FIX: Install and Run the game in Windows 10

[Zeffenn]

I bought this game when it first came out on CD and wanted to play it on my modern system today. Unfortunately when I tryed to install the game, windows 10 would not allow that to happen and all I got was a blank screen. When I opened Task Manager, I could see a process called 32-bit Setup Launcher (32 bit) using zero CPU, this was my failing Tachyon installer.

Specs:
Windows 10
i7 4790k
Asus z97a motherboard
16GB Corsair DDR3
nVidia Titan X GPU

The Fix:

1. Start your system up in safe mode.
2. Browse the CD and click the search and find setup.exe
The one you want is the one in the TTFSETUP folder. Right click and troubleshoot compatibility and allow windows to automatically select windows xp. Test the program and it will work. Install Tachyon to C:\Tachyon because older games sometimes have issues with the program files folder.
3. Restart your computer to it's normal boot mode (not safe mode)
4. Run Tachyon and go through the Video setup, Audio Setup and Game controllers tabs.
5. Now if you try to play the game it will load the opening cinematic and then fail to load.
6. Download the latest patch for the game, which can be found on Novalogic's website here: http://files.novalogic.com/TTF/ttf_update_050500_xx.exe
7. Install the patch. You will have to browse the folder that you installed the game in.
8. The game still will not work and you will need another 3rd party patch for the space.exe application in the game folder which can be found by searching for Game Copy World and then searching for Tachyon on their site. Use an Adblocker.
You are gonna want the file titled Tachyon v1.00.00.36r [ENGLISH] Fixed EXE
9. Extract dvntacp2.zip and then you will find ripcrk.rar which will also need to be extracted.
If you do not have WinRAR to extract it, you can find it here: http://www.rarlab.com/download.htm
10. Inside ripcrk.rar is a application called space.exe, copy and paste this into the folder that you installed tachyon into. Replace the existing space.exe with the new one.
11. You're gonna need to edit the Tachyon.cfg file found in your installation folder to look like this:

[VIDEO]
WINDOWED=0
USE_HARDWARE=1
NO_VSYNC=0
RES=1
HW_TYPE=1
DEVICE=0
DEF_GAMMA=100
DEF_BRIGHT=70

12. Download nGlide from here: http://www.zeus-software.com/downloads/nglide
This will allow you to run Tachyon at your prefered resolution on your modern system.
13. Install nGlide and open the nGlide Configurator and set your resolution settings and hit apply.
14. Run Tachyon from the space.exe found in your installation folder and enjoy!

Tachyon doesn't appear to be using any antialiasing, so if you are using an nvidia graphics card, be sure to open Nvidia Control Panel and make a profile for space.exe and enable it so that the game will look more modern. This is an old game so I would imagine you can max all the settings out and it will run just fine.

[[UEF] _-Caleb-_]

Thanks!

[FuchsiaShock]

THANK YOU! This is great.

[SubtleShuttle]

Thank you so much! I still have this game on disc and this was a huge help for me. The only thing I would add is to replace Hw_3dfx.dll with another version that can be downloaded here.

http://www.wsgf.org/dr/tachyon-fringe/en

This will fix "Alpha Blending" issues that I think are only noticeable in the areas in the game with nebula.

[Zeffenn]

No problem! I'm glad other people have been able to benefit!

[Deepstar]

Actually you do not have to use the Safe Mode to install the game.

If you run the Setup.exe and nothing happens, you can check in the Task Manager (STRG-ALT-DEL or right click at the windows logo) which program is blocking it. In the 'Details'-Tab right click on Setup.exe and click on "Analyze wait chain". There you can see which task you have to kill. If you kill it, the Setup will start immediately.
So you do not have to do a restart at all to install Tachyon and some other games with the same problems.
After that you are free to restart the killed process of course.

[Zeffenn]

Cool, thanks for the tip!

[CheckFlop]

I just downloaded this off of Steam (lost my disc years ago.) I replaced my space.exe file and updated that cfg file but still getting a blank screen when I start. I can hear the music for the menu and I can press keys and hear the selections being made but nothing can be seen.

[JGZinv]

CheckFlop, try the graphics update mod at FringeSpace. this typically happens either when you have a directx plugin (old dx6 compatibility) not downloaded on 8 or newer Windows, in which case you have to reinstall and watch for the popup behind the installer. OR, you've got some graphics incompatibility and need a wrapper to fix it. Could also try ALT+TAB to switch between windows, but that's rare.

[Alexandros]

I'm using nglide and the game seems to be capped to 50 fps, is there a work around? It's not quite as smooth as I'd like on my 60Hz display.

[CheckFlop]

It's working now on my system.

[deathspeed]

Thanks! i just want to clarify for others that the fixed .exe from GCW works on this steam version as well. I mistakenly thought this thread was only about the CD version of the game and only just now got the game to run after weeks of trying.

[NerevarineGMSV]

WOW, what a waste of time. Should be able to just click to launch and play. I have this on CD and any version of windows after ME won't run it. Totally lame. I can play Wing Commander and other old games no problem. Crappy Novalogic.

[Gemini]

Yeeeeah. I couldnt get past the config screen from tachyon.exe.

I was following ththis guide at first, and wound up in the same situation but now getting an Error Code 22

It turns out directplay was what I needed. The crack from gamecopyworld wasn't necessary, I can change it back with no problems, but installing nglide ... may have been necessary.

To enable directplay for those who detest video tutorials, start->settings->Turn windows features on or off->Legacy Settings, Directplay


The thread I found out about directplay from is here:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/32760/discussions/0/144513524085258671/

[BOT Banana]

So what is it that the antivirus is trying to catch in that zip file? Cause my system seemed real sure it was a virus...

[basilchang3]

Thanks it's really important!