IT Help?! - The Bl**dy Italian Job doesn't work...

[CeeGee]

Hi - Some IT help needed here for an illITerate PHer...

I treated myself to the PC game 'The Italian Job', which I was really looking forward to playing when I got home from work but it's NOT WORKING.
Game seems to have installed OK, it starts up OK, goes through the opening scenes OK, sound & vision seem fine - but when it actually goes to load the first level, all I get is an error message saying "Renderware Application Error - Failed to create sound buffer", followed by "STG003 has caused an error in STG003.EXE. STG003 will now close".

All double dutch to me I'm afraid, and it's doing my head in because I want to play NOW (big kid really).

Anyone got any bright ideas? The PC is a Packard Bell, with a Pentium III 800 Mhz, 128MB RAM, with a Creative <(R)> SB Live sound chip.

Or at least that's what it said on the piece of paper I got with the damn thing.

[miniman]

I would try reinstalling your audio drivers as a first step. The error message implies that the audio for the level cannot be loaded - this could be anything from duff drivers through to not enough RAM to load the sound (but that is unlikely given the PC spec).

You should get the latest driver release from the sound card provider website (Creative or whatever).

Also, download the latest version of DirectX from Microsoft as this is used by games to talk directly to the sound and video devices (i.e. bypassing the standard driver) and this often causes problems if it is not up to date.

"Renderware" is a graphics and audio development platform and is highly likely to rely on DirectX.

Also check that your OS version (Win 95 / 98 / NT / 2000 / XP etc.) is actually supported by the game. I bought a cheap copy of Theme Park World which is listed as only supported on Win 98. I tried running it on 2000 and the tech support dude just said "it won't" and put the phone down!

Hope that helps!

Edited to say that DirectX is at www.microsoft.com/windows/directx/default.asp

>> Edited by miniman on Friday 3rd January 19:51

[apache]

not wanting to hijack the thread but I think it's on the same subject...ish, when watching video my pc stops to buffer every 5 secs making it hard to view clips, do I need a better video card or what? 256MRAM 1100Mhz system

[CeeGee]

Thanks Miniman - I'll give it a go...

Slightly bizarre that I'm getting advice on how to load a game featuring Minis from Miniman, but there you go.

One worry though: when I logged onto the Direct X website, it contained the following quote:

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX 9.0 includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX 9.0 APIs.

I don't like the reference to "security updates" - This isn't Microspeak for "we're going to stop you downloading MP3 files" is it?

[miniman]

No, its more likely that Microsoft introduced some sort of security hole in a previous version and are fixing it whilst making it look like an "enhancement"

Microsoft term: "Undocumented feature"
Real descrption: "Bug"

Microsoft term: "Extensive beta test program"
Real descrption: "Roll out new software to 1 million users and let them find the bugs"

Shouldn't worry too much about it - get it downloaded and you're (hopefully) one step closer to Mini mayhem!

[miniman]

Apache - is this happening with streamed media (i.e. video you are viewing directly from a website) or files you have locally on your PC.

If it's the first, try downloading them instead of playing directly (right click and Save As...). Then double click the file you downloaded to run it.

If it's the second, then either slow processor, not enough video RAM, hard disk full etc. Try www.dell.co.uk/tv for deals!

[smeagol]

CeeGee, return the game to the shop its cr@p I bought it and found that the cars drive terribly. There is no brake you lift off the accelerator and thats the brakes, lift off fully and it goes into reverse. There are no gears (thats right its just forward or not forward).

Handling is terrible the aston drives "as well" as the Ambassadors car ie cr@p. The deadzone on the steering was huge so you end up weaving all over the place and force feedback just detected colisions. I never got to the mini I was that disgusted.

Gameplay: very poor you get chased by cops if you crash you slowly start going again if they crash they turn on the spot and immediately get upto speed.

I would say this is the worst driving game I've ever played. I even rang the technical support line asking if I'd set it up wrong and they said no its meant to play like that.

In summary CeeGee I would take it back say its doesn't work on your system and wait for Italian Job 2 to come out later this year (perhaps they'll make it a driving game this time.)

[apache]

miniman said: Apache - is this happening with streamed media (i.e. video you are viewing directly from a website) or files you have locally on your PC.

If it's the first, try downloading them instead of playing directly (right click and Save As...). Then double click the file you downloaded to run it.

If it's the second, then either slow processor, not enough video RAM, hard disk full etc. Try www.dell.co.uk/tv for deals!

thanks mate

[tvradict]

apache said: not wanting to hijack the thread but I think it's on the same subject...ish, when watching video my pc stops to buffer every 5 secs making it hard to view clips, do I need a better video card or what? 256MRAM 1100Mhz system

Apache,

If your viewing the video as a 'Streaming Video' ie, from a website not you HD/CDetc then buffering is a side effect unless your on broadband. The best way around this as Miniman said is to save the video to your HD and play it from there.

On the other hand, if it's buffering from your harddrive you have a problem.
You must be running lots of programs that sit in you RAM using the space.
Either that or you hard drive is crammed full of stuff and the computer is finding it hard to find things or put them away.

The speed seems fine to me, but, if you watch alot of videos I would recommend upgrading to 512mb, thats what I'm running, at the moment I have problems but thats becausemy HD is full, but normally it runs beautifully, with only the Windows Glitches to annoy.

I would also recommemd doing the Defrag/Scandisk etc, doesn't do a great deal but helps sometimes.

[apache]

thanks again tvradict, I downloaded the T350coupe vid from the topgeat thread and it ran just fine from the hard drive.....thing is I am on broadband so shouldn't have a prob live streaming or whatever you call it. Btw I've connected the NTL modem using the USB port and some people advise using the ethernet connection, does it really make any difference? the thought of uninstalling and reinstalling all that bollox and setting up outlook again puts me right off.......think I'll get some more RAM

[Rosso Paul]

apache said:I've connected the NTL modem using the USB port and some people advise using the ethernet connection, does it really make any difference? the thought of uninstalling and reinstalling all that bollox and setting up outlook again puts me right off.......think I'll get some more RAM

I had problems with my NTL USB modem, mostly hanging the PC on start-up. When I spoke to NTL they said that is a common problem - something to do with the USB drivers hogging system resources. They said adding RAM wouldn't cure the problem. Bought myself an ethernet card for about £15 and connected via that - didn't have to reinstall any software. I did need to phone NTL for a bit of help changing some settings but since then I've had no problems with boot-up or dropping the connection. I'd recommend going ethernet.
Cheers
Paul