just doesn't start

[Tage2]

I've tried using my CDs, installing from GOG, and now from Steam. Each one does the same thing: I click to launch and the screen shifts and then goes back to my desktop. Nothing. No start. No black screens. No starting videos. Just literally... nothing. Can't find any solutions anywhere. It's weird that the problem is the same regardless of which version (GOG, Steam, direct from CD) I use. Help is enormously appreciated, as I've had Civ3 on every computer since the game launched and play it regularly (including only a few days ago, when it was working fine -- then it stopped working fine, I had to re-install it, and that brings us to today). ???

[[NN]Natmeris]

Did you run in compatibility if on 10 for Steam version? Sometimes people crash when their resolution isnt set right in conquests.ini.

CDs have a little trouble running on modern OSs now after some new updates, and are especially difficult to run on Windows 10.

[Tage2]

Windows 7. Civ3 was running (installed from discs) fine until today. Then, suddenly, I can't get it to run. I've reinstalled from GOG -- doesn't run. Steam - doesn't run. I installed from the original discs -- original, Play the World, Conquests. Updated all. I ran each one as I installed them -- original runs, Play the World runs, but as soon as I install Conquests, it (Conquests) doesn't run. Since GoG and Steam uses Civ3 Complete (which uses the Conquests executable), whatever is screwing with Conquests screws with them, too.
I have no idea what is going on. I can play original Civ3 or Play the World, but nothing beyond that.
of course, Civ 3 isn't complete nor really worthy without Conquests, so....

[[NN]Natmeris]

Sorry, I cant really help you. But from either GOG or Steam, the game should work regardless. The CD executables do not work properly anymore with a recent Windows update. So you do need No-CD patches or to remove that update. GOG and Steam are not affected by the update, as their exes do not have the DRM protection that is blocked.

I'd suggest just to look around for possible fixes. run in compatibility, run as admin... whatever you can.

[john]

I had this game working fine on Win 10 in compatibility mode for Win 7 (and older versions) but now it simply shows an hourglass briefly and then quits No combo of compatibility mode and other settings seems to work. Also tried the .ini settings keepres=1 playintro=0 etc., no joy. I have another version (non steam) but I suspect this may be a problem due to Win10 update and not steam. Be nice if the steam folks would call their buddies in Redmond and figure out how many other old games are no longer working (I noticed 2k put out a list 6 days ago about Win10 compatible i.e. supported and not. Interesting timing considering how long Win10 has been out now...

[john]

I stand corrected: found this https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=548420101

it seems to be working...(I still want you guys to call Redmond and tell them to include an XP mode on the next build. I mean, really, how hard can it be. Just like Windows 7 ;^)

[john]

One last thing, this is interesting: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/conquests-ini-settings.68520/

[Tage2]

No matter what I've done (all of the above things, plus reinstallation from GoG copy, Steam copy, and my old disks; purging the registry of all Civ references manually; installing on different hard drives; etc etc) Civ 3 Conquests executable won't run. I could run Play the World or the base game, but not the Complete (which uses the Conquests exe) or Conquests. I have literally had Civ3 on every hard drive and played it since it was launched. It was my go-to game whenever I got bored with anything else, and often just because -- this is the first time I've "been without" since it launched, and that really sucks.

[JadawinKF]

In Win10, rightclick on the Civ3Conquests.exe in the Conquests folder and select "Run compatibility troubleshooter" ... then use the recommended settings. My freshly installed Civ 3 had been set to Win 95, Admin etc. etc. (without me doing anything) and the troubleshooter changed that to Win 8 and no Admin etc. etc - and now it starts :)

[Tage2]

I'm running Win7. Compatability settings do nothing, tried them all in different combinations. It's utterly puzzling at this point.

[Benjamin Sisko]

Guys, i got it working by adding Video Mode=1152 into Conquests.ini.
It's in windowed mode but it works.

Also i've set Windows 7 compatibility(i run win 10) and Run as admin in 'Change setting for all users'.

My .ini settings:

[Conquests]
Voice Quality=0
Prefs Format=2
Difficulty=2
Aggression=2
Top Menu=1
Faction0=1
Faction1=3
Faction2=4
Faction3=2
Faction4=2
Faction5=8
Faction6=10
Faction7=7
Faction8=-1
Faction9=-1
Faction10=-1
Faction11=-1
Faction12=-1
Faction13=-1
Faction14=-1
Faction15=-1
Faction16=-1
Faction17=-1
Faction18=-1
Faction19=-1
Faction20=-1
Faction21=-1
Faction22=-1
Faction23=-1
Faction24=-1
Faction25=-1
Faction26=-1
Faction27=-1
Faction28=-1
Faction29=-1
Faction30=-1
num cities to eliminate=1
one city culture to win=20000
all cities culture to win=100000
domination pct terrain=66
domination % pop=66
building wonders=10
killing units=10
researching advances=5
capture cities=100
holding vp locations=25
capturing princess=1000
Victory Point Limit=50000
Turn Limit=540
Preferences=00000001100110001010011111111110
Rules=00000000000001001000000111011111
Main Volume=127
Sound Volume=127
Music Volume=127
CleanMap=00000000000000011010111010000000
Governor=00000000000000000000000000000000
Gov Prod Never=00000000000000000000000000011000
Gov Prod Often=00000000000000000000000000000000
CustomLeaderName=
CustomLeaderTitle=
CustomFormalName=
CustomNoun=
CustomAdjective=
CustomGender=0
WorldAridity=1
BarbarianActivity=1
WorldLandmass=1
WorldOceanCoverage=1
WorldTemperature=1
WorldAge=1
WorldSize=0
WorldSeed=180339316
WorldSeedName=0
ActualWorldAridity=1
ActualBarbarianActivity=1
ActualWorldLandmass=1
ActualWorldOceanCoverage=1
ActualWorldTemperature=1
ActualWorldAge=1
ActualWorldSize=0
ActualCiv0=1
ActualCiv1=3
ActualCiv2=4
ActualCiv3=2
ActualCiv4=-1
ActualCiv5=8
ActualCiv6=10
ActualCiv7=7
ActualCiv8=-1
ActualCiv9=-1
ActualCiv10=-1
ActualCiv11=-1
ActualCiv12=-1
ActualCiv13=-1
ActualCiv14=-1
ActualCiv15=-1
ActualCiv16=-1
ActualCiv17=-1
ActualCiv18=-1
ActualCiv19=-1
ActualCiv20=-1
ActualCiv21=-1
ActualCiv22=-1
ActualCiv23=-1
ActualCiv24=-1
ActualCiv25=-1
ActualCiv26=-1
ActualCiv27=-1
ActualCiv28=-1
ActualCiv29=-1
ActualCiv30=-1
Seafaring=0
ScrollSpeed=1
GridOn=1
WindowsFileBox=0
PlayIntro=0
KeepRes=1
Video Mode=1152

[Tage2]

I use Comodo Free Firewall and it comes with a Sandbox mode. I changed the settings on the Sandbox mode to allow files (specifically the Civ3 files) to save (Sandbox protects the OS by isolating programs, which usually disables saving), then ran Civ3 in the Sandbox mode. It worked. It's not the most elegant solution, but for whatever reason, I cannot run Civ3 any other way. So at least it's working.