A General Discussion

[KG Erwin]

Rick, have you tried checking the percentage of system resources that is being used when you run the game? Also, I seem to remember a particular dll (or lack of such) that caused problems for some users. What was it, guys, a vid.smk or something like that? With the engine for SPWaW being so dated, it requires some older system files that newer games don't need. Could I be on the right track here?

[Kevinugly]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

Kevinugly

Thanks for the responce.

I trying to find out what would make my machine different from those who say they are basicly running the same machine configuration as me.

Rick White

I'll give you my system specs.

AMD Athlon XP3200 cpu
Asus A7N8X Mobo
512Mb RAM
NVidia 5900GT Graphics
Soundblaster Audigy soundcard

All running XP Pro and 98se on a dual boot system.

[RBWhite]

Goblin

I downloaded the original SPWAW 8.20 zip file from each of the sites used by Matrix for distribution same results from each download.

Does anyone have a problem trying to uninstall SPWAW 8.20 or 8.30, I have to run uninstall twice.

Rick White

[RBWhite]

Kevinugly


I'm wondering if the SPWAW 8.0 - 8.30 programs has a problem with pentium 4 processors or hyper threading or both.

I ran SPWAW on a machine I put together from spare parts and used a AMD 550 processor and a Nvidia driver based video card and it worked fine.

Rick White

[RBWhite]

KG Erwin

I do remember vid.smk from SPWAW 7.0 & 7.1.

I didn't have any problem running it on this machine.

But I'll check it out.

Rick White

[chief]

RB:

Its got me stumped also ?????

Chief (E7).....I wasn't a politician, if you know what I mean, passed all exams for E8 but the boards and I never seemed to make it together.

Were You NAVY ? Lifer ? Airdale ?

[Kevinugly]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

Kevinugly


I'm wondering if the SPWAW 8.0 - 8.30 programs has a problem with pentium 4 processors or hyper threading or both.

I ran SPWAW on a machine I put together from spare parts and used a AMD 550 processor and a Nvidia driver based video card and it worked fine.

Rick White

Could be the HT. This may not help but I installed TOAW ACOW on my XP drive and whilst it was playable it did 'lock up' from time to time. I set it to run in W98 compatibility mode and it's run smoothly ever since. I know people with similar systems to mine for whom the game runs perfectly in XP without any 'tweaking' at all. Try it (if you haven't already) and see what happens.[8D]

[RBWhite]

Kevinugly

I had a few problems when I was running Win98 se, nothing that would cause me not to be able to play the simulation.

I tried every compatibility mode available WinXp. Nothing.

All of the problems I have with SPWAW 8.0 series are related to WinXp, Intel pentium 4 processors with hyper threading I quess and I'm presuming Nvidia based driver video cards in combination.

I do have a question about Matrix Games making a statement that refers to SPWAW 8.30 & 8.30. "Works best on Alienware". That kind of raises some red flags with me.

Thanks for the info

Rick White

[Murky71]

the alienware thing is just a commercial I think. It's mentioned in every release and has not hindered me in playing any of the games (Tin Soldiers, BIN, HTTR,SPWAW).

I do have a Pentium IV system.

[Hexed Gamer]

Process of elimination.

This will seem like a painful choice, but you might want to try swapping in and out parts.

With my limited knowledge, I know that the following are all pretty much core components of a computer.

Motherboard, RAM, processor, video card, sound card, hard drive and actual OS.

Keeping in mind, that it might matter with each part (other than OS) what specific brand and model number is involved, as we all know, some brands suck some don't. Some models will have been good some won't be.

And where OS is concerned, what other actual programs do you have installed (because I sure have encountered programs that got intrusive and meddlesome with the system beyond their right and or need to do so).
Also, what updates specifixcally have you installed?

Looks like you are the challenge of the moment eh

[RBWhite]

Chief

I Know what you mean, back then it was part of the process. It was best to be yourself.

Yes, Navy, all of 69 to all of 73, and I'l leave it at that.

Thanks for the help and info with my problem

Take care

Rick White

[RBWhite]

Hexed Gamer

I like the way this machine that I built runs, it also is capable of some major future upgrading.

Problems with specific software is not a reason I would use to lessen my machines capabilities.

I will say this, I never had a software problem I couldn't solve, until now and I'm not finished trying, yet.

So thats not an option

Thanks

Rick White

[RBWhite]

Murky71

I don't know why, but that statement just bothers me.


Thanks

Rick White

[RBWhite]

KG Erwin

With everything I could possibly have running at one time including SPWAW 8.30, system resources were at 52%.

Also: I searched the SPWAW program files did not find the vid.smk dll. Are you saying I need that dll to run SPWAW 8.0 - 8.30?
Or are saying it caused alot of problems when it was used with the SPWAW series?



Rick White

[Kevinugly]

Good luck, if/when you find a solution, let us know (even if it's 6 months down the road, although I hope you've sorted it before then[:)])

[*Lava*]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

I like the way this machine that I built runs

[:)]

Ray (alias Lava)

[Hertston]

ORIGINAL: RBWhite

I don't know why, but that statement just bothers me.

Why? It's just an advertisement - 95% games have them, usually for Nvidia or ATi among others. If anything, Alienware is less "risky" - there's no optimisation involved, they just build very expensive top-end gaming PCs. I always found it a little ironic... if there was any publisher whose games generally DON'T need a top end gaming PC it's Matrix.

Personally (and I say this in all seriousness), I've give up. There's a point where it's just no longer constructive, and there are so many other good games you could be playing instead.

[RBWhite]

PROBLEM




Rick White

[RBWhite]

?[8|]


Theres no intentions at all plugging another developer or publisher, I stayed with Dereck Smart and BattleCruiser since 1996.

BattleCruiser Universal Combat turned out not to shabby.

I do like at times to give to others the benefit to make good, at times.





Rick White

[ravinhood]

If I hear SP IV is going to be 3d though, get ready to be assaulted by my best verbal barrage eh.
You won't have seen anything from me from the past that would compare

Well I sort of hope for a 3D isometric view, still with hexes and all, I just don't really care for that top down view, oooorrrrrr, if they could make a rotateable camara, then everone could be happy, you could have your top down view and I could have my isometric view and others could have their zoom in close view. I like "options", when you have options you can make a lot of people happy and very few sad.