Larian Studios Forums Divine Divinity (English) Technical Problems Map has gone back to black

Okay I have got the Dragon Breastplate from Patrick after I did his quest and I teleported into the Dwarven halls to get it all sorted and the map was all blacked out, my flags were still there and the people answered me like the last time, (meaning that the game registed I had already been there), I have done quests and stuff, but the chests had refilled and the map was blanked out, I went to the cave and that was also blanked out but a lot of boulders were by the entrance to the next level, and the room where the bed was also had the stuff I found in there previously, back again. No monsters, all those have been registered as killed.

It was ok until I got breastplate, or it may have been the patch I updated late last night, this was first game I have played since updating.

How can I restore the map, can I copy one of my previous ones from another save in there? luckily I backed a load of stuff up in another folder earlier, unless that has done it.

If I can copy the map, what do I look for? bearing in mind PCs are like unknown territory for me as I am a Mac user. Had to get a pc to play all the great games macs don't get, like this.

Oh and while I am at it, this game is terrific, I am totally hooked. Can't wait for an expansion to come out and a sequel, there is gonna be an expansion and a sequel isnt there, pleeeeeeez.

If I can't solve the map thing, no matter, I am a methodical player and will go over every inch of it again.

Cheers

Lady Zidane aka Z

Try deleting all of the files in the '..\Divine Divinity\Run\Dynamic' folder, then start Divinity and re-load the game.
This folder is used as a cache for the game. Files are created / copied there from the save game folder when you load, and written / copied from that folder when you save a game. The files will be re-created as required the next time you start Divinity. If there was a corrupt file in that folder, deleting the files should fix the problem.

If that doesn't help, The fog-of-war for the Dark Forest is stored in the shroud.x2 file. I think you should be able to safely replace this with a file from a recent working save, but make a copy of your latest save game folder first, just in case. The 6 inv.* files keep track of your inventory and all NPC trade inventories, as well as the contents of all chests. Check you home base and make sure all your stored loot is still there. The data.000 file keeps track of your location and the location / status of all monsters and NPCs, so fortunately that appears to be fine.

i did that and it didnt work. I dumped cache and swapped the map files. My game hasnt corrupted my character at all, just the fog of war.

Now each time I teleport to another area my map has gone.

The main Aleroth/Dwarven village massive map area went last night but I swapped the shroud file from last night to my folder and managed to get it back, but new areas like inside the elven ruins are black, i even got the strange amulet again, even though I gave up two and got my sword...

Something is wrong somewhere, my character inventory is ok, the map flags are there with my info telling me which bits are which and who is where, but it seems like every so often something is corrupting my map. In fact everything is ok except my map.

When I come home from work tonight I will load game and see what other map has gone. I have only one quest left before I go to wastelands, so its not a major problem, just a nuisance. But it seems to keep happening.

This has only been happening since I installed patch.

I mean I don't mind sometimes, but when I need to get somewhere quick I have to clear the fog again, and the chests are refilled, so i get more money, but trouble is, I have more than enough money with nowt to spend it on, apart from charms and traps.

Now I will mosey on off to help channel to find out how to do my last quest, cos I can't be arsed to march all the way across a black map to find where I am going.

Thanks

Z

I'm encountering the same problem with the map. It seems to me that the new patch was probably to blame, since I don't remember having any troubles before updating. Initially, I thought that the reset maps would just be annoyances, but now I'm really getting worried about the other consequences.

For example, at the meeting place of the Council of Seven, all of the doorways are sealed (just as they were prior to defeating the succubus, but I've already killed her and I now have no way to open the door to the scrying room. This is the same issue I have at places like the Thieves' Guild and the Merchants' Guild, where the entrances only open after you complete the necessary tasks to gain membership. I can't get inside because the doors are now locked and I've already completed the quests that would unlock the doors.

I'm completely stuck in the game because I no longer have access to certain critical areas! Does anyone have any idea how to fix this problem???

Yeah I have the same problem, luckily I have gathered all seven together, before scrying room locked up, but I am now trying to cure the transformed animals and cant get into the basement cos the picture doesnt work and the wall is sealed again.

Sigh.

I keep finding new treasure though, but the monsters havent respawned :-(, I found the strange amulet again.... but it is rather worrying that I am going to bump into something else I can't do.

LZ

I just read about the same problem in this thread...

Hopefully I can provide you with a solution soon, but now I'm puzzled with this problem...

i have the same problem, only in verdistis. also, some chests i had waiting in my house to be picked were gone, so was all the loot i had stolen to decorate my house, but the cupboard still had all my stuff in it. a chest that had been there when i bought the house was gone too.

