Any experience with IL2 Sturmovick 1946

[Billy885]

Computer host:

Dell Studio XPS
Intel I7 quad
12megs ddr3 triple-channel - I think
Vista x64

Guest:
Windows 7 x64 RC

I am running the game on the guest OS and have found out that some of the missions will not load. Get the message "Not responding" and will not close down. It will close the window the game is running in but leave the game still on the screen. The guest computer then will not shut down either and I have to use "Task Manager" on the host to shut down the "VMbox". Did the same thing with versions 3.0.2 and 3.0.6. They all load if I run them on the host computer. They will also run on another computer that has Windows 7 RC on both host and guest. Just looking for some ideas as what to look for.

Thanks in advance.

[mpack]

I'm not a gamer, but I assume these "missions" are application files. Where are you loading them from? A VirtualBox shared folder perhaps? I know that I've sometimes had problems with slow access to shared folders. If they are not too large you can try copying them into a folder on the guest HDD. Alternatively you can try setting up a network share to the host folder they are stored in - and turn off VirtualBox shared folders.

[Billy885]

Thanks for the reply mpack.

No they are just text files and I have tried everything you have subjected and the results are all the same. Here is an example of one such mission file:

Code: Select all

[MAIN]
  MAP Kurland/load_online.ini
  TIME 12.0
  CloudType 0
  CloudHeight 1000.0
  army 1
  playerNum 0
[Wing]
  r0100
  r0101
  r0102
  r0103
  r0110
  r0111
  r0112
  r0113
[r0100]
  Planes 1
  Skill 1
  Class air.HE_111H6
  Fuel 100
  weapons 2xTorp
[r0100_Way]
  NORMFLY 227192.44 254454.02 1500.00 300.00 &0
  NORMFLY 224681.47 267771.76 1500.00 300.00 &0
  NORMFLY 195636.17 268038.23 1500.00 300.00 &0
  NORMFLY 151668.52 267505.29 1500.00 300.00 &0
  NORMFLY 138877.93 240192.05 1500.00 300.00 &0
......
......
......

In fact I have even copied the entire game on to the guest HD and it did not help.

[mpack]

In that case I'm afraid I'm at a loss. If none of the missions loaded then I'd think it was an incompatibility between the game and the hardware emulated by VBox. Since that isn't the case I think it's unlikely to be a VBox problem, though since it's a Win7 guest you can never be totally sure of that.

[Billy885]

Yep, I am at a loss also.

I have installed all this on my home computer also, using Windows 7 as both host and guest. All missions that I have tested load fine with no problems. Yes, it will load the ones the other computer will not.

I have a home built and the other computer is a Dell as stated. So hardware is different and I do not have a copy of Vista to install on my computer. Thanks for trying mpack. If you think of anything just post back here.

Thanks again!

[Billy885]

Bump,

Just hoping some one else might have an idea here. Thanks in advance!

Update:

Today I installed "Virtual PC 2007 sp1" from Microsoft and all missions load and work. I would prefer to use VirtualBox if some one has any idea for a workaround. I used the same copy of the game and used network share just like I did in VB and had no trouble. As explained above host OS = Vista guest OS = Windows 7. VPC will not allow me to install a x64 OS so I used the x86 version of W7. I also tried that in VB also with the same results. Some missions will not load.

Let me also explain that this game is coded 90% in Java. Just in case that makes a difference.

I just hope someone might have some idea and thanks again you all!

[Billy885]

mpack,

If you are still around, I have figured out what the bug is that keeps my missions from loading: "3D Acceleration". If I turn that off everything works perfectly. With it on back to the same problem. Only some missions will load.

Remember host OS is: Windows Vista Home Premium sp1
Display adapter is: ATI Radeon HD4670
Driver version is: ATI 8.533.0.0

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas here!

[mpack]

Thanks for reporting back with your findings: lots don't bother to do that!

Thanks in advance for any help or ideas here!

Didn't you say it was now working perfectly? What further help do you need?

[Billy885]

mpack,

Maybe perfectly was the wrong word to use there.

Now my frame rate in the game went from 40fps to 2 fps, when I unchecked "3D Acceration". It is hard to understand that the graphical interface loads fine with it turned on and goes bad as soon as the missions start to load. Only difference in the display is a pop up window with a text line showing the load percentage.

I was hoping the coders might be interested in the "bug" and would like more info and come up with a fix.

Could it be ATI related as I have a Nvidia card in my computer? Maybe even driver related?

[mpack]

I was hoping the coders might be interested in the "bug" and would like more info and come up with a fix.

Well, you could raise a ticket, but unless the devteam are all Sturmovick fans I wouldn't hold your breath for the fix!

Could it be ATI related as I have a Nvidia card in my computer? Maybe even driver related?

I doubt it. The Direct3D feature in VBox is acknowledged to be a new and experimental feature, so that is likely to be where the problem lies.

[Billy885]

Thanks mpack, I understand your points.

I am not using the "DirectX" experimental feature. Just the check box where is says "3D Accelerations:"

[mpack]

I am not using the "DirectX" experimental feature. Just the check box where is says "3D Accelerations:"

Same thing. AFAIK "3D acceleration" means Direct3D, not OpenGL.