In addition, apparently the pause/freeze problem when I Quit is not fixed.

Game-play was great right after I deleted the erroneously created game.disc.ini file. But then last night when I played, it was back to its "old" tricks, pausing significantly with the cursor stuck in place at the Save page and on the game menu.

Could I just have Saved too many whole games? But this new computer has plenty of memory and space, so that doesn't seem as if it would interfere. Any ideas?

I will try a temporary renaming of the file as an experiment. But it's so convenient to have access to Word and Paint (the in-game Camera and Journal just don't do it for me) that I'll probably put up with the feezing in order to be able to toggle back and forth.

Pauses can happen if you have many savegames with a lot of pictures.

Every Saved game saves a picture, right? Is there a way to save a game without a picture (although I doubt I'll remember from just the short title).

quote:

Originally posted by LynComeLately:
Every Saved game saves a picture, right? Is there a way to save a game without a picture (although I doubt I'll remember from just the short title).

Yes there a "hard way".

You could copy the "sav" folder for each save into a main Myst 4 folder your documents and using special sub folders created by you that you could title with a long description. (as long as your arm if you feel the need )

I used that trick for Myst, Exile, Myst 4, Myst 5 and at special spots in Uru.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: nanoukmetal,

I guess at this point I'm hoping Heimdall is able to come back through and that he has some suggestions about this issue too.

If you install Revelation using the defaults, game saves are located in C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents\myst4-revelation savegames.


Suggestions? Hey, I always have suggestions!

Back in 2006, we talked about how to do an overall Windows and hard disk tune-up. This will often solve problems with games, but it will also speed up your PC even if it doesn't solve the problems. In this case, it should significantly help your pause/freeze problem.

Here's a revised set of instructions. Do all of the following, in the order shown:

1. Update your anti-virus software's database, then use it to do a complete, in-depth scan of your hard disk(s). This is the 'start it and let it crank' type of scan, not the bootup quickie!

2. Update your spyware and adware databases, then do complete, in-depth scans of your hard disk(s). I regularly use and recommend all of:
-- Spybot - Search & Destroy - free version
-- Ad-aware - free version
-- Spyware Doctor - free trial
-- PestPatrol - free trial

Be aware that these anti-spyware and adware programs do NOT protect against viruses!

BTW, if all you have is the built-in Win XP software firewall, you should consider replacing it with a good firewall. I use and recommend ZoneAlarm, which has a free version available here. After you install ZoneAlarm (or any other software firewall), you should disable Win XP's built-in firewall (Start > Control Panel > Windows Firewall > activate the Off (not recommended) radio button.

3. Check your hard disk(s) for errors. Refer to Check for Disk Errors in Windows XP (short summary) and How to Perform Disk Error Checking in Windows XP (lots more information). Close all running programs before starting the error check, and tell Windows to automatically fix file system errors. Another option is Symantec's Norton SystemWorks - Norton Utilities Disk Doctor.

4. Use the Disk Cleanup utility to empty \temp and \temporary folders, Internet caches, and the Recycle bin.
-- a. Log into Windows with full Administrator privileges and close all open applications.
-- b. Click on Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.
-- c. Select the desired hard disk, then click on OK.
-- d. Click on all of the boxes to uncheck them.
-- e. Click on only the following boxes to check them:
----- 1. Temporary Internet Files
----- 1. Recycle Bin
----- 3. Temporary Files
-- f. Click on OK > Yes to run the cleanup.

Don't check any of the other boxes unless you're certain you know what you're doing and have read Description of the Disk Cleanup Tool in Windows XP. Another option is Wise Disk Cleaner - free version.

