Game won`t start (solved)

"fatal error: Failed to initialize display."

from Stardock Forums

Hi, I can`t get Gal 3 to start. I get a black screen and an error message "fatal error: Failed to initialize display." when I try to start it.

 

I have been through the entire troubleshooting guide:

I have been verifying my game several times. I removed all my mods (ship designs). I have updated my drivers and tested earlier versions as well, I  tried running steam as an administrator, I "Re-Installing Redistributables", I Re-Install DirectX (note: another game complains about DirectX but I have reinstalled it several times and no other game complains). I created a fresh administrator account and no luck and I even tried "The Purge'", I tried the beta version and it still won`t start (instead of an error message this time it gave me a report to send).  

I tried turning off my virus protection but it did not help, I removed the latest window security upgrade but still no result I even upgraded java. 

There have been some months since I played it so can`t say the exact time it stopped working but I played it on 27/7 2017 and it worked.

Please help 

Mvh David

109,174 views 12 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock.net Forums Top

This is a shot in the dark, but does your system have both an integrated and a dedicated graphics cards? If yes I suggest changing the options for GC3 to only uses the dedicated one. Look here for details.

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Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

I believe I only have one. When following your link I had only one choice for graphics cards and it was my GTX 760 (192-bit). Thanks for trying.  Nothing seems to work... Maybe restore an earlier version of windows?. From a few months ago...

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Go to Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade or Documents\My Games\GC3 and paste the contents of the file debug.err here. It might contain some info that could help.

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Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

There seem to be some errors. I took the liberty to translate a sentence. "En resurs är inte tillgänglig vid tidpunkten för anropet, men den kan bli tillgänglig senare" = "A resource is not available at the time of the call, but it may be available later". This might work thanks :)

 

Debug Message:  Version 2.8, Build #10693, last updated on: 04-01-2018 23:01

Debug Message:  Steam Build

Debug Message:  Initializing DLC status

Debug Message:  DLC0_Founders Owned: 0 Installed 0 PathExists: 0 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC1_MapPack Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC1_5_Registration Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC2_MegaEvents Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC3_Snathi Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC4_PrecursorWorlds Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  EXP1_Mercenaries Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC5_BuildersKit Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC6_RiseoftheTerrans Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC7_LostTreasures Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC8_AltarianProphecy Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  EXP2_Crusade Owned: 1 Installed 1 PathExists: 1 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  DLC10_MechKit Owned: 0 Installed 0 PathExists: 0 Enabled By Default 1

Debug Message:  Finished initializing DLC status

Debug Message:  Initializing data directories

Debug Message:  Checking if data bins needs to be rebuilt.

Debug Message:  Loading options binary

Debug Message:  Initialize Prefs

Debug Message:  Checking if mod data requires rebuild.

Debug Message:  Checking data binaries

Debug Message:  Loading core binary

Debug Message:  Core XML has been changed: Yes

Debug Message:  Setting core data

Debug Message:  Loading particles binary

Debug Message:  Setting particle data

Debug Message:  Registering types

Debug Message:  Setting data for assets

Debug Message:  Activation successful.

Debug Message:  Checking virtual memory

Debug Message:  Initializing event center

Debug Message:  Checking for valid working directory

Debug Message:  Entering WinMain

Debug Message:  ******* Starting Game Shell *******

Debug Message:  InitializeResources.

Debug Message:  Initializing Shell

Debug Message:  Initializing Fonts

Debug Message:  Initializing Fonts - complete

Debug Message:  Initializing Direct3D

DebugMessage:  Particle Engine Created.

Debug Message:  Adding DXSAS clean up function

Debug Message:  Initializing device

Debug Message:  DrawManager InitializeDevice

Debug Message:  Creating renderer

Debug Message:  Initializing Direct3D 11 Renderer

Debug Message:  Creating FBX animation core

Debug Message:  Enumerating device settings

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Preferred adapter is 0

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Creating DXGI 1.1 factory

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating adapters

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: adapter enumerated

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Adapter 0

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Description: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 (192-bit)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Vender ID: 0x10de (4318)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Device ID: 0x118e (4494)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: SettingsLevel: 3

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated Video Mem: 3176988672 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated System Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating outputs for adapter 0

Debug Message:  Error returned from GetDisplayModeList: (887a0022) En resurs är inte tillgänglig vid tidpunkten för anropet, men den kan bli tillgänglig senare.Possible Causes of this error:

 

The application is running over Terminal Server.

The output window is occluded.

The output window does not have keyboard focus.

Another application is already in full-screen mode.

 

Note: this application does not currently support running in remote desktop.

