Demigod plays intro movies but main menu fails to come up (Shortcut succeeds every time?)

As a beta tester to the game, I did not have this problem (I am running Windows 7, but always was) with any of the betas. However now, the intro videos will all play, and the menu sound appears, but the screen is just black. I can exit by pressing esc, so the game appears responsive, but can't see anything. Sometimes, the cursor will come up for a couple of seconds, and then disappear.

Edits:

See edits on the bottom post.

13,711 views 37 replies
Reply #1 Top

Have you updated your game with the latest patch (came out 30 mins or so ago).

If you have and its still not working let all the whole intro video play and wait for literally a minute or more and it should go to menu.

Reply #2 Top

Yeah, if you're hanging at the update check on startup, then you're probably still going to the beta servers which are bogged with pirates--just need to update so you get the new servers.

Reply #3 Top

No, I've updated. Updating fixed the problem initially, but now it's back.

So there is an update check here... could it be caused by slow internet or packet loss to hang here? I successfully played a couple of games right after the patch, but now I'm trying to launch while downloading. I also left the intro videos running with no resolving. The process is using very little CPU power (12% of one core) so it's hardly locked or infinite looping.

EDIT:

As soon as downloading stopped, the game launched normally. That's pretty bad.

EDIT AGAIN:

And then failed to launch the next time. It seems to launch sporadically.

Ok, it does actually launch and the videos run. You just can't get the menu, so I called that not launching. I read another topic and I remembered that not launching is actually a question of the exe failing to start, or just nothing displaying. My mistake.

The biggest help I can give, is that all of the betas worked fine. They all launched every time, even Beta 1, about which I was very impressed. I might see if I can get a log.

More edits:

I tried running the exe directly instead of through impulse, and it definitely hung earlier. One time, I even got an actual application crash. But, every single time I ran a shortcut with the log command line shortcut, it didn't hang at all. I tried at least ten times straight. Worked perfectly.

Reply #4 Top

Strange. So is it continuing on if you let it sit at a black screen (when it does it) for a couple of minutes now? If so then there may just be some sporadic connectivity issue or packet loss as you suspect.

Reply #5 Top

This kept happening to me after I would click to skip the opening movie, it would hang up and taskmanager would say not responding, so I just moved the intromovie file to a different folder and it launches fine now.

Reply #6 Top

ROFL, nice one chevelleking. I will try that. However the usual exe works now instead of just the shortcut.

Crashed on trying to log in.

It does seem much better now. However, I'll have to start downloading again to see how long to leave it for.

 

Thing is, the Betas were absolutely fine. I participated up until Beta 3 or so, and it was completely unheard of for Demigod to crash. Now, the retail crashes or hangs on the menus very happily. Click any button and the game might crash, hang, or simply freeze for several seconds. Then, if it resumes, it acts as if you never clicked the button. At least when it outright crashes, you can reboot the game very quickly.

I've really enjoyed my games of Demigod, but due to the matchmaking and this new instability, it's been very hard to get a game. The actual game is fine, it's just that the menus are horrifically glitchy, where they weren't before.

Edit:

GOTCHA!

warning: c:\Work\forge\main\code\src\libs\gpggal\DeviceD3D9.cpp(873) Invalid call

That's the moho log entry for the blackscreen. This time, I got it cancelling a Pantheon game with a poison pill. Exact same behaviour. I guess a line reference will be much more useful.

Edit again: After terminating the game, I got another three standard debug lines.

debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/dialogs/exitdialog.lua\000'

debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/dialogs/dialog_options.lua\000'

debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/hud_respawn.lua\000'

Reply #7 Top

Quoting DeadMG, reply 6
ROFL, nice one chevelleking. I will try that. However the usual exe works now instead of just the shortcut.

Crashed on trying to log in.

It does seem much better now. However, I'll have to start downloading again to see how long to leave it for.

 

Thing is, the Betas were absolutely fine. I participated up until Beta 3 or so, and it was completely unheard of for Demigod to crash. Now, the retail crashes or hangs on the menus very happily. Click any button and the game might crash, hang, or simply freeze for several seconds. Then, if it resumes, it acts as if you never clicked the button. At least when it outright crashes, you can reboot the game very quickly.

I've really enjoyed my games of Demigod, but due to the matchmaking and this new instability, it's been very hard to get a game. The actual game is fine, it's just that the menus are horrifically glitchy, where they weren't before.

