Jump to content


Photo
- - - - -

World Builder will not start


  • Please log in to reply
26 replies to this topic

#1 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 02 June 2004 - 07:16 AM

Thanks Mithril

I most certainly will do so!!

In fact, I have just started with my proposed scenario --- the USA-led coalition versus the GLA Taliban and their Chinese allies.

After some experimenting, I have decided to start with a small map and to continuously resize it as I progress downwards from the stronghold at the summit of the mountain. My scenario probably breaks every suggestion in the official EA World Builder Editor guide --- insofar as the summit is fairly densely covered with GLA and Chinese structures. In the real world, I think that it would befairly logical to load as many defensive and offensive structures as possible into a restricted (and strategically favourable) position.

Irrespective of how well I understand the World Builder scripting (and past experience suggests that it will be an extremely steep learning curve), I am hoping that someone who is pretty accomplished in WB scripting might be prepared to "take over" most of scripting duties. I certainly have an extremely interesting and challenging scenario in mind that will probably be more expansive than anything before it. However, for it to work properly, it would certainly need the input of an expert.

Hopefully someone might be interested? Maybe we can open a new thread somewhere?

With kindest regards :blinky:

#2 the_kid

the_kid

    L337 Pwnerer of N00bs

  • Project Team
  • 1,734 posts
  • Location:La$ Vega$, NV
  • Projects:freelancing between what interests me
  •  + TRIPLEhelix

Posted 29 May 2004 - 06:45 PM

hmm... thats odd, have you tried running Generals lately, because there may be something wrong with your generals installation that could be screwing up worldbuilder. Because worldbuilder reads from Generals directly.

I don't really know anything about registry keys either, but their may be some other factors. What OS are you running on? and what are your system specs?

#3 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 25 May 2004 - 08:04 AM

Dear Forum Members

Although EA do not offer customer support for their C and C World Builder, I was hoping that you might possibly be able to assist me to be able to successfully use it again. I have only once successfully managed to open this extremely interesting utility (it crashed when I somewhat foolishly attempted to create a truly enormous 10000x10000 map. However, the game was subsequently fully removed and re-installed on another drive in my pc). In truth this scenario editor was the main reason I purchased Cand C in the first place. [Once I have understood the basic gameplay, I really enjoy the prospect of being able to compile extremely large interesting and challenging maps. Therefore my ongoing inability to use this programme is really quite distressing to me].

I am currently unable to open World Builder --- after about 15 minutes of intense pc-related grinding activity my monitor displays the following error message:
The instruction at "0x21110f86" referred memory at "0x0c1e8270". The memory could not be "read".
What is the significance of this message and, more importantly, is there any way of rectifying it?! [My pc possesses 1024 MB of DDR-SDRAM memory --- which should hopefully enable me to try to compile a really large and detailed map. The processor is (unfortunately) significantly weaker at P4 Celeron 2.0 GHz].

I really hope that you (or a knowledgeable friend) might be able to assist me with this problem --- which no amount of repair re-installing seems to rectify!!!

With kindest regards :(

#4 Mithril

Mithril

    496

  • Hosted
  • 1,386 posts
  • Location:UK
  • Projects:Heh! You're not going to ask me that question.

Posted 25 May 2004 - 09:29 AM

Have you got any mod installed? Did you modify any ini files? If both of these can be answered with no then what map did you last load? That enourmous, huge one?
Command & Conquer: Red Alert - ReGeneration

"Not the faintest clue =\"

-ComradeJ

#5 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 25 May 2004 - 03:40 PM

Thank you so much for your replies: :lol:

Mithril:

No mods installed.
No ini files modded.
Last attempted map load --- 10000x10000. This crashed the programme --- "insufficient memory available". [However, I subsequently completely deleted and reinstalled C and C --- would the cause for this crash "survive" a full delete?].

Hostile:

How do you refresh "World Builder"? [I have attempted to re-install (overwrite) C and C on several occassions --- with no success. I have even tried (within the "World Builder" compatibility settings) to "downgrade" the screen resolution and graphics with no success!!]. :blink:

I would really like to be able to use this interesting (although possibly flawed) programme as I have some interesting ideas that I would like to "play around" with. :D

Best regards

#6 Mithril

Mithril

    496

  • Hosted
  • 1,386 posts
  • Location:UK
  • Projects:Heh! You're not going to ask me that question.

