Installation went smooth(Galciv2 and x-pac), no issues until I initiate combat. The game crashes 100% of the time(5 times). Once, it briefly cut to the combat screen, but the other times the screen just goes black and I get the error message that the program must close. Skipping all battle sequences seems to avoid the issue.

I have an AMD dual core and addressed those issues, which worked nicely with the help of these forums. No more ships spinning and crazy scrolling issues, but those were mostly cosmetic issues.

I have updated all of my drivers and installed the latests version of direct X. I have had a similar problem while running Civ IV, where i get a crash every couple hours of play time. So, this may be a hardware issue on my part, I don't know.

I have exhaustively searched these forums and addressed what I could. I am out of ideas, so here is the debug.err file:

Debug Message: Version v1.6 Dark Avatar last updated on: Wed Jun 6 08:51:50 2007
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/10/2007, 21:21:14
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: SWSHOME
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.070227-2254)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: NVIDIA
System Model: AWRDACPI
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Physical Memory: 1024MB RAM
Page File: 298MB used, 2163MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7800 GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0092&SUBSYS_C5173842&REV_A1
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9424
Driver Date: 4/19/2007 13:26:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: SB X-Fi Audio [AC00]
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_1102&DEV_0005&SUBSYS_00211102&REV_00
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ctaud2k.sys
Provider: Creative
Driver Version: 5.12.0001.1187
Driver Date: 8/17/2006 11:17:10
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 hardware vertex processing
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message: Game Resolution: 1600 x 1200
Debug Message: Running fullscreen.
Debug Message: HAL (hw vp): NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT
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: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message: Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
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 C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Gfx\Movies\*.bik
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\sfx\*.wav
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Music\*.mp3
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\Event 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\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\shiptemplates\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ShipStyles\*.xml
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/\FleetFormations\*.fleet
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\Scott\My Documents\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message: Reading Star Names
Debug Message: Reading Star Names... Done
Debug Message: No files found matching mask ./Data/English/Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=1
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=35
Debug Message: Error loading mission 16 from C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2/./Data/English/Campaigns/Dread Lords Campaign.gc2campaign
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding CampaignWnd
Debug Message: Error loading mission 16 from C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2/./Data/English/Campaigns/Dread Lords Campaign.gc2campaign
Debug Message: Creating Galaxy
Debug Message: Killing threads.
Debug Message: Kiling civs.
Debug Message: Killing ships.
Debug Message: Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=42
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: Loading custom map: C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2/./Data/English/Campaigns/An Unexpected Visitor.gc2map (3 x 3)
Debug Message: Star Frequency: 3 Max Num Stars: 24
Debug Message: Planet Frequency: 3 Max Num Planets: 76
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 82
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding MissionWnd
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Title
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Spinner_Back
Debug Message: CustomPersonalityWnd: Cannot find OBJID Personality_Special_Disctiption_Title
*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: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=42
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding MissionWnd
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=35
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding CampaignWnd
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=42
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding MissionWnd
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: Loading custom map: C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\GalCiv2\DarkAvatar\./Data/English/Campaigns/A Matter of Genocide.gc2map (4 x 4)
Debug Message: Star Frequency: 3 Max Num Stars: 36
Debug Message: Planet Frequency: 3 Max Num Planets: 115
Debug Message: Num Anomalies: 167
Debug Message: Setting Game Options
Debug Message: Creating Civs
Debug Message: Drengin Empire: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Drath Legion: Intellence -> 50
Debug Message: Thalan Empire: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Korath Clan: Intellence -> 40
Debug Message: Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Creating ships...
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message: UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: New Campaign Game Started: Dark Avatar
Debug Message: UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=16
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 2
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding ResearchWnd
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 9
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message: Cannot find texture
Debug Message: Cannot find texture
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Destroying ship Kaira Colony. Orbiting: 0
Debug Message: Updating ZOC.
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=22
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding HeadlineWnd
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=16
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 2
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding ResearchWnd
Debug Message: Game Screen: Setting mode to 0
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: AStarPathToTile: A* Path too long to calculate (4.242640). Aborting
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: A* Path too long to calculate (2.828427). Aborting
Debug Message: Random Event: End
Debug Message: First contact: Drath Fleet 1 at position 3250.000000,2450.000000 rotation 2.356194
Debug Message: First contact: Drath Fleet 1 at position 3250.000000,2450.000000 rotation 2.356194
Debug Message: First contact: Drath Fleet 1 at position 3250.000000,2450.000000 rotation 2.356194
Debug Message: First contact: Drath Fleet 1 at position 3250.000000,2450.000000 rotation 2.356194
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Updating window with ID=33
Debug Message: Cannot find texture
Debug Message: Popup Manager Update: Unhiding AlienMsgWnd
Debug Message: ***Attacker Drengin Empire has courage bonus 0
***Defender Drath Legion has courage bonus 0.