Larian Studios Forums Divine Divinity (English) Technical Problems Cutscene troubles

I have an English version of Divine Divinity, patched to 1.0034.

PC config:

Athlon 1333
512Mb RAM
GeForce3
SB Live! Value

Windows XP Professional Edition
DirectX 9.0b
NVidia ForceWare 53.03


The first problem I stumbled over was that the game wouldn't start at all. Those times I had version 1.0029. After the loading process completed, instead of seeing the main menu I were thrown back into the operating system with no messages in Direct3D mode and with a critical error message in Software or DirectDraw mode. Patching to 1.0034 and applying all of the hints listed on the forum didn't help anyhow.

I have found the solution to that problem: all that one needs to start Divine Divinity is to... move the mouse pointer after the loading bar comes to an end!
I encountered this possibility occasionally and wondered a lot what kind of a bug could be evaded in such a weird way.

But still troubles continue pursuing me. Most of them were about crashing to Windows at random places. But these artifacts brang no real harm because I always could load a saved game and pass that place without any problems.

Playing further I have encountered heavier bugs, the cutscenes, which once and once again crashed the game. As usual, no messages were shown. For instance, when I enter the church, I see two priests and then crash to desktop. When I try to rescue Caroline's boy from vampire's fangs, I see part of the cutscene, until the boy goes away. Then I crash to the desktop. Also I get crashed when wandering around the Dark Cave and approaching to some place being leaded by dropped gold coins.

I could try to avoid solving these quests, for they aren't that crucial. But here's the hanging cutscene that prevents me from climbing the storyline any further: the scene of orcs attacking Duke Janus. When the last of the orc intruders get killed, I crash to the desktop. :((((

It's very annoying, for one year ago when I played 1.0029 on my old PC which is Pentium 3 450, 256Mb, Riva TNT2 Pro, Sound Blaster AWE32 running Windows 98, and I experienced no problems of that kind. Aye, there were memory leaks but prevent me from completing the storyline!

Please help me, almighty developers! :)))))) (Worshipping like crazy...)

Does switching to software mode in the configuration program help any with the cut scenes?
With that and the weird starting problem with the mouse, I'd try the file verification method described in;
Troubleshooting Tips (& manual install procedure)

If the problem is due to a corrupt file or error during install, it should be easier to fix than tracking down a conflict with something else in the system.

Switching to software or DirectDraw mode doesn't help except for there is a msgbox containing "invalid floating point operation" error.

I also tried to unset read-only flags. That helped me with Janus, but the other quests crash anyway.

Also I have encountered a new kind of crash: crashing when fighting certain bosses. E.g. orc leader in the camp or El Shrimpo. Seems something's wrong with their blows animation or smth. else. I have avoided the orc warboss bug eventually by pure luck: I have stunned him and killed before he could hit me.

I'll try the file verification procedure and report later. Thank you for your assistance.

Here're the verification results:

Verifying CRCs in file F:\CRC\DivineDivinityCRC\Divinity-1.34.crc ...
File f:\Divinity\Divine Divinity.lnk does NOT match.
OldBytes = 361, NewBytes = 345, OldCRC = 70B3CEE0, NewCRC = FDA91DF7
Directory f:\Divinity does NOT match.
OldBytes = 2301670, NewBytes = 2301654
OldFileCount = 8, NewFileCount = 8
OldMetaCRC = 51E4C1D9, NewMetaCRC = 750D2E31
File f:\Divinity\Run\config.div does NOT match.
OldBytes = 211, NewBytes = 141, OldCRC = 96895314, NewCRC = B507B600
File f:\Divinity\Run\configtool.exe does NOT match.
OldBytes = 188416, NewBytes = 366340, OldCRC = 9DF6E9D0, NewCRC = 4E56C8AF
File f:\Divinity\Run\div.exe does NOT match.
OldBytes = 2445312, NewBytes = 2623232, OldCRC = 91770524, NewCRC = 6854F43D
File f:\Divinity\Run\init.cfg does NOT match.
OldBytes = 4, NewBytes = 4, OldCRC = 99F8B879, NewCRC = 2144DF1C
File f:\Divinity\Run\keylist.txt does NOT match.
OldBytes = 610, NewBytes = 662, OldCRC = 5F161A3D, NewCRC = 270653DD
File f:\Divinity\Run\mapids.000 does NOT match.
OldBytes = 4, NewBytes = 4, OldCRC = 636D6792, NewCRC = 31845F00
1. Error Code 2 reading file f:\Divinity\Run\persist.dat
File f:\Divinity\Run\persist.dat does NOT match.
OldBytes = 772, NewBytes = 50, OldCRC = 4E774539, NewCRC = 00000000
File f:\Divinity\Run\sinfo.000 does NOT match.
OldBytes = 8, NewBytes = 8, OldCRC = 0381177C, NewCRC = 1134B892
2. Error Code 2 reading file f:\Divinity\Run\slashed-d3d6.cfg
File f:\Divinity\Run\slashed-d3d6.cfg does NOT match.
OldBytes = 52, NewBytes = 286720, OldCRC = 0D10B4D1, NewCRC = 00000000
File f:\Divinity\Run\slashed.cfg does NOT match.
OldBytes = 4, NewBytes = 4, OldCRC = 2144DF1C, NewCRC = 33F170F2
Directory f:\Divinity\Run does NOT match.
OldBytes = 6168491, NewBytes = 6810263
OldFileCount = 28, NewFileCount = 28
OldMetaCRC = 27E38C52, NewMetaCRC = 0E1A0461
File f:\Divinity\Run\localizations\english\voice.cmp does NOT match.
OldBytes = 160859779, NewBytes = 160859779, OldCRC = 77B77326, NewCRC = 96DB9FB6
Directory f:\Divinity\Run\localizations\english does NOT match.
OldBytes = 163497698, NewBytes = 163497698
OldFileCount = 8, NewFileCount = 8
OldMetaCRC = 2C3F5AF4, NewMetaCRC = E5736BAE
File f:\Divinity\Run\static\heroes\surmA.bic does NOT match.
OldBytes = 25024560, NewBytes = 25024560, OldCRC = 33623E5E, NewCRC = BAB7E219
File f:\Divinity\Run\static\heroes\warmB.idc does NOT match.
OldBytes = 1619200, NewBytes = 1619200, OldCRC = 64CD389C, NewCRC = B5B8B2F2
Directory f:\Divinity\Run\static\heroes does NOT match.
OldBytes = 913310511, NewBytes = 913310511
OldFileCount = 66, NewFileCount = 66
OldMetaCRC = A0DEC24E, NewMetaCRC = DB5117BF
File f:\Divinity\Run\static\imagelists\CPackedb.1c does NOT match.
OldBytes = 385617662, NewBytes = 385617662, OldCRC = 9B59EB36, NewCRC = 3AF481A7
Directory f:\Divinity\Run\static\imagelists does NOT match.
OldBytes = 780283574, NewBytes = 780283574
OldFileCount = 55, NewFileCount = 55
OldMetaCRC = 0CC8922E, NewMetaCRC = 4ABABA97
File f:\Divinity\Uninstall\AskSavegames.exe does NOT match.
OldBytes = 24576, NewBytes = 202490, OldCRC = DAF3413B, NewCRC = C07A7295
File f:\Divinity\Uninstall\AskSavegames.ini does NOT match.
OldBytes = 167, NewBytes = 160, OldCRC = 035CA800, NewCRC = 88D9FA5F
File f:\Divinity\Uninstall\INSTALL.LOG does NOT match.
OldBytes = 24925, NewBytes = 22348, OldCRC = 4177A25F, NewCRC = 165F818A
Directory f:\Divinity\Uninstall does NOT match.
OldBytes = 206324, NewBytes = 381654
OldFileCount = 5, NewFileCount = 5
OldMetaCRC = CE66D30E, NewMetaCRC = F2F2E072
Summary does not match.
OldBytes = 2396811010, NewBytes = 2397628096
OldFileCount = 406, NewFileCount = 406
OldDirCount = 25, NewDirCount = 25
OldMetaCRC = EFEBE453, NewMetaCRC = BAE43848
Verify time = 61,1 sec (13 Feb 2004 9:08:31)


So many non-matching files, even the executables. What could that mean?