Posted 25 May 2004 - 04:07 PM

Try to delete all files in your My Documents\Command and Conquer Generals (Zero Hour?) Data\ < don't know if you have zero hour..
Command & Conquer: Red Alert - ReGeneration

"Not the faintest clue =\"

-ComradeJ

#7 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 25 May 2004 - 05:20 PM

No I don't (as yet) have the expansion pack. However, I will certainly try your suggestion and see whether it works!! :rolo:

Many thanks. :blink:

#8 the_kid

the_kid

    L337 Pwnerer of N00bs

  • Project Team
  • 1,734 posts
  • Location:La$ Vega$, NV
  • Projects:freelancing between what interests me
  •  + TRIPLEhelix

Posted 26 May 2004 - 05:08 AM

To be real, it's a bitchy program. Sometimes once it's fatal flawed, (like turning off your comp w/o closing first) the program sometimes never opens again with reloading windows. You don't have to format it but you have refresh it which might work. I've only had to do it 20 times since getting it.  :blink:

thats why EA doesn't cover any support for it, cuz they never finished it.

#9 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 26 May 2004 - 06:53 AM

Regrettably no success so far in my attempts to resuscitate "World Builder".

Don't you think that it is the ultimate "cop-out" that EA did not even bother to finish this product!! :blink: Would it take them that much time to finish the job properly? :(

Perhaps the community could somehow motivate EA to complete "World Builder" and post a patch for it. :w00t0: After all, they are treating their customers with utter contempt --- who knows what they will do next?! It would seem that they are only interested in getting ones money and not in providing any after sales service. Perhaps someone should explain to them that this is definitely a very bad business policy!!

I still hope that somehow I will eventually be able to start creating my own maps with this programme!! :lol:

With kindest regards

#10 Guest_ImmoMan_*

Guest_ImmoMan_*
  • Guests

Posted 26 May 2004 - 09:45 AM

After all, they are treating their customers with utter contempt --- who knows what they will do next?!  It would seem that they are only interested in getting ones money and not in providing any after sales service.

[yuri voice]A new comrade joins us...[/yuri voice]

#11 Hostile

Hostile

    Benefitting Humanity Simply by Showing Up!

  • Veterans
  • 9,551 posts
  • Location:Washington DC
  •  T3A Founder
  • Division:Revora
  • Job:Global Administrator
  • Donated
  • Association

Posted 26 May 2004 - 10:07 PM

LOL, good one. WB is an excellant programs WHEN it works. ZH WB doesn't let you change facing (N,E,S,W) So how are ya supposed to properly paint the terrain? :blink:

#12 the_kid

the_kid

    L337 Pwnerer of N00bs

  • Project Team
  • 1,734 posts
  • Location:La$ Vega$, NV
  • Projects:freelancing between what interests me
  •  + TRIPLEhelix

Posted 27 May 2004 - 03:33 AM

you said that you re-installed Generals on a diferent drive... I assume you are running it from that source and not from the original. And next time you do get worldbuilder to load, don't start with such a big map, start smaller :blink: just to be sure it works.

As for EA, its hopeless, I've sent them e-mails about killing off westwood games, and how the renegade website doesn't even have the flash sidebar it use to. I asked them to restore it so that any newbs wouldn't have so much trouble finding the content... no luck

#13 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 27 May 2004 - 07:10 AM

The kid:

you said that you re-installed Generals on a diferent drive... I assume you are running it from that source and not from the original. And next time you do get worldbuilder to load, don't start with such a big map, start smaller  just to be sure it works.

Yes --- I am now running Generals on my main (but rather full) C drive. However, my problem is that I cannot even open (load) the programme. If I could do so, I would definitely try designing a considerably smaller map. It just doesn't make sense to me --- isofar as World Builder did open once when installed in the D drive but now (having been removed from my system) does not want to open (load) in my C drive. Surely there is no way for the 10000x10000 setting to survive a full delete (i.e. surely it is impossible to "write" these instructions onto the game CD!!).

