game won't appear after "Play Game"

[chopsui]

I installed normally. Double click on the shortcut on desktop. Got the initial Gui/Menu. click on "Play Game". seems to start running but nothing appears. In the Windows Task manager, I can see the process "Opart4.exe*32" being present. But nothing on screen. I have to kill the process.

I'm running on Win7 professional, 64 bits. any idea what could be the issue?
note: I have selected run as administrator already.

Thanks.

[larryfulkerson]

I have to kill the process.

Um.....how long did you wait before you killed the process? Sometimes on my machine it takes about 40 seconds to load
and be ready for my input.

[chopsui]

i wait several minutes (like 10) and still nothing.

[larryfulkerson]

What I do is create a shortcut that in effect "double clicks" on the exe file. So try to start your program by
double clicking on the filename.

[chopsui]

Thanks for the help. I went to that file you mentioned and initially it didn't work (double clicking, then nothing on screen but process is on).
Then in the compatibility tab of that file (Opart4.exe), i clicked on the option "Disable desktop composition".

Now the game is showing up! At least i can start like that. I'll try to investigate why that setting "disable desktop composition" is doing that.

Thanks again!

[zakblood]

When desktop composition is enabled, individual windows no longer draw directly to the screen or primary display device as they did in previous versions of Windows. Instead, their drawing is redirected to off-screen surfaces in video memory, which are then rendered into a desktop image and presented on the display.

most use it to stop screen tearing same as Vsync is used in some games etc

Short for Vertical Sync, Vsync is a display option found in some 3-D computer games that allow the gamer to synchronize the frame rate of the game with the monitor refresh rate for better stability. If the Vsync is turned off, gamers might obtain a higher frame rate but this action may introduce artifacts in the game.

[Francius]

Help me too. I have apparently the same problem ! I downloaded this game, I started and when I click play game and I see only a empty scenarios menu.

I'm running too on Win7 premium family edition, 64 bits. any idea what could be the issue?
note: I have selected run as administrator already

[zakblood]

please recheck your anti virus logs to see if this has stopped or is interfering with any game process as it's quite common for poor anti virus engines like AVG and others to slow down the games, this isn't a game issue, it's the poor performance of these low end programs that slow down eg hog system resources or try and scan every single game file when run, that is the issue, in the end there is always a work around,

either install another game friendly product or add the game and folder etc to the programs white or safelist

[Francius]

ok thanks. but I disable my anti-virus and it doesn't work always. I don't understand.... And I don't find the folder with the scenarios... in C:\Program Files\Matrix Games\The Operational Art of War IV. Perhaps I have not the folder with the scenarios.... I don't know....

[Francius]

you can find a picture of my problem

[zakblood]

have you checked your mydocs folder for the game installation?

[Francius]

antother pictures

[zakblood]

now do the same screenshot of (My) Documents

and then look for the game,.

The Operational Art of War IV

and screenshot the content of the folders inside

[BrianS36]

I also have the same problem. I can start the program if I run as administrator (Lenovo laptop z710 Windows 10 Pro 64-bit), not if I run as a standard user. I tried the windows troubleshooter and it suggested Windows 8 compat mode, which did not work. I have no "Desktop Composition" setting that I can find.

Brian Simmons

[zakblood]

most games needs admins permissions to run and has been standard practice now for ages, without this, you don't have access to the full resources of windows, eg temp folder, the named user who installed it doc's folder and so much more.

the game needs installing on a full admin account, any pc which lets you add a name also 99% of the time makes the named user on the account full admin, only difference is a child account etc, then once installed as admin, all the correct permissions are already given, without this 90+% of any game wouldn't work

[BrianS36]

Every steam game I have runs on standard user. This is the first one I have found that does not, admittedly it is not a steam game.

[zakblood]

every game including steam games which use or run and or install in certain parts of the windows system needs administrator permissions to install and or run.

first to understand a standard account can be 2 things, a normal users account with admin permissions

or a users accounts like a child's account, which can use a given set of programs on a pc, but can't install or some times even save on it.

there would be little use for a gaming pc to have a child's account installed, unless the parent did all the installing for them.

if you can alter eg install and delete on your pc, you have a standard account with administrators permissions which is a higher level account

Code: Select all

https://www.cnet.com/uk/how-to/how-to-check-if-your-windows-10-account-is-administrator/

Code: Select all

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/access-protection/access-control/local-accounts

[BrianS36]

Ok, yes I had to install as an administrator, and some steam games require that as well, they all run on my non-admin account. Which is listed in windows as a "Local Account" and it hasn't been given any additional permissions.

[zakblood]

I can start the program if I run as administrator (Lenovo laptop z710 Windows 10 Pro 64-bit), not if I run as a standard user.

you have already mentioned you can get the game to work, i can't see now what you want me to do?

please explain clearly where your method is anything different than standard?
and how you would like to proceed?

what is it you would like? as i can't alter your login on your pc, but you can give your standard account admin permissions as you have already said as much?

the game needs to be installed and run as a administrator or with a standard account with administrator privileges same as 99+% of all pc games and programs and apps etc, and won't work or could cause issues on a standard none administrator privileges without first either giving the administrator password for the heightened privileges needed, as per the rules and guidelines of all the windows versions.

[Francius]

this is asked screenshot. You can see, there is the folder "scenarios"... And now ?