A possible (partial) work around; Teleporting Anywhere, via hex editor

Once you get past somewhere you can use your teleporter stones to get out, but doing this repeatedly would be a pain.

Boratus' cellar
X = 80 1D ; Y = D0 A7 ; map 02 - at the stairs
X = A0 1E ; Y = 30 A9 ; map 02 - in the cow's cell

Hopefully this is a one time thing?! But I wont install another patch unless I am willing to start a new game at the same time....

Same problem - I have three of the Council Members located, but can't get at either the scrying stones or Zandalor. Have you found any solution to this? I don't know if I can face starting all over again at this point.

For those that have run into this problem, did it happen right away or after playing awhile and saving / re-loading?

The problems showed up just after I installed the patch. It's probably the main cause. My symptoms are black maps and a sealed conference room. If there is a fine solution, please let me know.

Greetz
Jang.

I'm confused. I have tryed Savegames from the 1.22, 1.26, 1.29, 1.31 and 1.32 Version, but all Savegames are working fine. No blank maps, no closed dors. I have tryed it whit the following Installation stats:

1. CD + Patch 1.1b + Patch 2
2. CD + Patch 1.1b + HF7 + Patch 2
3. CD + Patch 1.1b + HF6 + HF7 + Patch 2

In all this Installation stats my Savegames are working fine.
Be note that i'm playing with the German version.
But I cant imagine thet the problem only be appear in the english version.
Have you any spacial incident in your game? Or other question; What does your Char. do when you load a savegame?

I also tried a few saved games, walking into Rivertown / Dark Forest and using the teleporter pads, right away and after saving and re-loading. I did a full install of the english version (1.29), then hotfix 2 (1.32) then the patch (1.33).

No no no. My problem was this:

1. Installed english game and hotfix.
2. Played all the way to Verdirditis.
3. Cleared most of Verditis, did a lot of quests.
4. Jumped back to base in Aleroth. Saved.
5 Got new patch installed.
6. Played a while all looked fine but..
7. As I returned to Verditis ie. a non-Riverton map all was black fog again, locks relocked, chests restocked. Quests stayed done so I couldnt return to Merchant guild Library since I had used the key and so on.
8. Looked around a little in town and left.
9. Played on and some saves later I returned to Verditis and the fog was cleared as I had left it at point 8 above.

So it was a one-time thing caused by the patch yes. Luckily I wasnt at The council quest or the game wuold be f#¤%&d! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ouch.gif" alt="" />

You know, I think that the english patches is second-rate : that is the german version gets all pro attention and then they put an english-speaking temp to fix the english one. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shhh.gif" alt="" /> [color:"yellow"] <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> I take this silly statement back since Larian Studios seem to already looking into the english patch. Still there have been some threads where English users complains about problems German users can not find <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" /> [/color]

Still a great game <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

i think i may have saved and reloaded before my problem, but i didn't enter verdistis, so i don't know if it was there before saving or not. everything seems to be fine except the missing chests and black map.

Yes yes yes. Exactly this I have testet.
The Savegames i have used are from the prior version. IE. 1.22, 1.26, 1.32....

Its the same with this points:


Then i have loadet this savegames with on of my 3 Installation stats.
This is the same what you do here:


We now the problem you hav. But in my game this problem isn't present.
I have testet some regions in all my diferend Savegame-versions. But i can't find the problem. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" />

[color:"red"] @ the people with the black map problem: [/color] could you please send me your savegame? Then we can look into the problem. Now, it's difficult, since not everybody has this problem.

You can email your savegame, or the link where I can download the savegame to support@larian.com

We'll try to help you asap.

Thx,
Lynn

Should I send all of the files associated with my savegame or only specific files? Some of the files are a bit large (around 9MB) and the total is nearly 50MB.

Please, if possible, send the complete savegame. But first zip the file <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />
Thank you for your fast response.

Use Winrar to pack the files. Then the Archiv is only 6-7MB.

Yes, true. I always say "zip" when I mean "compress" <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Oh, you can use many compression-programms. But Wirar hav IMHO the best compression-ratio. So the archiv-file are not to large.

Lynn sent me a message and suggested that I should continue playing with just the hotfix. When I went locking for it at PlanetDivinity I Read this:

October 03, 2002 - Hotfix 1.0032 (3.50MB)

Description: This hotfix will bring your version of Divine Divinity from V1.0031 to V1.0032. It is ONLY intended for the English version of Divine Divinity. Check here for a list of fixes/feature changes.


