Goin' Outta My Head Over You

[knockahoma]

Hi everyone.

Just installed ootp4 and got a world of problems (some of which can be attributed to ignorance, no doubt).

I opened the game. Tried first to do a historical league. No go. Double checked the pathway. That was fine. Re-downloaded the historical stuff. Still no go.

second problem. Choppy lettering.

Searched the threads and found two solutions. Up the font and change to 102x768. Upped the font. (this may be a big problem, I'll get to that). The font changed on the desktop and on the internet (I now have a large white screen of nothing on the right side, no matter what internet site I go to). Anyway, battled the font back down to normal size by finding a default button. The internet screen remains the same, with large fonts. I'm guessing a different function?

But, my MAIN problem is that I think the large fonts pushed an APPLY button out of the screen so that the mouse is incapable of reaching it. Therefore, every time I try to change resolution, or font from that area, the computer ignores me. The resolution shows up at 800x600. I push it up, close the box (without hitting an APPLY button, since none is available). When I re-open the box a few seconds later, it's back on 800x600.

I think if I could re-establish contact with the alien APPLY button I might be able to get to 1020x768 res. In windows 98, I'm going to control panel, display, settings.

Someone suggested on another thread that a user try advanced after that ( the slide bar, which affects the font). That has remained frozen at 150 percent (why that didn't go back to 100 percent after hitting font defaults, I have no idea).

At any rate, After three days of reading through these threads, two days of rumaging through microsoft threads and a day of pulling my hair out because all i wanted was a simple 20 dollar baseball sim game and now most of my word processing text is screwed up....... aaarg is the politest thing I can say.

In defense of the team here, I got one e-mail on Christmas day (this was a present). from Markus which read: Try 1020x768.

I almost kicked the cat. I e-mailed explaining the problem in detail. Got a shucks, sorry the game isn't working, you can get your money back e-mail (politely stated, but didn't do much for my computer). So, here I am. Humorless, and praying for divine internet guidance.

From all that is written, this is a great team with a great product (no doubt, built by small numbers of people). But to date, this has been pretty damn frustrating.

Rick

PS. The cat is fine.

[Steve Kuffrey]

I'm sorry to hear of your problems, I'll try to help:

-Have you d/l your video card's most updated drivers?
-Are you certain that "atleast" directX8.1b is installed?
-How old is your monitor and or video card? I ask because it is possible that one or the other or both will not support 1024x768 res. which is what the game runs best at.

Let me know and we can go from there.

[knockahoma]

PSS....

I have no idea what this stuff means. I don't game much. The computer is for work.

159 mb of ram
65% free
file 32 bit
virtual memory 32 bit

windows 98.

by the way, I was unable to load any type league. The message was Could Not Create Folder.

If anyone can tell me whether or not they have an apply button on the resolution screen to lock in the new setting, that would help tremendously. If it's missing there's little hope for the game or the work related material.

Thanks in advance.

[knockahoma]

Okay... that was the fastest reply in history. 15 seconds on a board!

I updated to 8.1

I don't understand the drivers, where the information on them is to be found, and if it's a free download as the 8.1 or whether you have to buy.

The monitor is only a couple of years old.

Amazing. You lifted my spirits. Thanks. What about the apply button on the res screen? Should there be one on windows 98?

[Steve Kuffrey]

Well in changing the screen res. you should have a slider at the bottom right hand of the box that should tell you what the res. currently is set at. IF you still have some room to move the slider to the right then it is possible that you could still run it in 1024x768. Give it a try and see what happens, it will ask you if you want to keep it at those settings if it can adjust to them so if it appears to not work then you can just tell it to not keep the settings.

As far as the "could not create" message it sounds like you d/l the files for the historical and tried to use them w/o "unzipping" them. Try that, then remember where you unzipped them on your HD(exactly) then give it another try.

[Scott Vibert]

Drivers are generally free downloads provided by the manufacturer of your hardware. The cannot create folder issue means that you have a folder in your OOTP4/STB2003 directory that already has the same name as the name you are using for your league. Simply delete the unwanted league or choose a new name for the league. For Historical leagues you need to make sure you have the Generic Version of the Lahman Database Versions 3,4,or 4.5. The current version 5 will NOT work with OOTP4 (it will with OOTP5). The generic version will have a bunch of .csv files in it. If you only see one file (.mdb) in the directory where you placed the Lahman database then you have the wrong version to use with OOTP4/STB2003.

Hope this helps.

[knockahoma]

Thank you, fellas.

I will try the advice on the historical and the duplicate file.

