Originally, the game crashed before starting due to the need for a driver update. At the very least I can appreciate that a window popped up telling me it crashed, and where to go for advice. So I updated the driver.
Then it finally started, I got all the way into game, and was able to control Daniel. I would walk around, pick a few things up, walk some more and the screen just goes into what looks like power saver mode (off) and the sound starts skipping. This occurred 4 different times. This froze my computer in this state and I had to manually turn it off and back on. On the 4th crash, it, oddly, reset itself.
These are my specs:
NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT
Windows XP Home
Intel Pentium 4
DirectX Diag says 1022 MB RAM, System Properties says 1GB RAM
DirectX 9.0c
I didn't find any advice specific to my complaint, so I apologize if there is something like this already that I missed. I'm finding the various solutions very disconcerting though. To have to manipulate one's computer to such a degree in order to play a game we purchased that doesn't even have extreme reqs is very unfortunate. It is the devs' jobs to ensure the consumer can download and play with ease.
Disable your antivirus, firewall
Turn Vsync off
Set the graphics all to off and the lowest including resolution & the various effects like blur and insanity
For now do the thing in bold. Why is that? According to the technical support guide:
Quote:Problem A8 - Screen goes black on game launch and computer freezes:
If you are using Comodo Firewall, try turning it off. Might work with other firewalls as well.
(This post was last modified: 05-29-2011, 08:04 AM by plutomaniac.)
I've updated to the driver you posted, I did not realize that driver applied to mine. I had only updated the most recent 9 series. In any case, same result after I played.
I bought this through Steam so I assume it is updated on its own. I can't really check all the files on Steam, they don't show any version number and there is no option to manually update it on Steam.
Turned off Norton Anti Virus, same result.
Turned off Windows firewall, and NAV, same result. Considering my firewall is Windows, not sure that would be a problem anyway.
VSYNC (I'm assuming you mean vertical sync) is already unchecked by default.
I turned all the settings off/lowest, graphics looked better, but fewer effects obviously. Same result.
Downloaded the update manually, although since it's not from Steam I think it won't be applicable, the game won't open from that update.
In any case when I started the game again, this is after the changes took effect from the last time I altered the graphics settings, they now look much worse. I get to the same spot about 5 minutes in and same result.
Um, is there anything else before I try this yet again with everything? I don't really like having to hard restart my computer this many times. This is insane.
steam autoupdates the game so no need to download the retail one. Install the game again by the way since you altered several things. As far as I know steam has a check files system that will check the integrity of your game files by itself. Try searching it. I think it is called check cache but I'm not sure. Well, does this happen at other games too? Have you overclocked your graphics card?
I have verified the integrity of the game cache. 100% verified.
I don't know what you mean by overclock or how to check. I don't really mess with my graphics card. I got a new one a couple years ago because the other one's fan busted. This card seems very comfortably within req range for this game. I'm not really a programmer or developer type here, if you get too dense with the jargon I won't follow it all. I bought this game on recommendation from Game Informer, considering I can't get my money back I'd like to try to enjoy this...
I tried F.E.A.R. 2 just now, it has similar or greater reqs, and I had also bought it from Steam around the same time. I played it for a good chunk of time and don't seem to be having any issues.
(05-30-2011, 07:17 PM)Sabtos Wrote: I have verified the integrity of the game cache. 100% verified.
I don't know what you mean by overclock or how to check. I don't really mess with my graphics card. I got a new one a couple years ago because the other one's fan busted. This card seems very comfortably within req range for this game. I'm not really a programmer or developer type here, if you get too dense with the jargon I won't follow it all. I bought this game on recommendation from Game Informer, considering I can't get my money back I'd like to try to enjoy this...
I tried F.E.A.R. 2 just now, it has similar or greater reqs, and I had also bought it from Steam around the same time. I played it for a good chunk of time and don't seem to be having any issues.
Never mind, if you don't know what overclock is then you never did it. So, lets focus on why the game does that. Does this happen at a specific area/place of the game or randomly after a certain amount of minutes? If it happens randomly it has to do with your computer. What are your computer specs in general? Mainly, I now need the audio device but list all the hardware please.
Important: Attach here the file hpl.log found under My Documents/Amnesia/Main folder. Maybe that describes the problem.
(This post was last modified: 05-30-2011, 09:22 PM by plutomaniac.)
It is not at a particular spot. While I haven't been able to get past the beginning section, it's a different spot every time, sort of like after a set period of time (around 5 minutes). Start the game up, goes through the intro where he says to remember, walk around pick up this and that, freezes. I can even just stand there instead of walking around and it will freeze and go dark after the similar period of time. I thought maybe it was because I set my computer to turn off the screen after one minute of idle time, but I changed that setting to never and it still did it.
Outside of the specs I listed above, what else do you need?
It is a Dell Dimension 4700, (but with mostly everything inside replaced after numerous breakdowns), Plug and Play monitor 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60hz)
ERROR: Could not find light 'spotthunder_0'
ERROR: Could not find light 'pointthunder_0'
ERROR: Could not find light 'ambthunder_0'
ERROR: Could not find sound entity 'loop'
You get these errors, as seen from the log. After searching the forum I found these solutions although all the guys with such a problem had a bad gpu, your is not bad. But try these:
1) Reinstall the game and make sure it is updated by steam. Delete the folder My Documents/Amnesia/ so that the launcher will be able to completely recreate it, and then when you launch the game, hit the "Detect" button to have it choose settings for you, then launch the game.
Warning: By deleting this folder you lose any progress but you haven't played anything yet so you shouldn't mind about that...
2) Run the game in windowed mode and not full screen. Also, at the launcher try a lower resolution like 1024x768 or even lower like 800x600 just for the testing.
After changing to 800x600, so far so good. I then restarted and upped the graphics all to medium (still leaving all special effects unchecked), worked again...I will come back later if any more problems occur, probably experimenting with other settings while leaving it on 800x600.
So, maybe this game doesn't play well with semi-old monitors. Maybe this needs to be looked at? I'm guessing this was developed on some nice monitors, and the majority of the consumers for a less mainstream game such as this, which was released fairly recently, probably have more disposable income, i.e. elite machines, so maybe you don't see this issue quite as often as you otherwise might.
My monitor is a VGA analog signal one since 2004 and I can play at full resolution 1280x1024 at full graphics just fine so it is not about new monitors, it is about yours. It must be having a problem with higher resolutions or refresh rate. Well, your graphics card if fine for the game so up your settings to whatever you feel more suited for you and then start testing with the resolution. Start from 800x600 and go and up until the problem occurs again. When this happens, lower the resolution to the previous one. This is your top playable resolution and probably this is because your monitor is having problems either with resolution or refresh rate.
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Freezing 5 Minutes In
Freezing 5 Minutes In 
