Update needed (I think) and Video problems

[Allayna]

Ok, so just pulled my Aquaria install file off my backup drive, intending to play for the first time in.... probably over tw0 years... Strange video problems occurring, such us the characters cape not appearing, she disappears when pointed certain directions (about 12-5 oclock) and other elements in the background being invisible, including the red save stones. Also, most text in-game doesn't show up, including captions.

Now, I am really hoping that all it is is some of the files where corrupted/lost ext on the drive I had it on, and that the problem can be solved by re-downloading the game.  I dug into my old emails and found my old reciept/activation code and such, but obviously my download link isn't active. Just found http://www.bit-blot.com/forum/index.php?topic=316.0, and am going to try it, but I was hoping for help getting the most recent version of the game too!

I'm on a XP laptop, ATI Mobility Radeon x1400 video card, at resolution 1680/1050. any help would be awesome, REALLY wanna delve into this game again!

[False.Genesis]

Missing/corrupt files appear as white boxes, not as "nothing" (=invisible). Strange.

You can verify if your installer is correct (means its the original HiB or Plimus installer) by checking it for these hash values (this is what mine gives):

Code: [Select]

CRC32: A8A081D6
MD5: 187287DB6226EF6A306A4CD0CFA8DD45
SHA1: EC8FD66BB44C6F67EAB40F73E57838DCB5E2F4DD
If these are correct, no need to re-download.
Also, how many files is your installation in total (only subfolders, and "save", "screenshots", "_mods", "docs" excluded)?

Alternatively, can you try the exe from this post ?
This exe is probably the most recent (but unofficial ) version you can get.

[Allayna]

 I've just been able to come back to my computer this morning, and the driver mod from that other post fixed the vanishing elements and text, so I've been able to play a bit this morning. Not sure how to check for the hash values, but program files/aquara has 2784 files, not including my save files, but including the 127 mod, 13 doc files that came with the install (not sure if that means I should count them or not, lol) and in program files, aquaria.exe says version 1.1.1.0, but in the game it has 1.1.1.1 in the bottom, so not sure here.... and I swear i saw something about a .2 version, so I'm gonna get that version from the post you suggested.

*edit* got the version .4 experimental running, went into the energy temple to get the energy form, and went the display for "new song learned" came up, the symbols for the notes were white boxes. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2271026179442&set=a.1295481471434.44176.1362245819&type=1&theater

[False.Genesis]

Mh, can't open facebook links (no, i am not ever going to register there!). Try imgur, please
But thanks for reporting this, first bug report i got (), will check it when i have time.
Can't do anything this evening besides hardcore exam learning  :/

Forgot to mention, the experimental exe has all debugging stuff enabled, maybe this causes trouble as well. Have seen one case where abusing debug features from otherwise inaccessible menus would add a white square on the menu page, to the spot where the blue crystal would be after you met Li. Have no clue why.
Oh and keep yourself away from the debug menus, they ruin the game experience

1.1.2 is the current (?) steam version. 1.1.1 is the newest you can get for non-steam windows, just fyi. If i rememeber correctly, in other topics it was mentioned that 1.1.2 came with a number of fixes for AMD/ATI cards, but these should be in 1.1.3+ (the opensource version) as well.

EDIT:
Just counted the total files in "gfx" folder and subfolders, fresh plimus install: 2421 files. Just in case. If some are missing, they will show up as white boxes.

[Allayna]

http://i.imgur.com/8EhhJ.png is the screenshot   Oddly, the boxes aren't all white, they seem to have a faint shade of the color of the song symbols that should be there.

[False.Genesis]

Ok, problem confirmed, its the same for me. Probably a stupid oversight in the code changes i made.
WIll fix this in the next days.
If you find more problems like this, or things that make it unplayable, you can also revert back to the 1.1.1 version; the saves are compatible. As you have your graphics drivers fixed now that should be fine.
Otherwise, look out for updates.

