Screen goes black when main menu is supposed to appear

[Azrael]

Okay, I really hope the developers are still around and haven't abandoned this place. I'm really trying to help my friend (VAN_ROLT) who can't ask for help because he can't speak English, but really want to play the game, and so far, he's really disappointed because he can't play it.

But first, I want to say that I really enjoy this game, and even though I recently read somewhere in a FAQ that the game isn't compatible with Intel HD Graphics, I can honestly say that that's not true or a lie (at least for 3000 or better), because I completed this game for the first time in October 2012 using only the HD Graphics 3000 from my Intel Core i5-2500K with only 4 GB RAM under Win7 64-bit Home Premium without any issues (you can check my achievements for this game as a proof).

Obviously since then I have upgraded my system with a much better video card and more RAM, and now that I'm replaying this gem with everything maxed, my friend saw it and decided to buy it, but...

So to help my friend I went to his place during the past weekend to check his computer if everything was okay for this game:

- Verified integrity of game cache and everything was fine.
- Ran the redistributables manually from the game folder to make sure they were installed properly.
- Verified that the drivers were updated, and they were.

When the game is executed everything starts as normal. I see the intro videos as usual and then the game loads the menu, but here is the main issue: Since I'm currently playing this game in my own computer without any issues, I know that after the mechanic animations with that robot arms they show a small green screen as the main menu. In my friend's computer his game starts like that, I can see the animations with the robot arms without graphical issues, BUT, as soon as they're supposed to show the small green screen everything turns black, the screen starts to flash quickly, and where the small screen as the main menu is supposed to be, a flashy greenish box is shown switching shapes between a square box and a rectangle box. Nothing else can be done, the game stays like this with not text, greenish small box in the center and flashy black screen everywhere else. The only thing it can be done is to close the game with [ALT]+[F4].

My friend has an Intel Core i5-4670 with 8 RAM under Win7 64-bit, and he's using the CPU's HD Graphics 4600. Comparing his system with mine back in 2012, he has the better system. And since I was able to run, play and complete the game in 2012 using only HD Graphics 3000 whitout any issues, he should be able to do the same... And by the way, this is the first and only game he has problem to play with. He has more demanding games that he can play without any issues.

I made a DirectX diagnostic and saved the log as a TXT file, but since it's a long report, I don't think it will be posted completely, or properly. If a developer is around, is there an e-mail where I can send this file?

I really hope that a patch or update for this great game can be done, or at least, a way to fix this problem. There are many users with similar issues, and surely, they aren't happy.

[5M0k1N]

the dev always suggested people to reset their CCC values (in case of AMD) maybe your friend can try that as well? not sure what software intel has for their graphics though

another thing is maybe the resolution that the intel thing cant handle it and thats why the screen goes black. go to the config file (%USERPROFILE%\Documents\Hard Reset Extended\profiles\<user-id>\config.cfg ) and try setting a really low one like 1024*768 or something.
also i think you can set it as windowed? anyways if you can try that as well

[Azrael]

I know what the developers refer with CCC values (I have an AMD card). They meant to reset to default the options in the Catalyst Panel. But I checked the Intel graphics options, and they were all okay. I also checked the resolution, but I didn't started the game in windowed mode... I'll have to try that the next time I visit my friend. Many thanks for the suggestions! ^_^

[Azrael]

During the week I went to my friend's place. A newer graphics drivers were realeased so I installed them, plus others redistributables not present in the game's folder just in case, but I had the same results: As soon as the small green menu should appear, the screen goes black with a flashy green box in the middle and with just some of the smoke and sparkles effects.

Since the game in my friend's computer never saves a config file (I always have to close the game with [ALT]+[F4]) and the option to change it to "windowed mode" is in the (inaccessible) options menu, I brought my own config file from my own computer and edited properly for him. I set the config file lowering all the resolution and effects to the minimum, and to start the game in windowed mode I added this line in the beginning of the config file:

r_fullscreen "0"

This time the game does the same in windowed mode, except for one thing: In full screen the game goes black, but in windowed mode, the window freezes in the last frame before it has to show the small green menu. I made an screenshot of this when the game is frozen in this state:

http://www.imagebam.com/image/7c8f9c334659820

Unfortunately, I tried to do the same in full screen, but not even FRAPS can't make a screenshot when the screen is black.

I also made new DXDiag files (32-bit & 64-bit). Can the developers tell me where to send these log files to them?

[5M0k1N]

i think thats the email -> [e-mail]
sorry im not sure what else to try here. it probably has something to do with intel HD graphics though. i know you could get it to work with a less powerfull version but who knows
some random things you could try (very likely they wont work at all)
-running the game without internet connection. just in case the game tries to connect to some servers or somehting and fails to do so
-running the game with admin privileges
-disabling every antivirus / firewall
try all those things together if possible. if that doesnt work then getting a new graphics card is probably the only way to fix it (or maybe the dev can shed some light if you send him those files)

[Azrael]

Thanks for the tips, 5M0k1N. I will try those during this week before contacting their support via e-mail.

[Azrael]

I tried everything left, but as expected, nothing worked: running as admin, compatibility mode, installing the game from an old Steam backup I made late in 2012, verify integrity of game cache... I will have to contact the developers directly. Wish me luck...

[5M0k1N]

too bad :/
gl :p

[Hashmallum]

If you are still trying the game to run on the integrated Intel graphics it won't work. We never had support for Intel HD and if by some chance the game runs on an Intel HD that's strange.

[Plaid]

ouch

Oh well, something for him to play when he upgrades :)

[Azrael]

Цитата допису Hashmallum:

If you are still trying the game to run on the integrated Intel graphics it won't work. We never had support for Intel HD and if by some chance the game runs on an Intel HD that's strange.

Care to explain why hasn't been a warning about this in the store page all this time FOR OVER 2 YEARS?

You know many people uses Intel HD Graphics 3000/4000/4600 to play their games in their laptops and computers. Higher graphical demanding games like Skyrim, Sleeping Dogs, Borderlands 1 & 2, Mafia II, Batman: Arkham Asylum & City, Saints Row The Third, BioShock 1 & 2 & Infinite, Doom 3 BFG Edition, Portal 2, Far Cry 3 Blood Dragon, Call of Juarez Gunslinger, Metro 2033, Tomb Raider (2013), and many others can be played without issues with them, and it can be quite frustrating to buy a game that you can't play properly because of a lack of warning that the developers don't want to update their game to support Intel HD Graphics.

The silence only shows how much you care only for the the sales to sell to the most possible people even though you won't treat your customers equally: "We never had support for Intel HD and if by some chance the game runs on an Intel HD that's strange." Nice response there... It has been an issue for so long time that not only affects the owners of Intel HD Graphics, go and check the forums, and still you don't care about it... not a single patch to fix it since 2012

I always thought very good of you, and even defend you in a couple of threads here in these forums about your game, but after this... Now an Spanish translation project is starting and some people are getting happy, but I bet half of them won't be able to play the game because of this issue.

I'm very disappointed, with you and with me, for making my friend to buy your game. I should have done the opposite instead

[Hashmallum]

It's clearly stated on the store page in the requirements section that the game requires an Nvidia GeForce or AMD Radeon card.

[Plaid]

That's true, it does:

Minimum:
OS: Windows XP/Vista/7
Processor: 2.5 GHz Intel Pentium 4 / AMD Athlon 64
Memory: 2 GB
Hard Disk Space: 4 GB free hard drive space
Video Card: 512 MB NVIDIA GeForce 8800GS / ATI Radeon HD 3870 or better
DirectX®: DirectX 9.0c
Sound: DirectX Compatible