Solved - BLACK squares around units on the field ?

[Lancier]

edit: ok just realised Windows 8 / 8.1 Compatibility topic.

[WHLNH]

Hoping for a quick fix!! [:)]

Just bought for my Win 8 laptop and am going away on business. Thought this would keep me busy.

Hoping to buy for the win7 desktop when I get home.

Bill

[VPaulus]

ORIGINAL: WHLNH

Hoping for a quick fix!! [:)]

Just bought for my Win 8 laptop and am going away on business. Thought this would keep me busy.

Hoping to buy for the win7 desktop when I get home.

Bill

You can play from your Windows 8 laptop as long as you add the compatibility to Windows 7 on the main exe file.

[Bandred]

Thanks for the compatibility setting advice ... it fixed my problem.

[ETF]

Hmmm Didn't fix mine.....curious why would this be necessary for a 2015 game?

Any trick with the Compatibility mode?

[VPaulus]

ORIGINAL: ETF

Hmmm Didn't fix mine.....curious why would this be necessary for a 2015 game?

Any trick with the Compatibility mode?

Try also adding administrator rights.

[ETF]

Works now.....Had to lock in the Administrator aspect....

[Hertston]

Sorted, but honestly.. why should I be setting a $50 game released yesterday to Windows 7 compatibility?! Windows 10 is only a couple of months ago FFS. [&:]

[zakblood]

some game don't like the advanced memory management features that both windows 8.1 and windows 10 beta gives and throws up errors, that aren't errors in there own rights, as it's not the fault of the game in general but how the operating system see's or handles it, so using compatibility mode and using a older version type tricks windows into behaving better, while using the administrator account settings tab unlocks other stuff so windows doesn't throw a wobbly.

so game designer / programmer may not be at fault, but game engine and windows maybe to a degree, and as long as a work around can be and is being used, won't be a problem or issue, using compatibility mode while making some games more stable only makes a slight % loss in performance on most pc's but does depend on age and speed

[User1984]

I have to say that I am pretty disappointed with the black square issue, and the fact that a work-around is required. Seriously, Windows 10 will be out soon and it is ridiculous to have to use Windows 7 Compatibility Mode on a $50 game. Lame!

[zakblood]

well don't be, and here's the reason why,

Compatibility mode is achieved using so called shims. There is a good article on TechNet describing how these work.

Windows application files contain an import table which tells the application loader which DLLs the application needs and which functions it uses from them. A process might for example reference GetVersionEx in the kernel32.dll. When a program shall run in compatibility mode, then the shim is put between the application and the shim replaces the GetVersionEx function, so that the application does not call GetVersionEx from kernel32.dll but the GetVersionEx in the shim. The shimmed functions then implement the behaviour of previous Windows versions. GetVersionEx is an easy sample, each Windows version returns its own version numbers in GetVersionEx, so when faking an old Windows the GetVersionEx function now not returns the Windows 7 version numbers but for example the Windows XP version numbers. So the application will believe it is running on Windows XP.

There have also been some other changes from Windows version to Windows version. In older versions for example, if a program loaded a DLL, the search path for the DLL also included the current directory. This is a security issue, so newer versions of Windows by default don't search in the current directory. With the proper shim you can simulate the old behaviour.

Since shims are just a layer between the application and the Windows API a shim can just do what the application could do itself. The shim cannot be used for example to circumvent UAC or access protected files.

so it's not lame, it's windows, so enjoy the game as it works as designed...

[con20or]

Excellent explanation - thanks Zakblood