Outpost Universe Forums

Outpost Series Games => Outpost 2 Divided Destiny => Topic started by: Apocca on February 14, 2004, 07:34:01 AM

Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Apocca on February 14, 2004, 07:34:01 AM
I played outpost2 a few years ago on my old computer and I want to play it again on my new computer with WinXP. So I install it, start a new game.... can't select either Eden or Plymouth  :blink:.  I thought no problem i enjoy playing colony games too. I select colony games from the menu.. can't select a difficulty level  :blink:. I can't seem to click any radiobuttons. Anyone know what the problem can be?


ps. Hi i'm new.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Zircon on February 14, 2004, 07:59:41 AM
The radio buttons get marked, you cant see it that's all...
It happens on all win xp computers...

Choose the options you want and then click ok...
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: <NH> Cameron1032 on February 14, 2004, 11:46:54 AM
Press alt and it will show up.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: plymoth45 on February 14, 2004, 01:01:49 PM
i like zircons idea better, cause that is wht i do
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Apocca on February 15, 2004, 03:56:56 AM
Ah ok, tnx. Now I can finally play this great classic game! Maybe when I get the hang of it, we could play a multiplayer game.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on February 15, 2004, 04:01:58 AM
It happends on win2k pro also,

But if you press alt+tab and get back into the game again
you should see the buttons marked.

You don't have to do it this way but its just a suggestion.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: BlackBox on February 15, 2004, 10:46:49 AM
Yeah, WinXP doesn't seem to like the owner draw system that OP2 uses...
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: plymoth45 on February 15, 2004, 02:05:23 PM
It does seem that way doesn't it.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: mustang09-06 on February 15, 2004, 09:37:16 PM
I know 2 ways to view those.

1)  Set you're everything to 16 bit.  You can do this by right clicking on the desktop going to properties and going to the settings tab. Then you change the the resolution to 16 bit. If this doesn't work try the next thing.

2) Goto My Computer and double click C:\. Then goto C:\Sierra\outpost2\outpost2.ini. It will bring up note pad and have specs for the game in it.  What you want to change is SpiffyDraw from =1 to =0.

 This will disable the outpost 2 menus and give you crappy looking ones but it only lasts during the beginning and you will be able to select everything.

Hope I helped in some way.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on February 16, 2004, 07:18:45 AM
I would rather have no buttons marked than to have windows graphics in Outpost2








 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: plymoth45 on February 16, 2004, 02:46:36 PM
hey, the window graphics is actually really nice, so there.:P
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on February 16, 2004, 04:56:27 PM
I'm not saying there bad, but having them in the game is a bit weird! ;)








 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: alice on February 16, 2004, 07:23:42 PM
Hey mustang09, I taught you that!!! lol.  I have win98. :)
 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on February 16, 2004, 07:54:31 PM
He Might have win2k, because win98 is a bit crusty







 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: alice on February 16, 2004, 08:11:39 PM
Win98's better than XP!!!!  I can debate if you want. Start a topic in the debate forums. :D
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on February 16, 2004, 08:16:51 PM
Nah! your out of your mind!!

I guess you will have to make a pros and cons list
or describe in more detail why 98 is better then XP.





 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: BlackBox on February 22, 2004, 04:30:25 PM
Okay... I found a better solution than to disable owner-draw support (Mustang's idea).. And you don't have to change to Win98 or anything.

In Win2000/XP, do this:

1. Right click the Desktop and choose properties (or open display control panel, either way)
2. Click the Appearance tab.
3. At the bottom click Effects
4. Uncheck "Hide underlined letters for keyboard navigation...". Press OK then OK again.

Now the radio buttons will show up without pressing Alt but you'll have to look at the underlined hotkeys for menus, etc.

Not really a big "bad thing", though...
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: selfdestruct on March 09, 2004, 03:35:11 PM
will this problem still happen will using the other systems like meinium, nt, windows 2000, 98 and 2nd editon, 95 or windows 3.11

how come the graphics of the game can't adapt to 32 bit resolution?
I did have melinum and i do belive i can see the buttons, and also in 98
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: BlackBox on March 10, 2004, 04:59:16 PM
It only happens in 2000 and XP.

Besides, you can't run OP2 in Win3.11 (even with Win32s) because there would be no directX support or thread support.

