If by chance... this 'black screen of death', is as I suspect... in actuality the game being in a perpetual 'game paused' state...

Then this would indicate that the [TIME COMPRESSION] settings are missing, from the \main.cfg file (This 1, in particular, is located where ever your game save folder is ... located. Will have to stroll through that folder (example: My save folder for SH4 mod set up copy: C:\Users\nunya\Documents\TvA\data\cfg\main.cfg ) to be able to edit it, as needed, outlined below)

To do that, you will then, need to find & pull up the SH4 game installs copy of \main.cfg which, is located here:

My SH4 game install pathway:

C:\Games\SH4\Megamods\SH4 - TMOverhauled v2 - Asiatic\Data\Cfg\main.cfg

In this main.cfg file, copy the section, taking note to make sure of a 1 space gap in between each section (above & below) [TIME COMPRESSION] & pasting that entire portion there... in your save folder copy... so that it, looks like this, in the 1st 3 sections.. with the rest being left as is:


[SETTINGS]
LoadingMovie=No
VoiceCommand=No
DisableMessages=No
EventCamera=No

[TIME COMPRESSION]
TimeStop=0
RealTime=1
LandProximity=8
CriticalDamage=1
CrewEfficiency=128;1
AirEnemyDetected=1
SoundEffects=2
CharacterAnim=4
EnemyDetected=1
RadioReport=1
Particles=64
PrayState=256
HunterState=256
3DRender=32
Maximum=512

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1600,900,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=Yes
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=Yes


Click the x & select save... & done...

That, process there... will eliminate the dreaded 'Game Paused' blues...

This is what my file main.cfg file looks like when found in C:/SH4/DATA/Cfg file. I notice there's a big difference in some of the numbers at the lower portion of the time compression area. Is this because of yours is coming from a MOD file or is this my problem?

[SETTINGS]
LoadingMovie=No
VoiceCommand=No
DisableMessages=No
EventCamera=No

[TIME COMPRESSION]
TimeStop=0
RealTime=1
LandProximity=4
CriticalDamage=1
CrewEfficiency=128;1
AirEnemyDetected=1
SoundEffects=2
CharacterAnim=4
EnemyDetected=8
RadioReport=8
Particles=8
PrayState=8
HunterState=32
3DRender=32
Maximum=8192

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1024,768,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=Yes
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=Yes

[SOUND]
Music=Yes
VolumeGeneral=100
VolumeMusic=100
VolumeFx=100
VolumeSpeech=100
VolumeRadio=100
VolumeGeneralMute=false
VolumeMusicMute=false
VolumeFxMute=false
VolumeSpeechMute=false
VolumeRadioMute=false
Max3DSounds=32
SoundTravel=false

[PLAYER]
Name=Player
Rank=10
Experience=0.000000
Renown=500.000000
NrOff=4
Patrols=0
TorpedoesFired=0
TotalTonnage=100
SubmarineType=1
SubmarineVersion=1
SubmarineName=U-110
ConingTower=6
SubmarineEmblem=Yes
SubmarineEmblemIdx=0
NrPettyOff=11
NrSeamen=29
CurrentYear=1942
ShipsSunk=0
LastMission=data/SingleMissions/MaltaConvoy/MaltaConvoy.mis
M01=1
A01=7
A02=7
S01=4

[Ubi.Com]
GameName=SILENTHUNTER4
Version=SH4PC1.0
RememberCDKey=true

[DEVELOPING]
DevDebugEnable=Yes
DevEditEnable=Yes
MiniDump=Yes

[Multiplayer]
GamePort=19000
ShowPlayersNames=true
ShowNamesOnTorpedos=true

if by that... you mean the difference in what My TC is & yours... that is because they were preset by Me... before I ran My SH4 mod set up...

