Game goes to black screen on startup - Win 7

Democracy 1 & 2 Democracy 2
1

I just bought the full version of Democracy 2 the other day and noticed that it immediately goes to a black screen after clicking on “New Game” from the startup menu. The music still plays, but the entire screen in black. I am running Windows 7, 64-bit version. My video card drivers are all updated and I have tried running the game as Administrator and in various compatibility modes.

Here are the excerpts from debug.txt and drawdebug.txt:

debug.txt:

----DEBUG FILE----
Unknown O/S build number : 4
Error!  You are using an old version of FMOD 00041601.  This program requires 00042600

Clearing textured sprites

drawdebug.txt:

Initialising Direct Draw
Attempting fullscreen mode
Creating Context at 1024 768 32
Forcing Fallback Init
Attempting Fallback Init
Fallback init succeeded
Driver: ATI Radeon HD 5700 Series \ Microsoft Direct3D Hardware Transform and Lighting acceleration capable device
VidMem: 2805 MB
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\tahoma12.dds
tahoma12.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\verdana12.dds
verdana12.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\verdanabold16.dds
verdanabold16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arial16.dds
arial16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arialbold16.dds
arialbold16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arialbold20.dds
arialbold20.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\tahoma30.dds
tahoma30.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\title.bmp
title.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button.dds
button.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button_h.dds
button_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark_red.dds
spark_red.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark2.dds
spark2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark.dds
spark.dds
loadscreen.jpg
Texture created : data/bitmaps\cursor.dds
cursor.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\controlpanel.dds
controlpanel.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_nextturn_2.dds
gui_icon_nextturn_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_dilemma_2.dds
gui_icon_dilemma_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_manifesto_h.dds
gui_icon_manifesto_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_polls_2.dds
gui_icon_polls_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_policy_2.dds
gui_icon_policy_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_cash_2.dds
gui_icon_cash_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_options_2.dds
gui_icon_options_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_award_2.dds
gui_icon_award_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_party.dds
gui_icon_party.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_party_2.dds
gui_icon_party_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_cabinet.dds
gui_icon_cabinet.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_cabinet2.dds
gui_icon_cabinet2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_report.dds
gui_icon_report.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_report_2.dds
gui_icon_report_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_intel.dds
gui_icon_intel.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_intel_2.dds
gui_icon_intel_2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\progress_bar.bmp
progress_bar.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\progbar_chunk.bmp
progbar_chunk.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\gui_icon_power.dds
gui_icon_power.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\right.dds
right.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\right_h.dds
right_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\left.dds
left.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\left_h.dds
left_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button_close.dds
button_close.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button_close_h.dds
button_close_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag1_s.bmp
flag1_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_military_s.bmp
flag_military_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_bananistan_s.bmp
flag_bananistan_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag3_s.bmp
flag3_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag9_s.bmp
flag9_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag6_s.bmp
flag6_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag7_s.bmp
flag7_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag8_s.bmp
flag8_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag5_s.bmp
flag5_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_usa_s.bmp
flag_usa_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\dialog_rounded.dds
dialog_rounded.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\dialog_tutorial.dds
dialog_tutorial.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\tahoma12.dds
tahoma12.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\verdana12.dds
verdana12.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\verdanabold16.dds
verdanabold16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arial16.dds
arial16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arialbold16.dds
arialbold16.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\arialbold20.dds
arialbold20.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\fonts\tahoma30.dds
tahoma30.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\title.bmp
title.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button.dds
button.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\button_h.dds
button_h.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark_red.dds
spark_red.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark2.dds
spark2.dds
Texture created : data/bitmaps\spark.dds
spark.dds
loadscreen.jpg
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag1_s.bmp
flag1_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_military_s.bmp
flag_military_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_bananistan_s.bmp
flag_bananistan_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag3_s.bmp
flag3_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag9_s.bmp
flag9_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag6_s.bmp
flag6_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag7_s.bmp
flag7_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag8_s.bmp
flag8_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag5_s.bmp
flag5_s.bmp
Texture created : data/bitmaps\flags\flag_usa_s.bmp
flag_usa_s.bmp

I would appreciate any help you could provide on this matter. I would really like to play the game that I paid €18 for.

2 
Error!  You are using an old version of FMOD 00041601.  This program requires 00042600

Try installing a newer version of FMOD - fmod.org/

3

Thanks for the answer, but I’ve already installed the latest version of the FMOD Ex Programmers API, and that doesn’t seem to have any effect. What exactly am I supposed to download and install here? Should I install the FMOD Designer or the FMOD Sandbox or any of the other numerous FMOD files listed on that page?

By the way, this fellow here seemed to have the same problem:
positech.co.uk/forums/phpBB3 … 10&p=36755

but I can’t tell if it was resolved or not.

4

Is there a way to get the program to generate new debug files? Even when I delete the old ones, new ones aren’t being generated.

5

Hi, what is the version number shown at the top right of the screen? Was the copy bought direct from positech?
Also, this is likely to be a video driver, not sound issue. Ignore that error. It might be related to the fact that the game cannot accurately determine your O/S, but that shouldn’t make any difference.
Do you have the latest drivers for your video card?

6

Looks like I’m experiencing the exact same issue - even the same error message. I’m also using Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and am playing the demo downloaded directly from Positech.

Strangely if I try to launch it over and over and over eventually it loads properly. Then the next time it won’t again.

7

Strangely I rebooted my machine after the install and it seems to load consistently now. So not sure if I really have a problem or not. :slight_smile:

8

Exact same problem for me. Just downloaded the game after purchasing from the website and I’m also getting the same error messages. What a frustrating waste of money this is so far. Is there a fix? I’m running 1.25

9

And then it starts working. How bizarre.

10

Had the same problem myself. It is fixable by editing the CONFIG.MUF file. Change the value of “ForceFallback” to 0, and you’re good to go.