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: adapter enumerated

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Adapter 1

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Description: Microsoft Basic Render Driver

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Vender ID: 0x1414 (5140)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Device ID: 0x8c (140)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: SettingsLevel: 3

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated Video Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated System Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating outputs for adapter 1

Debug Message:  Could not enumerate devices settings.

Debug Message:  InitializeGalCiv3DrawManager FAILED to initialize the device.

Debug Message:  InitializeD3DDrawManager FAILED

Debug Message:  Attempt to switch to windowed mode.

Debug Message:  Initializing Direct3D

Debug Message:  Initializing device

Debug Message:  DrawManager InitializeDevice

Debug Message:  Enumerating device settings

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Preferred adapter is 0

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Creating DXGI 1.1 factory

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating adapters

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: adapter enumerated

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Adapter 0

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Description: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 (192-bit)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Vender ID: 0x10de (4318)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Device ID: 0x118e (4494)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: SettingsLevel: 3

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated Video Mem: 3176988672 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated System Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating outputs for adapter 0

Debug Message:  Error returned from GetDisplayModeList: (887a0022) En resurs är inte tillgänglig vid tidpunkten för anropet, men den kan bli tillgänglig senare.Possible Causes of this error:

 

The application is running over Terminal Server.

The output window is occluded.

The output window does not have keyboard focus.

Another application is already in full-screen mode.

 

Note: this application does not currently support running in remote desktop.

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: adapter enumerated

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Adapter 1

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Description: Microsoft Basic Render Driver

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Vender ID: 0x1414 (5140)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Device ID: 0x8c (140)

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: SettingsLevel: 3

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated Video Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Dedicated System Mem: 0 bytes

Debug Message:  CD3D11RendererSettings::Enumerate: Enumerating outputs for adapter 1

Debug Message:  Could not enumerate devices settings.

Debug Message:  InitializeGalCiv3DrawManager FAILED to initialize the device.

Debug Message:  InitializeD3DDrawManager FAILED

Debug Message:  InitializeDirect3D Failed second attempt. Aborting.

DebugMessage:  Shell Initialization failed

Reply #5 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Are you running multiple monitors and/or running the game remotely?  

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Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

I only have one monitor and no I am not running it remotely, so yea it's really weird...  

Reply #7 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Hello,

Try the following in order:

Turn of Steam Cloud Sync:

https://images.stardock.com/support/2018-02-16_11-16-21.png

Window the Game:::

Go to:

Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade

Open the prefs.ini file in notepad. Change

Fullscreen=1

to:

Fullscreen=0

Save and try to run the game.

If that fails, open prefs.ini and change:

DisplayResolution=-1 x -1

to:

DisplayResolution=1920 x 1080

Save and try to run the game again.

If that fails, change your desktop resolution to  something other than: 1920 x 1080

Also change the prefs.ini file to match what you changed it to.

Save and try again.

If that fails, update your drivers making sure to remove the old first

Nvidia:
http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us

Note: Please perform a "clean installation" if you have an Nvidia graphics card. The below screenshots will help with how to do that:

https://www.screencast.com/t/L4rVrm40

https://www.screencast.com/t/30rwsLL9S3c

Try to run the game. If that fails:

DirectX and VCRedist:

Go to:

\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\_CommonRedist\DirectX\Jun2010

Run: DXSETUP.exe

Go to:

\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\_CommonRedist\vcredist\2012
and:
\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Galactic Civilizations III\_CommonRedist\vcredist\2012

Run vcredist_x64.exe from each

Reboot and try to run the game again.

Let me know.

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Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

Thank you!!  I followed the list and when I changed my desktop resolution and the "prefs.ini file" to something other than 1920 x 1080 (1768 x 992 ) it worked!!    Huh nice, it even fixed my other game.

Reply #9 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Glad to hear that it fixed your issue.  What is your native resolution?  What was the other game that got fixed as well?

 

Reply #10 from Stardock Forums Top

Well, it´s 1920 x 1080 so it should work but well it works with 1768 x 992 now. Aa it was "Call of Duty ww2" which complained about DirectX. It stopped working quite recently as well. But now all my games work (that I know of). So thanks!   

Reply #11 from Stardock.net Forums Top

Quoting Lord108, reply 8

Thank you!!  I followed the list and when I changed my desktop resolution and the "prefs.ini file" to something other than 1920 x 1080 (1768 x 992 ) it worked!!    Huh nice, it even fixed my other game.

While perplexing, very glad to hear it.  You should be able to play full screen now at any res you like.

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Reply #12 from Stardock Forums Top
Huh, yea now both gal 3 and cod works with my normal resolution.
 
Thanks again!!