 

Same experience :(

Hanging menu buttons, are keepig me from sitting on the connection info screen for 10mns while watching 1 person not connect... Blessing in disguise or double whammy? You be the judge.

Reply #8 Top

Waiting for a little while seems to resolve most of them, even if Windows says that Demigod has stopped responding. I'm hoping that the warning in gpggal will be useful. I saw several people in Impulse chat with this problem.

Reply #9 Top

Quoting DeadMG, reply 8
Waiting for a little while seems to resolve most of them, even if Windows says that Demigod has stopped responding. I'm hoping that the warning in gpggal will be useful. I saw several people in Impulse chat with this problem.

Ya that's what I meant hanging... But is it worth it waiting through 4 menus for 30sec-2mns, so 2mns to 8mns, to sit in the connection info box that is Pantheon for 5mns + to see one guy not connect, then cancel and get the "hang" for another 1-2mns...

Then repeat?

I realize this stuff will be fixed... Just voicing a little frustration :( As I would never had thought that getting the game earlier and playing would be more enjoayble then MP on release, I'd gladly take more AI opponents and the occasional human to be able to play again.

 

Reply #11 Top

Nice bump.

 

Actually, same thing is happening to me.  I was playing fine since I bought it last night, now the intro movies play, and it freezes.  If I try and skip the movies, it freezes, and if I watch them to the end, it freezes.

This might be new information - but I also noticed that the movies are playing off center.  I have uninstalled, rebooted, and reinstalled.  Problem continues.  So I can't play :(

 

Anyways, I hope someone figures this out!  That would rock :)

Cheers,

Reply #12 Top

Yes, I actually got it to go beyond the hang-up.  Tried connecting online.  Got into the online menu and tried (skrimish) connecting to people would connect then most would leave.  Went back to online menu and click (patheon) and froze the game.  Logged out and tried getting back in.  Hang-up trying to restart the frozen DG.

Reply #13 Top

I am officially giving up for tonight because I started game 5+ times and hang-up after AMD intro.  *sign* :(

 

... try once more ...

Reply #14 Top

Windows Task Manager - Demigod Main Version 1.00.0091  (not responding)

Reply #15 Top

i'm having a problem with this to, it won't let me skip the intro cutsceen, if i do the game goes "not responding", but if i let the thing play all the way i have to wait a minute or so on the black screen before it loads(after the intro)

Reply #16 Top

Quoting seevtastic, reply 12
Yes, I actually got it to go beyond the hang-up.  Tried connecting online.  Got into the online menu and tried (skrimish) connecting to people would connect then most would leave.  Went back to online menu and click (patheon) and froze the game.  Logged out and tried getting back in.  Hang-up trying to restart the frozen DG.

 

Exactly this happened to me.

Reply #17 Top

Actually, same thing is happening to me. I was playing fine since I bought it last night, now the intro movies play, and it freezes. If I try and skip the movies, it freezes, and if I watch them to the end, it freezes.

Please bear with us as we continue to work on the servers. Meanwhile, as above, it should proceed on after a couple of minutes.

Reply #18 Top

I will try later I have other things to do ATM

Reply #19 Top

My game also crashes after loading up.  I get the movies, and then, I get a blackscreen or a frozen screen with looping menu music.  I've removed the intro. movies from their original folders, but this did not fix the problem.

I was able to play initially, but I'm completely unable to play now.

I would also like to add that I experienced many menu button hangups and crashes prior to this problem.  My computer is more than able to handle this game according to the specifications, so I'm as lost as everyone else on this.

I know this probably has nothing to do with it, but I bought a physical copy of the game.  So, I uninstalled the old game, and I'm reinstalling via Impulse to see if anything changes. :hugme:

Reply #20 Top

Same issue for me.  cant minimize or esc out.  I can move the coursor around but its all black.  I have to restart the computer to get out of it. 

Reply #21 Top

yeah, same problem, created a thread about it over on the Stardock boards

 

btw, for anyone trying to get out of it, Cntrl Alt Delete gets me out of it, and ending the Demigod process, no need to restart

Reply #22 Top

c:\Work\forge\main\code\src\libs\gpggal\DeviceD3D9.cpp(1154) unable to set wireframe state, invalid pipeline state

Program : C:\Program Files (x86)\Stardock Games\Demigod\bin\Demigod.exe
Cmd line arguments :

Callstack:
    unavailable.

Last 100 lines of log...

