DA, black screen on start after update

Try changing fullscreen to 0.

Thanks, yes, I tried fullscreen=0 and it gave me a slightly different sized black box covering most of the screen.

And you're absolutely sure there wasn't a debug written when you ran the game?

I'n having the same problem and I uninstalled my video drivers and updated as well:

here's the debugg:

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: 3/12/2007, 22:55:24
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: BOOCOMP
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: System manufacturer
System Model: System Product Name
BIOS: Phoenix - AwardBIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4200+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.2GHz
Physical Memory: 2048MB RAM
Page File: 474MB used, 2956MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce 7600 GT
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0391&SUBSYS_22201682&REV_A1
Display Memory: 256.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1600 x 1200 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: SyncMaster 204T/204Ts,SyncMaster Magic CX201Ts(Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371
Driver Date: 10/22/2006 12:22:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: Realtek AC97 Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0059&SUBSYS_812A1043&REV_A2
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: ALCXWDM.SYS
Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.6080
Driver Date: 5/10/2006 15:44:08
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: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete
Debug Message: WM_CLOSE message received.
Debug Message: GameUninitialize start

BTW.... I also tried lowering my display settings and changing the properties.ini to match

Okay, I changed my screen resolution to 1280x1024 then went into the properties.ini file and changed to match. It works now.

Does this mean that I will have to change my desktop resolution everytime I want to play the game? That's a little nuts..

What resolution was listed in prefs.ini before? You should only need to have the game set to the same as your desktop, whatever it happens to be.

Yes, no debug is written, the date on it is from the day before when the game was working. Now I just get the black screen, plus a galciv2 process at 8MB starts that I have to kill to gain control of the machine again.

Ah, got a debug.err now... I was probably mistaken before?

Debug Message: Version v1.5 last updated on: Thu Jan 11 13:39:19 2007
Debug Message: GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message: Checking DX Version.
Debug Message: *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 3/13/2007, 09:59:48
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: HPA320N
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: HP Pavilion 061
System Model: DM168A-ABA A320N
BIOS: BIOS Date: 09/17/03 16:36:51 Ver: 08.00.08
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 2800+, MMX, 3DNow, ~2.1GHz
Physical Memory: 768MB RAM
Page File: 487MB used, 1389MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS


Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: NVIDIA GeForce FX 5700LE
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip Type: GeForce FX 5700LE
DAC Type: Integrated RAMDAC
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0343&SUBSYS_00000000&REV_A1
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: SyncMaster 225BW(Digital)
Monitor Max Resolution: 1680,1050
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.9371
Driver Date: 10/22/2006 13:22:00
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes



Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: NFORCE_VAD
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: nvapu.sys
Provider: NVIDIA Corporation
Driver Version: 6.14.0457.0000
Driver Date: 10/22/2004 10:41:46
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: Could not create the render device using default format. Switching to 16bit
Debug Message: Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_NONE
Debug Message: Could not create the render device.
Debug Message: InitializeDirect3D Failed.
Debug Message: Now Fullscreen
Debug Message: Shell initialization complete

That's a GC2 debug, not one from DA, though it shows a similar issue. It's usually solved by making the prefs.ini changes. Do make sure you're running the right one (GC2/DA) for the prefs.ini file you changed--each has its own prefs.ini file and its own debug (DA's debug is under GalCiv2\DarkAvatar, and its prefs.ini is under My Docs\My Games\GC2DarkAvatar).