[Allayna]

Happened again just now getting beast form. If you're not already, you should probably check em all.
http://imgur.com/Pf0CM


I'm also finding critters in the kelp forest getting stuck.
http://imgur.com/ZaI7o
The little orange jumping guys, when I first swim up, they are normal, but then they start kinda twitching on the ground like they can only jump a tiny bit. another one at this spot (that I accidentally killed before sceenshot)  actually worked its way sideways and down the slope.

[False.Genesis]

Fixed! (just for you )
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/22111385/Aquaria/NewMod_03.zip[outdated; use the link in my sig]
Interestingly enough this bug was not related to my changes... i wonder why it ever worked, and why it appeared now all of a sudden. o_O

No clue about the kelp forest thingies, didn't touch the scripts at all. All that i know is that their jump height is randomized when the map is loaded, so maybe they got a bad start. Or something.

[Allayna]

x_x aaaaaand I just spend yesterday afternoon and this morning re-installing windows/drivers ext. Not sure what happened to me. Was just doing normal stuff, tried to open aquaria and it came up with the video problems I talked about before, and no version # at bottom. I re-installed Aqauria, no help, then had the thought of rebooting. Had read errors, in the diagnostic had two blocks that were 'uncorrectable or unwriteable'. Looked online for help with error codes and such, and the only options I found were a new hard-drive, or a wipe/reinstall maybe working.

Not sure if Aquaria caused it, cuz the last couple months, it seems I was getting a blue screen maybe once a week, and it seemed like it'd been slowing down a little bit. The past couple days of playing aquaria may have been the last straw or something. At the very least, for about a year now I've been like 1000% more proactive about virus scans/backups/ and what I call 'gunk cleaning' than I used to be. Having two computers hit with same virus kicked me in the ass a couple winters back. I lost some very recent stuff (I'd planned to backup some things today, wish I'd done it yesterday)

Now I gotta decide if I wanna pull Aquaria back up and re-play start to veil... few hours worth of gameplay down the tubes.

[False.Genesis]

Aquaria can't have caused this by itself.
And at least you didn't accuse me of supplying people with bad exe files or other shits  - would have expected that nowadays.  

Before you setup things, be sure your harddrives are not on the edge of failing (SMART status and so), because if so, this can happen again at any time.
I remember running a MySQL database on a bad harddisk for a few weeks, it was constantly losing data and failing harder and harder with every day.
If you had a virus, sucks. Personally, i don't use a scanner or other system-slowing crap (i am usually faster in deleting any than a scanner needs to find them), and never happened to have a virus in the past 2 years. Hope you don't have one now.
Remotely i can't tell you what else might be wrong, sorry. Hope you figure this out quickly.


... And i can also send you a save if you want.

[Allayna]

That would be awesome! I had gotten the energy, beast, plant, fish, and spirit form, and was just about to head up to the veil.

[False.Genesis]

Ok i have 2 saves coming somewhat close to your progress:

From the first time i played the game, energy, beast, fish, shortly after Mitala: Link
(hah that was great, when i didn't know how the game would progress, and totally lost at times)

Second playthrough, energy and beast only: Link

Third: not yet!

Sorry for not having the other forms, but i prefer to pick up Li as early as possible


Oh and btw: i use dropbox to sync saves between my PCs. Might be an option for you to additionally prevent data loss, besides syncing.

[Allayna]

eh, re-doing plant won't be as rough as doing from scratch, so thanks. and yeah, i probably will set up a backup for aquaria saves after that.

Well and darn... one silly thing with me is my love of the scene where she first breaks through the surface in the veil. I always had a side-save in li's cave where I can dart out and see that scene anytime.
You go to the veil before the forest? wierd.... my general path is energy, beast, plant/fish, back to mithalas for spirit, then up to the veil.
Ah well.... I'd about decided just to go from scratch anyway.... Even though I'd already done those parts, playing any part of the game is just.... well, i think you know with the time you've spent on it

And by the way, IF IF IF your build that I downloaded had been a cause of trouble for me, it would be my fault for downloading something from someone I don't know. But yeah, I know what you mean.

[False.Genesis]

I would not have given you a save without that scene
(btw, same here. that scene is just SO awesome)

[Allayna]

On both of them you've already done it.  You've even gotten the urchin costume on both i think.