5. Defragment your hard disk(s). To speed up the process, reboot, close all open applications, and immediately begin defragging. Refer to How To Analyze and Defragment a Disk in Windows XP and How to Defragment Your Disk Drive Volumes in Windows XP for details. Other (faster) options are:
-- Executive Software's Diskeeper - not free
-- IObit.com's Smart Defrag (free), download here

6. Check your Registry for errors. Win XP doesn't have a built-in Registry diagnosis and repair utility, so here are some other options. I recommend using at least two of these utilities for complete Registry cleaning, since they'll often pick up different errors. Run whichever utilities you use until no more safely-repairable errors are discovered, and reboot when finished.
-- Symantec's Norton SystemWorks - Norton Utilities WinDoctor
-- Rose City Software's Registry First Aid - not free
-- VCOM's Fix-It Utilities SystemRegistry-RegistryFixer utility - not free
-- Lexun Freeware's Registry cleaner RegScrubXP 3.25
-- Toni Arts' Registry cleaner EasyCleaner 2.0 - free
-- Wise Registry Cleaner - free version

7. Run Windows Update (Internet Explorer, Tools > Windows Update) and download and install whatever Update recommends, EXCEPT for new video drivers and Internet Explorer 7. For video drivers, see Myst IV: Installing Video Drivers With Win XP.


Reboot, close all open programs, and start Revelation.

quote:

Back in 2006, we talked about how to do an overall Windows and hard disk tune-up.

Oh, yes! I remembered that, and returned to all those instructions, which you've also repeated for me in your post here. I printed out everything, and followed it all step by step. (I had remembered much of it and have been keeping my son's old laptop running all this time even though it wouldn't play Revelation).

BUT

As of December 5, I had a brand new Latitude D820 with an 80 GB harddrive, 4M L2 cache, Nvidia Quadro (and an XP downgrade). It may not sound like much to a gamer, but it is a HUGE step up for me. Anyway, it's been less than a month since I finally ran through the entire list of Windows and harddrive tuneup steps you provide in the sticky thread - including double-checking the video driver - and finally installed Revelation (a full install) in the new computer.

Obviously it never hurts to keep things tuned up to their best, so I'l proceed to follow through on all of this . . . again <sigh>. (I do run anti-spy scans weekly, and the antivirus does its own scan every day).

btw, I found ZoneAlarm and Spybot both to be rather unruly. They wanted me to make decisions about stuff that I didn't recognize or understand. I ditched Spybot (while keeping AVG antivirus and antispyware as well as AdAware) and have just been coping with ZoneAlarm.

ABOUT THE PAUSE/FREEZE

This is nothing like what I encountered on the old computer. The game play on the old Inspiron included a pause between every "step" or click to move forward and sometimes actually showed a Myst-rendered hourglass above the screen. I don't recall that it included a freeze at the menu, which is what this one has been doing (along with the graphics glitches - pixels trying to sort themselves out horizontally when I move the mouse to change my view) ever since I tried to run in a Window.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LynComeLately,

A small pause can happen between steps while the next node is loading.

You should discard the 2006 instructions and use only those above, which have been significantly updated!


You have a Latitude D820? That's generally a good PC, but unfortunately may be a large part of the Revelation pause/freeze problem. Dell calls the D820 a "business notebook", and it's definitely NOT designed for running games!

In particular, your NVIDIA Quadro NVS video chipset is NOT supported by Revelation. While some unsupported chipsets may work with the game, just not as well as supported chipsets, Quadro chipsets don't appear to be among the "unsupported but work". So, you're fortunate to be able to run Revelation at all.

The best you can do for Revelation is install the latest video driver from Dell, which is "nVidia Quadro NVS 120M" (also for 110M), R173741.exe, 54.6 MB, available starting here. Download and installation instructions are shown under Installation Instructions.


BTW, if you don't already have the URL, Dell's drivers and downloads for the Latitude D820 are available starting here.

Well, I knew the 820 was not for playing games, but I wanted XP and I needed something I could afford that would last me a few years (eons of time, in computer years, I know). And, as I told my other tech help (son), I didn't need to run WoW, which gave him a good laugh.

You mean I would have been better off with the integrated graphics card? Unfortunately, that was my only other choice - at the time I purchased, available on the 820.

Meanwhile, yes I have used your new instructions now, not the old ones. And btw, how often should I do each or all of the tuneup steps? I've been running spyware/adware scans every week or two and disc cleanup and defrag every month.