Yeah --- I wish that there was some way to contact the "movers-and-shakers" at EA to ensure that they consider their "clients". Perhaps someone might know the e-mail address of the MD (President) of EA --- he might actually do something as middle (lower) management are notorious for their cavalier disregard of consumer service. After all, it is always the CEO who has to "fall on his sword" when the company "goes belly up".

ImmoMan

Yeah --- I am a life-long convert to this philosophy. I only wish that their was a way of publically highlighting EA's indifference and shaming them into doing something!! (Please refer to my earlier comments relating to The kid's reply).

Hostile

It would seem highly problematic that one is unable to properly design one's intended map!!! Just another little bug that EA should repair --- reminds me a bit of the North and West-facing cliffs in AOE and AOK which were badly out of proportion compared to the appropriate South and East facing ones.

#14 the_kid

the_kid

    L337 Pwnerer of N00bs

  • Project Team
  • 1,734 posts
  • Location:La$ Vega$, NV
  • Projects:freelancing between what interests me
  •  + TRIPLEhelix

Posted 28 May 2004 - 04:35 AM

I have no idea what that last post is about...

I haven't tried looking through the troubleshooting of the Worldbuilder... perhaps there is something in there that can help you.

Does worldbuilder have a emergency restore feature... after looking at that error again, I think that Worldbuilder may be trying to "restore" the old 1000 x 1000 map that was closed when your system crashed from creating it. If it does have a emergency restore, find the folder where the emergency restores are saved, and delete all the restores.

#15 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 29 May 2004 - 04:49 PM

Thank you for your replies and sorry for the delayed response.

On thinking further about my problem --- that the World Builder has been unable to re-open despite a complete C and C delete and several World Builder deletes and restores --- it would definitely seem that there are some hidden files that retain the 10 000x10 000 setting.

Therefore I activated Windows search (looking for "WorldBuilder" files) and found the following:

# Worldbuilder.Exe. - 2A042398.pf
# Worldbuilder.Exe. - 16E73985.pf

Each of these files was a few KBs in size and created on different dates (possibly coinciding with some of my numerous reinstalls).

I deleted both of these files as well as the curent version of World Builder on my C-drive. I subsequently reinstalled (repaired) C and C and (with great anticipation) tried to reopen the latest (and seemingly "untagged") version of World Builder. Alas --- it still does not work.

Unfortunately I am no great computer expert. I have heard of registry files and know that they are key to the successful running of ones pc. Therefore I am definitely not particularly inclined to "mess around" with these files. Nevertheless, as previously stated, I am really keen to try to resurrect my World Builder programme as it is a key feature that will enable me to fully enjoy the game.

Logically it would seem that there must be some hidden files somewhere in my system that are overwriting all my World Builder reinstalls. Therefore does anyone have any idea as to how I can successfully access them without damaging other key files? This could possibly be the crux of the matter.

Any thoughts on this matter?

With kindest regards

:p

#16 Destroyer

Destroyer

    Byte me

  • Members
  • 2,305 posts
  • Location:My back pocket
  • Projects:Having fun
  •  Just this guy, you know?

Posted 29 May 2004 - 07:58 PM

well, it's not registry keys, I just checked the registry, and there isnt a thing for WB, only generals itself.

Have you tried kicking the computer? ;)2

#17 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 30 May 2004 - 07:40 AM

Great to hear from you again!!

The kid:


My computer has the following OS and specs:

OS --- Windows XP Professional
CPU --- P4 Celeron 2.0 GHz
Memory --- 1024 MB DDR-SDRAM
Graphics card --- Intel 32 MB

Perhaps, on reflection, my system is slightly unbalanced --- massive memory but a comparatively poor processor and graphics card. I would like to upgrade the latter some time in the foreseeable future (possibly to a genuine P4 processor --- maybe 2.8 GHz and a cheaper 128 or even 256 MB graphics card). Nevertheless, my present system should be well suited to creating (and playing) extremely large maps. Therefore my distress at being unable to use World Builder!! :(

I have managed to play C and C Generals several times since trying to reactivate World Builder. I have played: GLA vs China; China vs GLA and US vs GLA (which would be the subject of my intended megascenario). I have been using this game to see whether there is a population cap for the game (such as the ridiculous 300 appearing in AoM) --- but have so far reached 1300 units and rising (lots of paladin tanks, helicopter gunships and (especially) missile defenders). [Having the USA play against a GLA side embedded in the mountains would probably be reasonably reflective of the situation in Afganistan. Hence my interest in persuing an open-ended tyoe test game].

