM  =>  Starting parse of 'mv_effects-str.tbm' ...
loading animated cursor "cursor"
ANI cursor with size 24x24 (25.0% wasted)
TABLES => Unable to find 'colors.tbl'. Initialising colors with default values.
TABLES => Starting parse of 'mainhall.tbl.
MediaVPs: Flaming debris script loaded!
MediaVPs: Explosions script loaded!
Ships.tbl is : VALID
Weapons.tbl is : VALID
cfile_init() took 352
Movie Error:  Unable to open 'intro' movie in any supported format.
Got event GS_EVENT_GAME_INIT (49) in state NOT A VALID STATE (0)
ANI cursor.ani with size 24x24 (25.0% wasted)
Got event GS_EVENT_MAIN_MENU (0) in state GS_STATE_INITIAL_PLAYER_SELECT (37)
Someone passed an extension to bm_load for file 'hammer1.pcx'
ANI 2_mainwalk.ani with size 209x477 (6.8% wasted)
ANI 2_mainflyby.ani with size 509x189 (26.2% wasted)
ANI 2_maincrane.ani with size 192x116 (9.4% wasted)
ANI 2_mainexit.ani with size 319x174 (32.0% wasted)
ANI 2_mainbarracks.ani with size 273x158 (38.3% wasted)
ANI 2_mainreadyroom.ani with size 231x145 (43.4% wasted)
ANI 2_maintechroom.ani with size 69x119 (7.0% wasted)
ANI 2_mainoptions.ani with size 337x206 (19.5% wasted)
ANI 2_maincampaign.ani with size 308x190 (25.8% wasted)
Frame  0 too long!!: frametime = 0.599 (0.599)
Frame  0 too long!!: frametime = 0.283 (0.283)
Got event GS_EVENT_NEW_CAMPAIGN (26) in state GS_STATE_MAIN_MENU (1)
Got event GS_EVENT_START_GAME (1) in state GS_STATE_MAIN_MENU (1)
=================== STARTING LEVEL LOAD ==================

[jr2]

Sorry for double-post, but, Wonz, could you please try dumping the .mve files in your \data2 and \data3 directories into Freespace2\data\movies, (this will allow FSOpen to play your FS2 cutscenes, which you may have noticed went AWOL unless you downloaded the hi-res .ogg versions) and the rest of the files that are not .mve into your Freespace2 main directory and trying again?

EDIT2: If it asks to replace warble_fs2.vp, just hit "no" both times it asks (should ask once for \data2 and once for \data3)

Just a hunch, I could be wrong.

EDIT:

EDIT: Split into two requests:

I. Perhaps edit the release thread to include links to mjn's High-Res CBANIMs found here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=76393.0

II. Re: Zacam's comment on the GOG MVEs: GOG stores stuff, including the .MVEs, in \data2 and \data3 in addition to \data for whatever reason; perhaps put this info into the install tutorials.

Also, for whatever reason, GOG saw fit to put an exact duplicate (I verified the hash) of the warble_fs2.vp in the FS2 root directory in \data2 as well as another exact duplicate in \data3

\data2:

• colossus.mve
• intro.mve
• mono1.mve
• tango1_fs2.vp
• tangoA_fs2.vp
• duplicate of root\warble_fs2.vp

\data3:

• bastion.mve
• endpart1.mve
• endprt2a.mve
• endprt2b.mve
• mono2.mve
• mono3.mve
• mono4.mve
• tango2_fs2.vp
• tango3_fs2.vp
• tangoB_fs2.vp
• duplicate of root\warble_fs2.vp

Is the \data2 and \data3 perhaps what was originally on the FS2 retail disks 2 and 3?

Anyways, I just dumped the contents of \data2 and \data3 into \data, except for warble_fs2.vp

[Jeff Vader]

He's missing these:

Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango1_fs2.vp' ... 32 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango2_fs2.vp' ... 15 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tango3_fs2.vp' ... 10 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tangoA_fs2.vp' ... 0 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\tangoB_fs2.vp' ... 0 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\data\warble_fs2.vp' ... 52 files

Que. Who?

Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\tango1_fs2.vp' ... 32 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\tango2_fs2.vp' ... 15 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\tango3_fs2.vp' ... 10 files
Searching root pack 'C:\Games\Freespace2\warble_fs2.vp' ... 52 files

Plus tangoA and tangoB are actually empty so no one on this side of Tortuga should need them.

Having not used F-secure, I really can't speak to that, but despite not particularly liking Advanced System Care I haven't noticed it give me issues when I use friends computers who do use it.

I. Hate. F-Secure. Their products suck. Nothing good has ever come out of them when I've tried to use them. System resource hogging. Random crashing. Failure at scanning. Breaking down my Internet connection. I know I should probably be all "I'm a Finn, so my choice of security software is F-Secure, which was built on the ice of lake Köyliö using Finnish sisu and mämmi", but no. NO. I hate them and if I had to suddenly point my finger at something that might be causing these problems on your end, I'd point at F-Secure.

Well, I also don't like that Advanced System Care. My not so tech-savvy friend used/uses it and said it was good, but I dunno. If a software is running in the background all the time, doing some weird ****, then it's most likely negating any performance gain it was supposed to provide.

[jr2]

Hmm...  Why do tangoA and tangoB take up space in the filesystem then??  I  see what you mean, they are actually empty... I should have caught that.

BTW,

Go to Advanced System Care under "More" and click "Settings", then under "General Settings" on the left, uncheck "Load automatically at Windows startup", and also if you wish, "Minimize to system tray when program is closed" (but keep in mind, unchecking the first option negates any advantage of ASC paid vs free (you have to manually run ASC through once in a while, oh noes!), and with the second option, you have to remember not to just close it when it is performing requested functions, as this will cancel the work.

Keep in mind, however, that ASC / SD (Smart Defrag, also by ioBit, I would get that as well.  Turn on all "Defrag at boot" checkboxes for your main drive, go to Settings, Schedule and enable scheduled defrag, set it to "Deep defrag" or "Full Optimize") I have to remind people, the software only will perform tasks when system resources are not being used (they must fall under a certain configurable (defaults work great though) amount for a certain length of time (also configurable), and then, if you do happen to start loading up WoW 2023, CoD 32.8 or w/e, it will see that and cease its operation!  Just... throwing that out there.

Although I generally disapprove of ASC's memory usage, and prefer to run it manually.  The paid version isn't worth it IMO, just stick to free, run once in a while, set it to not run at startup.  Problem solved.  Oh, and use CCleaner too, ioBit misses some things (as does CCleaner, they complement each other nicely IMHO.)

Personally, I would throw my vote in for MS Security Essentials for anti-virus after you uninstall your other one, if you choose to do so.  It's free and lightweight.  If you want more security, I'd say Avast Personal.  AVG Free is also nice.

[Jeff Vader]

Hmm...  Why do tangoA and tangoB take up space in the filesystem then??

Well, .vp files are archives so there's bound to be some overhead, even if there are no files in them.