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Game won't load, engine.exe problem

M

Maxi

Landlubber
Hi all,
Just got POTC and it installed OK.
When I went to play it it brings up an engine.exe problem when I go to load a new gameand shuts it down. So, I really need some help with what I can do to get it to run. I have read the other answers for those with an engine.exe problem and I am still not wiser. I am not very confident with the techie side of things so a really detailed what to do would be great.
 
You installed just plain stock PotC (no extra mods), right? You just inserted the CDs and installed it? I don't know why that shouldn't work. What are your computer's specifications? What DirectX version do you use? (press Start > Run and type dxdiag to find out)

I know PotC can sometimes cause strange issues. The first time I installed it, the game would show the loading screen, then not continue doing anything, but just... stopped. I then started the game under a different Windows account and, miraculously, it DID work. I still haven't got the slightest idea why; but it worked. After I reformatted my PC, everything worked fine and I have had no inexplicable errors since. Not that you should try formatting your entire PC just yet. <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/piratesing.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shock" border="0" alt="piratesing.gif" />
 
[attachment=184:attachment]Hi, Yes, I installed exactly what came out of the box with no add ons - yet.
I run windows XP with Direct X 9 on an intel celeron pentium etc. with just the standard video and graphics that came with the computer. The computer was bought only last November.
The graphics come up beautifully when inslalling just the game will not load at all. I have read that you may have to turn off music and change files but without knowing what to do I am scared off fiddling with it. I did the directx diag tests and that all seemed to be OK. So now I don't know but willing to try anything that you may think may work
 
Hmmm, this is bad news for you, you have a SIS card which POTC will not run on. A SIS graphics card will allow you to get to the menu, but as soon as you press new game it will crash the engine.exe. I suggest getting a new graphics card. It looks like you have an AGP port (confirm this before you buy anything), you can get a GeForce ti4200 (ti4400 or ti4600 are even better, but don't get anything that says mx) off ebay for about $30, that will run the game fine, if you are looking for a new high end card, get the 6600GT. Once you get a new card download the omega drivers, they will help alot. Keep us updated on how things are going!
 
Well, I guess I am amazed that you have been able to work that all out from the info I gave. It was pretty much double dutch to me. How do I confirm I have a SIS graphics card or not?
Looks like I will be going shopping on Ebay. Where do I download omega drivers from?
Thanks for all your help. It's really nice to talk to people who really know their stuff, makes me feel pretty blond though, (even though I'm not).
I'm off to browse the mighty E-store, thank God for Ebay. Cheers.
 
OOps, sorry, another blond moment. What I should have asked was how do I confirm whether it is an AGP port? These things are such a learning curve when all I really wanted was to play the game. Life is never simple.
 
Do you know what motherboard you have?
If not, do you know what CPU you have? That'll give us a rough guess.
Anyway, best way is to open your case. If you see a (usually) brown slot above the rest of the (usually beige) PCI slots, and it either has a card in it that says SIS, or has no card at all--you have AGP.
If there is no slot set aside from the beige PCI slots, you're out of luck.
If there is a slot, but it's black, it may be PCI Express.

Examples (cheers to Newegg, whom I'm leeching them from <img src="http://www.piratesahoy.com/forum/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/happy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="^_^" border="0" alt="happy.gif" />):

This motherboard has an AGP slot:
<img src="http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/13-131-532-02.JPG" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Notice how the little crosspiece in the slot is about halfway along but nearer the back (it will be towards the front in the case).

This motherboard has a PCI Express slot:
<img src="http://images10.newegg.com/productimage/13-121-259-02.JPG" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Notice how the little crosspiece is -very- close to what will be towards the back in your case.
If there's a card in the slot in your case, you can tell where that crosspiece is by where the break in the plugged-in-to-the-slot part of the graphics card is.


But actually, what would better serve is if you tell us your price range, and what you'll be using it for.
Only POTC? POTC and other games? etc.
{ If your price range can squeeze up to $65 or so, I'd very much recommend instead getting a 6200. ZZF has one for $68, <a href="http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=322281&affiliate=shopping" target="_blank">http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetai...iliate=shopping</a> }
There are of course ATI alternatives if you prefer them--you can get a 9550 for about $50 that should blow a gf4 out of the water.
 
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