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Black screen on startup


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Well, I'm wondering if anyone can help me here. Here's the problem:

 

- Installed Doom 3, patched it to 1.3.1.1304 (checked with console), also installed Resurrection of Evil. Note that I can run Doom 3 at pretty high graphics settings without any problems, so I guess I meet the hardware requirements for TDM, too.

- Downloaded torrent version of TDM, extracted it into specified directory. Also downloaded some of the missions and put them into the proper directory.

- Started up TDM, and at this point it still worked fine.

- Chosen to install the Tutorial. The program restarts, but this time I have a black screen with only the mouse cursor visible (and it moves), and the TDM menu music playing. If I move around the cursor, I get some sound effects which I guess indicate me rolling over menu options, but of course I can't see that.

- Since I can't see anything, the Exit button included, I can only leave the program by Alt-Tabbing out of it. Further attempts to run TDM (including after a reboot of the computer) produce the same black screen with working cursor and music.

 

My specs:

 

WinXP

Intel Duo CPU E7600 @ 3.06 GHz

ASUSTek motherboard

4 Gb RAM

GeForce 9600 GT GPU

 

Any help would be appreciated.

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Hmm, this sounds like a case of the doom 3 settings over riding our config settings, which is really annoying.

 

Look inside the folder for the training mission, and change image_useallformats to images_useallformats "1". I have a hunch you'll find it set to zero. You may also need to set it to "1" in your main Darkmod folder.

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Look inside the folder for the training mission, and change image_useallformats to images_useallformats "1". I have a hunch you'll find it set to zero. You may also need to set it to "1" in your main Darkmod folder.

 

In c:\Games\Doom 3\darkmod\ I checked DoomConfig.cfg, and the closest match I found was "seta image_useAllFormats "1"", so it's already set to 1. In the /fms/training_mission directory I can't find any file which would have that line: there only training_mission.pk4, darkmod.txt, readme.txt and startingmap.txt.

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I had the same problem in the internal SVN version. I had to extract the gamex86.dll out of tdm_game01.pk4 by hand (by naming the pk4-> .zip temporarily. If that doesn't work, I'd also recommend running tdm_updater, you might have some corrupt texture packs.

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In c:\Games\Doom 3\darkmod\ I checked DoomConfig.cfg, and the closest match I found was "seta image_useAllFormats "1"", so it's already set to 1. In the /fms/training_mission directory I can't find any file which would have that line: there only training_mission.pk4, darkmod.txt, readme.txt and startingmap.txt.

Try looking in c:\Games\Doom 3\training_mission.

My games | Public Service Announcement: TDM is not set in the Thief universe. The city in which it takes place is not the City from Thief. The player character is not called Garrett. Any person who contradicts these facts will be subjected to disapproving stares.
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Try looking in c:\Games\Doom 3\training_mission.

 

Ah, there. Checked that as well, and it's set to 1. Shall I try setting it to 0 here and in the other directory? Think that might work?

 

 

I had the same problem in the internal SVN version. I had to extract the gamex86.dll out of tdm_game01.pk4 by hand (by naming the pk4-> .zip temporarily. If that doesn't work, I'd also recommend running tdm_updater, you might have some corrupt texture packs.

 

I already had gamex86.dll extracted, but I did it again manually, and overwrote the original one. No difference. Same thing for running the updater.

 

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No suggestions, but hey there, Premier!

Come the time of peril, did the ground gape, and did the dead rest unquiet 'gainst us. Our bands of iron and hammers of stone prevailed not, and some did doubt the Builder's plan. But the seals held strong, and the few did triumph, and the doubters were lain into the foundations of the new sanctum. -- Collected letters of the Smith-in-Exile, Civitas Approved

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I had the same problem in the internal SVN version. I had to extract the gamex86.dll out of tdm_game01.pk4 by hand (by naming the pk4-> .zip temporarily. If that doesn't work, I'd also recommend running tdm_updater, you might have some corrupt texture packs.

 

Just confirming having seen this happen, using a working installs gamex86.dll fixed the issue. However it might not be your issue.

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All of us so far use nVidia hardware. (?)

 

The XP guys thing might be related to a problem I had earlier: I needed some C++ library thing I had to get from Microsoft. Now if I could only remember what I downloaded to make the problem go away.

Visual C++ Runtime?

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For what it's worth, I've downloaded vcredist_x86 (Visual C++ 2008 redistributalbe package and run it). It didn't offer an Install option, only Repair Installation and Uninstall, which I guess means I already had it. Chose Repair for the hell of it, then tried running TDM but no luck.

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Hi. I've got the same problem here. The Dark Mod runs fine first time, tried to change the resolution and restart, and I get the Doom 3 loading screen, then a black main menu. The Dark Mod music plays but the screen is black. The console still works, and it shows 161 warnings related to being unable to load various assets for the main menu.

 

On a more positive note, I loved the music, and the artwork I briefly saw on the menu was very atmospheric. I'm really looking forward to working this little bug out so I can see some more :)

 

I think I might try the Linux version tonight...

There is hope, but not for us.

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Ah, there. Checked that as well, and it's set to 1. Shall I try setting it to 0 here and in the other directory? Think that might work?