Other # info pertaining to other areas in that .cfg, pertain to settings in the Graphics options section I chose to roll with... & the vid part, is due to the monitor I have... so that is gonna likely be cause for differences there, as well...:hmmm: :yep:

It's not meant to be an exact match up... just used for reference of making sure in the save folder copy of main.cfg, that the position of the 1st 3 sections there... in My copy/paste... jive with what you see when you look at your copy.... Savvy...:yeah: :up:




:Kaleun_Salute:


M. M.

So you saying there's nothing wrong with my .cfg file?

I have a sneaky suspicion my problem is going to have to do with what I have my resolution set to.
Between the time I stopped playing SH4 and now I purchased a new 49" 4K/UHD T.V. that I use as my monitor because it had the higher refresh rate that I needed when I started playing DCS flight sims.
That's the only thing I can think of that changed.

With the main install of SH4 main.cfg, then in that case no... the 1 that may possibly be a problem child... would be the 1 that resides in the save folder, normally located in the Documents section of the hard drive.


For some odd reason... Windows, will take it in its own hands to do some... less than creative editing of that file... no idea as to why, much less how... BUT...

that section titled: [TIME COMPRESSION]

will end up wiped out, deleted, erased from existence there in the save folders copy of main.cfg ... :doh: :o :timeout:

Thereby, causing what's known as... the dreaded paused game syndrome... with no way to unpause it, but...

to copy the [TIME COMPRESSION] section from the install folders copy of main.cfg & paste it in to the save folders copy, in the same area as the install copies is positioned, where it belongs & save.

Are you talking about the main.cfg file that's located in my SH4 file because as I showed you all of the time compression is there even though the numbers don't match yours.
Or are you talking about need the main.cfg file somewhere else in the computers files?
Remember I only know the basics of this stuff.

Ok, to break it down... there are 2... main.cfg files created for SH4.

#1, resides in the \Cfg folder, in \Data, inside your SH4 install.

# 2, is created... in documents, when you run SH4. This 1, is a basic (or what is supposed to be, a carbon copy of #1, just shortened down to basics for the simplicity of ease, when you go to load up a game save.



Now... Windows, in either its idiocy, or stupidity... take your pick here.... for some ungodly reason... takes a diarrhetic logic dump, & will some times... invariably, mangle that saved copy there in documents. No rhyme or reason behind it...


Now... when that happens, after you boot up SH4, the sign that Windows has wiped the save folders copy, clean of

[TIME COMPRESSION]
TimeStop=0
RealTime=1
LandProximity=4
CriticalDamage=1
CrewEfficiency=128;1
AirEnemyDetected=1
SoundEffects=2
CharacterAnim=4
EnemyDetected=8
RadioReport=8
Particles=8
PrayState=8
HunterState=32
3DRender=32
Maximum=8192

from it, is... in getting a complete, black screen. Sometimes, BUT... NOT always, that black screen, will host "Game Paused" dead smack in the middle.



Which, was what you reported seeing.... before you had to do a Cntrl+Alt+Delete reboot... yeah... :hmmm:


Which is why I asked for you, to go to the save folder for SH4, located there in documents, scroll through that folder until you located the main.cfg file there... open it & read through it to see if the [TIME COMPRESSION] section, was there.. or was it entirely missing.

All that pertains to that 1 particular copy of main.cfg, copy #2.... NOT copy #1.


Copy #1, is going to be all there. Without fail.

OK found a second main.cfg file when I backed up from my C: drive to this computer and found "this PC/documents/SH4/data/cfg"
This .cfg was formatted exactly as the one in the game directory word for word when I put them side by side using Notepad.
There are 2 other cfg files in the one under documents labeled GFXSetting.cfg and gameplaysettings.cfg

Also do you know why the game is not installing the startup shortcut on either my desktop or in the menu bar.
I have to go looking thru the C: drive file explorer just to find the application icon that will bring up the start menu for play, uninstall, etc..

That would be the one that sometimes get mangled by Windows.

