G3 won't start up!!!!!

[WWI Ace]

I just got a G3 at my LHS and when I go to the G3 launcher to start it up it tells me this. Error opening image file :o:/rfv3/image/airports/textures/specialeffects/snow.tga and then this pops up. Error creating effect prop disk. Somebody that is computer literate please help me figure this thing out!!! I'd hate to think I spent $200 bucks for something that won't work. Steve.

[WWI Ace]

That smiley face in the previous post should be the letter o. Steve.

[firemanbill]

Hey Ace, has it ever run before? or is this a fresh install?

I ask because I downloaded an airport once and did not have the expansion pack required to run it and got a similar error. I can't remember exactly what it said but it was something similar if I remember right.

If it has never run maybe try uninstalling and reinstalling it. It may have corrupted a file or two loading.

[WWI Ace]

Thanks firemanbill!!! No, I've never run it before. It's brand new. It's driving me crazy having a new toy that I can't play with!!!! I'll try what you said. Steve.

[WWI Ace]

Okay, I tried it. It gets to a black screen that says scene:photofields at the bottom. Then it loads 61 out of 100 and gives me the same errors again. What do you guys think? Steve.

[firemanbill]

Well this is kind of like trying to give a hircut over the phone but let's see what we can do.:D

By chance do you using a DVD/RW drive in your computer you to install it? If so that may be your problem. They had a workaround on their website to fix that but I found the easiest way to do it on mine was put an old 52x cd rom drive in my pc just long enough to load it.

Short of that did you check the list of compatible video cards and is your one on them?

[thomdoe]

WW, sounds like a video card, mjne went to 61 out of 100. I changed to a much better card, loaded first time plays great. K

[Bill G]

I had no problems, but my machine is new. I would definitely check the video card against reccomended ones and specs. They're pretty cheap now, so its not a big hassle to do. WalMart probably even has what you need, if its a card.
Mine actually collected dust for 3 months. I bought it to encourage me to get a new machine. I've been putting it off, since its always a pain getting everything setup the way you want it. I would not have been thrilled if the Sim had not worked after getting the new machine going.

[watt_the?!]

try copying the entire disk to your hard drie, then installing from there. check the CD for scratches etc.

The other way to do it requires some nouse with PCs. You can create an image file from the CD and then mount that on a virtual drive- hence never having to use the CD. This is completely legal if you own the original.

Tim

[WWI Ace]

Thanks for all the help guys!!! It sounds like my problem is what I suspected according to Thomedoe. I guess I'll have to get a new video card. I hope it's not too hard to install one as I've never done anything like that before. Any suggestions on a relatively cheap card and where I can get it? I have easy access to Walmart and Radio Shack. Best Buy and Circuit city are 65 miles away so I'd like to get one locally. Steve.

[Bill G]

Thanks for all the help guys!!! It sounds like my problem is what I suspected according to Thomedoe. I guess I'll have to get a new video card. I hope it's not too hard to install one as I've never done anything like that before. Any suggestions on a relatively cheap card and where I can get it? I have easy access to Walmart and Radio Shack. Best Buy and Circuit city are 65 miles away so I'd like to get one locally. Steve.

I just started adding/swapping cards in computers this past year. Very easy. All the included softwares actually loaded fine too, knock on wood.

[thomdoe]

WW, install is easy, don't go CHEEP on the card, I did then I had to take it back and spend the $$$ for a good card if you don't have the $$ right now wait and save it will be worth it. I went through this. K

[watt_the?!]

if it wont install, its not the video card.

edit: oh i see. this is at startup?

i presume you have the latest directx?

set your computer to ''best performance'' also via right clicking on your my computer icon. This will get rid of the bells and whistles on your PC, including things like V sync and anti alias.

id be trying these things first before going for a video card.

btw what is your card?

[thomdoe]

Video Card !! problem solved, Sorry Watt the. With all he has said, it's the card. Let's all wait. K

[skiman762]

http://www.gpsoftware.com/realflightg3kb.shtml
Go to real flights web site they have a list of approved video cards there

[WWI Ace]

Thanks guys!!! Guess next payday I'll get a new card. I looked on the G3 site at the ones they list but many of them seem old. Have they not updated? Anyway, I'm a little aprehensive about taking my computer apart to change the card. If you guys say it's pretty easy then I'm gonna give it a shot!!! I was just afraid I'd mess something up! Steve.

[firemanbill]

It is easy Steve. Unless you have onboard video all you have to do is pull the old card out, push the new one in it's place. Then load the drivers that came with the card and your done.

[Bill G]

Thanks guys!!! Guess next payday I'll get a new card. I looked on the G3 site at the ones they list but many of them seem old. Have they not updated? Anyway, I'm a little aprehensive about taking my computer apart to change the card. If you guys say it's pretty easy then I'm gonna give it a shot!!! I was just afraid I'd mess something up! Steve.

