Age of Empires III Demo

Minty Fresh · Post by **Minty Fresh** » 08 Sep 2005, 09:02

Getting an error while starting the game...

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Initialization Failed
Direct3D initialization failed. Possible causes:
Old or corrupted graphics driver.
Direct3D improperly installed.
Hardware acceleration disabled.
Starting the application with the workstation locked.

Please check the log file for more information.

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I reinstalled DirectX 9.0C, and I have the newest drivers for my 6800, Hardware Accel is not disabled (of course). But still get the error. I did some looking around, and found that some other people getting the error, also had Widescreen Monitors, and I think (6800's) like me. So that looks to be the problem. There's been a solution floating around, that seems to work for some, but not others....and its....

Create a text file in the - MygamesAO3Startup folder, call it user.cfg, and add the line - xres=1024. Some people have reported that it works, and then allows you to change the res in the game (which seems to support widescreen ironically).

But I still get the error, even with that hack. Anybody else getting the error, and/or found a solution?

Annihilator-X- · Post by **Annihilator-X-** » 08 Sep 2005, 11:35

Same here. Same error.
I am sure the problem isn't on my side as I could run every Direct3D test in dxdiag utility and did not have any problems with other games.

The weird thing is I am using GeForce 6800 Ultra, same generation as yours
Newest 77.77 driver as well.

Perhaps it is a driver problem... gotta ask nVidia

Annihilator-X- · Post by **Annihilator-X-** » 08 Sep 2005, 11:40

Ah. I made it worked for me thanks.

In user.cfg I added a line yres=1050 as well

So my Dell 2005FPW can run native at 1680*1050

My user.cfg file has 2 lines:
xres=1680
yres=1050

and that worked for me

Minty Fresh · Post by **Minty Fresh** » 08 Sep 2005, 15:51

Hmmmm...I just tried that, and I still get the error. :( I have a 20" Apple CD...so my res is 1680x1050 as well. But I still get the error.

Minty Fresh · Post by **Minty Fresh** » 08 Sep 2005, 16:26

Found a solution that worked for me....

You have to go into the -

?: Documents and SettingsMy DocumentsMy GamesAge of Empires 3 TrialUsers

...folder, and find the NewProfile.xml file. Open it in WordPad, or NotePad or whatever. Find the line - optiongrfxres, and look at the res there. Mine was set to a weird 1280x768 res, I changed it to 1024x768. And the game booted up fine....then once I was in the game, I was able to change my res to 1680x1050. 8)

OpenGT · Post by **OpenGT** » 09 Sep 2005, 09:37

I played it last night with my PC at 1920x1200 and worked perfect, very low fps, but playable. All settings to max. Not config file changed, the game accept my native resolution by default.

Athlon 2800+
1GB DDR400 Kingston
ATI 9800Pro (cat.5.8)
Dell Ultrasharp 2405

ninjaq · Post by **ninjaq** » 09 Sep 2005, 11:56

Can someone help me how to fix this shadow problem, im using an apple 20" cinema display

my spec is :

Athlon 64 3200+
GF 7800 GTX
2GB RAM

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 09 Sep 2005, 12:49

Looks like a driver bug. Which driver version are you using? (I think the latest nVidia drivers are 78.03 or something like that...)

Might be an idea to turn shadows off, in the meantime, if changing driver versions doesn't help... ;)

ninjaq · Post by **ninjaq** » 09 Sep 2005, 12:53

where I can download that driver

Post by **Paradigm Shifter** » 09 Sep 2005, 13:00

The latest 'release' driver is 78.01, and it's on nVidia's website.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/winxp_2k_78.01.html

I got to this page by following the relevant 'click the option' dialog at Download Drivers. :)

It's apparently not any different to 77.77, but there is a link to the beta 78.03...

http://www.nzone.com/object/nzone_downloads_winxp_2k_78.03.html

It's up to you whether or not you want to use a beta driver or not. ;)

flashman84 · Post by **flashman84** » 13 Oct 2005, 11:05

anyone know how to make the HUD smaller? it literally feels like it is eating up half the screen :(

disaacks · Post by **disaacks** » 13 Oct 2005, 19:45

There is a tick box in the options on the game menu.

flashman84 · Post by **flashman84** » 14 Oct 2005, 15:39

awesome! didnt see that

thanks! looks 10 times better now

Post by **skipclarke** » 21 Oct 2005, 10:22

Wow, that in-game control menu is huge! :shock: I can't remember the AOE II menu being that big.

loser_boy_3 · Post by **loser_boy_3** » 26 Oct 2005, 05:24

i made a user.cfg thing in my users folder
added lines
window < which they suggested
xres 1280
yres 720

tried it with just xres 1024

tried editing cfg refresh rate and resolution, no effect.. im all out of ideas.

powersurge · Post by **powersurge** » 29 Oct 2005, 14:56

Hrm this is odd. I just got the game and it runs fine at lower 4:3 res but when I switch to 1680x1050 my menus are all white and I can only see some of the text (works fine I switch back to another standard 4:3 res). Anyone else having this issue? Don't think its my pc as I just got it (upgraded from my old agp mobo and 9800 pro video card to this uber shuttle xpc)

4400+ x2
2gig of ram
7800gt SLI (2 of em)
etc..

Not an issue of a slow pc or anything.

ninjaq · Post by **ninjaq** » 30 Oct 2005, 16:58

Same here man, i've got the same problem with you..

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