Can't Begin Campaign

[TheHoff]

So I recently got the urge to start playing Rome Total War again, and reinstalled it. I patched to 1.3, and then 1.5. Battles work fine, but every time I try to start the Imperial Campaign the game freezes up on the loading screen, after picking a faction to play. The loading bar fills up, and then it just hangs there, though the music continues. It's like it has problems displaying the campaign map.

I'm playing on a Windows XP computer. Here's some info from dxdiag, if it helps:

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System Information
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Time of this report: 9/3/2010, 20:12:27
Machine name: ICHRIS
Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
System Model: MM061
BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 A17
Processor: Genuine Intel(R) CPU T1350 @ 1.86GHz
Memory: 1534MB RAM
Page File: 397MB used, 3033MB available
Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
Display Tab 1: The file ati2dvag.dll is not digitally signed, which means that it has not been tested by Microsoft's Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL). You may be able to get a WHQL logo'd driver from the hardware manufacturer.
Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
Music Tab: No problems found.
Input Tab: No problems found.
Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D: 0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: ATI MOBILITY RADEON X1300
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: ATI Radeon Graphics Processor (0x7149)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_1002&DEV_7149&SUBSYS_20031028&REV_00
Display Memory: 128.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Default Monitor
Monitor Max Res:
Driver Name: ati2dvag.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0010.6925 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 2/25/2009 14:41:10, 325120 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: No
WHQL Date Stamp: None
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: ati2mtag.sys
Mini VDD Date: 2/25/2009 15:58:57, 3565568 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71EE2-3209-11CF-9568-0900A1C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x1002
Device ID: 0x7149
SubSys ID: 0x20031028
Revision ID: 0x0000
Revision ID: 0x0000

[irishron]

Have you put -show_err in the target?

[TheHoff]

I've added that, and tried it again. It doesn't show any error. To exit I have to hit ctrl-alt-delete and end the RomeTW.exe process. When I look at the applications tab, it says RTW's not responding. But yeah, no error or explanation pops up.

Update: After waiting long enough, the campaign map appeared, but there's still problems. When I try to scroll in any direction across the map, there's a few seconds of lag, and then it only moves a little. There's also really bad lag when armies meet, when I try to attack a settlement, and when I click end turn. Everything's fine in battle mode though.

[irishron]

About your graphics chip: http://shoguntotalwar.yuku.com/topic...ome-Total.html.

[TheHoff]

Alright, I figured it out and now everything runs smoothly. A year or so ago I switched drivers, thinking I could get away with the newer Catalyst driver rather than the manufacturer's ATI driver from 2006. Clearly, that doesn't work completely. I switched back to the old driver, and now it works fine.

[irishron]

Glad to hear you have it going, again. Enjoy playing.