Silent Hunter 4 & Windows 10

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by lexloma

...First, I noticed that on Silent Hunter 3, there was a check mark on "Disable display scaling on high DPI setting", which wasn't there on Silent Hunter 4...

I checked that box on properties of my shortcut and back in business!

Thanks Ensign!

I don't know where all these boxes are to check or uncheck.
I can't get any farther than the intros and then it goes to a completely black screen. I can't exit out of it or anything. Have to keep restarting my computer.
The frustrating thing is I bought the gold pack digital download off Amazon back in 2019 and loaded it on this same computer and except for a few minor display adjustments in the display section of the game everything was fine.
Now I'm trying to load it up again, Had to deleted it due to lack of hard drive space and wanting to try other things but every time I try to start the game it goes thru the intros and straight to a black screen.
I haven't changed anything on my laptop since it was last loaded.

[propbeanie]

Silent Hunter on the 'modern' computer and OS can be a bother, and is does not matter the source of the game, whether Amazon or Steam or Ubisoft, they ALL default to installing the game in the "C:\Program Files (x86) \..." folder. My Steam install is "C:\Program Files (x86) \Steam \SteamApps \common \Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific". My Ubisoft is "C:\Program Files (x86) \Ubisoft \Ubisoft Game Launcher \..." The Amazon install is probably similar, though I do not recall their specific install path. But those paths are where you find the "SH4.exe" file for changing the "Properties" of for High DPI Scaling, etc. spoken of by several of the posters here. The link that Rhodes gave you in the other thread (Running older games on Win10) is a really good find. Amazon's install would be similar. It is best if you install the game in a folder of your own creation, especially if you are going to add a mod to the game, since Windows will stop any changing of the files in a Program Files folder.

I would uninstall what you have again, then run the installer again, and when it shows the path it wants to install the game to (C:\Program Files (x86)...), just change that path to "C:\MyGames", or whatever name you want, so that you would not have Windows getting in your way. The Amazon app does make a short-cut, but it usually does not "point" to where you want, and changing the Properties gets rather involved with several "Find Target" moves in File Explorer. With this, all you need to do is open File Explorer, open your new MyGames folder, and start rooting through there, finding "SH4.exe", then set the "Properties" as described in other posts. You will have to experiment, since no two computers seem to handle things the same...

[hunter301]

I actually have an older box version DVD of the game but it wouldn't load up the right way either.
So when I was working out of town in 2019 I purchased the full version with updates (U-boat addon) thru Amazon.
Which would we better to try again on, the older box version or the newer download full version from my Amazon account.

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by hunter301

I actually have an older box version DVD of the game but it wouldn't load up the right way either.
So when I was working out of town in 2019 I purchased the full version with updates (U-boat addon) thru Amazon.
Which would we better to try again on, the older box version or the newer download full version from my Amazon account.

Be it, a dislike for Ubi due to their bungling man handling of the SH lineage... that aside, Myself would have gone with grabbing SH4 from Ubi.

That said...

if I am understanding you rightly... that box version of 4, is 1 in which would needs be... updated with the Uboat add in Ubi released...

if such is correct, then you have that... Amazon full version (meaning "Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific U-Boat Missions" v1.5)...

That, is the version I would roll with, instead of the older, boxed copy.

The Amazon one.


In addition... I did reply to your last post there, on the "No SH4..." thread.


Any rate... hope this info, helps... as always...








M. M.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by Mad Mardigan

Be it, a dislike for Ubi due to their bungling man handling of the SH lineage... that aside, Myself would have gone with grabbing SH4 from Ubi.

That said...

if I am understanding you rightly... that box version of 4, is 1 in which would needs be... updated with the Uboat add in Ubi released...

if such is correct, then you have that... Amazon full version (meaning "Silent Hunter: Wolves of the Pacific U-Boat Missions" v1.5)...

That, is the version I would roll with, instead of the older, boxed copy.

The Amazon one.


In addition... I did reply to your last post there, on the "No SH4..." thread.


Any rate... hope this info, helps... as always...








M. M.

Saw your additional reply and thanks for any help.
It's no wonder X-box and PlayStation pushed PC games into the dark ages.
People get so sick of dealing with this crap.
All I want to do is load a game and have some fun.
I work a 50 to 60 hour week job managing construction so the only time I have to do any of this is at night when I get home and I'm usually dead tired or on the weekends when I've got the honey do list so it doesn't leave a lot of time for playing much less screwing around with files.
Damn!!!
Now I'm having to mess with files that I'm not sure of what I'm doing because I don't deal a lot with the coding of games.
My biggest problem is I'm either not seeing the files you guys are referring to or they are some where besides in my SH4 file such as the main.cfg file.
I'm in central Florida, USA so it's middle of the day and been up on the roof cleaning gutters but a rain storm came and gave me some relief.
Temporary as it may be.
One Question...
When I go to load the game from my Amazon Gold Addition it's not giving me a choice as to where it goes.
It loads it straight into a Ubi file.
I'd like to load into its own file on the C: drive such as C:/SH4 but the download is not giving me that option.
Any suggestions how I can keep that from happening?

