TGB Pro 111 no longer starting

#1 Console.log in your TGB directory is updated every time the engine starts.

#2 Have screwed around with this some more, but still no closer to anything.

The console.log text is:

//-------------------------- 8/28/2006 -- 01:24:59 -----
Processor Init:
Intel (unknown, Pentium Pro/II/III family), ~1.87 Ghz
(timed at roughly 1.86 Ghz)
FPU detected
MMX detected
SSE detected

Math Init:
Installing Standard C extensions
Installing Assembly extensions
Installing FPU extensions
Installing MMX extensions
Installing SSE extensions

Input Init:
keyboard0 input device created.
mouse0 input device created.
joystick0 input device created.
joystick1 input device created.
DirectInput enabled.

Initializing chunk mappings...
o 'TEXT' maps to TextChunk
o 'SCHK' maps to UnknownChunk
o 'SCHK' maps to SimChunk
Compiling common/main.cs...
Loading compiled script common/main.cs.
Compiling tools/main.cs...
Loading compiled script tools/main.cs.
--------- Parsing Arguments ---------

--------- Initializing Common ---------
Compiling common/preferences/defaultPrefs.cs...
Loading compiled script common/preferences/defaultPrefs.cs.
Reading Display Device information...
Primary Display Device Found:
Vendor Id: VEN_0000
Device Id: DEV_0000

Using OpenGL rendering. Fullscreen: 0

Compiling common/gameScripts/common.cs...
Loading compiled script common/gameScripts/common.cs.
Compiling common/gameScripts/audio.cs...
Loading compiled script common/gameScripts/audio.cs.
Compiling common/gameScripts/canvas.cs...
Loading compiled script common/gameScripts/canvas.cs.
Compiling common/gameScripts/cursor.cs...

///

That's all it says.

Now, if I have task-manager up, and I run TGB, I see TGB.exe pop onto the list -very very briefly- and then disappear again.

I re-installed again and left "run TGB" checked in the last window of the installer. When it tried to run, it failed and popped up an error message regarding imslsp.dll; google tells me this is part of ZoneAlarm (which I've had running for months when I've been using TGB and have had zero issues). Shutting down ZA doesn't make any difference.

#3 Even weirder! -No Torque games run!- I just tried a couple of demos that other people have written (Cloudburst, and the Berk's Quest demo) which had worked fine a month or so ago. The game starts up, momentarily, I see the starting screen, and then it crashes just like the level builder does.

What crazy-ass DLL got wrecked somewhere that I need to look to fix? Uninstalling and reinstalling TGB itself has done nothing to help; need a new idea.

#4 Are the console logs of those other games cutting off at the same place?

#5 Can you do a Windows Restore and roll back to a savepoint prior to when you installed the two apps you mention in your first post?

#6 In my console.log file, I see the following lines after the ones that you posted (I assume this is the same for everyone)

Binding server port to default IP
UDP initialized on port 0

So... Just a wild guess, but maybe something to do with networking?

EDIT: Have you tried temporarily disabling Zone Alarm? maybe they updated something thats now borking your TGB? (doh, nevermind.. you have tried).

#7 System restore didn't work. I've sent an email off to GG tech support as well, so we'll see if that does anything for me.


The .log for Berk's Quest (which you can download up in the Show it Off forum, thread 'Platformer Demo' or such) reads:

//-------------------------- 8/29/2006 -- 00:02:03 -----
Processor Init:
Intel (unknown, Pentium Pro/II/III family), ~1.87 Ghz
(timed at roughly 1.86 Ghz)
FPU detected
MMX detected
SSE detected

Math Init:
Installing Standard C extensions
Installing Assembly extensions
Installing FPU extensions
Installing MMX extensions
Installing SSE extensions

Input Init:
keyboard0 input device created.
mouse0 input device created.
joystick0 input device created.
joystick1 input device created.
DirectInput enabled.

--------- Loading MODS ---------
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/main.cs.
Loading compiled script common/main.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/audio.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/server.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/message.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/commands.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/missionInfo.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/missionLoad.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/missionDownload.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/clientConnection.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/kickban.cs.
Loading compiled script common/server/game.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/defaults.cs.
Compiling BerksQuest/client/prefs.cs...
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/prefs.cs.

--------- Parsing Arguments ---------

--------- Initializing MOD: Common ---------
Loading compiled script common/client/canvas.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/audio.cs.

--------- Initializing MOD: T2D ---------
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/client.cs.
Binding server port to default IP
UDP initialized on port 0
Loading compiled script common/client/client.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/message.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/mission.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/missionDownload.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/actionMap.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/scriptDoc.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/optionsDlg.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/serverConnection.cs.
Video Init:
Accelerated OpenGL display device detected.
Accelerated D3D device detected.
Voodoo 2 display device not detected.

