Game won't play...!?

[tburg]

I have recently installed a game for one of the boys and when we try to play it we get this:

Fatal Error
Couldn't init 3D Engine in hardward mode: 640 x 480 16 bit
Couldn't init 3D Engine in hardware mode: 640 x 480 32 bit
Couldn't init 3D Engine in hardware mode: 640 x 480 24 bit
No suitable screen mode

Any ideas what's up here?? Pretty "standard" home PC here....13 gig, 64 meg, I'm sure I have a 3D card...? Any ideas? Thanks much!

 

[eddie5659]

Hiya

What was the name of the game? Also, just to doublecheck on the video card, lets have a look at it.
Control Panel | System. Device Manager. Under Display will be your video card. What is the name of it? Also, is there a yellow !
Hopefully not.

Regards

eddie

 

[tburg]

Thanks for your reply. The game is "Beyond Pearl Harbor - Pacific Warriors". When I go to Device Manager there is a "Display Adapters" line, and under that it says "SiS 530"...? Also, game requirements are: win98 (which I have), 300Mhz Pentium CPU (I have AMD- ??Mhz, 64mg ram (got it), 100Mb hard disk space (got it easily), DirectX compatible 3D accelerated graphics care w/4MB Ram-(16MB recommended)..(don't know if I have this one!), DirectX compatible sound card (I think I have this one..??), 4x CD Rom. (4x?).
Sorry I don't know more about my system but if you can help it would be much appreciated! Thanks again eddie.

 

[wedor]

SIS 530 probably means you have on-board video, that's going to make it difficult to play a game like that. What brand/model of system is this?

 

[tburg]

When I go to System Properties/General tab :
AuthenticAMD
AMD-K6 3D processor
62.0MB Ram
Do I possibly need to add a video card?
I'm stumped! Thanks..... Terry

 

[eddie5659]

Hiya

Well, been along to SIS, and I have found this:

http://www.sis.com/products/chipsets/integrated/socket7/530fea.htm

Integrated Super AGP VGA for Hardware 2D/3D Video/Graphics Accelerators

You may want to see if you have the latest drivers/patches:

http://www.sis.com/support/driver/utility.htm

Yours seems to be in only IDE driver.. The first table.

Ah, have a look here first:

http://www.sis.com/support/faq/gamefaq.htm

7. How do I enable the hardware acceleration on 3D games?
You should check out two places to make sure it is opened. (1) Open DirecX tool "DXdiag" and check out if the hardware acceleration has been enabled. In this tool, you can switch this function between enabled and disabled. To make it disabled will shut down 3D engine and apply software emulation instead. (2) Most games provide the option to select hardware acceleration or software emulaton. Please refer to the user manual of a game to know how to enable hardware acceleration in order to get the benefit of a 3D engine.

Also, which version of DirectX do you have?

Regards

eddie

 

[tburg]

Thanks, eddie for the help...here's what I get when I go into the DirectX Diag Tool - Under the "Display" tab:
Device: Sis530
Manufacturer: Sis
Chip type: 530Rev A2
DAC type: Internal
Approx. total memory: 1.0MB
Current Display Mode: 800 x 600 (16bit)(optimal refresh rate)
Monitor: Envision D556
Driver:
Main Driver: Sis530v.drv
Version: 4.11.01.1010 (English)
Cerified: NO
Mini VDD: SiS530v.vxd
VDD: *vdd
In "DirectX Features" it says
DirectDraw Acceleration: Enabled
Direct3D Acceleration: Not Available
AGP Support: Not Available

BUT, when I do the tests (click the test boxes) for both DirectDraw AND test Direct3D, the tests seem to work fine (for 3D test I see the tumbling colored cube!!).
More info - When I check the DirectX Drivers tab it shows fourteen drivers listed - two of which have the yellow exclamations by them and are "not certified" these two are "esfm.drv" & "essmpu.drv"....
What do ya think? Download new drivers? Or am I missing a main component here? Thanks to anyone for the help.....tburg

 

[eddie5659]

Hiya

First off, what version of DirectX do you have? It tells you in the first tab.

If you have an early version, downloading the latest may help.

eddie

 

[tburg]

I have version 7.0 which is what it says is needed on the game. I'm wondering about the part that says "Direct3D Acceceration: Not Available" though...what's that mean? Thaaaaaanks! terry

 

[eddie5659]

Okay

There is an update. Version 8.1:

http://www.microsoft.com/directx/

The Direct3D Acceceration: Not Available may be because you don't have the latest.

Regards

eddie

 

[tburg]

Thanks...I'll give it a try and let you know! terry

 

[rhettman5]

can you select "software renderer" instead of direct 3d when you set up the game, if so , this may solve the problem, hope this helps,... Rhett

 

[tburg]

Nope! It won't let me get that far. As soon as I insert disc and try to fire it up I get the Fatal Error message I mentioned at the start of this thread... And, I've installed the newest version of DirectX (8.1 i believe)...that didn't help either!...Thanks for the suggestions...any more?

 

[eddie5659]

Hiya

Where it said:

Direct3D Acceleration: Not Available
AGP Support: Not Available

Is there an option to enable it? The SIS530 is your video card.
Does this happen with any other 3D games?

eddie

 

[tburg]

Hi eddie...nope...can't
"enable" it.
dunno why.. The only other problem I can remember having with a game is "Janes Combat" (or someithing along those lines) a veeerry detailed game where you have to learn how to land/take off/joint combat missions for different fighter aircraft. The graphics got a bit "jerky" there. I just "uninstalled" it cause I couldn't get it to work smoothly. I'm going to try "uninstalling" this game and reinstalling. Mebbe I can "enable" software rendering instead. Unless, of course, you all have any better ideas!! Thaaaaaaanks! tburg