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by hunter301

Saw your additional reply and thanks for any help.
It's no wonder X-box and PlayStation pushed PC games into the dark ages.
People get so sick of dealing with this crap.
All I want to do is load a game and have some fun.
I work a 50 to 60 hour week job managing construction so the only time I have to do any of this is at night when I get home and I'm usually dead tired or on the weekends when I've got the honey do list so it doesn't leave a lot of time for playing much less screwing around with files.
Damn!!!
Now I'm having to mess with files that I'm not sure of what I'm doing because I don't deal a lot with the coding of games.
My biggest problem is I'm either not seeing the files you guys are referring to or they are some where besides in my SH4 file such as the main.cfg file.
I'm in central Florida, USA so it's middle of the day and been up on the roof cleaning gutters but a rain storm came and gave me some relief.
Temporary as it may be.
One Question...
When I go to load the game from my Amazon Gold Addition it's not giving me a choice as to where it goes.
It loads it straight into a Ubi file.
I'd like to load into its own file on the C: drive such as C:/SH4 but the download is not giving me that option.
Any suggestions how I can keep that from happening?

I feel ya, on that 1st half of your reply...

On the front lines of your query...

Not gonna be of much help there... sorry, know that isn't what you're looking for there... thing is... I have no experience as it pertains to any games/downloads... basically anything to do with getting games from... Amazon... nada, non, el zippo... a big, fat... goose egg (0)...


My forte, relies more on source from say... Steam, to be frank, for how to work within their system there... to be able to multi copy SH4 & mod them out... have gotten fairly... proficient in that... & remembering lil'... tid bits of info, such as the reply to you there in the No SH4... thread, being just 1 tid bit of info, gleaned along the way.








M. M.

[hunter301]

Well that didn't work.
Loaded game into C:\SH4 and it went thru the same process.
Showed intros and then the black screen of death and had to CTL-ALT-DELETE to reboot the computer.
I did find what may be the main.cfg file everyone's talking about in the SH4/DATA/Cfg file but being a total novice I'm not even sure if that's what I'm supposed to be looking for.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by Mad Mardigan

I feel ya, on that 1st half of your reply...

On the front lines of your query...

Not gonna be of much help there... sorry, know that isn't what you're looking for there... thing is... I have no experience as it pertains to any games/downloads... basically anything to do with getting games from... Amazon... nada, non, el zippo... a big, fat... goose egg (0)...


My forte, relies more on source from say... Steam, to be frank, for how to work within their system there... to be able to multi copy SH4 & mod them out... have gotten fairly... proficient in that... & remembering lil'... tid bits of info, such as the reply to you there in the No SH4... thread, being just 1 tid bit of info, gleaned along the way.








M. M.

At this point I would spend the $9.99 and buy the single version of the game again from Steam and just download the V1.4 upgrade without U-boat upgrade just to play again but I don't think it's going to solve the Black Screen of Death" problem that I'm having.
Would really piss me off to drop another ten bucks on the game just to have the same problems.
I also want to be able to install some of the better mods to the game so I don't want it to be complicated with Steam interventions.

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by hunter301

At this point I would spend the $9.99 and buy the single version of the game again from Steam and just download the V1.4 upgrade without U-boat upgrade just to play again but I don't think it's going to solve the Black Screen of Death" problem that I'm having.
Would really piss me off to drop another ten bucks on the game just to have the same problems.
I also want to be able to install some of the better mods to the game so I don't want it to be complicated with Steam interventions.

Are you part of the subsim group there on Discord, by chance... cause if so... hit Me up there... am signed in on it & under the same moniker, as here...

Mad Mardigan



Standing by...







M. M.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by Mad Mardigan

Are you part of the subsim group there on Discord, by chance... cause if so... hit Me up there... am signed in on it & under the same moniker, as here...

Mad Mardigan



Standing by...






M. M.

Not sure what you mean by "discord". I see the link and went to it but not sure what that is.
As you can see I've been a member since 2003 when I used to play Jane's 688i and have been off and on over the years.
Have donated several times but I'm not any kind of regular paying member.
Does Subsim sell the game outright?
I've looked for it on the site but only find mods and of course Wolfpack.
Not interested in getting back into the U-boats. Just really love the long sleek fleet class boats of the USN.

BTW..I may go dark for a while.
Storms have passed and need to get back up on the roof before dark.
will check back this evening.

[Mad Mardigan]

Originally Posted by hunter301

Not sure what you mean by "discord". I see the link and went to it but not sure what that is.
As you can see I've been a member since 2003 when I used to play Jane's 688i and have been off and on over the years.
Have donated several times but I'm not any kind of regular paying member.
Does Subsim sell the game outright?
I've looked for it on the site but only find mods and of course Wolfpack.
Not interested in getting back into the U-boats. Just really love the long sleek fleet class boats of the USN.