Activating the OpenGL display device...
Activating the OpenGL display device...
Setting screen mode to 1024x768x32 (w)...
Creating a new window...
Acquiring a new device context...
Pixel format set:
32 color bits, 24 depth bits, 8 stencil bits
Creating a new rendering context...
Making the new rendering context current...
OpenGL driver information:
Vendor: Intel
Renderer: Intel 915GM
Version: 1.4.0 - Build 4.14.10.4543
OpenGL Init: Enabled Extensions
ARB_multitexture (Max Texture Units: 8)
EXT_compiled_vertex_array
EXT_texture_env_combine
EXT_packed_pixels
EXT_fog_coord
ARB_texture_compression
EXT_texture_compression_s3tc
3DFX_texture_compression_FXT1
(ARB|EXT)_texture_env_add
EXT_texture_filter_anisotropic (Max anisotropy: 4.000000)
OpenGL Init: Disabled Extensions
EXT_paletted_texture
NV_vertex_array_range
WGL_EXT_swap_control
NPatch tessellation

Loading compiled script common/ui/defaultProfiles.cs.
common/ui/defaultProfiles.cs (0): Unable to find parent object GuiToolWindowProfile for GuiControlProfile.
Loading compiled script common/ui/GuiEditorGui.gui.
Missing file: common/ui/ConsoleDlg.gui!
Loading compiled script common/ui/InspectDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/InspectAddFieldDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/LoadFileDlg.gui.
Could not locate texture: common/ui/bs
Loading compiled script common/ui/SaveFileDlg.gui.
Could not locate texture: common/ui/bs
Loading compiled script common/ui/MessageBoxOkDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/MessageBoxYesNoDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/MessageBoxOKCancelDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/MessagePopupDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/HelpDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/RecordingsDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/optionsDlg.gui.
Loading compiled script common/client/customProfiles.cs.
Loading compiled script common/ui/JoinServerGui.gui.
Missing file: common/ui/startMissionGui.gui!
Loading compiled script common/ui/startServerGui.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/chatGui.gui.
Loading compiled script common/ui/waitingForServerGui.gui.
Loading compiled script common/client/metrics.cs.
Loading compiled script common/ui/FrameOverlayGui.gui.
Loading compiled script common/client/messageBox.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/screenshot.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/cursor.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/help.cs.
Loading compiled script common/client/recordings.cs.

OpenAL Driver Init:
OpenAL
Vendor: Creative Labs Inc.
Version: OpenAL 1.0
Renderer: Software
Extensions: EAX 2.0, EAX 3.0, EAX Unified, and EAX-AC3

Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/demoDatablocks.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/player.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/actionMap.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/camera.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/game.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/shapes.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/movingbox.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/inventory.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/enemy.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/items.cs.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/mainScreenGui.gui.
Loading compiled script BerksQuest/client/level.cs.
set loaded!
set loaded!
T2D Engine (v1.1.0 [Alpha#2]) initialized...
set saved!
set saved!
anything happening yet
anything happening yet
anything happening yet
anything happening yet
keyboard0 input device created.
mouse0 input device created.
joystick0 input device created.
//

#8 Ou have intel graphics? Have you updated/changed your drivers (windows update?) and/or DX?

#9 I've done nothing to drivers. Tried doing a rollback and that didn't help. Tried reinstalling DirectX; again, nothing. Have removed ZoneAlarm completely (I don't actually need it anymore so that's no problem). TGB and TGB/T2D games are the -only- things not working on the system.

I'm pretty far from a backup computer and so I hate to do a Windows re-install if it can possibly be avoided; and I don't really think that will solve it anyway. Have run chkdsk, defrag, sfc, and some diagnostic utility stuff that came with the laptop. Everything checks out.

EDIT: Found a program called strings.exe that should help me track down what's going on but I'm not sure how to force its output (basically a huge text dump of everything the .exe tries to do) to a text file in DOS. Anyone know how I might do this? The program itself can't, but there must be a way for me to take all the text it spits out and route it to a file proper.

EDIT^2: http://s93012118.onlinehome.us/tgbDUMP.txt -- found another program (bintext) that did the same thing as strings.exe but gave me a GUI and let me save the output easily. Maybe someone can see what's wrong; I do see a few "can't do that" errors but for all I know that's in a normal, working TGB installation too; there's a clean copy at http://public.planetmirror.com/pub/foundstone/ if anyone can help out.

#10 Has anyone had luck with GG's tech support? I've sent two emails now this week and haven't received so much as, "We got your message and are looking into it," reply. This is pretty aggravating. If there's no real tech support it'd be nice to be told that up-front. I know there was PAX this weekend and some folk were probably up there for stuff, but it's.. Thursday there? Or maybe even Friday now (I'm working through timezones here) and it'd be nice to know there's actually someone on the other end of that support email address, and not just an unmonitored box.

#11 I would personally hold off on drastic measures like re-installing windows...

If you USED TO be able to run 1.1.1 fine and now you can't it is probable that something changed (either with the game itself or with some system components that the game uses).

One thing that I find odd is that EVERY TGB application is failing. To me this points to an error not with individual game data but possibly with a shared config/pref file OR registry file.

On the other hand, you said that you did a complete uninstall/reinstall...