Destroyer:

Believe me, I have been sorely tempted to do exactly that!! :p

However, as I am not exactly flush with cash at the moment, I would be "shooting myself in the foot"!! Seriously, it is really upsetting when one does spend ones hard earned cash on a product that does not fully work!!

I really hope that someone will still be able to assist me with resuscitating the World Builder!!

As an afterthought (which is potentially slightly off the thread --- :bluch: ), have any of the more creative members of the forum (I notice that you do have a creativity forum) thought of the following options:

# Re-programming the World Builder so that it works (which would be an immense help to me and others)
# Creating an enlarged 2D version of C and C --- that could more easily feature really large maps and/or mods. (I suggest 2D as it seems to be a much easier format to work with than 3D. In addition, it makes substantially lower demands on ones system --- therefore (presumably) enabling one to play with larger maps and more units.
# As a variant of the above, creating a substantially enlarged version of the original AOE/RoR --- which is still a great game (and features a fairly simple and uncomplicated scenario editor where one can still drop-and-drag cliffs, etc. in order to create a tactically interesting map). However, from the point of view of hte ridiculously low 50 population cap and the not-so gigantic map, it has aged severely and needs a complete overhawl.

Perhaps one of the estalished forum members could open a thread (threads) in this regard?

However, I have not yet given up on my World Builder and am longing to engage with the GLA en route to their mountain fortress.

With kindest regards

#18 BlckWyerve

BlckWyerve

    The end of Tech civilization

  • Project Team
  • 339 posts
  • Projects:Project? What Project? >_>
  •  Inside Looking Out

Posted 30 May 2004 - 01:59 PM

10,000 X 10,000 is WAY TOO BIG. The max size a map should be is 400 X 400.. Single Player can go over to abour 450 X 450 tops. I had this problem before.. The file that retains the settings for WorldBuilder is the WorldBuilder config file in the Data folder in My Documents. Open it.

[GameOptions]
cloudMap=0
Default Map Height=30
Default Map X-size=240
Default Map Y-size=240
Default Map Border=20


Change the X-size and Y-size to something under 450 and save. Delete the 3 WorldBuilderAutoSave files that should be next to the config file. Should work. If not, delete the whole folder.

#19 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 30 May 2004 - 04:15 PM

THANKS!!! :p

I will DEFINITELY try this!!! :bluch:

#20 Son of Moose

Son of Moose
  • New Members
  • 14 posts

Posted 30 May 2004 - 05:55 PM

WE HAVE A WINNER!!! :p

After completely deleting and reinstalling C and C Generals and following your advice, I have finally managed to open my copy of World Builder!!! :bluch:

Thank you again BlckWverve --- you are truly a star!! You have really made my day!!

Now I must study the RVmec's tutorials --- as World Builder is a little more complex to operate than initially anticipated. I am sure that his tutorial will explain how I can insert buildings (such as numerous GLA stinger sites and tunnel networks --- possibly augmented by allied Chinese gattling cannons) which will make it pretty challenging for the invading USA forces.

From what I have read about the topic, World Builder is programmed to accomodate a maximum of 4 MB of ground texture. Therefore this must co-incide with about a 500x500 sized map. (Obviously then a massive 10 000x10 000 map would create significantly more than the preprogrammed 4 MB of ground texture. I suppose that it might be interesting if someone with an advanced knowledge of programming were able to perform a "mod" to successfully increase this 4 MB limit to a significantly bigger 40 (or even possibly 400) MB limit. This would provide the more adventurous map builders with powerful systems the opportunity of substantially increasing the range and scope of their scenarios (although one must remember that map area is the product (square) of the x and y axes). Obviously not everyone would wish to (or be able to) make use of this tool. However, it would be great to have this option --- maybe we should start a new post regarding this option now that my problem seems to have been rectified.

Any thoughts on this idea?




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users