THis game is beginning to be a big dispair to me

sounds like something seriously wring with your system. If the game was flawed everybody would be having problems. Sorry to hear that it doesnt work for you. Wish I was a systems expert and I could tell what was wrong with your aet up but I know very little about computers other than how to play games on them.

Actually, this should be relatively easily solvable if the game hasn't always done this.

First, uninstall the game completely, and reboot your computer.

Then go to the directory where you had the game installed, and move any saved games you want to keep to somewhere else, and then delete the directory. This will insure, with the greatest certainty possible, that no corrupted files will be left over.

Next, now isn't a bad time to use some virus scanning software, so that you can be sure that isn't the cause of any system problems.

Now visit the windows update site (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com) and make sure you have the latest version of DirectX, and any updates you might want to do. If you install anything you will then want to reboot.

Then you simply install the game again, and see if that helps. This usually solves the majority of problems with games suddenly behaving unexpectedly.

If this doesn't fix the problem I think it pretty much has to be something wrong with your system (as in a driver conflict or screwed installation of windows - which isn't very rare). Other than that all I know of is the generally unpleasant things like reinstallation of windows (which usually goes reasonably well), or the be-all-end-all 'fix' of formatting your drive and starting over, or just installing windows on another partition. But none of that SHOULD be neccessary, and hopefully your problems with be fixed by a simple uninstall and reinstall of the game.

~SDC~

There is nothing wrong with my system!!!! The system is brand new, but anyway you want to put it, I'm have a problem! I will say - thanks for the compassion! That, and all that everyone else said and trid to do to help, made me really feel like the producers will try to help if they can, and that is what every gamer needs - just a little help! I'm hurt because I can't never get to finish a game, but I will keep trying. Maybe if I return the disk and get another maybe that will help, and if that doesn't - I know my computer is not config to run this game, and that would be a real shame on my part! Thanks again guys! If I had the right knowledge and understanding - I would fix this problem myself , but trust me - that's not even gonna happen!

Post some system specs.

FWIW, "brand new" with a system generally means horribly configured and drivers several months out of date if by 'brand new' you mean purchased new.

I've purchased a number of commercial computers as well as built several systems. The first thing I do with any commercial system is pretty much strip everything off of it except the OS and choice apps because they come so poorly configured even from a giant like Dell.

Like the panda says, try posting some system specs. I have run into my fair share of unstable individual games, but as a general rule, the game is pretty solid.

I'm not the all around computer wiz that you are, so I don't doubt what your saying, and I do believe you because I have changed a few things about this one. I did what Plutarck told me, now I'm going to see what if that wll work for me. Anyway "THANKS GUYS!"

Neb, what we're asking is: what do you have for a pc? brand, cpu speed, display card etc. I'm not a whiz either but alot of the folks on this board are (or at least, they know more than you and I.) Somebody may have some clues to whats wrong if they know what you are running.
Cheers.

" pretty much strip everything off of it except the OS and choice apps because they come so poorly configured even from a giant like Dell."

I even strip the OS and reïnstall it. I am too much of a tweaker for that.

Good luck Nebuchad. If you have an NVIDIA graphics card (gforce etc) you might alswo want to install the latest DETONATOR drivers for your card. www.nvidia.com (search for drivers and specifiy your system)

Also upgrading GalCiv 'should' help...My out-of-box game crashed b/c of conflicts w/ SB Live and (i think) my GeForce 4 card. The guy's PC is probably horribly configured too, IMO. Update DirectX and the game should solve the problem. Getting new disks most likely won't.

The red screen error sounds like a problem we were having with an older version of Gal Civ. What version are you running?

I had sent you an e-mail earlier today about the stuck turn button problem, so you can always reply to that if you want.

I'm no expert but, at the very least, he needs to upgrade his video drivers, as suggested above.

I had the same today... The difference is that my game did not crash. I saved the game in the turn where I won. I wanted to load it to submit the score to the metaverse and had that everything empty -> red screen thing too... Seems like a corrupted or inproperly saved savegame! I then loaded the Autosave and it worked...

The corrupted Autosave also crashed to desktop when I hit next turn.

Plutarck - Thanks very much! I did like you said, and for the first time since I bought the game I was able to complete an entire game. the idea worked (or at least it looks like it did). Anyway I am most grateful for your help in the matter. However, I expected to loose the game, and I did, but a culture loss? MMMM! I don't like that at all. To loose by culteral defeat and not by military defeat took mush of the fun out for me. Maybe because I don't (yet) know what I'm doing. But I prefer to fight to the last planet!!! LOL. Nonetheless. Maybe someone will fix it that way? Well, thank guys for your help - I'm hopeful that I can play my game now, and that makes me feel much better!

better to play and lose than never play at all!!
You'll get the hang of it now that you can play!
Cheers.

You know you got it right Wampyre LOL

"To loose by culteral defeat and not by military defeat took mush of the fun out for me. Maybe because I don't (yet) know what I'm doing. But I prefer to fight to the last planet!!!"

You could always turn off culture victory.

It's been reported before that there is a problem saving the game the turn that you win and the done screen has come up.

I'm glad things are working for you now Nebuchad. So now you don't get stuck turn buttons anymore?

Not since I did what pluctark instructed. I haven't yet, but I don't know if it will continue to work properly, but I looking for the best anyway. I think it will be just fine now. I didn't know that I could turn of cultural, that's nice to know! I wanted to see what the other civs were doing before war broke out between me and another civ. I was highly advanced, but there was one that was greater, and when I knew anything - it said I was culturally defeated and the game ended. before that though, the game crashed, but I clicked on restore last civ, and I played through, and the turn but never stuck once! you can't believe how grateful I was, now I'll just wait for all that's new coming for the game. I think things will be fine from here. Like I said guys - Thanks for you help _ I would be still crying if it wasn't for you guys

Live Long and prosper - Galciv!!!!!!!!

Nebuchad....for future reference, if you think an opponent is going to win via culture, declare war against said opponent to prevent the culture win from happening (one condition is that your empire must be at peace to secure the win)

Just a thought
SeanB