Quote:
Originally Posted by 4H_Ccrashh
I've been out of the loop for years and came back two weeks ago when I saw a video on Youtube of a guy attacking a convoy in SH3. It blew me away the improved graphics and widescreen.
I dug out my old SH3 game and installed it only to have my Windows 7 tell me it cannot run the game. We've all seen the error, about how the game only works in XP etc etc...
I poured through forums and despite my many tries I could not get the game to load. Fortunately for me there was STEAM and $3.95 later I was ready.
Of course when I started the game I got the "Cannot Initialize 3D".
I remembered long ago that I had to drop my desktop resolution and the game would start. This I did, The max resolution I can get and still have the game start is 1600 x 900.
So, 1st hurdle down, the game was running.
With the widescreen monitor it looked squashed. I could adjust the monitor and set my display to 4:3 but I HAD to have that pretty widescreen.
I am a reasonably intelligent, bi-pedal, carbon based unit with opposing thumbs so I thought "How hard can this be?"
I downloaded ARB WideGui 1920x1080 with associated files (I thought) and I did get the game to look great but my navigational map was messed up. I had two maps side by side and neither was accurate.
I held my nose and dove back in the forums and tried everything I could find.
Talk about confusing.
I was searching through threads that were many years old.
Threads with links to other posts,, what this guy tried and that guy tried and where this file was needed but the other guy said he got it to work by doing this or that with a link to yet another forum thread with links to even more files. Many of the links to get files to "fix" the problem were no longer valid.
If I had a dollar for every Error #404 "file not found" I'd have enough money to hire some dude from the Best Buy's "Geek Squad" to fix problem.
I was ready to go all "Elvis Presley" on my computer. (Elvis Presley, an American Rock and Roll singer from back in the 1950's who shot his TV, am I dating myself? )
It took a few days and lots of beer (for nerves)but FINALLY, it was working.
Problem is, when I was done I had been through so many forums, been on many tangents that I could not for the life of me remember how I got where I was with a working game. If my computer were to crash and I wanted to set up SH3 I'd be up the proverbial effluent estuary without a means of locomotion. I needed to duplicate my success and write it all down.
There was no easy VERY BASIC step by step guide. so I thought I'd write one. I hope this helps........
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Thank you SO much for your installation guide, 4H_Ccrashh.
My story is almost identical to your own, from playing SH3 many years ago, watching Wolfpack345 videos on YouTube and frantically searching the web for the files and instructions. I had tried several times to get it working until I found your guide on page 11.
Now, I can begin my hunting once again
FYI: I have SH3 installed from disc, not Steam, and your instructions still work fine. The only differences being that I skipped steps 5 and 6 (despite your warning) as I didn't require the V16B1-Patch (HSIE) - I know what you mean about trying to find that one!
Also, I installed GWX 3.0 afterwards and all I had to do was follow the instructions given in the GWX install about rolling back (removing) all mods using JSGME before installing GWX. This only involved the two ARB WideGui mods and putting them back in the same order as originaly instructed, once GWX had finished installing.
So, many thanks for your help and, if I may point out an irony, your instructions were also difficult to find. I only came across them by reading through all the pages in this thread. I am sure others would be grateful if they were made easier to find.
Commence basking!!!
OK, Perhaps I spoke too soon. The 1920x1080 mod worked but, like many others, I am still not able to replicate the quality of the image seen in Wolpack345's YouTube vid's. I have rebuilt SH3 many times (with and without GWX and/or Commander) but cannot get close. I have tried the same mod's as WP345 and this is as close as I can get:
Mine
Prof 2.jpg WP345
WP345 2.jpg Mine
Prof 3.jpg WP345
WP345 3.jpg
Mods list:
Prof 4.jpg
I get the feeling that I am missing something obvious but can't see the woods for the trees
. Unfortunatly, I don't get an awful lot of time to chase this up (too many papers to grade/mark) so i would appreciate some help.
If you think this would be better as a new post I can do that.
Many thanks in advance.
Prof.
Happy Days! In the hour since I wrote the above plea I found the problem. It was an un-zipping mess-up. Two of my folders were un-zipped incorrectly (my fault). Both TKSS18 German U-Boats Compilation folders had another folder within them of the same name. The data folders were in the second level folder
. A stupid fumble when I switched from BreeZip to WinRar for un-zipping.
I will leave this up in case someone else finds it useful.
Now I have to do a final, clean install and then I have some beans to serve.