A full record of the log is stored in the Demigodlog.txt file

info: Compiled shader: /effects/reticule.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/shadow.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/shroud.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/sky.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/terrain.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/terrain_low.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/ui.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/vision.fxo
info: Compiled shader: /effects/water.fxo
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/menumovie.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/debug/enginestats.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/debug/cvpstats.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/gamemain.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/wlduiprovider.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/gamecommon.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/ingameui.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/hud_avatar.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/statusbar.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/tooltip.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/help/tooltips.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/game.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/commandmode.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/uimain.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/multiplayer/onlineprovider.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/menucommon.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/menuinit.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/sp/tournamentutilities.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/common/heroutil.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/maputil.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/orders.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/grid.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/abilitybutton.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/cooldown.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/common/targetingmethod.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/keymap/userkeybinding.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/frame.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/user/skins/skins.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/splash/splash.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/copyright.lua\000'
warning: Movie "/movies/dg_intro.bik" doesn't exist.
warning: Error opening movie /movies/dg_intro.bik
warning: Movie "/movies/dg_intro_subtitles.bik" doesn't exist.
warning: Error opening movie /movies/dg_intro_subtitles.bik
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/achievements/achievements.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/menuscreen.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/scrolledcontrollist.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/game/achievement.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/logomovie.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/impulsemp/impulsemp.lua\000'
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000false
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000true
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/join/join.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/easyeditfield.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/lobby/lobbycomm.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/main/main.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/menubuttonframe.lua\000'
info: Connecting to Impulse LIVE Server.
info: CVP_AppData:
      szAppName: Demigod
      szPostURL:
      szAppExe: Demigod.exe
      szAppVersion: MAIN.1.00.0091
      szAppDirectory:
      szProgramDataDir: C:\Users\JJ\Documents\My Games\Gas Powered Games\Demigod\
      szAppCompany: Gas Powered Games
      dwTitleID: 444
      bAutoCreateDefaultPlayer: 1
      bUseNatPunchthrough: 1
      bCheckGameVersionOnJoin: 1
      bUseTestServer: 0
      dwDefaultNATFacilitatorPort: 6000
info: Error from CVP. Reponse XML:
info: >>>Entering CVPInterface::IsAppUpdateRequired()
info: >>>Exiting CVPInterface::IsAppUpdateRequired()
warning: Screen has no bindings: \000main
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mpchoosefaction/mpchoosefaction.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mpinstantactionheroselect/mpinstantactionheroselect.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/multiplayer/cvp.lua\000'
warning: Error opening movie
warning: Screen has no bindings: \000mpinstantactionheroselect
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mplogin/mplogin.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/controls/combo.lua\000'
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000false
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000true
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mpstandings/mpstandings.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mpsub/mpsub.lua\000'
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000false
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000true
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mptournamentcomplete/mptournamentcomplete.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/mptournamentheroselect/mptournamentheroselect.lua\000'
warning: Error opening movie
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/options/options.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/maui/slider.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/options/module_keybinds.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/keymap/userbindablecommands.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/keymap/properkeynames.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/profile/profile.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/replays/replays.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/spstandings/spstandings.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/spsub/spsub.lua\000'
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000false
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000true
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/sptournamentcomplete/sptournamentcomplete.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/sptournamentcontinue/sptournamentcontinue.lua\000'
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/sptournamentnew/sptournamentnew.lua\000'
warning: Error opening movie
debug: Loading module '\000/lua/ui/menus/sptournamentsub/sptournamentsub.lua\000'
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000false
info: *DEBUG: OnHide: \000true
info: MUSIC : Activating cue [Main_Menu]
info: Minimized true
warning: c:\Work\forge\main\code\src\libs\gpggal\DeviceD3D9.cpp(873) Invalid call
warning: c:\Work\forge\main\code\src\libs\gpggal\DeviceD3D9.cpp(1154) unable to set wireframe state, invalid pipeline state

 

Thats the error I got.  I'm having the same problem as everyone above.

Reply #23 Top

Im having the same problem with the freeze on the intro movie.. i tried minimizing it before the intro to let it play while i do other things and got a fatal error of some sort, id tell you more but it just displayed a gray box when i tried to look at it.

Reply #24 Top

Having the same problems, very frusterating, seems to hang more consistently if you've had to ctrl alt delete end task demigod.exe in the same windows session. After all that beta testing that went smoothly we finally get a taste of the real game and boom, can't play anymore. Any word on a fix?

Reply #25 Top

I was having problems, but a new update just seemed to fix it for me.  Wierd.  Let's hope they get things together tomorrow.