Silent Hunter 4 Launch Error

[BannedOak]

I just bought the game and every time I attempt to launch the game, I receive a black screen with a white error window stating Can not initialize 3D engine. My only option is to close the error window and I've been unable to find any other help for figuring out how to fix this so I can play the game. Is there any help? Changing the resolution didn't help at all and my refresh rate is only set to 60.

[Aktungbby]

BannedOak

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by BannedOak

I just bought the game and every time I attempt to launch the game, I receive a black screen with a white error window stating Can not initialize 3D engine. My only option is to close the error window and I've been unable to find any other help for figuring out how to fix this so I can play the game. Is there any help? Changing the resolution didn't help at all and my refresh rate is only set to 60.

Ahoy, BannedOak...

Time out here... ok...

Ok, how bout starting off with some basic info here..

1st off, what's your processor spec's, graphics card, RAM amount & what Op sys are you working with, for starters...

Follow that up by, just what is the source for the SH4 you've installed, following that info up with.. just where did you set it up at, exactly.

3rdly, are you running it straight up plain jane stock... or did you try & mod it up.?

If modded up, what's your mod list.. & more importantly, did you ram the mods in with the SH4 install or did you bother to use jsgme..??

This is just the basic info that would help in finding out just what assistance is needed to help you get it up & running, without issues...

M. M.

[BannedOak]

Originally Posted by Mad Mardigan

Ahoy, BannedOak...

Time out here... ok...

Ok, how bout starting off with some basic info here..

1st off, what's your processor spec's, graphics card, RAM amount & what Op sys are you working with, for starters...

Follow that up by, just what is the source for the SH4 you've installed, following that info up with.. just where did you set it up at, exactly.

3rdly, are you running it straight up plain jane stock... or did you try & mod it up.?

If modded up, what's your mod list.. & more importantly, did you ram the mods in with the SH4 install or did you bother to use jsgme..??

This is just the basic info that would help in finding out just what assistance is needed to help you get it up & running, without issues...

M. M.

Sorry about that. I'm running an Intel Pentium CPU 4417U @2.30GHz
I've got 4GB of RAM and Intel HD Graphics 610
Source is Steam and I'm running it stock. Windows 10 is the OP
I haven't even figured out how to try and install mods, let alone found any that I would like to use. I've tried LAA as well as messed with both my Resolution and Refresh rate.
I'm really frustrated and upset as this is a game that I've been wanting for a while and I would love to just play it with out jumping through hoops.

Any help is appreciated.

[Moonlight]

Aaaaah steam, now that is possibly your problem, what is the SH4 version number on the Main Menu?, if you load up the game and check in the bottom right it will tell you, I'm going out on a limb here and say it will be the 1.3 version, if it is that we can tell you what to do next.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by BannedOak

... I receive a black screen with a white error window stating Can not initialize 3D engine...

The Steam version of the game should "automatically" install the DirectX v9c dll files, and codecs when you first start the game. They used to use a modified version of the old Ubisoft installer, where the player was given a choice to do such, so it really should not be that, unless you are interrupting that process somehow. However, with recent Windows Updates and the "modern" hardware found on newer computers, there can be other befuddling issues. Primarily, it is the SH4.exe file causing the issues - or rather, the OS's interaction with the executable file...

Navigate into your game folder (with Steam, the default path is "C:\Program Files (x86) \Steam \SteamApps \common \Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific" - which is another problem, btw). In the folder, find the file "SH4.exe". If you have the folder options set to not display the file extensions, be aware that there is also a file "SH4.ico", so you will want to select the first "SH4" that you see by left-clicking the file. Once selected, right-click on the file, which will bring up a "Context Menu" pop-up. From that menu list, at the bottom, left-click on "Properties". You should be on a "General" tab, and you should also see five other tabs, including "Compatibility". If not, choose the other "SH4" file. Click on "Compatibility", and you will now see several options that you might have to use. Up top is the "Compatibility mode" that some players have to use set to "Windows 7" - but not all players have to use this. Below that is a tick box for "Disable fullscreen optimizations", which is what it sounds like you might have to utilize. Again though, not everyone has to use that. Just under that is "Run this program as an administrator", of which SOME people have to use. Last, but not least, near the bottom is a button "Change high DPI settings", which in Win10 will make another pop-up, and you would then use the tick box toward the bottom that is for "Override high DPI scaling behavior - Scaling performed by: Application". This is usually required, especially if you have to use the "Disable fullscreen optimizations". You can attempt them one at a time, and see what happens, but it might also be that you have to do them all. I have one Win10 machine where I have to use them all, and the other machine, I only have to Disable the fullscreen optimizations and Override high DPI. YMMV

For a Steam install, if your game is installed under the Steam folder in a Program Files folder, and you are wanting to utilize mods, you will have to "move" the game one way or the other, either by re-installing Steam to a folder of your own creation, by moving it by hand, or if you have a 2nd hard drive available, by creating another Steam Library folder on the 2nd hard drive. Do NOT use a back-up partition on your computer though... Refer to Moving a Steam Installation and Games on the Steam site for more info on that subject.

Very frustrating to have to deal with some of this (actually, all of this... ), but it is what it is in today's 'modern' computer and OS world...

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by Moonlight

Aaaaah steam, now that is possibly your problem, what is the SH4 version number on the Main Menu?, if you load up the game and check in the bottom right it will tell you, I'm going out on a limb here and say it will be the 1.3 version, if it is that we can tell you what to do next.

Not sure that Steam still has v1.3 on their launcher/store any more.

The last I know of, the source of SH4 through them, is retained to either v1.4 (which is just the U.S fleetboat side of things with WW2 sub simming) & v1.5 (which is where Ubi took the v1.4 & shoved what basically amounts to a DLC nowadays & includes being able to skipper a Uboat over in the Pacific side of the war...).

The thing that most who decide to grab SH4 off from Steam is, they are not privy to knowing that pertinent fact & mistakenly grab v1.4, instead of 1.5, which then leads to frustration, when a mod like, for example keltos' IJN sub mod or the add in of (what's there name know... propbeanie.. a lil' boost to the ol' memory cells if ya would...) the IJN career mod.

Those 2 there, REQUIRE you using v1.5 of SH4, & NOT the v1.4 one of SH4...

Most if NOT all of the mods now, or SH4 actively REQUIRE SH4+UBM v1.5, in order to work, if I am NOT mistaken, in that assessment.

M. M.