Weird Problem with Games

[VOP2288]

I'm just wondering if anyone would know why exactly, all of a sudden, my PC would start stuttering, freezing, etc during game cutscenes or opening titles? I've never had this problem before but it's started happening within the last two weeks.

For example: when I start M2TW my screen will go black and stay that way during the opening titles. If I was lucky I could get a two Esc key jabs in before it froze and play the game normally. Other times I have to shut down my PC or Crtl-Alt-Delete the program and shut it down.

Another game it's happened with is Far Cry and its cutscenes/opening titles and Age of Empires III

What could be causing this and how could I get rid of it?

Thanks

[LoZz]

what about during the games? or is it just the cut scenes?


ok - cut scenes are just video clips, not useing the game engine but just normal video clips, on some games you can actually find them in the game file as an avi file or a wmv file.

do me a favour - watch a downloaded clip on your pc, an avi or a wmv (both would be nice).

then try watching a dvd on your computer for me. dont rip it, watch it straght off the disc.


tell me what happens, could be a video codec issue.

[VOP2288]

The games themselves work fine...no problems whatsoever...

DVDs and other videos work fine too

[LoZz]

hmm bugger.

if the dvd didnt work or the video files didnt work i was going to say it was a video playback/codec issue, but if they work that throws it right open. ok in the mean time go to your medieval 2 folder, in their you will find a file called "medieval2.preference.cfg" open in note pad.

go down to the game section and find
event_cutscenes = 1 <change the 1 to a 0

then go down to video and find
sabotage_movies = 1
event_movies = 1 <set them both to zero, it removes all the movies in the game.


i think that skips the intro, i am not sure.


another thing to try, uninstall and install the latest video drivers for your card and uninstall and install the latest codecs (xvid, divx)