September 19, 2002 - Hotfix 1.0031 (3.48MB)

Description: This hotfix will bring your version of Divine Divinity from V1.0029 to V1.0031. It is ONLY intended for the English version of Divine Divinity. Check here for a list of fixes/feature changes

Note the intended installation order. I fear I just put in the Hotfix2?! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/silly.gif" alt="" />
Just cant remember....
But maybe thats the reason the patch seems to mess things up. It "sees" Hotfix2 and assumes I have Hotfix1 as well?? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />


Well since the Patch should replace all earlier I will re-install, use only the Patch and see if I can continue the game from a good save. If that works I let you know. If it fails I allways has the hotfixes.

Oh almost forgot... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />Thank you Lynn <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

The hotfixes and patch are cumulative, so you only need the latest. If you want to revert to a previous version, the second hotfix is all you need (it updates v1.29 or v1.31 to v1.32). The patch should work fine installing it over hotfix 2, which was probably the most common situation, but it couldn't hurt to try it after a clean install.

Yes that is a good assumption and should be foretold to all future gameers. Because i fear the same thing has happened too me. I went to rivellon to rescue mardaneus and my whole map has gone back in black all my flags remain, same as underground, i think these maps are from early in the game because i re-found the magic mirror in the same house and also there is a random assortment of weapons, cash and potions in the chests and barrels that seem to have re-filled and re-sealed themselves back up. this is the first thing i have noticed about the new patch, everything else seems to be O.K., but i guess i won't really know till i get to that spot on the map. Bothersome, really, it is hard to make this patch and not affect each game differently because so many of us explore our maps differently using different game-plans. it would be very hard to make a perfect patch for everyone. Just think of it as getting to re-explore, and re-find some potentially deadly weapons. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

We still didn't find the cause of the problem, but the following helped some people:

Uninstall Divinity (make a backup of your savegames)
Install Divinity again
Apply the latest patch (DO NOT APPLY THE PREVIOUS HOTFIXES)
Load the savegame

We are looking further into the problem and we will release a fix the moment we find out how this can happen.

***

Little remark: "I made backups from my savegames and now I can’t load them anymore" --> When you copy the savegames from a CD to your HDD, the read-only flag is set by Windows, preventing Divine Divinity to open these files for writing. Clear the read-only flag by right clicking on the files, selecting properties, unchecking the read only flag and then clicking on apply.

Yeah it helped me, Lynn. Everything is seems go smooooth now <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

How did it helped you? Did you got back all your maps?

No but at least it hasnt happened again....

It's very very sad. It's been like 80 hours of playing and now I will have to do it again??? Man, it sux. They must do something so we will be able to recover all our maps. I think I'm gonna stop playing that Instable Instability game and probably will never buy a Larian studio game ever. This is the most buggy game I've played since I own a computer (been about 12 years). And I'm a big big gamer.

And my map just rurned black again <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" />

<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/disagree.gif" alt="" /> Oh, I will install it all again, deleting anything patch-like. Hopefully I have at least one good save of six. But for now...its spring and the girls are starting to wear skirts again. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Daveh goes bye-bye <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/sleepey.gif" alt="" />

Another "fix" is to restore your computer to a point before installing the patch using Windows XP's System Restore or a similar program like GoBack. This worked for me.

@tayeule: have you tried what I posted some messages back?

***

We still didn't find the cause of the problem, but the following helped some people:

Uninstall Divinity (make a backup of your savegames)
Install Divinity again
Apply the latest patch (DO NOT APPLY THE PREVIOUS HOTFIXES)
Load the savegame

We are looking further into the problem and we will release a fix the moment we find out how this can happen.

***

Little remark: "I made backups from my savegames and now I can’t load them anymore" --> When you copy the savegames from a CD to your HDD, the read-only flag is set by Windows, preventing Divine Divinity to open these files for writing. Clear the read-only flag by right clicking on the files, selecting properties, unchecking the read only flag and then clicking on apply.

For about the past 4 hours, I've been experimenting with many of my savegames that I made before and after the map reset problem occurred for me, and, although I don't know what the root cause was or a way to really fix it, I have been able to work around it somewhat. Before I get into it, note that every time I closed <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" />, I emptied the Dynamic folder. I have no idea if that had any bearing on my results, but I figured that it wouldn't hurt to do, so that's what I did. Here are my conclusions, reached purely through trial and error:

