Range Check Error

Maccabeus · #1 October 21st, 2003, 04:14 PM

Some time ago when I was broke I downloaded the demo for SEIV and it worked fine. I was considering a purchase recently now that I have some money, but when I opened up the game I began getting crashes whenever I click on a destination for a ship. A "range check error" box pops up and none of the controls have any effect thereafter. Reinstalling does not help.

What's happened? Is there any use in buying the game if I can't correct this problem in the demo?

[ October 21, 2003, 15:15: Message edited by: Maccabeus ]

Cyrien · #2 October 21st, 2003, 04:27 PM

I had this problem with the demo and non-Gold Versions of the game as well. However I have never had this happen to me with a patched Version of the Gold. Remember that even the Gold demo is only Version 1.60 and the latest Gold is 1.84.

Also I remember being able to fix this by creating some directories within the game itself. Due to a safety feature on the computer it wouldn't let the game make the directories and that gave a range check error for movement (in simultaneous movement games only I think) and other errors if I tried to save or end my turn or certain major events happened (I think, been awhile since I have had the game have any crashing errors on me at all that weren't related to my own modding).
So you might check the game directory and see if you have
History
Savegame
Temp

folders in the Space Empires Folder. If not then make them and see if that clears up the problem.

Otherwise all I can say is the actual game is several more Versions advanced.

narf poit chez BOOM · #3 October 21st, 2003, 11:00 PM

hi, welcome to the forums.

cheese?

Maccabeus · #4 October 22nd, 2003, 01:56 AM

All those folders are present. One thing I've been considering the possibility of is a memory problem--I have to increase virtual memory to play Civilization and decrease it to play Sims. I wouldn't think that would cause this effect, but it's the only big thing that's changed other than installing a patch so the BLaster worm couldn't get me.

Cyrien · #5 October 22nd, 2003, 04:01 AM

Hrmm... you could also try going into the Game Menu (the clipboard icon/F2 key) then options and turning off show ship movement lines. I vaguely remember a post in the past on some older Versions of SE4 where range check errors occurred in some systems with this feature turned on.

Edit: A quick search of the forum turned this up LINK so you might want to try what I suggested above. Hope it helps.

[ October 22, 2003, 03:02: Message edited by: Cyrien ]

Maccabeus · #6 October 22nd, 2003, 08:54 AM

The movement path lines are off. Turning them on still produced range check errors. *sigh*

Increasing virtual memory also failed to have any effect.

Is it possible to patch the demo?

[ October 22, 2003, 08:00: Message edited by: Maccabeus ]

Maccabeus · #7 October 22nd, 2003, 09:47 AM

Aha! We have launched successfully!

I changed my performance options so that my computer gives priority to programs over the system Cache. After a second reboot it stopped repeatedly claiming it had recovered from a serious error, and SEIV runs fine (if a little more slowly--everything is a little slower).