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Sphinx and the Cursed MummyOpenGL error at launch, will not let me start the game!(9 posts)(9 posts)
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Posted November 18, 2017
Hello everyone, this is my first post here on the forums even though I have had this account for a few years now,. I just recently bought the classic Sphinx and the cursed mummy, and I cannot start it at all! I get an opengl error as soon as I try to launch it, the error I get is the following:

"Could not create OpenGL context: Could not create GL context: The operation completed successfully.
"This probably means you need to update the graphics card drivers or that your hardware is not supported. It's not you, it's me"

Now, I'm trying to play on an older samsung laptop with an i7 2630qm, 8gb ram and an integrated intel hd3000, I know it's not the ideal and I had a gaming PC in the past so I know this isn't gaming grade BUT, the hd3000 supports OpenGL 3.0, I have 3.1.0 installed in fact according to OpenGL extension viewer, I also have the latest DirectX this integrated GPU can handle, which I thought it was 10 but windows says I have 12 installed...go figure, nonetheless I saw on the GOG support page for this game that it would be best to use the June 2010 DX package, so I downloaded that, used the web installer and installed fine, it still won't work.

I have tried other just as new games, especially HD remasters on this laptop such as Voodoo vince and they work, and other games only a couple of years old or so that don't exclusively require higher opengl versions and they all work....

So is it a hardware incompatibility or is there something I can do? I won't have access to a proper gaming PC for months for now.

Thanks and I apologize for the long read!
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Posted November 20, 2017
Hi there, I'm really sorry, but it doesn't look hopeful that you're going to be able to run this game on your laptop. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but here's what I've learned ...

The problem is that Sphinx requires OpenGL 3.2. There was a mix-up. I'll explain.

I received the exact same error as yours. I'm using an older system than yours. It usually serves my gaming needs seeing as I only play these older games (and some indie titles) on PC anyway, but, I just cannot get Sphinx to work at all. I'm aware that even though Sphinx is at-heart a 'last-last gen' game, this PC release is technically new. Like yours, my system is supposed to support OpenGL 3.1 so I still thought I'd be able to run this game.

However, you mentioned OpenGL 3.0. I assume you're referring to this because on the game's product page you saw stated that you need OpenGL 3.0 to be able to run the game? You have OpenGL3.1, so you'd think it should be okay. If you look at the Sphinx product page right now on GOG you'll see under 'System Requirements' that it states that OpenGL 3.2 is in fact required to run the game. This confused me at first because I could have sworn it had stated "3.0" at the time I made the purchase, then it seemed to have changed to "3.2" a day or so after. By glancing at the game page on Steam, I discovered it still says there that all you need is GL3.0.

I contacted GOG support about this, asking them if the system requirements information had been changed here since I bought the game (under the impression I'd be able to run it) and they replied, confirming that upon realising their mistake they corrected the information on the game's page to show "OpenGL 3.2" as a minimum requirement. They've offered me a refund as it looks like I'm not going to be able to run the game, yet had bought the game believing it would work due to their information being incorrect.

I wish I could give you some good news. I'm so sorry, but it doesn't look like you'll be able to run it on your laptop. At least, that's how it seems to me, but please don't take my word for it as I'm no expert. Instead, (and this is the best -and only- advice I can offer) I would contact GOG Support if I were you. They are the ones best qualified to help, I'm sure. First, see if there is anything that they can do to get the game running. If that doesn't yield any good results, and if indeed you bought this game believing that you could run it based on their previously incorrect game specs, then if I were you I'd mention that to them and hopefully they'll offer you some sort of refund.

In the meantime, you could try making sure your graphics drivers are up to date. I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you, but it is certainly worth a try - if only to rule-out one more element of troubleshooting.

I'm sorry I couldn't help fix this for you. Good luck to you and I hope you get it sorted one way or another through GOG Support (possible fix or refund). Please post again and let us know how you got on.
Post edited November 20, 2017 by RetroCodger426
Posted November 20, 2017
This is my mistake. Most of the OpenGL tools now require OpenGL 3.2 to work. I wanted Sphinx to be a OpenGL 2.1/OpenGL 3.0 game, but I hadn't received incompatibility reports until now.

It's certainly doable. I will tell the game to ask for a lower OpenGL context version and push it in a future GOG update. Sorry about that.
Posted November 20, 2017
avatar
Swyter: This is my mistake. Most of the OpenGL tools now require OpenGL 3.2 to work. I wanted Sphinx to be a OpenGL 2.1/OpenGL 3.0 game, but I hadn't received incompatibility reports until now.

It's certainly doable. I will tell the game to ask for a lower OpenGL context version and push it in a future GOG update. Sorry about that.
Thankyou, that is good news! I've asked GOG if they can delay my refund. Fingers crossed you get this fixed. Thanks again for keeping us updated, much appreciated.

moonfrost1, there may be hope!
Posted November 21, 2017
If everything goes well the new GOG update should be live tomorrow morning (2017-11-21). These Linux and Windows versions of Sphinx should only ask for OpenGL 3.0. Let me know if that works.

(macOS still requires a minimum of OpenGL 3.2, but that's because Apple doesn't support anything older than that, unless you want to use OpenGL 2.1, and that requires different shaders. The 2.1-3.2 gap is still there.)

Hope that helps!
Post edited November 21, 2017 by Swyter
Posted November 21, 2017
avatar
RetroCodger426: Hi there, I'm really sorry, but it doesn't look hopeful that you're going to be able to run this game on your laptop. I sincerely hope I'm wrong, but here's what I've learned ...