Here is a clean test that will determine whether this is a problem with the game itself or something external to the game:

1) Copy any changes you want to save to another directory for backup
2) Uninstall TGB (using Add/Remove Program)
3) Make sure that there are no remaining TGB install directories on your box.
4) Go into your registry (Go to 'Start/Run...' then type 'regedit' then press 'enter')
5) Right Click on 'HKEY_Local_Machine' and select 'Find'.
6) Search for 'Torque Game Builder' and make sure no folder entries for the SDK exist.
7) If any folders for the TGB SDK exists then delete them.
8) Reinstall TGB.

For future reference, I recommend NEVER working out of your install directory. After a clean working install, copy the contents of the install folder over to a working directory like 'c:\mygamedir'. This way if something goes wrong you can easily pull the source from the clean install directory.

Something else that may be helpful is to create a debug build. At this point I wouldn't really recommend it if you are not familiar with making your own builds but it would generate better errors than the default release build.

Regardless, if the above steps do not work then it most likely isn't TGB itself but a system/application/hardware conflict.

I would start by killing any non-critical applications that are running (from Task Manager) then see if the game runs...

#12 Michael feel free to send me your tech support e-mail directly...

mattl (AT) garagegames (DOT) com

#13 Michael,

I've done a full search of our support database of emails and we've never received anything from you (your name) or your email address. Did you utilize the support emails system located at http://www.garagegames.com/support/email/

#14 Yeah, that's the form I used, and I received mail back to my account right after I submitted it. I'll go ahead and forward those to Matthew in case there's something wonky on one end or the other. Gonna try the registry cleaning first (thanks Unk; hadn't even thought about checking there) and see if that fixes it and if not, will send a mail direct. Thanks guys. =)

#15 I had the same problem before and it had to do with the intel video processor on my laptop and the fact that I was trying to run the game in open gl wouldn't let it load. When i changed to DX it worked fine.

#16 Charlie: Changed it where?

Matthew/Benjamin: I emailed Matthew and quoted the 2nd support mail I sent, did this on (I think) Thursday night your time. I did use that exact support system.

#17 Well, I'm still fighting with this. Waiting to see if Matthew/support can figure something out. Two weeks and I've been able to do no development at all. Feels like a lot longer, sigh.

The one thing I've noticed in my console.log file is that there's no Primary Display Device detected. I get:

Primary Display Device Found:
Vendor Id: VEN_0000
Device Id: DEV_0000

Using OpenGL rendering. Fullscreen: 0


Now, if I go into the defaultPrefs.cs and set it to D3D and preferOpenGL: 0, I still get nothing. But I can see, in the code, the nice ven_8086 that it -should- be detecting. Is there somewhere I can force that entry? Skip the auto-detect?

#18 TGB display device Auto-detect doesn't work with UNICODE enabled, and I think UNICODE is the default for recent versions of TGB.

The code that scans for VEN_ and DEV_ in the device string assumes straight ASCII. When UNICODE is enabled, 16-bit characters are returned from EnumerateDevice, and the TGB strstr fails after the first character of the device string.

But that shouldn't prevent things from running. Did you try deleting TorqueGameBuilderPro/games/common/preferences/prefs.cs AND .../common/preferences/prefs.cs.dso ?

Try that, or try installing TGB into a fresh directory, or make sure you nuke any TGB directory leftovers after uninstalling it before reinstalling it.

It doesn't explain why other games (presumably with their own install directories) would be failing though... as far as I know there aren't any registry entries that are used by TGB, I think all of the video settings that could be hosed are in prefs.cs / prefs.cs.dso

- Scott

#19 Scott,

Hadn't tried deleting those; but just did, and no change.

I've uninstalled and reinstalled TGB into approximately 10 different "fresh directories" at this point. Registry has been checked and re-checked and there's never anything of note. (This started around August 25th, so I've had plenty of time, you see.)

#20 Michael -
Ok, there specific settings in defaultPrefs.cs for "VEN_8086" as you found.
Those won't get used, because of the VEN_0000 bug that you are seeing in your logs.

Did you try forcing the Intel settings in defaultPrefs.cs AND deleting prefs.cs, prefs.cs.dso, and defaultPrefs.cs.dso (just in case)?

Maybe this will work:

a) Delete prefs.cs, prefs.cs.dso, and defaultPrefs.cs.dso
b) In defaultPrefs.cs, force the VEN_8086 settings
$pref::Video::displayDevice = "D3D";
$pref::Video::allowOpenGL = 0;
c) Also maybe try forcing full screen
$pref::Video::fullScreen = "1";

Make sure you add these at the end of defaultPrefs.cs where they will get set regardless of anything else, and make sure you delete prefs.cs and prefs.cs.dso every time you try something new in defaultPrefs.cs

If you have the TGB source, you can fix the video card detection bug in cardProfile.cpp (basically you need to convert the ddData.DeviceID from 16-bit unicode to 8-bit ascii before looking for the VEN_ and DEV_ strings).

Scott