 

No. :) That's why I said to make sure it was set to 1. The game needs to be able to read 'all formats', if you have it set to "0", then it can't read all the texture formats...making issues worse. Leave it at "1".

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Well, I just managed to get it running, but I still don't know what was wrong. I manually deleted the entire darkmod folder, redownloaded the torrent version, copied it back in place, and ran the updater. I've run the updater before, too, but this time it DID download some new file, something called "tdm_shared_stuff" or somesuch, and I don't remember it doing so last time. And now it works properly. A completely fresh install might help those others who have the same symptoms.

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Alas, tried a fresh install and download, still no joy in Windows... Managed to get it to run under Debian though, so all is not lost. Was hoping to use Windows for the DarkMod though, DarkRadiant might be a bit of a pain to run under Debian. There look to be quite a list of packages to install to compile it myself, not sure if I can get away with using one of the Ubuntu repositories on a Debian system. Might try it though - what's the worst that could happen?

 

Still, really good job guys! Only tried a bit of the training mission, and a little of Chalice of Kings, but really impressed. Captured the feel and atmosphere of Thief beautifully! Absolutely love the new lockpicking mechanic. Simple but elegant, I can see it being a sweet source of tension, picking a lock before a guard returns, missing that tumbler in your haste...

 

Many thanks :)

There is hope, but not for us.

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Alas, tried a fresh install and download, still no joy in Windows... Managed to get it to run under Debian though, so all is not lost. Was hoping to use Windows for the DarkMod though, DarkRadiant might be a bit of a pain to run under Debian. There look to be quite a list of packages to install to compile it myself, not sure if I can get away with using one of the Ubuntu repositories on a Debian system. Might try it though - what's the worst that could happen?

Many thanks :)

 

I've seen this happen with a freshly installed + roe + patched doom3, somehow it was using the wrong gamex86.dll.

If I recall correctly it tries to use the doom3 default one if there is some message it wants to give you or if it wants to tell you to validate your CD key.

 

You can try :

uninstall doom

manaully delete the doom directory

install doom (dont install roe)

run doom and put key in etc, make sure it works

patch doom

install tdm

-

make a copy of what has been done so far.

launch tdm and mess around with settings, if you can launch it try recreate the issue.

if you can recreate it - please let us know, if it doesnt do anything... well you wasted 10 min :P

 

(before doing all of this, you could also try renaming the gamex86.dll in the 'base' directory to something else, I remember fixing a friends install a while back)

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OK...

 

I renamed gamex86.dll in doom3/base, still the same error, so I uninstalled RoE, then Doom3, then deleted the Doom3 folder and reinstalled Doom3 without RoE, set it up and made sure it ran OK, patched it to 1.3.1.1304, and checked again it was still running OK. Next I copied DarkMod from the torrent into the Doom3 folder, and ran the DarkMod launcher. Again it ran first time, I changed the aspect ratio and screen resolution, and restarted. Once again it showed the Doom3 loading screen, then a black screen. This time there was one less warning in the console, with 160 warnings shown.

 

It's a puzzle... :)

There is hope, but not for us.

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I have this problem as well, however I can reproduce it quite easily.

 

1. Install a fan mission after a fresh install of TDM.

2. Install another fan mission or uninstall the one that was installed in step 1.

3. Black screen. Also, the load screen before the main menu is the default Doom 3 one, only without the texts (i.e. Loading game, Initialising Menu)

 

I have tried using the methods found in the previous posts, but none of them worked. Deleting all TDM related files in my Doom3 file and then re-downloading the whole 1.4GB TDM again solves this problem though.

So far it meant that I need to download the whole mod again for every fm i want to play, but I'll now try making a backup of the TDM files to get quick acess to them.

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I have this problem as well, however I can reproduce it quite easily.

 

1. Install a fan mission after a fresh install of TDM.

2. Install another fan mission or uninstall the one that was installed in step 1.

3. Black screen. Also, the load screen before the main menu is the default Doom 3 one, only without the texts (i.e. Loading game, Initialising Menu)

 

I have tried using the methods found in the previous posts, but none of them worked. Deleting all TDM related files in my Doom3 file and then re-downloading the whole 1.4GB TDM again solves this problem though.

So far it meant that I need to download the whole mod again for every fm i want to play, but I'll now try making a backup of the TDM files to get quick acess to them.

 

If you have the time/effort and a bit of know how, I would suggest perhaps using to difference the directories from when it is working to when it stops working. Most of it will be static, levels, maps, stuff like that. Logs and settings files would grow/replace, logs can be excluded and settings looked at. If you're using/know some *nix stuff this isnt much of an issue, however in windows I'm unsure of the best approach. Would be interesting to see what happened if you ran it in a Sandboxie, tho I dont know too much about how it stores local changes. Might be very straight forward to get the changed files that way tho. At the moment it seems to be trying to narrow down _if_ its a settings file or if its something like a file getting deleted/replaced etc.

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I would suggest using a program such as WinMerge to find differences in folders of files. Once we find out the specific file that causes this issue we could either patch it or simple find an easy solution for it such as keeping a backup ready.

 

Also I could write a simple batch script which could do the work if I find out which files need to be deleted or moved.

Edited by Kingo64
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