Kingdoms Expansion, Americas Campaign crashes with "unexpected error"

[RTSGuy]

I installed this game (Medieval II Gold Edition, retail box not Steam) few days ago it all worked beautifully. Well the Kingdoms launcher didn't work but the individual campaign shortcuts worked for all 4 expansions did, as did the original game. I could play the expansions via the individual shortcuts created during install or the launcher that lets you select an individual game. This launcher itself would crash but the games would still run.

Anyways I regretfully decided to try to use a mod (reallyBadAi) but I couldn't get it to work. I did the whole unpacker thing but I don't think it worked correctly (didn't fully unpack). I noticed after doing this I would get no sound and the game would crash in the Americas campaign. So I decided to do a reinstall. I've actually tried several reinstalls using the game's uninstall as well as windows. The Sega folder stays behind so I nuke it manually. Somehow someway however, the problem of no sound / game crashing with "unexpected error". Despite cleaning out the files completely, and even using registry cleaner software to get rid of anything related to medieval 2 total war, the game somehow still has my saves and options configurations from before, that tells me the uninstall is not thorough and there are files / folders possibly elsewhere not in the progams (x86)/Sega destination.

Patching the game to 1.5 allows Americas campaign to work if I launch it right after patching. But then If I launch it again the problems come back. So as a work around, I have to run the patch setup and launch the game from there every time to get this campaign to work. The other 3 and the original all work fine.

This is the system.log file that is produced when the Kingdom's launcher fails, it may be relevant here.