After having applied the patch, for some unknown reason, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> apparently failed to save certain information in files when I saved my game. These save files that should have been created are the ones that store specific map information. For me, they were: extfree.x1, extfree.x2, mapv.1, mapv.2, objects.x1, objects.x2, shroud.x1, shroud.x2 world.x1, and world.x2. All of the files with a "1" in their extensions seem to relate to Verdistis, while the ones with a "2" in their extensions seem to relate to the Dark Forest (including the Dwarven Halls). These files store things like where the shroud is, what loot is on the map, what the automap looks like, and what doors are locked/unlocked, probably among other things. Whenever I loaded one of my savegames that was missing these files, I would find that everything on that particular map had been reset as though I had never even been there. I concluded that <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> was creating default versions of these files because it found no existing ones in the savegame. In other words, because <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> hadn't saved my progress in the Dark Forest by creating the files with "1" in their extensions or my progress in Verdistis by creating the files with "2"s in their extensions, <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/div.gif" alt="" /> assumed that I had never been to those respective locations before.

To get my former progress in the Dark Forest and Verdistis back, I copied all of the files that I listed above (the "1"s and the "2"s) from my most recent savegame before the map reset into my most recent savegame before going to the Council of Seven with Zandalor. I now have all of my progress that I had made in the Dark Forest and in Verdistis, but I have yet not visited the Council of Seven, so that when I do go there, it will be black as it should be. I'm sure there are files that store all of the information on the Council of Seven just as there are files that store the Dark Forest and Verdistis information, but I just don't know what they are. If these files were known, then it would be possible to copy them from a savegame after the player had visited the council, and before the game maps were reset into a game in which the player had already visited the council.

That all likely sounded pretty confusing to some/most/all people, but the point is that it's possible to manually reconstruct a savegame that has no reset maps at the cost of any progress that was made after visiting the Council of Seven. I've done it. Remember, though, that I have hardly tested my newly-built savegame yet, so my meddling could have unforeseen consequences down the road. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" /> Any questions/comments? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />

Missing just the world.x0, world.x1 and/or world.x2 file(s) from a saved game folder is enough to cause the black map problem in the corresponding area.

"I'm sure there are files that store all of the information on the Council of Seven just as there are files that store the Dark Forest and Verdistis information, but I just don't know what they are."

The information for both the council hall and Verdistis is stored in the '1' files.

I have a couple of problems with this. First, maybe my problem with maps is different then described here. I do NOT have black maps in places that I have explored. Those maps are intact and cleared. What I encounter is: 1.In places that are UNEXPLORED, the maps do not clear when I walk there. 2. In ALL places, explored or unexplored, all NPC's and monsters do not come out on the screen and cannot be interacted with unless they initiate the conversation such as the guard dwarves in the Dwarven Halls. I can see that they SHOULD be there by the + signs in green and red on the inset map, but they do not appear other than that. Monsters can attack me and do damage, but I cannot target them to attack. This may be different than "black map" problems with reset doors.

Secondly, I do not have a bunch of saved games to work with, I have only 2 saved games and they both play the exact way as described when loaded.

Lynn...

Would you want a savegame from my problem?? Let me know, I can send it along but even zipped it is a large file.

You may be blind; the hotfix/patch mostly corrected an error in the sight range calculation, but a couple people have still run into this. Check out the following for a couple work arounds;

please help with my blind hero

Tiberius et al,

Each saved game only seems to include those xx files that have changed, so if you are in Verdistis only (x1), the x0 and x2 files are not saved, and whenever those files are needed again (because you traveled somewhere else) they are loaded from the dynamic folder. Presumably, this was to limit file size of saved games.

I figured this out because I had a crash during one of the little ad movies while starting the game (the one with the tomb...only time this has happened to me). When I restarted, the game asked if I wanted to clear the dynamic files, which I did, not realizing what would happen. I was in the dark forest, and all appeared to be fine...that is, until I teleported to my other pyramid in Aleroth and found the room reset to it's state at the start of the game (including no pyramid), because the dynamic folder had no x0 files.

After looking over the threads here, I copied the x0 files from one saved game and the x1 files from another, fortunately losing very little in the process.

Now I'm wondering if I should upgrade from 1.33a or just keep playing.

Anyway, I hope this might help someone else who unwittingly deletes the dynamic files.

Actually, if you just quit the game and re-start, the black map problem will show up if there are missing world.* files. The 1.34 update fixes this problem, though the web page has not been updated to reflect the latest patch.

Solution for patch and disappearing maps

Now, I'm just freaked about playing this game, anymore. I really had it stuck in my all time greatest RPG list, but after getting the black map bug after about 20-25 hours, and seeing all the problems other people are having with it, I think I'll just let this game stew for a few months. Maybe then I can convince myself to start over from scratch, too. Otherwise, there's others on the horizon...

Thanks for the help!

