CIA Operative, does not work

[Andrew7689]

I got this game for christmas and i installed it onto my computer, but to my surprise, it said when i ran it. the graphics mode you are trying to use is not available. I tried to run it in 1280 x 1024, in 32 bit colour. but if i play rogue spear, i can run that game ok in 1920 x 1440, in 32 bit colour, why can't i play that game in 1280 x 1024, i also tried to run it in 800 x 600, in 16 bit colour, well lets say it went to the main menu of the game but the mouse pointer was stuck at the top left corner of the screen, but i could still select start on the game using my joystick, i went into the game but could not bring anything up, and when i failed the mission, then windows xp completely crashed, why are these programmers not doing there work correctly. This situation needs to be sorted, i am fed up of bad programming, having a new operating system is no excuse to these programmers. windows xp is far better than windows 98. And i am looking forward to the realise of the new operating system Long Horn later this year. Windows xp was brought out to replace windows 98, because of all the damage that these programmers did, like shareware programmes, those people updated system files with older copies of the new system file, causing damage to windows, then microsoft was accused of having the most unreliable operating system, but in windows xp, microsoft have protected the system files from this type of damage, that is why they brought out windows xp

[Andrew7689]

Dear CIA Operative Solo Mission Customer,

Thank you for your recent communication. You may or may not have problems running programs developed for Windows 95/98/Me while running Windows XP.

* Many of our programs were developed for Windows 95/98 long before the release of Windows XP.

* Many of our products were developed using the DirectX API. While Windows XP does support DirectX, many hardware manufacturers may not have drivers that support the version that is included with Windows XP. It is common that some hardware drivers have not been brought up to the WHQL specifications required for Windows XP. Thus software that uses DirectX will not function correctly or at all.

* We can only warrant and support our products when they are run using the operating system for which they were designed. These specifications are clearly listed on the product packaging or on our web site.

Ultimately, it is the responsibility of Microsoft and/or specific hardware manufacturer to provide for backward compatibility with Windows XP; this is to insure that the device drivers are compatible.

At this time we do not have plans to change our older titles to make them Windows XP compatible for the reasons above. We realize this may be a problem for some users. If you have Windows XP on your machine, and the software will not function, the only advice that we can suggest is to ensure that the drivers for your Video and Sound cards are the correct and current versions developed by the hardware manufacturers specifically for Windows XP. Additionally, you must have ALL Critical Updates to Windows XP installed. Taking these steps will ensure you have the best chance to run a given program under Windows XP.

The most common problem people are having when running pre-XP 3D software are that they need updated XP drivers. To obtain the latest XP drivers, visit your computer or video card manufacturer's website. There have been, and continue to be many new drivers since the release of Windows XP. If your computer is still under warranty, please contact your computer manufacturer for assistance. You can visit:

Check your Hardware Acceleration. Note: if the game plays when set to None, that is an indication to update your video card driver.

Set your Hardware Acceleration to Full. You can do this by right clicking on the desktop, click Properties, and click the settings tab. Click on the Advanced button and select troubleshoot. Move the slider bar to Full. Play the game, if performance does not improve, please set the acceleration to almost none or none, and play.


XP/Wizard (from Microsoft)

"Programs that were written specifically for an earlier version of Windows may run poorly or not at all after you first upgrade to Windows XP. But in most cases, you can use a Compatibility Mode in Windows XP and get these programs working again. Other programs that may not run properly on Windows XP include specialized drivers that are incompatible with Windows XP. Only an update from the manufacturer can resolve incompatible driver problems.

To run the Program Compatibility Wizard

Start the Program Compatibility Wizard. (Click Start, click Help and Support, click Fixing a problem, click Application and software problems, under Fix a problem click Getting older programs to run on Windows XP, and then click the Program Compatibility Wizard link in the instructions.) Follow the instructions in the wizard."

Again, our programs have not been tested on Windows XP, nor is it listed in the system requirements on our box. If you continue to experience problems, please contact Microsoft for help regarding the XP backwards compatibility feature.

As we test our software on XP, we will publish the workarounds or other information on our website.