Today when I played Revelation after doing every step (except checking for updated drivers - although this would have to be an update since December) there was no freeze at the Menu. So maybe the housekeeping was sufficient to deal with whatever had interfered earlier, even though I have not changed back to running outside a Window. Uh-oh, that reminds me. When I just played, I also did not have any other program running to toggle to, that is, I forgot to open Word and Paint before I started. I'll have to wait until I try it again to check it out and see if that is what made the difference.

Q. You mean I would have been better off with the integrated graphics card?
A. A separate video card is the first choice for serious PC gaming, and separate video cards are most often found in a desktop PC. Laptop/notebook PC's usually have their video chipsets integrated on the motherboard, although there are a few models with separate video cards. Playing anything more than the simplest games (and especially graphics-intensive games) on a laptop requires that the integrated video chipset have capabilities approaching those of a separate video card. Which translates into a fairly expensive machine.

Here are my recommendations for doing Windows and hard-disk tuneups, assuming daily PC usage and referenced to the above instructions.
-- Steps 1 and 2, manually update databases daily or set your software for automatic updating, have anti-virus/adware/spyware software set for background scanning, weekly in-depth scanning with normal Internet usage.
-- Step 3, monthly.
-- Step 4, daily, preferably either at the beginning or at the end of the day.
-- Steps 5 and 6, monthly, or more often if you've been installing lots of software.
-- Step 7, every Wednesday if you update manually, or set your system for automatic updating.

Yes, I could have spent less and gotten more if I'd been willing to settle for a desktop PC. Unfortunately, I couldn't afford two computers, so the compromise was to purchase a laptop that could double as my desktop, which I'll have to make the best of now.

Thank you for the tuneup schedule.

I'm curious: why is it that the computer should not be either booted up or turned off with the game disc in the drive?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LynComeLately,

Note that when you edit a post, our "wonderful" Forum software doesn't change the date/time of the original post to the date/time of the edit. So, if someone like me is looking at posts, we recognize that there's been an edit only if we're curious and open something that we've thought already ended.

To answer your question, no matter what the version, Windows can be a gnarly critter. Booting up with a disc in the drive can cause Windows to do things that you probably don't want done in terms of running a game. Like for example autostarting the disc, autostarting the game, setting aside memory that shouldn't be set aside, looking at the disc when that's not appropriate, etc., etc., etc. This may not happen with everyone's system, but it'll happen often enough that I recommend NOT booting up with a disc in the drive.

Better safe than black-screened, or blue-screened, or otherwise SOL!

So there's no way to set Windows not to look at the drive until you tell it to?

There's a way to tell Windows what you want to do when you insert a disc into the drive. I don't usually mention it, because most folks seem to like having a disc autostart.

Here's the way:
-- a. Click on the My Computer Desktop icon to open it, or click on Start > Run > My Computer.
-- b. Right click on the disc drive you want to change under Devices with Removable Storage, then click on Properties > AutoPlay tab.
-- c. Select the type of file or multimedia content type you want to change, then under "Actions" click on the Prompt me each time to choose an action radio button to activate it for each selection.
-- d. Click on Apply > OK.

So once I do this, what will I see when I start Revelation? That is, first I click on my shortcut and it pops up a prompt to insert the disc. Then I physically insert the disc. Then I click on the OK button on the prompt...then I will get another prompt to start the drive?

Yes, I know. I ought to be past the hand-holding stage by now. Unfortunately, every time I do something new, I want to know *exactly* what I'm facing first. Although that's not always possible, you've been successful so far!

In this case, why not just go ahead and try it? C'mon, be adventurous! Experiment a little!

You won't break anything if you follow the instructions carefully. And if you don't like what you get, it's very easy to go back to your original configuration.

Aw right, aw right. I'll try it.

You're getting to be as "bad" as my son.

Great!

As Napoleon famously once said, "L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace". Or loosely translated, "Go for it!"

I know just enough French to have an idea just *how* loosely translated that is!

Tomorrow being Saturday, I'll have time to putter with this and more of Revelation.