Problem with textures and its cause

[Kamamura]

The game has a known problem with video cards featuring more than 2GB of memory - the game forces you to use the lowest res textures, making it look super ugly.

I tried the demo to see if the problem is here too, and I received an error message saying that 70MB minimum of texture memory is needed, while my card only has -347MB.

The cause is obvious - the function that probes the driver for VRAM size uses signed, instead of an unsigned variable type (an unsigned 16bit integer variable can store numbers from 0 - 65535, for example, while signed 16bit integer can store from -32768 to +32768). Signed types use the highest bit to recognize negative numbers, therefore if a large unsigned number (large enough to have the highest bit set) is interpreted as signed, it becomes a negative number.

And that's exactly what happens here, and it should be quite easy to fix, provided one has access to source code. Could us, paying customers, persuade Ubisoft to allocate a trivial amount of programmer's time to fix this otherwise working and enjoyable game?

[Kaelon]

I definitely support this. I will cross-post this to the official ubisoft forums and point them to this discovery. Thanks!

[Kaelon]

Cross-posted here:

http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.php/744027-Settlers-6-texture-quality?p=10256224&viewfull=1#post10256224

It seems that we need to get in touch with someone at Ubi Support to help with this matter. It does sound like it's a pretty trivial fix. I wonder if it's hackable? Something that someone can reverse-engineer to correct?

[Kamamura]

Thank you for your support, I can definitely live without the game, but I think it's a pity because it has its charm otherwise. I thought about reverse engineering it, but I simply don't have the assembler and machine code skills for that. For someone who writes cracks, or for someone like that modder who repaired Dark Souls, it should be easy. The easiest fix would be to find the function that probes the driver for VRAM size, and checks if the amount is sufficient, and change it so that it always returns TRUE.

[Nash-Galactic]

Well if your games need more then 2 GB of memory then you prob wouldnt like this game anyway.

[Sanny]

bump

[Lucius Tatus]

I have worked around that, I assume, atleast it works with my non-steam CD version.

You just need to replace the application with a new one. You will keep all your settings & savegames.

Just replace the file "Settlers6.exe" (it is in the bin folder of the game folder, in Steam something like \SteamApps\common\Settlers\bin or \Settlers\base\bin) with the new one. I got a download link below, it are under 8MB.

I recommend keeping the old .exe and just renaming it in case something goes wrong.

Have fun!

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52497893/Settlers6.exe

PS: I can't gurantee that it works with the steam version and I sadly only got an old CD-version. It is also possible that it wokrs with the expansion ("Eastern Realm") which is included in the Gold edition, but I sadly can't test that either.

[Saucey P]

Originally posted by Lucius Tatus:

I have worked around that, I assume, atleast it works with my non-steam CD version.

You just need to replace the application with a new one. You will keep all your settings & savegames.

Just replace the file "Settlers6.exe" (it is in the bin folder of the game folder, in Steam something like \SteamApps\common\Settlers\bin or \Settlers\base\bin) with the new one. I got a download link below, it are under 8MB.

I recommend keeping the old .exe and just renaming it in case something goes wrong.

Have fun!

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52497893/Settlers6.exe

PS: I can't gurantee that it works with the steam version and I sadly only got an old CD-version. It is also possible that it wokrs with the expansion ("Eastern Realm") which is included in the Gold edition, but I sadly can't test that either.

OMG LUCIUS UR A LEGEND IT WORKED FOR MY CD VERSION. I remember i had to do the same thing with Settlers 5. Why didnt i think of that b4!

[Kamamura]

I would not recommend downloading and running a binary from an untrusted source, however it maybe worth the risk for someone.

Regarding the topic, I have found out that the staff of the GOG.com shop was able to solve the problem, and I can confirm that their version of the game is not affected by this bug.

[Lucius Tatus]

Yeah, unfortunately I can't provide a trusted source because it is just a slightly modified version of the ececutable I have. There isn't much wrong in the original, just the check for graphics memory can't deal with numbers higher than 2GB.

You're right though. I wouldn't download such a thing myself. ^^

The GOG version works also and is not expensive at all.

[Fazo]

Originally posted by Lucius Tatus:

I have worked around that, I assume, atleast it works with my non-steam CD version.

You just need to replace the application with a new one. You will keep all your settings & savegames.

Just replace the file "Settlers6.exe" (it is in the bin folder of the game folder, in Steam something like \SteamApps\common\Settlers\bin or \Settlers\base\bin) with the new one. I got a download link below, it are under 8MB.

I recommend keeping the old .exe and just renaming it in case something goes wrong.

Have fun!

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52497893/Settlers6.exe

PS: I can't gurantee that it works with the steam version and I sadly only got an old CD-version. It is also possible that it wokrs with the expansion ("Eastern Realm") which is included in the Gold edition, but I sadly can't test that either.

ill try it if you upload it again. links dead

[Lucius Tatus]

Updated link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24p6mg8yqatsbuv/Settlers6.exe?dl=0

[Colfer]

Originally posted by Lucius Tatus:

Updated link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24p6mg8yqatsbuv/Settlers6.exe?dl=0

Legend! This worked a charm for me.

[Redical457]

Unfortunately it doesn't work for my Uplay Gold Edition...
Any chances there is a solution? :)
THX

[Niki]

Originally posted by Lucius Tatus:

Updated link.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/24p6mg8yqatsbuv/Settlers6.exe?dl=0

This still works in 2020!! Thank you so much.
(CD-version, base game, Win 10)

[Skamos]

Originally posted by Lucius Tatus:

I have worked around that, I assume, atleast it works with my non-steam CD version.

You just need to replace the application with a new one. You will keep all your settings & savegames.

Just replace the file "Settlers6.exe" (it is in the bin folder of the game folder, in Steam something like \SteamApps\common\Settlers\bin or \Settlers\base\bin) with the new one. I got a download link below, it are under 8MB.

I recommend keeping the old .exe and just renaming it in case something goes wrong.

Have fun!

Link: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/52497893/Settlers6.exe

PS: I can't gurantee that it works with the steam version and I sadly only got an old CD-version. It is also possible that it wokrs with the expansion ("Eastern Realm") which is included in the Gold edition, but I sadly can't test that either.

Works perfectly in the steam version of settlers 6 gold edition thank you! now if only I could get it to run at 4k... hmmmm