Regards,
Tech Support

NOTE: If you reply to this message, please do NOT alter the subject line of this e-mail as it helps us prioritize your request.

[Andrew7689]

Hello

Since they are blaming my favourite company Microsoft, the company in question may get sued by Microsoft for that, it is not Microsoft that is to blame here, it is the game companys that will not sort them selfs out and just issue a patch like there is 25 percent of the game companys that have done this already, and they have not pushed the blame around, just accept it and correct it, it is the responsibility of the game comapny to fix there game not Microsoft.

And i have the correct direct x version installed and also i can play loads of very old 3d games on my computer running windows xp, like i said it is there game that is faulty, not Microsoft.

[Outlaw]

Not everything can be fixed with a simple patch. Just because some games can be made to run in XP with a few corrections doesn't mean they all can. If it was that easy to fix, it probably would've already been done.
Originally posted by Andrew7689
And i am looking forward to the realise of the new operating system Long Horn later this year. Have fun waiting, it's not coming out until 2005. ;)

[nocode]

Originally posted by Andrew7689
I got this game for christmas and i installed it onto my computer, but to my surprise, it said when i ran it. the graphics mode you are trying to use is not available. I tried to run it in 1280 x 1024, in 32 bit colour. but if i play rogue spear, i can run that game ok in 1920 x 1440, in 32 bit colour, why can't i play that game in 1280 x 1024, i also tried to run it in 800 x 600, in 16 bit colour

Post your hardware specs..................

[Andrew7689]

MicroATX Box
40 gb hard disk with windows xp on, ata 133, using sata converter
80 gb hard disk with all my games on, 52 percent full, ata 100
LS-120
CD-rom rw
2048 meg of system memory, running at 400 mhz dual channel
intel p4 at 2.4 ghz, at 800 mhz bus speed, hyper threading
at moment i am using the internal grahics card intel extreme 2
but i normally use Geforce 4, 440 MX, AGP 8x, 64 meg memory

And my board is a P4P800-VM

the VM = micro ATX version of the P4P800

This board has 6 channel sound built in 4 ide devices at ata 100, and 2 sata, and the board can take a 3.4 ghz and beyond processor. i am using my geforce 4 now, i went and cut a pci plate down so i could fit my graphics card in.

[Andrew7689]

The picture tells it all, this game is damaged.

[Andrew7689]

i have a picture in this one, somehow it went wrong in the other post, not very happy with that, i blame this site for that.

[chaosisreality]

It may be an option you have on your video card that is causing distortion. But, I also remember that in some games, map hacks and "Spectator modes" in which you go behing the wall, will cause a blurring in the graphics. If you did use cheat codes or hacks for this game, it may be a problem. Or maybe your components are too old/too advanced.

EDIT- Umm... it doesn't matter. I just looked up your game, it's a Windows 95/98 based. You can't do anything about it running, unless you switch to a 95/98 OS computer.


And don't blame the poor site, it didn't know it did anything wrong!

[Xoncide]

Originally posted by Andrew7689
i blame this site for that.

i would be willing to be the site blames you...

[Andrew7689]

Hello

i posted a picture in the first one then it disappeared, and then would not let me post another picture, there was no reason for that to happen though.

[chaosisreality]

End users fault. You didn't post it right.

[Andrew7689]

Originally posted by chaosisreality
End users fault. You didn't post it right.

Hello, this website is a fault so don't go blaming your customers otherwise you are asking for trouble. And that screenshot was taken of windows 98, i installed windows 98 on another hard disk i had this took 5 hours in all, just for the sake of running that game, i found out that this game does not work on any modern graphics drivers either from nvidia or the card manufacturer, i downloaded drivers that where from nvidia and that where something like 30.00 onwards, and mine are at 52.00 onwards, also i have read on other sites that other people have similar problems with games, they don't work on the recent drivers you have to get out dated drivers in order for it to work. And the company that made this game said to use whql certified drivers, well i download from nvidia them type of drivers and after installing them dirctx informed me that these drivers are not certified. By the way i actually got the game to work after downloading the patch but the graphics are very jerky and slow, and when you quit the game this is in windows xp now, you have to get task manager up to shut the non responsive program down. Plus the glsetup program that they supplied i tried to install that in windows 98, but when it did not recognise my card it accessed the internet, i was online at the time but, it said that page cannot be displayed, so i checked to see if i was online and yes my msn messenger was online and yahoo messenger, strange.

