Black screen when starting steam

[Bloodmerchant]

All I get was a black screen with a flickering Eu Rome Cursor whenever I try to load the game through Steam. I can't click on anything and there's no music or sound. I tried looking for solutions, and this isn't a CTD. I've installed and reinstalled it plenty of times, and it still has that black screen.

 

[AndrewT]

You have to download the latest DirectX 9.0c installer from Microsoft (dxwebsetup.exe), save it to a local directory, and then run it.
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...38-db71-4c1b-bc6a-9b6652cd92a3&DisplayLang=en

Also, in the Steam client use the option to Verify Game Files or whatever Steam call it, see if it finds anything to fix.

If that doesn't help, please run DXDIAG, Save All Info, and post dxdiag.txt here (first delete everything after the Sound Devices section so it will fit). Also post your Rome/settings.txt and Rome/logs/system.log files. Note that if you use Vista/Win7 and have installed the game in the suggested folder c:\Program Files\Paradox Interactive\Rome\, the active versions of these last two files will have been redirected by Vista/win7 to a non-system directory, like c:\Users\[name]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\Paradox Interactive\Europa Universalis - Rome\, where [name] is your Vista/Win7 user name. You may have to search your C: drive for them.

Also please open up the Rome /logs/setup.log file and search for "checksum" and post just that line here, thank you.

 

[Bloodmerchant]

Setup[rome_application.cpp:552]: Checksum is Rome v2.32c (IYID) 1123867662

View attachment 43137View attachment 43136

system.log

Kernel Release[systemsettings.cpp:158]: System memory: 4080MB
Kernel Release[systemsettings.cpp:160]: CPU speed: 1995MHz
Kernel Release[systemsettings.cpp:167]: Number of processors: 8
Kernel Release[systemsettings.cpp:180]: CPU type: x86
Kernel Release[systemsettings.cpp:212]: OS: Unknown Service Pack 1 Build: 7601
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:130]: Graphic Adapters:
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:135]: 0: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:152]: Checking for multi-sampling support:
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:163]: 2 samples supported.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:163]: 4 samples supported.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:163]: 8 samples supported.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:178]: Using Adapter [0]:
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:184]: Succeeded to create a device [D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING].
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:226]: Graphics device: NVIDIA GeForce GT 520M
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:227]: Graphics driver: nvd3dum.dll
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:232]: Driver version: 9036
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:249]:


Dumping all gfx info:
DeviceIdentifier: {D7B71E3E-5310-11CF-B150-85B01FC2C535}
VendorId: 4318
DeviceId: 4176
SubSysId: -1870065587
Revision: 161
DriverVersion.HighPart: 524305
DriverVersion.LowPart: 795468


Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:299]: Instancing supported.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:317]: Video memory amount: 505MB
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:320]: Support for T&L found.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:323]: MaxSimultaneousTextures: 8
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:324]: MaxVertexBlendMatrices: 4
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:325]: MaxVertexBlendMatrixIndex: 8
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:327]: MaxSimultaneousTextures: 8
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:328]: MaxTextureBlendStages: 8
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:329]: Support for Anisotropic filtering found.
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:332]: Max Anisotropic filtering: 16
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:333]: Anisotropic filtering set to: 0
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:337]: Vertex Shader version: 3.0
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:342]: Pixel Shader version: 3.0
Kernel Release[main.cpp:208]: Rome Version Jul 9 2010 : 15:27:10
Kernel Release[internationalizedtext.cpp:1231]: Create table
Kernel Release[internationalizedtext.cpp:1233]: Create text database
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:39]: Init Music
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:45]: Graph done 0
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:51]: Control done 0
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:57]: Seeking done 0
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:62]: Event done 0
Kernel Release[dxmusic.cpp:67]: Music done 0
Kernel Release[DirectSound.cpp:36]: Init DirectSound
Kernel Release[DirectSound.cpp:54]: Sound initialised with result 0
Kernel Release[DirectSound.cpp:64]: Coop Level Set. Result: 0
Kernel Release[DirectSound.cpp:86]: Sound Init Done
Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:145]: Direct3D Created
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1024 768 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1024 768 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1024 768 70
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1024 768 75
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 768 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 768 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 800 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 800 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 800 70
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 800 75
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 1024 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 1024 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 1024 70
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1280 1024 75
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1360 768 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1360 768 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1366 768 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1366 768 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1400 1050 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1400 1050 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1440 900 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1440 900 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1680 1050 59
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1680 1050 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1920 1080 60
Kernel Release[graphicssettings.cpp:651]: Usable res: 1920 1080 59
Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:240]: Not using multisampling.
Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:260]: Creating device with: D3DCREATE_HARDWARE_VERTEXPROCESSING
Fullscreen=yes
RefreshRate=59
Resolution=1024x768
Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:340]: Done creating device.
Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:3159]: Used video memory before alt tab:
Need to select debug runtime to be able to see used memory.

Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:3200]: Used video memory after alt tab:
Need to select debug runtime to be able to see used memory.

Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:3159]: Used video memory before alt tab:
Need to select debug runtime to be able to see used memory.

Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:3200]: Used video memory after alt tab:
Need to select debug runtime to be able to see used memory.

Kernel Release[graphics.cpp:3159]: Used video memory before alt tab:
Need to select debug runtime to be able to see used memory.

 

[AndrewT]

Edit that settings.txt and set refreshRate=59 . That aside, the only problem I see there is the two monitors in dxdiag, the first one of which is showing up as an unknown model. Can you try with just one ?

Also did you apply the directX update I linked for you?

 

[Bloodmerchant]

I edited the settings.txt and applied that update but it said that it can't update because there is a newer version.

How do I set up a specific monitor? This is a laptop and there's only one monitor.

I decided to take a look at my error log and found this:

Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\interface\\VaeVictis\\bg_domestic_government_top.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\interface\\VaeVictis\\bg_domestic_decisions_top.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\interface\\VaeVictis\\bg_domestic_characters_top.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\test\\menu_tiles_1.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\test\\menu_tiles_2.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\test\\menu_tiles_dialog_2.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\test\\menu_tiles_line.tga.
Clausewitz Error[texturehandler.cpp:106]: Couldn't find texture file: gfx\\test\\slider_line.tga.
Clausewitz Error[sound.cpp:240]: Duplicate sound: land_event_02
Clausewitz Error[sound.cpp:240]: Duplicate sound: money_out

I even had to validate it and it's still the same 2.32c.

 

[AndrewT]

Those "errors" are normal and nothing to do with your problems.

Can you confirm that d3dx9_41.dll exists on your machine? It'll usually be in a system folder, but just search the whole disk.

Edit that settings.txt again, and change master_volume=-1 (that's minus one) . That will disable all sound, if that helps you have a problem with your sound driver or a rogue codec.

If none of that does anything, try this: copy the whole Rome directory structure to somewhere new outside the system path (eg c:\games\rome-test ). Being Steam, you won't be able to run romegame.exe directly as it will object, but you can install the new 2.35 beta over it (so that it overwrites that file and others), and then manually run romegame.exe from there - see whether that works.

 

[Bloodmerchant]

That file does exist on my machine.
I tried all of that but then I got a CTD.

When I restared the computer, the game ran fine but then as I clicked 'Single Player' at the menu, I got a CTD.

 

[AndrewT]

OK, a tad of progress perhaps. Now right-click on romegame.exe and set it to run as administrator, and to disable desktop composition.

 

[Bloodmerchant]

This time, no black screen and I still get a CTD when I click on Single Player.

 

[AndrewT]

Yeesh, this is looking ugly - we're just not seeing problems like this with this game. I can only guess it's an issue with your machine in some way. When you say

This is a laptop and there's only one monitor

do you literally mean there's a monitor AND the laptop's own LCD screen? If so can you try it with just one of those active?

And just to confirm, you have the refreshRate set to 59 and the master_volume to -1 ?

 

[Bloodmerchant]

Well, it's just the LCD screen. I just set the laptop to the lcd screen in the screen resolution settings.

I have my refresh rate set to 59 and the master_volume is at -1.

The problem is that this computer ran Rome before with no problems at all, aside from the occasional CTD once in a blue moon.

 

[Bloodmerchant]

I'm still experiencing a black screen and the CTD that comes after that.

Tried all combinations possible- still the same thing over and over again.

 

[Bloodmerchant]

Now my EU3 game doesn't work fine, there's a white screen, and there might even be a CTD.

It worked fine on this machine before, now I can't seem to run any games with the Clausewitz engine.

 

[AndrewT]

Weird. Clearly it must be some issue with your machine, but I'm running out of ideas as to what. Have you applied any Windows updates recently? Updated the video driver? Tried disabling any anti-virus app (as a test)?

 

[Bloodmerchant]

Uninstalling the antivirus solved the problem.

Thanks!