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I cant get smac to work in winxp. The CPU warning window comes up, I hit "okay" and every time it says "terran.exe has stopped working" and it crashes to the desktop.

This game worked fine on this same computer before.

Here are my specs:
WinXP SP3
1 GB RAM
2.4 Ghz P4
NVidia 5500 w/ latest available drivers

I have tried applying the unofficial patch and disabling the intro video to no avail. I also tried messing with the compatibility settings but that didn't work either.
This question / problem has been solved by KCIVDKimage
I finally found a fix for this. In the Alpha Centauri.ini file I used the following settings:

[Alpha Centauri]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
DirectDraw=0
ds3d=0
eax=0
[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
This worked for me! Thanks!
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moderately_neeto: I finally found a fix for this. In the Alpha Centauri.ini file I used the following settings:

[Alpha Centauri]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
DirectDraw=0
ds3d=0
eax=0
[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
avatar
moderately_neeto: I finally found a fix for this. In the Alpha Centauri.ini file I used the following settings:

[Alpha Centauri]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
DirectDraw=0
ds3d=0
eax=0
[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
I tried this, but still get the same issue. Here is what is in the file (in order)

[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
[Alpha Centauri]

ds3d=0
eax=0

FastUnitAnim=0
SmoothUnitAnim=0
MainFontSize=16
InterludeFontSize=16
DisableOpeningMovie=0
Prefs Format=12
Difficulty=0
Map Type=0
Top Menu=2
Faction=1
Preferences=10111011111000011101110110110110
More Preferences=1110100111000101101000
Semaphore=00000000
Announce=111100001110101001
Rules=1101000001110
Customize=0
Custom World=2, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1,
Time Controls=1
Latest Save=
Latest Scenario=C:\GOG Games\Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri\scenarios\First Scenario
WindowsFileBox=0
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KCIVDK: This worked for me! Thanks!
avatar
moderately_neeto: I finally found a fix for this. In the Alpha Centauri.ini file I used the following settings:

[Alpha Centauri]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
DirectDraw=0
ds3d=0
eax=0
[PREFERENCES]
ForceOldVoxelAlgorithm=1
avatar
KCIVDK:
I can confirm this also worked for me on Windows 8 Pro x64
i have win 8 x64. and so far i haven't got SMAC/X working. I tried what is posted up, but still no go. I had to reboot as computer just freezes.

Anyway. I suspect it is because i cannot give program usual rights to use anything as my firewall prevents it to. And i cannot do that because alt-tab does not work. I have to try and set up right on comodo firewall and try again.

Edit: adding it to firewalls rules(local access protection rules) worked.
Post edited April 15, 2014 by palkkipantteri
After playing with all the settings, I finally got it to work by disabling the startup movie.
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deadken: After playing with all the settings, I finally got it to work by disabling the startup movie.
Same here.
Had the same problem on my new laptop (HP zbook 15), terrax.exe crashing on startup, disabling the cutscenes solved it. The solution cut away a lot of the feeling of the game so I wanted tham back.
I had it running on my desktop with Windows 7 so it should be possible.
Turns out the laptop have 2 graphics chip, 1 intel inside the processor and one nvidia. Fiddled a bit and found one setting in bios (or UEFI nowdays) to change.
By changing 'device settings/hybrid graphics' from 'auto' to 'disabled' in BIOS i can finally play with cut scenes and intro on.
My guess is that the video playback uses some old style framebuffer access that require some hardware memory buffer. One other change I did notice was that Linux (my other OS) started to use a traditional console window instead of the new (relative speaking) frame buffer.

So, if you want cut scenes back, take a look in the bios settings relating to graphics hardware.

/ Mikael Rosbacke
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deadken: After playing with all the settings, I finally got it to work by disabling the startup movie.
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wildhook: Same here.
Where is the startup movie located?
I had the same problem and solved it with this quick fix. Go to the Alpha Centauri .ini filed and disable the opening movie
by changing the 0 to a 1

OLD: DisableOpeningMovie=0

New: DisableOpeningMovie=1

Works like a charm!
Post edited August 29, 2014 by theunabroner
I've tried all of the above solutions, in combination, and still nothing works for me - I still get a "Terran.exe has stopped working" crash almost instantly after starting up AC or AX.

I'm running Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1 on a PC with 4G of RAM.
After trying every solution recommended in this thread (and in this forum) without any success I finally found a solution that worked for me:

What I did to get the game to launch:

- IMPORTANT 1:
My graphics card drivers were forcing settings upon the game.

My solution for AMD cards:

AMD Catalyst Control Center
Gaming
3D-Application Settings
add "terran.exe"
Under "Settings": Change every possible feature to "use applications settings".

(I got the idea by reading this: www.gog.com/support/sid_meiers_alpha_centauri/blurred_screen_faq. Nevermind the "blurred screen". I had no blurred screen, I had a black screen for a few seconds and then a crash. But for me it still was the key to get the game running.)

- IMPORTANT 2:
Disable the opening movie: Go to the .ini file

change the OLD: DisableOpeningMovie=0
to that: DisableOpeningMovie=1

- Compatibility Windows XP (Service Pack 3), run as administrator on terran.exe and on "Launch Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri"

- Change Keyboard Language to "English (US)" (see other posts for detailed instruction)

and, tadaaa! I finally could see the games menu!

(Actually I am not sure if changing the keyboard language is actually necessary (as well as the compatibility change) but and the moment I'm too lazy to try without. It took me 4 hours to find that solution. I'll try it another time ^^)

Maybe my solution can be helpful for anyone who is still desperately searching for a solution to get the game working.

(And please excuse my crappy english. I am not an english native speaker and I m to tired to write a proper english today)
Post edited November 22, 2014 by catatgog
I'm on a 2015 macbook pro soo idk what the problem for me is but i I'm pretty sure I didn't see any mac compatible fixes ): any help would be awesome.
It's probably a similar fix but I just don't know where to look..
Keyboard Language! Game was working, then stopped. Reinstalled, still crashed. Realized the Windows Keyboard settings had a Japanese option added, (on purpose). If the game is crashing upon startup, give this a check, just in case!

Working again!