They're lazy. They only listed a few of the cards that would work, at the time they released it. Better software would take advantage of those who have a constant internet connection, and provide advanced support while loading the software.

[thomdoe]

WW, as Bill G has stated that is only a few cards. Look over the internet find the best card for the money. I didn't like changing this or opening my comp. but it's easy when you change the card set it up the G3 will load. Best of luck . thomedoe

[WWI Ace]

Thanks Thomdoe!!! I'm gonna try it as soon as I can get a card. Steve.

[thomdoe]

WW, if you have " on board " video it's easy to disable it. follow the manual. Good luck. K

[WWI Ace]

Hey guys I found this reasonably priced card. Do you think it'll run G3?
Radeon ATI 9250
four pixel shader pipeline architecture and 256MB of DDR memory.
Whatever all that stuff means!!! Steve.

[thomdoe]

Yes, follow the instructions. K

[WWI Ace]

Hey Thomedoe if your still out there I found this card at Best Buy and would like to know if it will run G3. EVGA GeForce 6200 256MB DDR AGP. It has 4 pipe architecture, NVIDIA Ultrashadow II, NVIDIA Intellisample 3.0, NVIDIA PureVideo, NVIDIA Digital Vibrance Control 3.0, MPEG-2 video encoding, and Microsoft DirectX 9.0 and OpenGL 2.0 optimization. According to the Realflight website the old GeForce 6200TC worked so is this close enough? I can't afford a GREAT card, I have to settle for a GOOD card. Thanks Thomedoe and all the others who have helped so far and I'm sorry I'm so computer illiterate. Steve.:)

[firemanbill]

Steve it should work fine. I have a 4 year old NVIDIA QuadroFX 500 that is not nearly as sophisticated as that one and it works great in mine.

[WWI Ace]

Thanks Firemanbill!!! I was hoping it would. I have to raise 3 boys so I really don't have the funds for top-of-the-line PC stuff. It's hard enough to find the money to buy a new plane every now and then! Steve.

[firemanbill]

I heard that I've got a 15, 13, and 10 y/o, it is definately not cheap!

[thomdoe]

WWI, yes I do think that will work. follow all inst. update your info. before you disable. If by chance it doesn't work, ( my first card didn't make sure you can bring it back ) I had to do this one time. Good luck, K

[watt_the?!]

steve,

if you are low on funds why not try to diagnose the actual problem before buying a video card?

have you eliminated all else?....what is your current card?

Tikm

[thomdoe]

yes as watt the has stated you should diagnose the actual problem, but having gone through this and having my G3 stop at the same place I think you have found the problem, (video card ). Again I say Good Luck. K

[watt_the?!]

ok... but i can install and run g3 on a shared memory inbuilt video card. it runs, but not pretty....more like a slideshow.

before RC i was an online gaming nerd who spent hours and hours online flying aircraft sims, tweaking my PC for maximum frame rates and optimum performance.

as i was on a budget, i couldnt afford to just throw money at problems and hope that they would go away. im not suggesting that a new video card wont fix it, what im suggesting is that there are steps that can be done prior to trying the card.

like turning AA and antialias off, trying vsync settings, mipmap level, direct x, aperture size and so on.

if this fixes it, then you turn them back on until the culprit is found. I have several sims that dont like antialias beyond a certain level and several games that hog the video card so rely on what i have running in the background and virtual memory settings and so forth.

just trying to save you a buck.

if you have to get a video card, checkout the older generation geforce cards- series 4 and 5. You should be able to get one of the top end versions for a very good price. People dont realise that a top end GeForce 4 card is not far off the top end geforce 6 card. Heck a Geforce 3 128mb (even 64mb) ultra would still be plenty for RFG3.

similarly the ATI radeons. Since the 9000 series cards they have gone head to head with nvidia.

Cheers,

Tim

[thomdoe]

watt the your right, and after all that I did get an ATI card. after I installed I removed the background now it runs very nice. K

[WWI Ace]

Thanks again guys!!! Thomedoe the video card was the culprit. My video card was integrated into the motherboard so I guess it wasn't good enough. I bought a new Geforce card and put it in using the instructions like you said. I hit the G3 Launcher and away it went!!! It was actually easier than I thought. I still need to tweak things a little but hey at least it works. Thanks guys for bearing with me and helping me to succeed. You guys are the greatest!!! What did we do to solve problems before the Internet! Steve.

[thomdoe]

Great, now when you get to the G3 fields and learn how to elimate some of the background. i know it looks nice but it slows the program down. the planes will fly smoother with less background it is nice to hear you got it to work i did feel the same when i got mine and it wouldn't load. good you worked through it. you will like it. K