I am in that part of the block where Grace has to analyze the parchments, I have no problems at all analyzing the first parchment, but when I get down to analyze the second parchment the game crashes.

I have no problems when it comes to decoding the text but when I choose the geometry option the loading icon appears and the game freezes, does anyone have any idea why this happens? I use Windows 7

Nevermind, I solved it by converting the videos using Media Converter

I didn't change the file type, they are still .avi, I still don't know why this happens, it is some weird codec issue

Thanks for the reply. I don't know much about about codecs therefore I thought I'd need to convert them into something specific so the game could read them, hence the question. But I did the conversion and the game now works, well almost. Now instead of being stuck in loading it skips the animation and jumps to the results so I can continue. No real loss there. So thanks again.

Hello,

My apologies in advance for resurrecting an old thread, but we're experiencing the same bug.

Can you please post exactly what software you used to do the .avi -> .avi 'conversion', as well as the files you had to change to get past this point?

If it is easier, perhaps you could put the fixed .avis somewhere where we can download them?

Thanks in advance for your help - we'd love to finish playing this game. :-)

-Xanthippe

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Got it! Here is exactly what we did:

1. Copied all the .avis to a New Folder named 'avi backups'
2. Created another New Folder called 'wmvs'
3. Deleted the original .avis from the 'Data' folder, located in the main 'Gabriel Knight 3' folder
4. Used a piece of software called Prism Video File Converter to batch convert the .avis to .wmvs with the target location being the 'wmvs' folder we'd created.
5. Used the same software to convert the .wmvs back into .avis, target location: the original 'Data' folder.

So far, great! Sidney is working fine, no more 'hang/freeze'.

My beau made the previous post on my behalf under his account name (sirsimonm).

I trust this will help everyone who's experienced this issue! :-)

All the best,

Xanthippe

PS - I realise there is a similar solution listed above, but the neither the online Media Converter nor the open-source software by the same name worked for us. If anyone wants the modified .avis, just let us know. They play through flawlessly thus far and don't get skipped (a problem someone mentioned even after the game began working post-conversion).

That's good, because after converting mine they didn't play at all. I would want them, I lost all my games a while ago and I'm going to be reinstalling GK3 soon :)

Well, damn. We're at Day Three (7-10am) and Sydney's doing the same thing. I went in and checked the .avis again just in case and found that the ones relevant to the functions being performed (analysing postcards) had somehow become corrupted. So, once again, the conversion as listed above. And once again, hurrah! All was swell. It didn't last, though (checked those .avis for a third time and they're fine); back to hearing the music stop and watching the red icon spin ceaselessly...

We haven't installed or removed any software during this time, so I'm assuming it's an issue with the game. Codecs have been cited as the source of the problem, which may be true, I don't know that much about them. This seems somewhat difficult to believe, though, considering the fact that converting/re-converting the videos fixed everything temporarily, without any modifications to codecs during that time.

I'm still glad to send you the .avis, though! Just let me know where to put them. It may work on your system--I'd like to think so! :)

All the best,

Xanthippe

PS - A very kind soul has posted loads of saved games/savegames for GK3 that work with GOG's version. As this forum doesn't allow urls (understandable), I'm not able to post his site's address. His name is Paul Towend (not Townsend), that name along with 'Gabriel Knight 3 Saved Games' ought to bring up his GK3 stuff on Google. Thank you Mr Towend, you've been our saving grace (ho ho!), no pun (?) intended.

From what the fella has been reading, Prism Video File Converter is NOT to be trusted as it may install malware.

Oh, grand.

Well, anyway, there are other video conversion options. And the .avis I have are ok. So, once again, if anyone wants them I'm glad to share.

All the best,

Xanthippe

PS - Incidentally, we've finished the game. I really liked Gray Matter, but I don't believe we'll be playing any more GK. All of the religious elements... bleh. We're not religious people. At all. And BTW, the nefarious manner in which The Hermetic Tradition was portrayed is flat out wrong. Ah well, Gray Matter II is on the horizon. Thankfully no holy-roller rubbish in it (at least, not the first instalment). Cheers, everyone.

Would you be able to send me those files?