So, the [Time Compression] set of settings was there, then... :hmmm:

Then that would not be the "Game Paused" syndrome then... with the black screen.

I've never ran into that occurring, of having a totally black screen & that being stuck, like that to the point of having to force close SH4.

those 2 other .cfg files, pertain to graphic's/options for in game... and... to the best of My knowledge, nothing there... that would cause that occurring... either.

Those, as they stand right now... without the game loading fully, as it should nor... knowledge of the correct editing to do, would still be in default set up.

So, as it goes there with them 2... can put them out of sight... out of mind.



Ok...


try this that I will outline... & see if that allows the game to load up:

1st off, open up 2 folders... in the 1st folder, locate your SH4 install... then in the 2nd folder open up documents & find the SH4 save folder


Before doing this editing... make sure to make a back up copy of each main.cfg, putting #1's back up, in a folder named 'main.cfg SH4 install back up' & #2's in a folder named 'main.cfg save folder copy', make those folders there on your desktop so to make finding them easy when you will need them afterwards... & as a safety measure... in case things go south, badly.

Good rule of thumb, to follow any time you go to edit files of a notepad persuasion... :yep:

After making those back ups... can close this folder for that, out... won't need it for now, at any rate. :yep:


In the #1 folder, find the main.cfg copy (that's the one, inside the SH4 install, & where that is found \Data\Cfg\main.cfg)

Open that with note pad & change the following section from:

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1024,768,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=Yes
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=Yes


to read, as follows:

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1024,768,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=No
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=No



click on 'File' then select save & click it.


Next, relocate the # 2 main.cfg file (that's the one in documents) & do the following changes to that one, in the same area:

Open that with note pad & change the following section from:

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1600,900,60,22 My native monitor's settings here, but it should read whatever your monitors native rez is
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=Yes
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=Yes


make the following changes so it then reads, as follows:

[VIDEO]
Resolution=1024,768,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=No
Synchronized=No
TextureResolutionHigh=No

After that's done... click 'File' & select 'Save'


minimize both folders...

Now, try booting up the game & according to the info I watched, it should boot up.


Afterwards, on successful boot... should be able to go into the graphics option settings & set the monitor resolution back to your native one... close out & reboot back up, normally.





:Kaleun_Salute:


M. M.

Finally got it running with all systems working.
Only problem is it's in a boxed 1024x768 window and I can't get it to go full screen.
Every time I unclick the box in the graphics display in the game it doesn't do anything but then when I shut down the game and restart it it goes to the black screen again.
When I look at the .cfg files I see that it has changed the fullscreen from No to Yes. Also any time I change the resolution settings in the game and go back to the .cfg files I found those have changed to match what I put into the game.
Starting the see the relationship with these files.
Now if I can only find what I need to let it run full screen.

During my time solving my issue, I never changed anything on the main.cfg file located in the game folder. I always changed the one located in "my documents", sh4 folder.

I did changed the resolution to match my screen resolution 1920x1080.

I also put the sh4.exe to run by administrator.

I also did like some 4 or 6 clean installations...:o

I think one of my main problems is my system won't let me run as admistrator.

That's strange, I do remember having the same problem at one time. I can not precise, but Windows 11 did prevent me of running sh4.exe as administrator. I do not if the compatibility (running as windows XP, 7, etc) has to be enable or not.


When I get home I will see how is my main.cfg file options and sh4.exe file and write here.
My documents sh3 folder config file:


Resolution=1920,1080,60,22
DynamicShadows=No
FullScreen=Yes
Synchronized=Yes
TextureResolutionHigh=Yes


My sh4.exe has the compatibility enable to windows 7 and the Disable fullscreen optimizations box selected!

found the problem I was having in an old thread I found regarding Direct X loads.
There is a conflict that some maybe all Windows 10 systems have with cooperating with the older SH4 files.
Seems there are (2) .dll files that are not properly copied to allow the proper running of the game.