11:19:29.930 [system.rpt] [always] CPU: SSE211:19:29.930 [system.rpt] [always] ==== system log start, build date: Feb 25 2008 version development ===
11:19:29.932 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_0.pack
11:19:29.932 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_1.pack
11:19:29.932 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_2.pack
11:19:29.933 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_3.pack
11:19:29.933 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_4.pack
11:19:29.933 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/localized.pack
11:19:29.934 [system.io] [always] mounted pack mods/americas/packs/data.pack
11:19:29.934 [system.io] [always] mounted pack mods/americas/packs/localized.pack
11:19:29.955 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/shortcut.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:29.956 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/shortcut.txt is missing
11:19:29.957 [system.io] [warning] open: preferences/player.txt is missing
11:19:29.957 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/preferences/keys.dat is missing
11:19:29.957 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/preferences/keys.dat is missing
11:19:31.859 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for ANISELECT
11:19:31.862 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_SABOTAGE
11:19:31.865 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_TRADE
11:19:31.874 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for DRAGGABLE
11:19:31.874 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for DRAGGING
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_MULTIPLE_SELECT
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_ATTACK
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_CHARACTER
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_RESOURCE
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_FORT
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_MOVE_OBJECT
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_WATCHTOWER
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_DEPLOYMENT_AREA
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_TILE
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_SPECIAL_PIECE
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PAINT
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_ADJUST_HEIGHTS
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_ADD_UNIT
11:19:31.876 [data.missing] [warning] missing/invalid cursor for MODIFIER_PLACE_SETTLEMENT
11:19:32.025 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/climates.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:32.027 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/climates.txt is missing
11:19:32.358 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.359 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.360 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.360 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.362 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.362 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.363 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.363 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.364 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.365 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/mesoamerican/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.368 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.369 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.370 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.371 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.372 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.373 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.374 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.374 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.375 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.375 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/nativeindian/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.383 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/civilians/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.383 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/civilians/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.385 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/rogues/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.386 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/rogues/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.386 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.387 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.388 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.388 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/merchants/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.389 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/priests/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.390 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/priests/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.390 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.391 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.392 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.392 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.393 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.393 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/eastern_european/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.397 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.398 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/princesses/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.401 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.402 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/heretics/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.402 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.403 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/witches/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.404 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.404 [data.missing] [warning] Cannot find the portrait path: data/ui/middle_eastern/portraits/portraits/young/inquisitors/000.tga, using the default culture path if it exists
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 10879, column 23 :
we should only have trait(Berserker) additional affects for triggers(Battle_Losing_Berserker)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 10997, column 28 :
we should only have trait(BattleChivalry) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Not_fighting)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 10998, column 25 :
we should only have trait(BattleDread) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Not_fighting)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 11008, column 28 :
we should only have trait(BattleChivalry) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Routing)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 11009, column 25 :
we should only have trait(BattleDread) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Routing)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 11021, column 28 :
we should only have trait(BattleChivalry) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Routing2)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 11022, column 25 :
we should only have trait(BattleDread) additional affects for triggers(battle3Chivalry_Dread_Routing2)
11:19:32.411 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 11063, column 25 :
we should only have trait(BattleDread) additional affects for triggers(battle3Dread_Let_Them_Go)
11:19:32.417 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 16880, column 27 :
we should only have trait(GoodDenouncer) additional affects for triggers(hereticinit1_denouncerclear)
11:19:32.417 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 16888, column 26 :
we should only have trait(BadDenouncer) additional affects for triggers(hereticinit1_denouncerclear_bad)
11:19:32.417 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 16896, column 25 :
we should only have trait(StrongFaith) additional affects for triggers(hereticinit1_faithclear)
11:19:32.417 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 16904, column 22 :
we should only have trait(Purifier) additional affects for triggers(hereticinit1_purifierclear)
11:19:32.419 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 17808, column 28 :
we should only have trait(WarPathHistory) additional affects for triggers(jihads_7)
11:19:32.419 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 17817, column 28 :
we should only have trait(WarPathHistory) additional affects for triggers(jihads_8)
11:19:32.419 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 18126, column 28 :
we should only have trait(WarPathHistory) additional affects for triggers(warpath_7)
11:19:32.419 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 18127, column 30 :
we should only have trait(StrategyChivalry) additional affects for triggers(warpath_7)
11:19:32.419 [script.err] [warning] Trigger parsing warning in mods/americas/data/export_descr_character_traits.txt, at line 18136, column 28 :
we should only have trait(WarPathHistory) additional affects for triggers(warpath_8)
11:19:32.422 [data.missing] [warning] Failed to find ancillary image data/ui/ancillaries/scribe_ancillary.tga
11:19:32.422 [data.missing] [warning] Failed to find ancillary image data/ui/ancillaries/security_religious.tga
11:19:32.423 [data.missing] [warning] Failed to find ancillary image data/ui/ancillaries/security_religious.tga
11:19:32.425 [data.missing] [warning] Failed to find ancillary image data/ui/ancillaries/wise_man.tga
11:19:32.428 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/export_advice.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:32.441 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/export_advice.txt is missing
11:19:32.459 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/export_prologue.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:32.465 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/export_prologue.txt is missing
11:19:32.838 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/cursor_action_tooltips.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:32.838 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/cursor_action_tooltips.txt is missing
11:19:41.345 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/text/FactionIntroSubTitles.txt.strings.bin is missing
11:19:42.924 [system.io] [warning] open: data/loading_screen/loading_bar.tga.dds is missing
11:19:42.925 [system.io] [warning] open: mods/americas/data/loading_screen/loading_logo.tga.dds is missing
11:19:43.826 [system.io] [warning] open: data/loading_screen/loading_bar.tga.dds is missing
11:19:43.856 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_symbols_80/normans.tga is missing
11:19:43.856 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_faction_units/normans.tga is missing
11:19:43.856 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_symbols_80/saxons.tga is missing
11:19:43.857 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_faction_units/saxons.tga is missing
11:19:43.857 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_symbols_80/slave.tga is missing
11:19:43.857 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/symbols/FE_faction_units/slave.tga is missing
11:19:43.859 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/_M2_MP_HISTORICAL_BATTLE_CHOOSE_TEAMS.TGA is missing
11:19:43.861 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/TEXTURES/_M2_MAIN_MENU.TGA is missing
11:19:44.743 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/buttons_composite2.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.743 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/slider_composite.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.743 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/slider_composite2.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.743 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/border_4pix_black_gold2.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/text_border.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/yellow_highlight.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/border_4pix_black_gold_selected.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/border_4pix_black_gold_black.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/_M2_Selection_Glow.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.744 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/unit_card.tga.dds is missing
11:19:44.745 [system.io] [warning] open: data/menu/icons.tga.dds is missing

Please help, thanks.

[Gigantus]

Please compress your log (7Zip is freeware) and upload it, it looks like part of it is missing.

This might help with the sound.

You may also consider switching to Steam.

[RTSGuy]

Thank you for the reply. As stated above, the audio issue only happens in one Campaign, and it only happens since I've reinstalled the game (after a botched unpacking). I tried the miles solution anyhow but to no avail. The pasted log is certainly complete, I double checked it. I didn't realize I could switch to steam. I just entered the code that came with the box and it accepted it. I just have to wait awhile though, our internet has been throttled down because we went over the limit, it'll be a few days before I can download any large files.

[Gigantus]

Just a tip: unpacking the game is only necessary when you intend to edit files that are not already present. It has it's pitfalls: the time stamp issue of the descr_geography files will crash battles and the sheer size and entanglement with already present files makes it difficult to delete those unpacked files again.
This approach unpacks it outside the game where it can easily be deleted if no further required. And this is a modding set up of the Grand campaign if you wish to try your hand in applying stuff like the ReallyBadAI or edit those unpacked files (after copying them into the set up, of course ).