Can't get this to launch

[Dune Tiger]

I launch the game and it spawns SinEpisodes.exe and rundll32.exe in the tasklist, but nothing else happens. Only when I set it to win98 (not xp) compatibility mode am I able to get some error about it missing background.vtf

Is there something else that needs to be installed to get this game to run?

[soer4769]

Try to do the following and see if it fixes it:
1. Right Click on the game in your steam library
2. In the pop-up menu click Manage->Browse Local Files
3. Rename the file 'SinEpisodes.exe' to anything else like 'SinEpisodes1.exe'
4. Click on the now renamed file and it should start

This worked for me but will mean you cannot start it from your Steam Library and have to either go into the folder every time to launch the game or create a shortcut to the file. Hopefully this helps :)

[Dune Tiger]

Thanks, Soer. I tried renaming the exe as recommended in previous threads and no go. Really bizarre. Seems to be some kind of issue with requiring Source files. I grabbed a bunch of files from Consortium and was able to launch the game with opening videos (the background file being hilariously a picture of a scared cat), but it crashes after that.

[TS2]

Originally posted by Dune Tiger:

I launch the game and it spawns SinEpisodes.exe and rundll32.exe in the tasklist, but nothing else happens. Only when I set it to win98 (not xp) compatibility mode am I able to get some error about it missing background.vtf

Is there something else that needs to be installed to get this game to run?

Originally posted by Dune Tiger:

Thanks, Soer. I tried renaming the exe as recommended in previous threads and no go. Really bizarre. Seems to be some kind of issue with requiring Source files. I grabbed a bunch of files from Consortium and was able to launch the game with opening videos (the background file being hilariously a picture of a scared cat), but it crashes after that.

Necroposter here. The version of Source that the game runs on is not natively compatible with .VPKs. However, Valve required the use of them in place of .GCFs and even loose files on one fateful day some years ago.

Use the Loose Beta, which extracts the .VPKs into loose file directories.

[Dune Tiger]

Originally posted by TS2:

Use the Loose Beta, which extracts the .VPKs into loose file directories.

Welp, I did just that and you are a hero. The game launched and is totally playable! Thanks for trawling old-ass posts!

[TS2]

Originally posted by Dune Tiger:

Originally posted by TS2:

Use the Loose Beta, which extracts the .VPKs into loose file directories.

Welp, I did just that and you are a hero. The game launched and is totally playable! Thanks for trawling old-ass posts!

Splendid to hear. The game is known to eventually break down in some way due to failing to parse the .VPKs, such as almost all audio cutting out, so using the Loose Beta is required.

Turning off the OS compatibility mode is advised, but Disabling Fullscreen Optimizations is also advised due to it being a trick pulled by Microsoft from Windows 10 onward, where Fullscreen Only software is forced to run in a Borderless Windowed mode regardless of the setting. Disabling it is necessary as an attempt to stabilize all games, Though some engines such as Source and IW are not as visibly affected by it being left on.

As for the game itself, it is still an example of Source game jank in places should one check the console or do some file digging. Most of it has to do with sound files not playing or being triggered to play due to either incorrect scripting or referencing nonexistent filenames or folder paths, but fortunately, the core gameplay experience is not impeded otherwise.

The most you will experience this is in Mercs suddenly falling silent around the Docks Generators section, and a number of Jessica's lines being accidentally cut, but not to where most will notice.
———
Anyway, enough of that text dump. Enjoy the game.

[Dune Tiger]

Appreciate the help, TS2. I've played it before. I actually own a physical copy and remember playing it on a CRT monitor. This is a fresh install on a new rig so I'll take what lumps may come. I liked this series and it's a shame it never continued or gets the love that other games get in the retrospective scene.

I'm surprised it supports 1920x1080!

[TS2]

Originally posted by soer4769:

Try to do the following and see if it fixes it:
1. Right Click on the game in your steam library
2. In the pop-up menu click Manage->Browse Local Files
3. Rename the file 'SinEpisodes.exe' to anything else like 'SinEpisodes1.exe'
4. Click on the now renamed file and it should start

This worked for me but will mean you cannot start it from your Steam Library and have to either go into the folder every time to launch the game or create a shortcut to the file. Hopefully this helps :)

Pinging to inform that using the Loose Beta that extracts the .VPKs to loose file directories was the solution.

[TS2]

Originally posted by Dune Tiger:

Appreciate the help, TS2. I've played it before. I actually own a physical copy and remember playing it on a CRT monitor. This is a fresh install on a new rig so I'll take what lumps may come. I liked this series and it's a shame it never continued or gets the love that other games get in the retrospective scene.

I'm surprised it supports 1920x1080!

Very well. Glad to hear you are willing to handle whatever instability may come up to a certain point.

Indeed, SiN was one of those IPs that could have seen much more mainstream success from the get-go, had the first game been much more stable at initial launch and not needed the online patch, and in the event a second or even third Episode following Emergence was launched, or even if SiN 2 was released and did not turn into the Episodes.

Unfortunately, in both cases the game's lifespan was cut short, in spite of the first game's manual establishing a whole lot of setting lore, and in spite of there being a few easter eggs in Emergence that further it and could have been made into clearly-defined plot hooks in future Episodes.

As for the game supporting 1920x1980, the Source 1 engine is somewhat known for its resilience. Hell, even Source 2006 games can use up to at least 3840x2160p should your monitor support it, at the cost of hitting the 2GB GPU memory cap most 32-bit games set at this time in history.