Steve, I do have that slide. It has four settings, I believe, all the way up to 1024x768. I slide up to 1024x768, but with no apply button in view ( I seem to remember one before I started messing with this stuff), I can't set it. My only option is to hit the x button at the top and go out of the menu. Apparently, there is SOMETHING I'm supposed to verify the command with, but I see nothing on the screen.

Have you ever heard of changing the font or screen resolution so large that the change moves the APPLY button out of the reach of the mouse? Out of the window?

If I can retrieve the missing APPLY button (or get verification that one does not exist on that screen), I think I've got the game issue licked. (I'll work on the rest later).

Since there are some computer savvy people here, thought I might get lucky. Certainly didn't at Microsoft.

[Steve Kuffrey]

I would think that if the monitor would support the 1024x768 res setting that the apply button would be in view so I'm guessing that it does not. Might wanna talk with someone locally to verify this.

Other options would be to try and find out what type of video card you have and get the latest drivers for it, this in itself can add that additional screen res ability.

You can get updated drivers here when you findout the video card maker.

[Killebrew]

If anyone can tell me whether or not they have an apply button on the resolution screen to lock in the new setting, that would help tremendously. If it's missing there's little hope for the game or the work related material.

Actually the "apply" button is there, it is just completely off the screen. This has nothing to do with monitor/video card limits - if you PC says you can go to 10,000 by 60,000 you can probably do it. You definately do not want a weird video setting like this unless you are almost blind - my father sets his PC up like that so the fonts are very large but that can sometimes mean some applications have to be tweaked from the default settings which is a pain. Another annoying thing about extreme video settings is that the "OK", "apply" and "cancel" buttons are often offscreen as you found out.

Anyway - to change your video settings when the "apply" button is off screen just use the "TAB" key on your keyboard to tab to the "OK" or "Apply" buttons. This will take some counting and trial and error. Try it out, tapping the TAB key will highlight different areas of the video settings pop-up and when you reach the "OK" or "Apply" buttons you just hit the ENTER key on your keyboard. Since you cannot see when the "OK" or "Apply" buttons are highlighted you must count keystrokes - here is how:

Step 1. Right click on you desktop to get to the Display Properties.
Step 2. Go to the SETTINGS tab.
Step 3. Change the screen area size to the desired size: 1024 X 768 is typical for 15-17 inch monitors I believe.
Step 4. Tap the "TAB" key on your keyboard 2 times.
Step 5. Press the ENTER key on the keyboard.

You should now see a new pop-up that says "Windows will now adjust your screen size blah blah blah" (something like that).

If that does not happen (no windows pop-up after pressing ENTER) then repeat from Step #1, this time changing Step 4 to: Tap the "TAB" key on your keyboard 1 time.


Slightly technical explanation of the TAB key guessing: The amount of times you hit the TAB key might depend on how fancy your video card is - there might be extra buttons on the display property settings screen.

There are other ways to figure this all out but that stuff is boring, I think the main thing you wanna' do is get your OS video settings looking normal again. Once they are normal we can walk you through various ways to correct most graphic issues you experience with OOTP.

[knockahoma]

Bravo, Killebrew, Bravo!!!

I was beginning to feel like a kook. "No, really. There was an apply button, then there wasn't. It just disappeared. Like a.... like a bigfoot!

Anyway. Great assistance from all, thanks.

Killebrew,

Once I got back to the apply button, I tried the three lower settings. They all work. Oddly, the 1024x768 does not. The screen goes black for fifteen seconds or so, then returns to the previous setting.

The computer is a dell, about three years old. The monitor came with it. So, my intuition is that if the screen says I can get to 1024, the monitor should be capable of supporting that. So, then, would the video card be the prime suspect? Is there a place on the computer that stores information on the type of video card, as well as a download location?

Getting closer



Rick

[Steve Kuffrey]

Yes you should be able to do the following:

-Control panel
-System
-Device manager(tab at the top)
-Display adapters-should have a small drop-down(highlight this)
-Select "properties" at the bottom.

You should be able to findout the type of video card, once you do that and select properties, then "driver details" in another tab you can choose. This should tell you the date the current driver was produced.

With the video card brand then go to windrivers.com and you can see if any updates have been made to the drivers or not. If so, d/l them and place them in the windows/system/drivers folder then use the "update driver" button on the driver details tab.

Then try the steps to change res to 1024x768.

Hope this helps

[knockahoma]

Thanks Steve,

Quick question.

I went to the site you suggested. The info I have is that the driver is:

Intel 810e chipset graphics driver DC1 33F SB133 (4.11.10.1361)

Hardware version 003

None of this information on the site's search engine brought me to a download site. I saw one link for "gettijng the latest driver updates". Do I pay the 29.95 for six months, or is there a free area to download this? Also did a yahoo search for intel chipset graphics. Came upon one page for downloading, but it advised the page was only for technical types, not home users.

