Crashing on making a new game

Well, lets see.

You have a gig of ram, mostly in use when you start the game

You have both a motherboard sound chip and a USB sound device in use, both of which have very old drivers.

You are running the game at a different resolution than your monitors native 1280x1024.

And, this is your first post. Yet you seem to have been with the game for some time.

Did this problem just come up recently after you have been playing for some time? If so, I would suspect that something has changed in your system to cause a problem. You could have some malware that just crept in.

I hadn't played in a while, but the problem didn't exist before I reinstalled the game recently. I had installed it on a secondary harddrive, and the drive's assigned letter changed at some point (I'm not sure when or why, but it was intentional I'm sure). As a reulst I needed to do a massive purge of my registry and reinstall (BAD design choice there BTW's). Complete reinstall, core and both expansions, and the problem started the first time I tried to play after the reinstall.

As for the sound drivers, I'm trying to get them updated now, but that shouldn't be the problem.

The video is running at minimum resoultion to reduce eye-strain, but I could go higher if you'd think it might help any.

Give this a shot:

http://files.kryofx.com/GC2langfix.reg

Rosco, I think your idea may have made thing worse. I've now lost all menu text. Help!

[Edit]

I'm going to uninstall all three, starting with Twilight -> Avatar -> DL, then try reinstalling all three after a reboot. Here's hoping.

Also, reboot after you install.

Will do, Moosetek. I *really* want to get this working again, I rather enjoyed this game when I was actually able to play it.

[EDIT]

FAIL!! Clean install, rebooting between EACH and EVERY uninstall and install. Uninstalled TA, reboot, un-DA, reboot, un-core, reboot. Install core, reboot, in-DA, reboot, in-TA, reboot, load game and original problem starts again. This is getting frustrating. I was running SmartException and have sent that report to the email listed, along with the new debug.err file a copy of which folllows.

Debug Message:  Version v1.53 last updated on: Tue Nov  4 11:55:35 2008
Debug Message:  Checking DX Version.
Debug Message:  *********DXDiag info follows.*********
System Info
Time: 6/20/2010, 00:27:44
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
Machine Name: MIKE
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100216-1514)
Languages: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: EMACHINES
System Model: T6520
BIOS: Phoenix - Award BIOS v6.00PG
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3400+,  MMX,  3DNow, ~2.4GHz
Physical Memory: 1022MB RAM
Page File: 748MB used, 1710MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS

Display Info
Display device 1:
Device Name: \\.\DISPLAY1
Card Name: ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip Type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x9588)
DAC Type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Key Device: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_9588&SUBSYS_33701545&REV_00
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Display Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor Name: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Resolution: 1600,1200
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.7060
Driver Date: 3/2/2010 22:39:44
DirectX Acceleration Enabled: Yes
 

Sound info
Sound device 1:
Description: C-Media USB Audio Device  
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: USB\Vid_0d8c&Pid_0008&Rev_0100&MI_00
Manufacturer ID: 65535
Product ID: 65535
Driver Name: usbaudio.sys
Provider: Microsoft
Driver Version: 5.01.2600.5512
Driver Date: 4/14/2008 00:15:14
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 
Sound device 1:
Description: Sestek Audio Cable 1
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: EuMusDesign_VAC_WDM_stk
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: vacstkkd.sys
Provider: EuMus Design
Driver Version:
Driver Date: 8/1/2006 16:07:08
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 
Sound device 1:
Description: Sestek Audio Cable 2
Default Sound Playback: No
Default Voice Playback: No
Hardware ID: EuMusDesign_VAC_WDM_stk
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Driver Name: vacstkkd.sys
Provider: EuMus Design
Driver Version:
Driver Date: 8/1/2006 16:07:08
Type: WDM
Other Drivers:
Acceleration Level: 3
Cap Flags: 0
Min/Max Sample Rate: 0, 0
 

