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Topace

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Constructor Game works only on one Computer

I have recently purchased this game, Constructor, by Acclaim.  I have 2 computers, one has 32 RAM, 133p, 1.5 GB Hard Drive, I have no idea what kind of video card, is there a way to find this out?  The other has 32 RAM, 133 CYRIX chip, Again, no idea what kind of vid card.  Neither has a graphics acc.  

My problem is that I want to play the game multiplayer, but it will only work on the Computer that has the CYRIX chip, and that one is not connected to the internet. When I try to play it on the other computer, it will install everything correctly, but then just crashes out of the game, returning to windows.  On the other computer, the game seems to work fine, although it gives me an error just before running any video sequences: DOUBLE BUFFER FAILED.  

How can I get this to work on the other computer?

~Topace~  
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sgenther

Look in your config.sys and check to see if your emm386 line is set to double_buffer...if it is remove the part about double buffer..just use a line like....device=c:\dos\emm386.exe noems
You can look up your display adapter in the Device Manager
and/or right-click on an empty section of your screen,
and click-on "properties", then press "settings", then
press "advanced", and it should show you information about
your video card and drivers. I`m not familiar with that part-
icular game, but are you sure you have enough video-ram to run it? What does the system requirements on the game box say?
With 32MB of ram, you more than likely have enough memory,
but if the the game *requires* x-amount of video ram(or, worse
yet, a 3D card) and you don`t have enough, you will probably encounter problems, especially during graphics-intensive
cut-scene animations. You might also want to check and see if
you have the LATEST drivers for your video card...this can make
the difference between being able and NOT being able to run
the game, as drivers that WERE sufficient (up until now) might
NOT be sufficient for a recently-released game.
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ASKER

No, the game does not require a 3d Acc card.  All I found in my Device manager was this:

Under Sound, Video, and Game Controllers:
MPU-401 Compatible

Under Display Adapters:
Cirrus Logic 5462 PCI

Which one is my video card?  I can't seem to find how much VIDEO RAM either one has.  The game requires 2MB.


~t~


the cirrus logic is your video card...one way to see the amount of video ram is during start up (First thing when turning on computer)is a line about the Cirrus card..bios ver and installed ram.Note: your monitor may have to be warmed up to see this...it sometimes is displayed very fast.
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ASKER

It doesn't say it when I restart the computer.  I checked.  I also found that there is no DOUBLE BUFFER metioned in the config.sys file of the other computer.

~Topace~
Try and go into msd and look at the settings for the video card
OK, lets back-up a bit...you can`t use the Cyrix machine
because it isn`t connected to the internet, the other(Intel?)
machine crashes out of the game right after the install? Is
Constructor a DOS game? Do you have sufficient HD space to fully install the game(and leave room for Windows to manuever:)?
It wouldn`t hurt(and can only help)if you post your config.sys and autoexec.bat files here. If you hit "Start", "run", and
type-in "sysedit",press "OK" (without the quotation marks)you can easily copy`n paste them to post here. I assume BOTH machines have Windows95?
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ASKER

The 1st CPU has a cyrix chip, and no connection to the internet.  The second one, which I am using now, has an Intel P133.  Constructor is a windows 95 game, and uses Intel Indeo (Whatever that is).  Yes, I have sufficent HD space.  I have 400 MB, and the game is 62 MB installed.  It installs ok, but when I trty and run the game, the screen blinks black like it is going to run, but then returns to windows.  Here are my system files, anything in between "*"s is still on the same line as the line above it in the real file.:

AUTOEXEC.BAT:
--------------
@C:\PROGRA~1\NORTON~1\NAVDX.EXE /Startup
rem - By Windows Setup - C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\MSCDEX.EXE /D:MSCD001 */V /M:8*
--------------
CONFIG.SYS:
--------------
DEVICE=C:\SBCD\DRV\SBIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:170,15 /V
--------------

~Topace~



   Check the game box and manual *closely*....does it say how
many colors your display should be set-to? 256? 65,000? "True
Color"? "High Color"? If the game *requires* 65,000 colors, and
your display is set to the common 256 color-mode, the game may
well crash back out of itself...the reason I bring this up, is
that I once had a game that could be run in either dos OR Windows
and *required* 256 colors for Dos, but required 65,000 colors to
run in Windows...if I left my display set to the normal 256 colors and tried to run the game, it would INSTALL just fine, but
would immediately exit back out of itself if I attempted to launch it in Windows, unless I changed the display settings to
65,000 colors.

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ASKER

It can run in both DOS and windows.  I will check the game box, but I don't think it requires a screen resolution.

~t~
Update(sort-of;)
I know this is a LONG shot, but,
  Are you running Euro-version of this game? If so, there is a
patch that must be downloaded and executed to allow this game
to be run in Windows.
  I am currently continuing to try to get info on any special
requirements/known issues associated with Constructor. Ironic-
ally, I am but a local phone-call away from Acclaim Entertainment
but after wading through their voice-mail system *several* times,
being put on hold for almost half an hour, only to be transferred
right back to the beginning of the voice-mail que after FINALLY
getting a live human on the phone, only to have said human, after
hearing the word "Constructor", immediately transfer me back to
Constructor game hints without even letting me finish speaking
one sentence to completion has turned me off to going THAT route.
   I have sent an email this morning to a tech-support address listed on the Constructor website and am still waiting to see if
any response is forthcoming. Acclaim, BTW, is only the publisher,
not the maker of this game. Have you had a chance to examine the
manual and or box for system requirements?
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ASKER

No, I don't have the Euro version.  System3 I believe is the maker of the game, and both of my computers have exceeded the system requirements.  It doesn't list a screen res. to be set at.

~t~
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ASKER

Um, how would I do that?  Just delete univibe from the Constructor directory?


install indeo video
from the disc --------->   ivint.exe
thats suppose to solve you probs
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ASKER

Indeo Video installs when I install the constructor game.

~t~
ok
lets try something else:
in your control panel go to REGIONAL SETTINGS
and tell me whats says the blue line
anyway change it to English (United States)
and restart your computer and install indeo again
have a nice day

ThE WeBmAsTeR
have a nice day






ThE WeBmAsTeR