BTW..I may go dark for a while.
Storms have passed and need to get back up on the roof before dark.
will check back this evening.

Discord is a... chat app, sort of like Skype but for gamers... to converse vocally & in some instances vid wise, as well.

Yeah, saw that... as for Subsim selling SH4 outright like Steam, Ubi, Amazon... that'd be a big, emphatic... No.... they don't... it is just a hub, for subsim enthusiasts to get together, modders as well... for the most part. That's it.

Right now, My only thing is... in helping "you" to be able to get back into the saddle as it were, metaphorically speaking... & be able to enjoy SH4 again... in U.S. subs format, if that's what blows your hair back.

Can understand that, about bad waether... do what ya gotta... will check back after a bit later on... & take it from there...


Stay safe... & hopefully can catch up & get this sorted out...







M. M.

[propbeanie]

Originally Posted by hunter301

Well that didn't work.
Loaded game into C:\SH4 and it went thru the same process.
Showed intros and then the black screen of death and had to CTL-ALT-DELETE to reboot the computer.
I did find what may be the main.cfg file everyone's talking about in the SH4/DATA/Cfg file but being a total novice I'm not even sure if that's what I'm supposed to be looking for.

If you haven't installed the DirectX v9.0c and Codecs when doing the SH4 install, then the game does not have the "library" files to call for the display. This is automatically done with the Steam version, and I ~thought~ the Amazon download also - but maybe not... The disk version has it on the install menu.

Also, after installing the game, especially if you have a newer computer and OS, you HAVE to find the SH4.exe file in your install directory (folder), and set the Properties on the "Compatibility" tab such that it will properly display on your computer. The symptoms of failure to do that are similar to a DirectX problem in that the screen goes black and you cannot see the 3D portion of the game running. This is the price we pay for running a 2005 game, built for Windows XP, in the 'modern' Windows. Even if you have DirectX v27 though, you NEED the files in the DirectX v9.0c install. It will not overwrite anything, just add to it.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by propbeanie

If you haven't installed the DirectX v9.0c and Codecs when doing the SH4 install, then the game does not have the "library" files to call for the display. This is automatically done with the Steam version, and I ~thought~ the Amazon download also - but maybe not... The disk version has it on the install menu.

Also, after installing the game, especially if you have a newer computer and OS, you HAVE to find the SH4.exe file in your install directory (folder), and set the Properties on the "Compatibility" tab such that it will properly display on your computer. The symptoms of failure to do that are similar to a DirectX problem in that the screen goes black and you cannot see the 3D portion of the game running. This is the price we pay for running a 2005 game, built for Windows XP, in the 'modern' Windows. Even if you have DirectX v27 though, you NEED the files in the DirectX v9.0c install. It will not overwrite anything, just add to it.

Everything loads up as it did in the past. DirectX v9.0c is in the load of items to load and I leave it in there to load up.
The only item in the install list that I deselect to load is the "Gameshadow App".
Sorry not happening..hate those things plus it's so far in the past I don't even know if they still exist.
I was wondering why it's not asking for the individual key code in order to load up the game. Just goes right past that step.
Game seems to load fine then once it's finished there's absolutely nothing on my desktop or in my menu bar to show that the game even exist on computer. I have to go into the actual file explorer and find the Run application in the file and click on it then the start menu comes up for either:
Play
Readme
Uninstall
Manual

The problem with trying to set the SH4.exe to compatibility mode is..
There is no SH4.exe in my SH4 folder that is installed on the computer.
I only have an SH4.icon and SH4 application.

[hunter301]

The only thing I get when I right click for a menu on the file is a "troubleshoot compatibility" tab that bring up a small list of possible problems and then ask me to test run the program and guess what happens then...
Black Screen
CTL-ALT-DELETE
restart the system....AGAIN!!
I did start checking on the boxes one at a time and one of them sent me to another screen asking what form of windows the game last ran on.
Windows 10 is not on the list but windows 7 is.

[hunter301]

Originally Posted by hunter301

The only thing I get when I right click for a menu on the file is a "troubleshoot compatibility" tab that bring up a small list of possible problems and then ask me to test run the program and guess what happens then...
Black Screen
CTL-ALT-DELETE
restart the system....AGAIN!!
I did start checking on the boxes one at a time and one of them sent me to another screen asking what form of windows the game last ran on.
Windows 10 is not on the list but windows 7 is.

After doing some research and looking at the dates I see that the last computer I had this on was on Windows 7.
Bought the game in March of 2019 but didn't get this computer with Window 10 until later and never loaded it up on the new computer because I went out of town for 18 months.
Should I do a test it's asking by selecting Windows 7 as the last system it was run on?