Need Help Just installed PotC Build mod, game won't launch (Erroneous Install error)

[ExtincE]

Okay so all this can be scratched and the post can be deleted. However I do request that below Addendum be added to the installation instructions. Especially as a clean install prior to mod installment is mandatory for latest mod version and lots of people have used compatibility settings in the past.

My issue was fixed by checking: Erroneous install error

Important: For some reason, even if you entirely wipe Vanilla PotC from your system and run a clean install, Windows 10 remembers that ENGINE.EXE needs to be run as admin in compatibility mode for Version X/Y/Z (whatever compatibility mode you had Vanilla PotC set to prior to uninstalling. Even though it is a fresh, unmodified install.

Having this enabled WILL cause Erroneous Install error, despite installation been done flawlessly and all required files being where they are supposed to be.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Important: For some reason, even if you entirely wipe Vanilla PotC from your system and run a clean install, Windows 10 remembers that ENGINE.EXE needs to be run as admin in compatibility mode for Version X/Y/Z (whatever compatibility mode you had Vanilla PotC set to prior to uninstalling. Even though it is a fresh, unmodified install.

Wow... I didn't see that coming!
Especially confusing since there are more games with "ENGINE.exe" than just Vanilla PotC.

Having this enabled WILL cause Erroneous Install error, despite installation been done flawlessly and all required files being where they are supposed to be.

But why would that cause any errors?
I always run the game in a compatibility mode to prevent weird errors; but that's always worked fine for me.
Of course I never tried on Windows 10 either, so maybe that explains it?

 

[ExtincE]

Hoi Pieter,

I don't understand it either. I'm just glad I found that post where you worked extensively with the OP to figure out a work-around when I realized there was nothing wrong with his installation and neither was there anything wrong with mine. Then I noticed he said he removed compatibility and that fixed it, so I checked, just to be sure, and noticed it was still checked as run in compatibility for 98/ME.. which still baffles me.

Just glad it's resolved and I can enjoy this mod, which looks great in all manner of ways by the way! Had a good giggle at all the descriptions of characters that have been added to the game when starting
Just not sure how the XP/Leveling mechanics work now and where to find out more about it.

Why it causes Erroneous Error I don't get that either. It is simply instructed to check if File X is in path Y and if so, install was successful. If file X is not present in path Y, then Erroneous Error message will be displayed. And despite the file being where it should be, the game launcher doesn't seem to be able to recognize it in ME/98 compatibility mode.

 

[Mad Jack Wolfe]

Important: For some reason, even if you entirely wipe Vanilla PotC from your system and run a clean install, Windows 10 remembers that ENGINE.EXE needs to be run as admin in compatibility mode for Version X/Y/Z (whatever compatibility mode you had Vanilla PotC set to prior to uninstalling. Even though it is a fresh, unmodified install.

When you create a compatibility "shim" for an application, it will remain in the registry after you uninstall the app since the shim was created independently of the app install. The app's uninstaller has no way of knowing about the shim and therefore can't uninstall it. Unless you remove the shim manually, it will be reapplied to ENGINE.EXE if and only if the app is reinstalled to the exact same path. If the app is installed to a different path, the shim will not be applied and a new one must be created.

Windows is notoriously poor at housecleaning, so don't expect any shims to get deleted automatically.

That said, the shim only affects ENGINE.EXE at runtime, not the installer.

 

[ExtincE]

The app's uninstaller has no way of knowing about the shim and therefore can't uninstall it. Unless you remove the shim manually, it will be reapplied to ENGINE.EXE if and only if the app is reinstalled to the exact same path. If the app is installed to a different path, the shim will not be applied and a new one must be created.

Thanks Mad Jack Wolfe, that was enlightening

Maybe mention this as a footnote with a build release where a fresh re-install is mandatory (like current latest build). 'If you get erroneous install error after fresh install, (un)check engine.exe compatibility mode' to root out false positives I guess?

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Why it causes Erroneous Error I don't get that either. It is simply instructed to check if File X is in path Y and if so, install was successful. If file X is not present in path Y, then Erroneous Error message will be displayed. And despite the file being where it should be, the game launcher doesn't seem to be able to recognize it in ME/98 compatibility mode.

Are we talking about the in-game message you see when you start ENGINE.exe?
That one does indeed search for the existence of a file on the path.
I really haven't a clue what could possibly make that fail if the file exists.
Strange computer things.

Just not sure how the XP/Leveling mechanics work now and where to find out more about it.

What exactly are your questions on it?
The simple version: you increase your skills by using them.

 

[ExtincE]

What exactly are your questions on it?
The simple version: you increase your skills by using them.

That much I understood but what about Quest XP? Does that purely go in to character level XP like in Vanilla, or does a portion of it go towards every skill and remainder in to character level, or is character level now removed and instead the sum of the levels of your skills?

Or do quests only give XP for specific skills, like merchant quest XP goes towards commerce, trader quest XP towards luck, et cetera? There's nothing on it on the Wiki so the only info to be found on it is what you get told in the tutorial, which leaves a lot to interpretation

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Some quests give XP to a specific skill.
For the ones that give general XP, it is distributed based on the characters' officer type.
The player gets a certain type too, which is used for this.