Trouble Recently with Starting Game?

[LivingthonTheEighth]

Just recently, when I try to start the game from my library, it doesn't start even though it says it's running. I then use task manager to manually kill the exe file, and when I try to start it again, it starts up fine. Unfortunately when I quit the game (escape key), I get out fine but steam says it's still running - and this time when I use task manager to kill the exe file, it's not there. So then I have to restart my computer to play it again (where I go through the "click play, won't start, kill exe file, starts fine, then won't start again once I exit" routine again).

Anyone else having this problem? Just started happening to me recently, only for this game in my library too.

[Tidus555]

Same here, but I can't even launch the game. When i click to run it, it says the game is running but nothing happens. The game isn't even in the task console. Restart the computer doesn't help at all. Need a solution I just recently bought the game for 4.99€ and it's really annoying to not being able to play it.

[bryanpetersen356]

Same here... I've deleted the game from my local computer and added it again, but still no luck. It must have been a recent update. I hope it gets fixed soon.

[[NN]Natmeris]

Originally posted by bryanpetersen356:

Same here... I've deleted the game from my local computer and added it again, but still no luck. It must have been a recent update. I hope it gets fixed soon.

no new game update since the MP update a few years ago.

[mis.fortune]

I have this problem as well. I was playing a game Thursday night and I could not get it started the next day (the initial splash screen does not come up but the task manager shows the Civ3 process is running). ALSO, my other Sid Meier's game, Pirates!, does the same (I played it a couple of days earlier). I have a 64-bit windows 7 machine. I develop software on my computer so the last thing I will ever do is update drivers, or install windows patches (I have auto updates turned off), or install new software - all these are a good way to hose your deliverables. I uninstalled the game and then did a reinstall but to no avail. I assume Steam updated something that affects Sid Meiers games. Any others on a win7 64 bit machine?

[edgarmayne1]

I"m having the same problem. it says it:s running but nothing is happening.

[bryanpetersen356]

I just found what my issue was -- the CPU was running at 100% before I even launched the game. I have a process, "BOINC", running in the background. It is only suppose to run when there are spare resources available, but it appears it kept running even when I started Steam. I paused BOINC and my CPU was running at under 10%. Steam then launched correctly.

[Chaosjno]

Same problem, it says game is running but no launch and no active processu

[LivingthonTheEighth]

BOINC thing isn't my issue - it's not running on my computer, and my computer isn't running anywhere near to 100%.

[xavaikhan]

I had this issue this weekend, you need to validate game files (look it up if you dont know) but first you have to kill it with taskmanager then revalidate files and try running it, this fixed it for me

[martin.pszemiarower]

Same here.

[s.h.blink]

same here....with CIV III being active i can not even start another game.....can Steam help us out ?

[DFARMWALD]

Same problem here. Was playing fine just a day or two ago and now will not launch even though it says it is already running. I have not changed anything in my laptop setup.

[nicholas.steeves]

Same here. I have tried killing both the civ3 .exe files and the steam .exe files. Still cant get it to work. I tried validating the local files but steam still shows the app as running (even though I have killed it in the TM). Reboots etc.. not helping. Can't even uninstall Steam (says civ3 is running)

[ic]

Same here!
Killed the process, rebooted pc, reinstalled game and vertified local files - still doesnt start!

[[NN]Natmeris]

Yeah I replicated this today. I hadnt launched the game for a bit. The game will launch after ending process and immediately launching again, but I get that annoying "says I'm playing, but I'm not" afterwards. Initially when I exited, it did take me off, but then I couldnt get back to this discussion to say anything. I relogged steam, and it then said I was playing civ3! with no process running of the game.

Every so often civ3 has done this, and I've had the glitch with other games too.

The fix that I've always done is to hit "Log Off" in the windows start menu. This will close all programs unless one prevents it. Technically, you can cancel this at last moment, but do only after steam closes. If a browser prevents, you should be able to cancel and steam will have been closed. If you do fully Log Off, no big deal, just log back in to your computer.