Matrix Games Forums

Maybe I am a meathead, but I cannot get WaR to run on my recently aquired Windows 8 computer.
I tried right-clicking the icon and run the game in compatibility mode, but it still will not show in the correct format.

Your help is appreciated.

And never mind - I solved it, by clicking th "windowed" button in the options menu.

Hi Chris77,

Glad you were able to get it working.

Steve

I can't get this game (WaR) to work on my new laptop with WIndows 8. I read the above but I don't know where the clicking the "windowed" button in the options menu is. What "windowed" button. WHen I run the game the game menu window opens which displays correctly, but after selecting "play" the next menu goes full screen with the menu box displays in a greenish tint and none of the buttons/menu items are selectable.
To exit/close I have to activate task manager.

I have similar problems with my Highway to the Reich.

The 'Windowed' button is on the game options dialog box. Normally this is accessed from the game main screen via the 'Options' button but it doesn't sound like you can get that far.

Try holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard and running the game via the "Close Combat Wacht am Rhein (Quickstart) shortcut (rather than the Game Menu). This should display the game options dialog box immediately, before the game itself is even displayed. Go to the "General" options and under "Screen Resolution" there is a "Windowed" check box. Check that and then click 'Ok' and the game should start in windowed mode.

Steve

what am I doing wrong? I cant find the "windowed" button in the general options dialog box. there is just a bunch of different screen resolutions. cant figure this one out. any help would be appreciated. thanks

The "Windowed" checkbox should be right below the screen resolution selection. If you don't see it, then you haven't upgraded your game in a loooong time. Please run the updater or grab the latest update from the product page for Wacht am Rhein.

Steve

yes, I forgot about adding the update as I am putting this game on a new computer, I did that but now I get the message "close combat engine executable has stopped working" any ideas? I am at a loss, thank you, steve

When does the error happen? As soon as you try to launch the game? Or are you able to set the windowed mode and the error happens later on?

If it happens as soon as you launch the game (and you cannot get into the game to set windowed mode) hold down the CTRL key while starting the game and the game options dialog box should come up immediately, before the game starts.

Steve

I'm not sure how y'all were able to get WaR to run on Windows 8.1. I put the app in Windowed mode, but the game just sticks at the loading screen and I eventually have to use the Task Manager to close it. Are there any other settings you are using?

Here is how I'm trying to launch the game:

1. Go to the folder with the executable (F:\Matrix Games\Close Combat Wacht am Rhein)
2. Run the autorun.exe as an admin
3. Press CTRL while clicking the Play Close Combat link.
4. Change the mode to Windowed.
5. Click the OK button.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Looks like I unlocked the secret, at least for me. Here's what I did to get it running.

1. Right-clicked the shortcut from the AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs window and selected Properties (this assumes you have a shortcut to WaR on the Windows 8.1 Start screen).
2. Clicked the Compatibility tab, then clicked the Change settings for all users button.
3. Enabled the Run this program in compatibility mode for checkbox, then selected Windows XP (SP 3) from the ddl.
4. Enabled the Run this program as an administrator checkbox.
5. Right-clicked the WaR shortcut icon and held down the CTRL key while clicking the Run as Administrator option from the shortcut menu (NOTE: I had to keep the CTRL key held down while clicking OK on the message box that popped up).
6. Select the General tab, then enabled the Windowed checkbox and clicked the OK button.

VOILA! Magic and unicorns!

utexgrad,

Thanks for sharing what has worked for you. Glad you were able to resolve the issue.

Steve

ORIGINAL: Steve McClaire

Yes, most of the older version of Close Combat will have the same problem on Windows 8. Windows 8 does not fully support DirectX full screen mode with 16-bit color. The most reliable work around at present is to play in Windowed mode.

Our latest releases (Panthers in the Fog, Gateway to Caen) use 32-bit color modes and should be fine on Windows 8 in full screen mode.

Steve

Does Matrix have any plan to update the Matrix "older" Close Combat releases that are still being sold to run full screen in Windows 8.x???

Bump - Does Matrix have any plans to address the Win8 full screen issue?

ORIGINAL: Tejszd
Bump - Does Matrix have any plans to address the Win8 full screen issue?

It has been discussed but there is no announced date for this at present.

Steve