PzC/MC/ACW Windows 7 troubles

[enigma6584]

@Fubar

Did you happen to get this sorted out Fubar? I had the same problem with quite a few of my HPS/TOC games and could not find a fix, even with contacting HPS. Because of it I uninstalled this series of games.

[Fubar]

@Fubar

Did you happen to get this sorted out Fubar? I had the same problem with quite a few of my HPS/TOC games and could not find a fix, even with contacting HPS. Because of it I uninstalled this series of games.

I'm affraid i haven't solved this problem yet, i have tried all the different compatability modes, updating drivers, installing to new locations and contacting HPS tech support, (HPS said its some sort of graphic driver bug but they had no idea why it should happen), but nothing has fixed this problem yet! I personally think its more likely something to do with DirectX, these games are old now and Windows 7 uses the new DirectX 11 which i think older games dont like much, even games like Fallout 3 have troubles and thats not that old!

The only thing i have managed to do is run the game in a window about 3/4 the size of my fullscreen size and this seems to make the problem less common.....only about 1 in 5 clicks on the map seem to cause the screen to to go mad, so i have stuck with playing the games this way for now.



It's not perfect but it does at least allow me to keep playing atm.

Hope this helps!

TTFN

[enigma6584]

Sorry to hear that Fubar. I was hoping you could tell me the magic fix so I could reinstall and play. Oh well, back to WitE. :)

[Strela]

Guys,

From the sounds of it this is the Directx incompatability (screen flashing white when you select a unit etc) that has been across all JTS games since Microsoft stopped supporting Directdraw. John is slowly releasing patches to correct this issue with (from memory) all of Panzer Campaigns and Squad Battles complete. Modern Campaigns has NOT been patched yet but is in the queue and can't be to long now....

David

[enigma6584]

Guys,

From the sounds of it this is the Directx incompatability (screen flashing white when you select a unit etc) that has been across all JTS games since Microsoft stopped supporting Directdraw. John is slowly releasing patches to correct this issue with (from memory) all of Panzer Campaigns and Squad Battles complete. Modern Campaigns has NOT been patched yet but is in the queue and can't be to long now....

David

That is wonderful! I will wait and eventually reinstall then.

[Lowlander]

Fubar sorry to see your still have a problem with these games.

Did you install or copy the game to the correct folder as per my instuctions, followed by the latest patch to the same location.
When running the game check under Help in the drop down menu to confirm you have correctly installed the latest version.
I.E. top right.

Maybe one of your other games from a different publisher has caused this problem.
I had to reset manually my WitP/AE game via properties to run in wide screen mode as per the instuctions but I still had to have several attempts before it ran seamlessly, whereas my HPSSIMS games had no problems running wide screen with no re-jigging required.

[Blaze2]

My similar problems were eliminated when i installed it into "mygames\hps" folder

[Liquid_Sky]

Did you try changing alternative scrolling on/off?

[Taffy6]

Fubar, you are not alone. I am running Windows 7 x64 on an Alienware MX17 rig with a lot of computing firepower, lots of RAM, dual graphics cards etc. I have the EXACT same graphics issue with certain HPS games. It is damned frustrating and makes those unpatched PzC/ACW/MC unplayable. And yes my games are properly installed in Win 7 outside of Program files.

This graphical glitch in my case seemed to creep up on me. The computer I am playing was purchased in December of 2009, and I switched from WinXP to Win 7x64 with the new PC (Win 7 was on the new PC, XP on the old). I was involved in a team- Bolt DF85 campaign at the time, plus several PzC PBEM games with a friend, PLUS I was (and still am) working on a huge mod for DF5 called Zapad 85. I had no problems initially with the switch. The few PzC games, plus DF85 (unpatched) worked fine on initial switch to Win 7.

However, at some point I downloaded a routine Windows 7 DX update from MS. I don't even know which one. All I know is that when France 14 was initially released (in its original unpatched form), I bought it via CD. I installed it and noticed the EXACT same graphics issue you have. Or more accurately, I started to notice this glitch; I thought at first it was confined to F14. I was completely unable to enjoy F14 as a result. Bummer. Then I noticed that S41 had the same problem, then Bulge, then NGP85, then K85, ME67, then DF85 etc etc. SUCKED!!! Sucked so bad I shelved Zapad for a while. And that really sucked because I have been working on the mod for about four years now and I have literally poured many many hours of research, labor and love into it!

However, what I have found, which is extremely encouraging, is that every single PzC game that HPS has patched lately (the patch which allows us to play without the CD in the drive, and which allows direct game download) works graphically 100% on my system. Minsk 44, S41, S42, N44, B44, K42 etc, these games started working perfectly on my rig as soon as I could obtain the "No CD" patch (ie- the latest patch) from HPS. I patched F14 to the "no CD" standard and viola! it works perfectly. I'm currently in my second (or is it third) year of a big team game of Minsk 44 and there are zero graphics glitches on my rig with the latest patches. Zero. So now, about half (?) of my PzC games (the patched to No-CD standard ones) are playable again. Sadly, none of the MC ones are though, yet.....

I believe that the problem lies with Direct X and Win 7. I am not technically savvy enough to officially complain to HPS because I can't even guess what the actual reason is for the glitch. All I know is that 100% of my un-patched PzC and all of the MC games currently have this exact glitch, and 100% of my patched to "No CD" PzC games have overcome the glitch. All of these games are installed exactly the same way (as are the JTS games I own). I have every PzC and MC game there is, and most of the ACW ones too.

I also know that HPS have so far over ten years never let me down when it comes to supporting PzC and MC. I have faith that they will one of these days bring DF85 up to standard. Every Friday, I cruise the HPS website praying that they will have finally patched DF85 so that I can finally finish this Zapad 85 monster and send it out to the community for a new look at 1985 Germany. Surely, it will be any day now. Right boys?

Hope this helps you, brother. It is not you or the way you have installed the games. I think Strela is on target.

Regards,

Taffy

[Lowlander]

Take this with a grain of salt but I think I have directX 11 installed.

I vaguely remember during some other game install the directX installer checked and downloaded the latest version.