I think the reason it wont use 32 bit resolution normally is because the GDI palettes have to be downsampled to 16bit color then up again, I think it can cause some slowdowns and also, probably increases working code set of OP2 (more stuff in memory needed)

You can defeat this with the Windowed Loader (http://forum.outpostuniverse.net/index.php?showtopic=633).
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Drakmar on March 10, 2004, 06:40:05 PM
Win3.11 is a 16-bit OS, and OP2 requires a 32-bit OS to run (Like 95/98/ME/2K/NT/XP)
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Phantom on April 30, 2004, 01:30:24 AM
Thank you all for your ideas on solving the problem. But in my personal opinion, I don't mind not having the radio buttons.

And Win XP is way better. It crashes much less, and I rarely get the blue screen of death.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kiith Somtaaw on April 30, 2004, 07:49:48 AM

I have never encountered this blue screen of death. lol


But I rarely get the menu button problem,


 
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: zeritou on April 30, 2004, 08:55:02 AM
YOU'VE NEVER SEEN THE BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH!!!!

i put you on a sad, sad list then, few have been forced to endure the BSOD and forgotten about it, but no one has been able to compleatly avoid the BSOD
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Zircon on April 30, 2004, 11:05:55 AM
hehe :whistle:
When i had win98 i had 3-4 bluescreens daily...

But since i built my own computer not using power-color crap and installed win-xp i haven't had a single blue screen...

My portable on the other hand for school gets the blue screen once in a while and it has win xp.

*pats computer* :lol:  
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Phantom on April 30, 2004, 12:07:51 PM
Yep, I still get it, just not nearly as often as I did on win 95 and 98.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: BlackBox on April 30, 2004, 02:25:34 PM
If you can get a blue screen in WinXP.... you're very.... lucky... (well not really.... it's a sign that your computer is majorly... screwed up)

The only times it will give a blue screen are on extremely serious problems like if it can't load the OS kernel or the HAL, or if there is a major crash in a driver.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Kramy on April 30, 2004, 04:26:59 PM
I get the blue screen about once a month on my win98 SE. One program crashes(illegal opperation) about every 4-5 days.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Ezekel on May 02, 2004, 04:02:09 PM
... aren't all errors fundamentally due to either a lack of memory/overload on processor time requirements
AND/OR
a mathmatical erro with LHS does not equal RHS?

....in the latter, it just proves that windows is fundamentally flawed for having a BSOD.




besides, if your compy realises there is an error, i never understood why it wouldn't simply autorestart explorer, to save you having to do a full compy-reboot...
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Phantom on May 02, 2004, 06:13:45 PM
I usually get the BSOD when I do major video editing that requires 100% of my 2.8 HT P4.
It's rare, very rear.

It usually says something like:
Dumping Memory...
or something like that.

All in all though, win XP is way better.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: alice on May 03, 2004, 07:21:25 AM
I VERY rarely get a BSOD.  I have win98.  I have seen a BSOD or 2 on WinXP.  It was on Mustangs computer when we tried to install keyboard drivers.  (The drivers would let him customize his internet shortcut keys.)
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Phantom on May 03, 2004, 10:43:23 AM
Man, with all the stuff I did on win98, I was getting a blue screen like every two days!

But anyways, Microsoft is also fazing out win98 and will stop supporting it soon. Just as a side note.

And also a side note: I hate Macs.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: ZeusBD on May 03, 2004, 01:07:29 PM
I got the BSOD quite a lot on Win 98 SE, but haven't gotten it once on Win XP. But I must admit, 98 SE is much better than 95 or 98. The problem I have now is that my computer is constantly freezing up and/or just randomly restarting.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: Mez on May 05, 2004, 10:45:36 AM
I have WinXP and i also have had the problems of my PC instantly rebooting for no apparent reason without warning, but i have tracked it down to a hardware conflict between my mouse and games controller which imitates the mouse.  This problem i cant slove i just have to be very carefull that i dont use both at the same time.

My PC also crashes but i have found that to be due to Microsoft Office as when it doesn't shut down properly (i.e. it instantly reboots without warning) that when you next start the PC up all microsoft software is slower or doesn't load or crashes the PC and i have to do a full/proper shut down/reboot before it will work properly.

I quite liked the BSOD as it at least gave me the chance to save some of my work most of the time, but with WindozeXP instantly rebooting i have no chance to save any work especially if it is on non microsoft software.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: ZeusBD on May 05, 2004, 12:05:33 PM
What game contoller's have you noticed it do it on, and can you just give them a different IRQ? Maybe that's why they are conflicting....I might just have to try that myself.
Title: Outpost2 menu problem
Post by: BlackBox on May 05, 2004, 07:26:26 PM
Try connecting the controller to the USB port, and not the game port if possible. USB doesn't use IRQ's or any other of those types of resources.

(Remember: to change the IRQ's go to the Device manager and use the Resources tab.