Direct X Surface Unavailable

CharlesBHoff · March 1, 2003, 02:54

I was playing game with 8 other player in single player after turn 22 I keep getting Direct X surface unavailable when trying to save than game. I also see trying to load than old game after exiting the game I get Direct X surface unavailable. I download Direct X 9 from MS. Only MS make than program like Direct X which you cannot uninstall or remove.

Crostoneman · March 1, 2003, 03:44

When I got that error, I reinstalled the game, and made sure that DX 8.1b on the CD is installed. Never got a DX surface error since.

asleepathewheel · March 1, 2003, 05:51

I've gotten this error too, quite annoying.

CharlesBHoff · March 1, 2003, 05:57

Quote:

Originally posted by Crostoneman
When I got that error, I reinstalled the game, and made sure that DX 8.1b on the CD is installed. Never got a DX surface error since.

I hear they are working on a patch to sovled this bug.

petemajor · March 1, 2003, 06:37

I've just posted this in another thread... sorry about the duplication but it seems more relavent here:

Well, although my display functions ok when I run the game, if I ALT-TAB back into windows (like to read the manual or something) and then ALT-TAB back in MOO, the display goes completely haywire... lots of lines and stuff. If I move around the display it eventually rights itself as blocks on the screen are refreshed.

A couple of times I even got an error message about "DirectX surface is unavailable". Now, I've just installed DirectX 9.0 so I know DX installation is ok, and I'm using an ATI Radeon 9000 card which is specifically designed for DX8+ so I don't it's an incompatability issue either...

Add to the fact the display of the game is fixed at 800x600 and I've got to say I'm not overly impressed with the graphical side of the game so far.

Hmmmm....

Epistax · March 1, 2003, 12:27

Just to say, I only get this error when I am doing things I obviously shouldn't be, such as randomly rightclicking on the task force creation screen (hehe).

I've never gotten it when it mattered, but remember the game saves every turn, so you aren't screwed by a longshot.

however.. fix!

CharlesBHoff · March 1, 2003, 16:34

Quote:

Originally posted by Epistax
Just to say, I only get this error when I am doing things I obviously shouldn't be, such as randomly rightclicking on the task force creation screen (hehe).

I've never gotten it when it mattered, but remember the game saves every turn, so you aren't screwed by a longshot.

however.. fix!

When I go to save a game that when I get that error message. If you go to restart the game after exiting the game you get the same message. This is than MAJOR BUG.
It a person cannot save or load his or her own game it can
be than major problen for any game compancy. I think I might have too many save games in the directly.
I broughtmy computer in 2000 from Gateway with than built in Intel graphic card with 4 meg of video memony, cannot upgrade the video card as cannot turn off the old one.

CharlesBHoff · March 2, 2003, 02:01

Quote:

Originally posted by Epistax
Just to say, I only get this error when I am doing things I obviously shouldn't be, such as randomly rightclicking on the task force creation screen (hehe).

I've never gotten it when it mattered, but remember the game saves every turn, so you aren't screwed by a longshot.

however.. fix!

Thank for the idear of useing the auto savegame to play the game. But still they need to fix the bug causeing this error.

Corentor · March 2, 2003, 12:31

I am running DX 9 with an ATI Radeon 8500 with the lastest set of catalyst drivers. The only time I get direct x surface unavailable is if I alt-tab out of the game.

Check to see if your video card drivers are DX 9 complient. It may solve the issue.

gunnergoz · March 2, 2003, 13:48

Folks:

ALT-TABBING is NOT SUPPORTED IN MOO3. Its in the manual. Don't do it and a lot of these problems will go away.

CharlesBHoff · March 2, 2003, 17:42

Quote:

Originally posted by Corentor
I am running DX 9 with an ATI Radeon 8500 with the lastest set of catalyst drivers. The only time I get direct x surface unavailable is if I alt-tab out of the game.

Check to see if your video card drivers are DX 9 complient. It may solve the issue.

One my video card is than intel one built right into my motherboard with no way to turn it off it you put than other one in, plus it need than non-standard slot size. To upgrade
drivers can be than real pain I went to the Gateway site there are thousand's of files with cryic name and number which one to you drownload.

bloopy · March 3, 2003, 11:12

I get the DirectX surface error also with an unhandled exception everytime i goto the shipyard to make changes to ships. And also at random times in the game. I have no saved games as I have not been able to even play the doggone game. I am very dissapointed as the game was $50 and its a flippin coaster at the moment. I can't understand why this error is being ignored and not publicly talked about by the developers. I am unable to make any posts to the moo3 forum on the moo3 site becuase they don't like my email domain. So here is the only place I can rant.

I am running a 2.5Ghz P4, Geforce2 GTS 64Mb, 512Mb RAM, WinXP Pro SP1, DX9. No tips or tricks anyone has posted anywhere has thus far fixed my problem. I am still sitting waiting on a chance to play.

CharlesBHoff · March 3, 2003, 16:15

Quote:

Originally posted by bloopy
I get the DirectX surface error also with an unhandled exception everytime i goto the shipyard to make changes to ships. And also at random times in the game. I have no saved games as I have not been able to even play the doggone game. I am very dissapointed as the game was $50 and its a flippin coaster at the moment. I can't understand why this error is being ignored and not publicly talked about by the developers. I am unable to make any posts to the moo3 forum on the moo3 site becuase they don't like my email domain. So here is the only place I can rant.

I am running a 2.5Ghz P4, Geforce2 GTS 64Mb, 512Mb RAM, WinXP Pro SP1, DX9. No tips or tricks anyone has posted anywhere has thus far fixed my problem. I am still sitting waiting on a chance to play.

On the Infrogame support page said they are aware of the polblen and their are working on a patch and when it will release is anybody guess. I am sorry that useing the autosave games to play willnot work with your problen.

petemajor · March 4, 2003, 08:29

Quote:

ALT-TABBING is NOT SUPPORTED IN MOO3. Its in the manual. Don't do it and a lot of these problems will go away.

ALT-TAB is not supported?? Is this 1983 or 2003? That is an inexcusable design decision as far as I'm concerned. Someone was just to bloody lazy to make it work properly...

star mouse · March 4, 2003, 21:09

I got the error on turn 10. Reloaded from turn 10 save game, no problem. Got it again on turn 20. Relaoded from turn 20 save game, no problem.

It seems that both times I got this error I was experimenting with the keyboard shortcuts, such as "S", "G" and the like. Thereafter, I played the game with the mouse and ESC keys only, it's slower that way but I didn't get the error again.

Tomsawyer · March 4, 2003, 22:54

Ok this is no minor bug. I cant even get into the game. If I attempt to watch the opening movie I get the DirectX Surface Error. If I bypass it I can get the choose a game a panel but its blacked out, all I see is text. If I randomly click around I can somtimes get to the next set of panels but no further. Since I just built this new toy, an AMD XP2100 with 2 sticks of twinmos pc3200, 2 60gb drives, ti4200 video, all connected to an epox 8rda+ nforce2 board overclocked and tweaked to the max I was thinking perhaps it was something in my settings.

So I grabbed a 8gb drive I had lying around and installed windows xp onto it, along with the bare minium drivers to get it going. Still got the surface error which by now was irking me to the max.

Used Daemon tools and created 2 bin files (FOR MY OWN USE) and put the game onto the fresh xp drive. SAME ERROR.

Now I have heard that a patch is in the works, but if that patch takes as long as the game itself did, with all the so called beta testing done, all I would have for a months for my money is a nice shiny box and a rather intresting book to read.

Returned, I will get it out of the bargin bin in a few months.

CharlesBHoff · March 5, 2003, 19:34

I found than solution to my DIRECT X SURFACE ERROR I change the graphic setting in opion to medium from hight. I donot know it will work for other.. I think all games company could set they graphic setting to low and it the person want than highter graphic setting he can set it himself.

yeem · March 5, 2003, 21:11

I literally just got the error on my turn 294 (I'm playing for the 5X's win).

I restarted the computer then tried the game again. On the opening screen when I click on "Load Game" the error rears its ugly head. I am a cronic game saver so pulled out all but the last few saves and opened up MOO3 again and it now seems to work just fine.

I'm not sure who mentioned the too-many-saved-games thing, but good call and thanks for the info!

Yeem

anoncynic · March 5, 2003, 22:05

Tip I picked up from IGMoO:
If you get the Direct X Surface Error (or the confused pixels) after alt-tabbing out of the game, then pressing ctrl+alt+esc will probably fix it.....or at least it has for me.