Are there still people encountering the disappearing maps problem? Even after installing the latest patch 1.34?
Did you check out the following thread? Solution for disappearing maps

Please let me know if the problem still persists, and with which version of savegames you are playing.

Lynn, I *only* encountered the problem because I emptied the dynamic folder when starting up. I have had no other issues (well...aside from having to fenagle finnigan's lockpicks back after they vanished B^) ) . I'm using 1.33a with a game begun with 1.32 (I think). Would you suggest upgrading to 1.34 or just continuing to play since I've had no other issues?

Incidentally, thank you for a remarkable game. I am astounded not only by the quality, but by how huge this thing is. Every time I think I'm getting somewhere I go to a new area and get floored by how much there is.

Hi Groon,

If I were you I would continue playing with patch V 1.33, since patch 1.34 mainly fixed the disappearing maps problem.

We are glad that you like the game, thank you.

Enjoy your game! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

I haven't tried to play much after v1.34 because of this:

If you have made a savegame in versions before v1.33, then loaded that savegame in v1.33 and saved in v1.33, that savegame is potentially corrupt. The best thing is to revert to one of the savegames made earlier with v1.32 or before.

I had downloaded the fix, then v1.33, and I assumed that my game was corrupt. I hadn't saved the game after I encountered the black map, and when I reloaded the game the map was fine. But I'm assuming that the saved game is still potentially corrupt, even if the bug hasn't occurred (after my reloading) and I patched up to 1.34. This is true, right?

Oh, please, oh please, tell me that as long as the black map hasn't occurred yet, and I patch to 1.34 I won't have a problem... PLEASE?!?! This really has the potential to EASILY win one of my "favorite game of all time" awards... But I just don't think I can start over again, right now, after all the time I put into it...

If you have not run into any problems, you should be fine with 1.34 patch. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />
The potential corruption occurs after saving a pre-1.33 game in 1.33 and encountering the black map bug, ie missing world.* file(s).

Really?!?!?!

I HAVE encountered the bug, though. I just reloaded the game and it was fine again... Does that mean, as long as it hasn't already occurred and been saved, that the latest patch will fix it?

If it does... Oh, man! You've just made my month... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

The latest patch will prevent the problem from occurring. If your latest save works (if there are missing files, you might need to quit Divinity and re-start for the problem to show up), then the patch should make sure you do not run into this again. However, if you have a saved game with missing files, or loaded such a save and re-saved it (so the missing files were replaced with default versions), the 1.34 version does not fix the save.

Yes! I always make checkpoint menu saves to be safe, so I should at minimum only have a slight backtrack... THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Patch ver. 1.034A does not fix my problem with maps and areas resetting.
I installed patch 1.033A from the beginning. This is my situation:

I played through Riventown, then went to Verdistis done everything there, then
went to the Council area, THEN went for the first time to the Dark Forest
area. I basically stayed there doing all possible quests and thus all my savegames are mainly while i'm in that area. Now when i return to any other other areas (council,riventown,verdistis) it's reset. Council area is locked, i can't enter the scrying room.

I unninstalled the game, re-installed, then installed patch 1.34 (1.034A in other words) copied my old savegames back and loaded. Problem is still there.
I looked into my savegame files and as there's Shroud and World files missing.
It's as if while i was in Dark Forest and save it never saved the status of any other area i visited.

All my savegames are -before- i returned to any other area from Dark Forest,
thus it's not like i returned to say Verdistis opened up some map again and saved. BUT if i do so now, these missing shroud, world etc files reappear.
So it is saving the "new" and -wrong- status of the areas instead.

So now, is this anything the patch -can- actually fix or am i totally stuffed now? Main problem is the council area at this stage, i can get the missing items back via all these hotfixes around here, but not sure if i will run into something else later.....

Okay. I patched it up (over the others without a reinstall, is that okay?) and reverted to a save game where Versidus(sp) wasn't blackened out (ended up that a reload showed that both quick saves were currupt). After reverting to a checkpoint save (which was from 1.33a), the Versidus map was still cleared, and I haven't had any other problems with the black map. Am I in the clear, now? Or is there still a chance that the file is currupt, and sooner or later the problem will catch up with me again?

Thanks, again!

You should not need to re-install before patching.
The 'corruption' is saving the game and missing the world/shroud files. After quitting Dinvinity and re-starting, when the game tries to load that save and finds those files missing, it uses the default files, which are what will be used for any subsequent saves. Reverting to a point where the problem had not occurred after installing the 1.34 patch will ensure this does not happen again.

Sweet! Then I'm off and running again! Thanks ever so much for the great tech support. It's that kind of support that help make people want to come back for your next offerings... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />