Heroes of Annihilated Engine along with other "Cossacks" Series engines gives a "Graphics Package Rendering Error (GPRE)" with advanced Graphics cards. This issue can be fixed in a variety of ways.
1) Using Startengine.exe or 3d fix or 3d patch. (Get it here)
- Extract the WinRar Archive - Place the "Startengine.exe" and "D3Dengine.dll" in the game directory (xxx/HeroesOfAE/Data) - If the game engine - "engine.exe" was previously checked to run as Administrator, then, the "Startengine.exe" must also be run as an administrator (Applicable only to Vista and Windows 7)
Advantages: Quick and Easy fix for 32bit Windows Users with Powerful Graphic Cards and Retail Game Version. Disadvantage: This doesn't work for the Steam Version, neither is it successful for some High End configurations under 64 bit Windows.
1.1) Using a Proxy D3D library along with the 3d fix above (Get it here) - Extract the Archive - Place the "Startengine.exe", "D3D9.dll" and "D3Dengine.dll" in the game directory (xxx/HeroesOfAE/Data) - If the game engine - "engine.exe" was previously checked to run as Administrator, then, the "Startengine.exe" must also be run as an administrator (Applicable only to Vista and Windows 7)
2) Limiting Maximum Memory I got it from Chimaeros in GSC official forums who got it from a German dude (If you happen to be the German dude then please leave a comment in the Shout box)
- In the Start menu go to "Run" and type "MSCONFIG": Vista and Win 7 users can type it in the "Search" box. - In the Second tab saying "Boot", click on the "Advanced Options" - Check the "Maximum Memory" check box and limit it to a maximum of 2000 and lower - Apply the Settings and Restart - Run HoAE, if the visuals are still corrupted use "startengine.exe" fix along with this method.
Advantages: Works for 64bit Windows and Works for Steam most of the times. Disadvantages: Restrictions cripple the system for other applications and games. This causes the user to readjust and restart the system for every HoAE game.
3) Using the "Rise of Sols" mod engine (get it here)
- Install patch 1.1 for the game (http://hoae.ucoz.net/load/patches/patches/5) - Unpack and install the mod (follow the instructions in the Readme of the mod) - Play the game. If you do not want to play the mod, you can omit the mods.gs1 file from the game directory.
Advantages: No Hassles! Safe and Works. Worked for most of all configurations. Disadvantages: You cannot technically "play" the vanilla game anymore. You can only play the mod. Even if "mods.gs1" is removed, it may stir up trouble. The mod is in development and hence this may require you to watch out for fixes and new changes.
4) Using the Advanced 3d Patch by morgwin (Get it here)
- Extract the WinRar Archive - Place the "Startengine.exe" and "D3Dengine.dll" in the game directory (xxx/HeroesOfAE/Data) - If the game engine - "engine.exe" was previously checked to run as Administrator, then, the "Startengine.exe" must also be run as an administrator (Applicable only to Vista and Windows 7)
Advantages: Quick and Easy fix for 32bit and 64bit Windows Users with Powerful Graphic Cards and Retail Game Version. It also helps to play the Vanilla game in all its glory. Disadvantage: This doesn't work for the Steam Version. Other disadvantages not known (which is not technically a disadvantage ) "A Hopeless heart is the Devil's workshop"
This bug affects "Windows Vista" and "Windows 7" when Aero is turned on. The Ingame videos do not show up, instead a black screen appears and the sound plays in the background. The reason for this is that the video and audio format is separate in Heroes of Annihilated Empires. The video is in ".ogv" format and the audio in ".oga" format. The video rendering shader component malfunctions when "Aero" is turned on and this can be fixed easily by following these steps:
1) Right Click the engine.exe then go to "Properties". 2) Under the Compatibility tab, make sure you run it in compatibility for "Windows XP", with "Disable Desktop Composition" and "Run as Administrator" checked. 3) Apply the settings and play the game.
This would instantly dump Aero when the engine initiates. Which makes the ingame videos run as intended.
--Problem with Playback Device-- This is a fix posted by slay3rdb, which reads
Quote
if u have any HDMI or similar stuff plugged in thats what did it for me and make sure the playback default is your speakers to change ur default play back device right click on the little speaker choose playback devices and the speakers you use as for HDMI its pretty self explanatory if ur pc is hooked into a tv and u can put ur audio and/or video on it ur using HDMI unplug it for that to work that was my problems anyways hope it helps =)
1) Make sure you have the latest DirectX installed or use the Fix 1.1 with a proxy D3D file 2) Make sure you have MS Visual C redistributable 2005 - get a Service pack version recommended by the author here 3) Make sure in the Nvidia Control panel, VSync is not set to 'fast' Here is the original post by the author
Suggested by a huge fan nicknamed Darvin76: So obviously, nostalgia hit me, I tried to install and play this game, but not for the love of god would the game function normally..
My system and specs: Win7 SP2, i5 4690K OC'd, GTX 1080 Ti, 32 Gb RAM @2400,
Version I used: GoG version of the game, v1.1 right upon the install (So no only 2 GB RAM fix was needed as it looks to be fixed in v1.1)
Problems I had: Opened the game, resolution changed, I heard intro and main menu sounds and music, but absolutely no video was projected, only black screen during intros and menu, I managed to get into the main campaign blindly clicking, but it didnt help, also real in-game was just a black screen with Elhant or w/e is his name yelling thats it time to fight not flee, you know what I mean x)Things I tried: Everything, from workarounds like run as admin, disable composition, compatibility mode, to those custom patches and 3d fixes or w/e, nothing helped a bit
Solution that got my game working properly: Well, as nothing was working, I assumed it has to be some driver .dlls I am missing, I had installed DirectX from official site, I had all possible visual c++ mostly downloaded from official site, but still I was missing some .dlls it seems, so I found some old game from around the years as this one came out, I had Call of Duty 2 so opened it and checked the "redist" folder, it had both DirectX install (No obvious version I could tell) and Visual C++ 2005 SP1 install, so I Installed both and it turned out to be working, but only partly, now I could see the Main menu, but still intros, cutscenes and the actual game was a black screen with only audio in the background..
I was about to give up, then I got one last idea, trying to reset Nvidia settings, which finally helped, everything now worked as its supposed to, I was trying to replicate the problem again to know which setting did problems in nvidia settings, and it turns out it was the Vertical Sync setting in Nvidia control panel, under the "manage 3D settings" which was set to "Fast" as this setting was helping me get rid of the tearing in some STALKER mod I played..
Just to add, I dont have to use anything like run as admin now, nor disable desktop composition, nor compatibility mode, in fact, turning on the "disable desktop composition" actually brings me back the black screen problem in intros and the actual in-game (except for main menu)..
Hope this helps to anyone who would have a similar problem, good luck and have fun x)
Герои Уничтоженных Империй 
)
| |Moderator
| |Modder
| |Tester| |Banned