Thanks Steve.

PS... Do you have a buzzer on your computer when a new message arrives???? Very quick responses.

[Steve Kuffrey]

Try here. Or Intel's site.

[knockahoma]

Hi Steve,


Did try Intel's site. They warn against home users downloading the update and specifiy the update should be downloaded on windows 2000. I have 98.

I tried your link. Said it was unavailable

Thanks for the persistence, though

[Steve Kuffrey]

Try my link above again, I previously made a typo.

[Killebrew]

That is an awesomecool (1 syllable) site Steve (driverzone.com), they don't have win98 Intel video card updates though.

knockahoma, this is a little weird. You did get the game working, but it seems like it only worked at a weird video resolution setting that makes the rest of your computing difficult? That is a hopeful sign anyway.

The computer is a dell, about three years old. The monitor came with it. So, my intuition is that if the screen says I can get to 1024, the monitor should be capable of supporting that. So, then, would the video card be the prime suspect?

I just realized that my advice above stating "whatever video setting it allows you to choose should be doable" may not be accurate after all. If you have an old monitor it may not be able to do what the video card can do, especially if the monitor is 14 inch. Not sure what your monitor is but I'm feeling 14 inch monitors can get to 1024 X 768 or higher - not positive since I have not dealt with 14 inch monitor troubleshooting for a long time. Even a 15 inch monitor may not be able to reach resolutions that your video card allows.

knockahoma, assuming you have a 15 inch or greater moniter: Since they don't have a correct Intel video card driver at driverzone.com why not look for updated monitor drivers, that could be where the problems lies too. http://www.driverzone.com/monitor.html is the link for the monitor driver search, just look for your monitor brand name.

[knockahoma]

Hi Kill,

I must admit that my brain is frying. I spent most of the day searching for driver updates. Finally found one. I THINK it's working. The letters are now clear.

HOWEEEEVER......

I got a runtime message ( feeling guilty for taking up so much of your and Steve's time, I searched the forum and found two very disturbing threads. They suggested the guy do more upgrades. He did. More problems. Then they tell him unless he's an expert with the computer he shouldn't be making these upgrades. Who knows? Maybe I've crossed that line as well.

Surely, more can be done with customer service (If you guys hadn't stepped in, I would be screwed. Especially you Kill).

I'm going to give it one more try.

Here is the message I received: runtime error. Program: C\Programfiles\OOTP
OOTP.exe

Abnormal program termination.

[knockahoma]

I should also note I just tried the game again and now it just blinks at me and returns to desktop. Double checked the resolution. That's fine.

Cripes! They oughta be paying ME $20 to play this game. The cat is very nervous.....

[crackpott]

Originally posted by knockahoma
Hi Kill,

I must admit that my brain is frying. I spent most of the day searching for driver updates. Finally found one. I THINK it's working. The letters are now clear.

HOWEEEEVER......

I got a runtime message ( feeling guilty for taking up so much of your and Steve's time, I searched the forum and found two very disturbing threads. They suggested the guy do more upgrades. He did. More problems. Then they tell him unless he's an expert with the computer he shouldn't be making these upgrades. Who knows? Maybe I've crossed that line as well.

Surely, more can be done with customer service (If you guys hadn't stepped in, I would be screwed. Especially you Kill).

I'm going to give it one more try.

Here is the message I received: runtime error. Program: C\Programfiles\OOTP
OOTP.exe

Abnormal program termination.

I've had this problem before when something in the league file is corrupted. The league loads instantaneously, tells me that, then boots me out. Not saying it's the same problem, but you may want to try downloading a league file from some online league somewhere.

[knockahoma]

thanks crackpot.


Ignore the irritable guy. He's just in water 10 feet over his head

Actually, what I did to get the game back was hit the install OOTP4 file again . I thought maybe I'd have to uninstall first, but not knowing how to do that, I just hit install.

Seemed to work.

Only problem. The historical file won't open. I downloaded 4.5 97 version (since I have windows 98, I thought 2000 might not translate). Even moved it from directory C:\STATS to C:\Windows\stats.

No Go. However, the customized league seemed to work. I hate to say I'm getting closer. But, maybe. I bought the game for the historical. If I can get the database working, maybe the unwilling student will have passed his crash course in computer programming!

Rick

PS. I keep in mind the hours of frustration the creators of the game put in. Cools the heat a bit. Not to mention that some of it has been user error, or ignorance. Still, fellas. Maybe there's a way to upgrade customer service a bit? The problem with searching threads is that you can get information that is completely wrong. Then you have to backtrack, fix your computer and start from square 1, trying to get the game playable.

Perhaps updating the FAQ with links to pages that download drivers, etc? These seem to be common issues.