[color:"orange"]File f:\Divinity\Run\configtool.exe does NOT match.
OldBytes = 188416, NewBytes = 366340, OldCRC = 9DF6E9D0, NewCRC = 4E56C8AF[/color]

The file size and CRC should be the same regardless of the game version.

Who is the publisher for the version you have? If the game was just imported and you have the standard English CDV published version, then there seems to be something wrong with your install.
It is possible there were some localizations done for Russia (for unicode support, or something), however I would think installing the patch should give you the same div.exe, at least.

I have the English version. Moreover, I have played Divinity installed from the same distributive a year ago on a different PC and found no problems those times. Even with no patching and no troubling about color depth and all this.

And to the worst of things I am stuck again, the damned game won't allow me to enter the Dark Forest or Verdistis, it crashes to the desktop <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" />

Did you try the 'troubleshooting and re-install' section of the troubleshooting tips post?

====
Tips Section

1) There is no any error.txt in the Run folder.

2) There is no a single process remaining that can be closed without crashing all the operating system. I have closed all others.

3) Scandisk reports ok.

4) Defragmenting the drive didn't help.

5) I have installed all the stuff using administrative priviledges.

6) No Shift/Caps/Num/Scroll locks are enabled.

7) My desktop is at 16 bit depth.

8) Switching to non-Direct3D mode doesn't help me anyhow.

9) I can't install DirectX 8.1 above DirectX 9.0b... How am I supposed to do that?

[color:"orange"]9) I can't install DirectX 8.1 above DirectX 9.0b... How am I supposed to do that?[/color]

There is a DirectX uninstall program (search Google), but in cases that people have had problems with a newer version, it has been random crashes IIRC, rather then the type of problems you are having. Reverting to an earlier version probably would not help.


Try deleting all of the files in the '..\Divine Divinity\Run\Dynamic' folder.
Then start a new game and see if the problem persists. Save, then use iZakaroN's SaveEditor (or from Kiya's site, with description) to boost your stats (especially constitution), re-load and try running to Verdistis or the Dark Forest.

If the new game works, but the latest save does not, there may be a problem in the saved game folder itself. If neither work, it may be a problem with Divinity, in which case re-installing might help.

To re-install, zip or otherwise backup your saved games folder to another location first, just in case. Then un-install, re-boot, shut down all non essential programs (especially anti-virus), re-install the game. You may be able to start the game and see if the problem persists (games saved under the 1.34 patch will not work in game version 1.29, but testing might work in a new game, depending on where exactly the problem occurs). This is usually not necessary, but would help identify problems cause by the patch. After this, re-boot, shut down all non essential programs, install the patch, re-boot, shut down all non essential programs, start the game. This procedure is a bit over-cautious, but the best way to avoid install problems.


If the game will not install, or there are CRC errors during the install, try a different optical drive (if available). Some drives have more trouble with some CDs than others. The SafeDisc copy protection added by CDV (the publisher) can also conflict with some drives. Check the CD for any physical damage; even a finger print or dust might interfere with it reading properly.

I have tried this method. Kaboom! The same thing even for a new game...

The next thing I'll try is re-installing. Heh, no one promised that the life would be easy... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" />

The game works fine now. Wonder why? Because I removed Win32.Pinfi (aka Win32.Parite.A) out of my system using Norton Antivirus 2004. All the ugly crashes dissolved into smoke.

The morale is: not every problem is caused by the developers. Maybe this is just your own stupidity, like it was in my case.

Thanks for your help, Raze.

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/party.gif" alt="" />