[chaosisreality]

1. I'm not admin of the site :o, but if you really think it is worth pursuing, then message Canis Lupis and complain. But, I can tell you that you have no need to, so just drop the topic.

2. Your post was semi-confusing. Are you running 2 OS's on 1 computer? Is it 98, or XP? You cannot switch OS's in the middle of a game, if that's what your post implied.

[Andrew7689]

Hello

I have 2 separate computers

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows xp - computer

P4P800 - Deluxe
2048 meg of memory running at 400 mhz bus dual channel (DDR)
2.4 ghz processor with hyper threading at 800 mhz bus speed
80 gig hard disk - used to store all my games on (Drive D:) at ata 100
40 gig Hard disk - windows xp on at ata 133, sata converter
LS120 - floppy drive, 120 meg disks, and normal 1.44 meg disks
ZIP750
Geforce 4, 440 mx, agp 8x

please note that this computer will not run windows 98 at all, it said when i tried to install it on here, there is insufficiant memory to continue to load windows, what i had 2048 meg of memory!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Windows 98 - computer

P4B-LS, this has intregrated ulta 160 Dual Channel SCSI (30 devices)
512 meg of memory running at 100 mhz bus speed, (SDRAM)
2.0 ghz processor runing at 400 mhz bus speed
80 gig hard disk, at ata 100
1.44 meg floppy drive
Geforce 4, 440 mx, agp 4x (This is the same card as above, i had to remove it from my other board, so i could use this one)

I also have to use the cd- rom from my other computer.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope that help, sorry for the confusion, i am not happy with having to go backwards in technology just to accommondate these games, its like saying to you to go from broadband 512k to 33k dail up, just because of some software programs. I hope you understand the catch 22, that customers are put in, i really wanted to sell my other computer but now adays you have to keep it and have 2 computers one with the latest operating system on and the other with the yet to come out of date operating system. Now it was simplier moving from windows 95 to windows 98, but from windows 98 to windows xp, there seems to be MAJOR problems, if you understand. I hope that is not off the subject lines.

[chaosisreality]

It basically goes along the lines of your systems are being mismatched. You have advanced parts (Geforce 4, 440 mx, agp 4x )on an older OS, and it doesn't work like that. The game will be horrible on XP, beause it's not made for that. The game may stink on your 98 computer, because the advanced graphics card isn't being read by the older software game.

In conclusion: Give up on this game. Go buy a new game, that's suited for this. Unless you somehow get a setup perfect for it, you may as well have a hard time getting it to go. And by the age of the game, and the designated OS, I'd have to assume you either got it at a bargain bin store, or off of an auction site such as e-bay. Is this correct?

[Andrew7689]

Hello

I got that game from a computer store, the store is called "Game" the store used to be called "Electronic Boutique" you may of heard of it.

This i a website link to the shop on the internet, if you want to have a look, but this is no second hand shop.

http://shop.game.net/

[Andrew7689]

Hello

It says on the box in came in a DVD stlye box and says copyright 2003, which i thought since it said something like that and it was in a dvd stlye case it was a relatively modern game, was it a con then, if so then i would have to complain to the shop and maybe trading standards, this was a very expensive game i spent about 10 pound on it. And i feel as if i was taken for a ride, if this is the case, that shop have got older games but they are all in card board boxes, and those boxes are a lot bigger, and differ in size.

Thanks for your help though, sorry if i come across as an angry person but these thinks work me up, and i get easily worked up, especially when things go wrong, and i am one of those people theat won't drop it easily. I don't get violent though, i just have a good old shouting match, if you understand, my sister finds that amusing and says calm down, your going to have an heart attack, or my blood pressure is going to go through the roof.

Regards

Andrew