Debug Message:  *********END dxdiag info.*********
Debug Message:  Entering WinMain
Debug Message:  ******* Starting Game Shell *******
Debug Message:  Going Fullscreen
Debug Message:  Preparing to change display settings.
Debug Message:  Using hardware vertex processing
Debug Message:  Using multilsample setting: D3DMULTISAMPLE_4_SAMPLES
Debug Message:  Game Resolution: 1024 x 768
Debug Message:  Running fullscreen.
Debug Message:  HAL (hw vp): ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT
Debug Message:  D3DPRESENT_INTERVAL_DEFAULT
Debug Message:  Refresh rate: 60
Debug Message:  Bit Depth: 32 bit.
Debug Message:  *********Checking D3DDevice Caps***********************
Debug Message:  A full-color cursor is supported in hardware at high resolution modes.
Debug Message:  RGB in format 6:6:6, Masks reported as ff0000:ff00:ff
Debug Message:  Now Fullscreen
Debug Message:  Shell initialization complete
Debug Message:  GalCiv2 is activated.
Debug Message:  ***** Initializing Game *****
Debug Message:  No string tables in ./Data//ToolTips.tips
Debug Message:  Timer Frequency is 0 369e99
Debug Message:  No string tables in ./Data//*.str
Debug Message:  Initializing sound card.
Debug Message:  initailizing bink
Debug Message:  Create setup screens.
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  * Collectors Edition *
Debug Message:  Set mouse.
Debug Message:  Set update timer.
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message:  Danger Will Robinson, no Stars!!!!
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data//Tutorials/*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data//Campaigns/*.gc2Campaign
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Metaverse\ships\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\Metaverse\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message:  MetaverseWnd: Cannot find OBJID Metaverse_Character_Race_Title
Debug Message:  MetaverseWnd: Cannot find OBJID Metaverse_Character_Name_Value
Debug Message:  MetaverseWnd: Cannot find OBJID Metaverse_Character_Race_Value
Debug Message:  Tried to enter unprintable character: 9
Debug Message:  Clear data definitions.
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.xml
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask C:\Documents and Settings\Desktop\My Documents\My Games\GalCiv2\ships\*.shipcfg
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask F:\GAMES\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\CustomMaps\*.gc2map
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask ./Data//Scenarios/*.GC2Scenario
Debug Message:  No files found matching mask F:\GAMES\Stardock Games\GalCiv2\Mods\Default\Data\Scenarios\*.gc2scenario
Debug Message:  Creating Galaxy
Debug Message:  Killing threads.
Debug Message:  Kiling civs.
Debug Message:  Killing ships.
Debug Message:  Killing rallypoints.
Debug Message:  Killing misc objects.
Debug Message:  Killing stars.
Debug Message:  Killing anomalies.
Debug Message:  Killing space resources.
Debug Message:  Killing colonies and planets.
Debug Message:  killing scenario.
Debug Message:  Clearing Turn Event Log
Debug Message:  Clear galaxy settings.
Debug Message:  Clear influence.
Debug Message:  Clear up laws.
Debug Message:  Clear first time events.
Debug Message:  Clear wonders and trade goods.
Debug Message:  Clear sector mapper.
Debug Message:  Galaxy Size Set: 4 x 4
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Stars
Debug Message:  Number of Unplaced Stars: 7.
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Planets
Debug Message:  *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message:  *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message:  *************** Failed To Place Planet ***************
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Anomalies
Debug Message:  Num Anomalies: 34
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Resources
Debug Message:  Creating Random Map... Done
Debug Message:  Setting Game Options
Debug Message:  Creating Civs
Debug Message:  Terran Alliance: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message:  Altarian Republic: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message:  Arcean Empire: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message:  Torian Confederation: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message:  Dominion of Korx: Intellence -> 30
Debug Message:  Creating Civs... Done
Debug Message:  Updating ZOC.
Debug Message:  Updating ZOC.
Debug Message:  Galaxy Create... Done
Debug Message:  UIBeginGame called with g_ulLocalPlayerID = 0
Debug Message:  UIBeginGameHelper: New Game Started
Debug Message:  UIBeginGameHelper: Mods are Disabled