The problem is that Sphinx requires OpenGL 3.2. There was a mix-up. I'll explain.

I received the exact same error as yours. I'm using an older system than yours. It usually serves my gaming needs seeing as I only play these older games (and some indie titles) on PC anyway, but, I just cannot get Sphinx to work at all. I'm aware that even though Sphinx is at-heart a 'last-last gen' game, this PC release is technically new. Like yours, my system is supposed to support OpenGL 3.1 so I still thought I'd be able to run this game.

However, you mentioned OpenGL 3.0. I assume you're referring to this because on the game's product page you saw stated that you need OpenGL 3.0 to be able to run the game? You have OpenGL3.1, so you'd think it should be okay. If you look at the Sphinx product page right now on GOG you'll see under 'System Requirements' that it states that OpenGL 3.2 is in fact required to run the game. This confused me at first because I could have sworn it had stated "3.0" at the time I made the purchase, then it seemed to have changed to "3.2" a day or so after. By glancing at the game page on Steam, I discovered it still says there that all you need is GL3.0.

I contacted GOG support about this, asking them if the system requirements information had been changed here since I bought the game (under the impression I'd be able to run it) and they replied, confirming that upon realising their mistake they corrected the information on the game's page to show "OpenGL 3.2" as a minimum requirement. They've offered me a refund as it looks like I'm not going to be able to run the game, yet had bought the game believing it would work due to their information being incorrect.

I wish I could give you some good news. I'm so sorry, but it doesn't look like you'll be able to run it on your laptop. At least, that's how it seems to me, but please don't take my word for it as I'm no expert. Instead, (and this is the best -and only- advice I can offer) I would contact GOG Support if I were you. They are the ones best qualified to help, I'm sure. First, see if there is anything that they can do to get the game running. If that doesn't yield any good results, and if indeed you bought this game believing that you could run it based on their previously incorrect game specs, then if I were you I'd mention that to them and hopefully they'll offer you some sort of refund.

In the meantime, you could try making sure your graphics drivers are up to date. I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you, but it is certainly worth a try - if only to rule-out one more element of troubleshooting.

I'm sorry I couldn't help fix this for you. Good luck to you and I hope you get it sorted one way or another through GOG Support (possible fix or refund). Please post again and let us know how you got on.
Hey thanks for your quick reply, well, it looks like I might not be able to play it for now until I either upgrade laptop or build another gaming PC, I'll still keep it and will pay attention and see if there is any future workaround (though I doubt it), thanks.
avatar
Swyter: This is my mistake. Most of the OpenGL tools now require OpenGL 3.2 to work. I wanted Sphinx to be a OpenGL 2.1/OpenGL 3.0 game, but I hadn't received incompatibility reports until now.

It's certainly doable. I will tell the game to ask for a lower OpenGL context version and push it in a future GOG update. Sorry about that.
Wow thanks for your reply! it's really appreciated when developers are in direct contact, thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye out to see if there is a workaround! thanks!
avatar
Swyter: If everything goes well the new GOG update should be live tomorrow morning (2017-11-21). These Linux and Windows versions of Sphinx should only ask for OpenGL 3.0. Let me know if that works.

(macOS still requires a minimum of OpenGL 3.2, but that's because Apple doesn't support anything older than that, unless you want to use OpenGL 2.1, and that requires different shaders. The 2.1-3.2 gap is still there.)

Hope that helps!
Just saw this reply! thank you!!
Post edited November 21, 2017 by Moonfrost1
Posted November 22, 2017
Moonfrost1, you're welcome, no problem. Good job it turned out I was wrong and there was a fix in the works *phew* ha ha.

Swyter, first off a big thanks for working to fix this issue so quickly and for keeping us updated! So far, I can report that the game does indeed work now. At least it launches - I know that much.

I have another problem that is preventing me from checking out the game properly beyond the intro screen, but this is a GOG Galaxy-related issue. Basically, a few seconds after Sphinx loads GOG Galaxy launches automatically (I'm not sure why some games have started doing this lately) and normally this wouldn't be a problem in and of itself, but my Galaxy has not been working properly lately. In the case of Sphinx, this results in a blank, white GOG Galaxy screen that steals the show. If I kill Galaxy and go back to the game the screen is blank i.e black with just the mouse cursor. The music is still playing in the background.

Not sure what is up with this Galaxy thing, so I shall see what GOG or the forums have to say. Hopefully, I'll get that fixed and be able to play the game. It does seem like you've solved the OpenGL problem though, so thanks very much for all your work.

*Edit To Update* I uninstalled Galaxy for now in order to test the game properly. Excellent news! The game works like a charm, thanks again!
Post edited November 22, 2017 by RetroCodger426
Posted November 22, 2017
Glad that helped! I'll take a look at the GOG Galaxy overlay issues and see if I can do something to mitigate them.
Posted November 23, 2017
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Swyter: Glad that helped! I'll take a look at the GOG Galaxy overlay issues and see if I can do something to mitigate them.
Thanks. GOG Galaxy works in mysterious ways. It is not working for me at all; with any games. Can't even log into the thing. It's probably just me though. I'm guessing I might have some process it needs to function turned off or something like that. I imagine the game will be fine as long as Galaxy is working. It's just ... when, (for whatever reason) Galaxy has a meltdown it derails the whole thing.

Sphinx ... Great game by the way. I've wanted to play it for years, regretting having missed it first time around. Never dreamed it would return. Thanks for making it so.
Post edited November 23, 2017 by RetroCodger426
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Sphinx and the Cursed MummyOpenGL error at launch, will not let me start the game!(9 posts)(9 posts)
(9 posts)