Can't run game, monitor power saving mode

[Henry]

Just installed Children of the Nile but when I try to play it it will go through the intro and then the monitor goes into power saving mode (blank screen).

Support on the website says to solve this problem by using the latest video drivers, downloaded and installed them, no change.

I have also tried the Nvidea drivers version 61.77 which are supposed to fix other graphics problems but still same problem.

I have also tried updating the game and get the same problem whether it's v1.0, 1.1 or 1.2.

My computer meets the minumum requirements, drivers and direct x are up to date.
I'm out of ideas, anyone else got any?

[Manni]

Just installed Children of the Nile but when I try to play it it will go through the intro and then the monitor goes into power saving mode (blank screen)

This might be an idea:

Have a look at the attached screenshot, never mind it beeing German, your XP should be simular.

Do check in SYSTEM/ENERGY-OPTION if you have the monitor "go-to-sleep" set on 2 or 3 minutes.

Do also switch off any automatic background-savers before you start gaming.

[imhotep3147]

@ Henry:

Did you make sure to uninstall your old drivers before installing the new ones? From looking at you dxdiag I can't see any reason for you not to be able to play the game except for that quirk with the NVidia drivers. Perhaps one of the more technologically capable members could offer more insight.

[Keith]

Just installed Children of the Nile but when I try to play it it will go through the intro and then the monitor goes into power saving mode (blank screen).

Support on the website says to solve this problem by using the latest video drivers, downloaded and installed them, no change.

I have also tried the Nvidea drivers version 61.77 which are supposed to fix other graphics problems but still same problem.

I have also tried updating the game and get the same problem whether it's v1.0, 1.1 or 1.2.

My computer meets the minumum requirements, drivers and direct x are up to date.
I'm out of ideas, anyone else got any?
What you have is not a "power saving" mode (blank screen). It sounds more like the problem as described here:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gamezone/help/scr-prob.htm

Try adjusting your montior frame rate from the Windows desktop control panle advanced settings. Right click on the desktop in a vacant area and select properties to bring up the menu. Click on the setings tab, then the Advance button and then the Monitor tab. See if changing the refresh rate lower will do the trick. Try 60Hz and see what happens.

[Henry]

Tried your options Manni, power saving, screensavers etc were all turned off, no change.

Yes I made sure I uninstalled the old drivers!

Also checked the monitor refresh rate, it's currently set to 60hz with the only other option being 70hz. Tried changing to 70hz to see what that did but when I clicked on apply the monitor went into power saving mode type thing, blank screen!
Could it be the monitor rather than the game? I'll try a different one tonight when I'm back from work and post again.

[tobing]

... Tried changing to 70hz to see what that did but when I clicked on apply the monitor went into power saving mode type thing, blank screen!
Could it be the monitor rather than the game? ...
I think your monitor can't handle 70Hz, so it goes off and into power save mode instead of trying to display anything. Why the game should use 70Hz even when you configure your monitor to use 60Hz in the properties panel, I don't know...

[Amenirdis]

Have you tried setting a lower screen resolution running at 16 bit instead of 32 bit?
Oh, and try to find out what model your monitor is and see if you can download drivers from the manufactorer. It seems you're using the windows plug&play drivers.

[Manni]

Hello chjone11,

as long as you keep your technic in secret, no one will be able to make suggestions or can even help you.

[Amenirdis]

I think he/she wants you to post your DxDiag file.

[Keith]

I see you have Nvidia 61.77 drivers installed. Did you uninstall your previous drivers before you installed 61.77? You must uninstall the current driver before installing the next one.

Also, I see you are running at a refresh rate of 60hz, try raising it from the monitor control panel or by right clicking on a vacant area of the desktop, select properties, then Settings. Click on the Advanced button and the Monitor tab on the last menu. Change the refresh rate to 75Hz if you can or something higher than 60Hz. Click APPLY and OK. You may have to reboot.

You say you do have sound. Your drivers are dated 2002 and quite old. You may want to update them. I have seen cases in the past where old sound drivers will cause "black screens" at game startups.
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[Amenirdis]

Could it be that the Geforce 2 MX series is just not capable of running it properly? Someone else had the very same problem, also a MX card.

[Keith]

It is possible that the card may not be fully capable. I noticed that that MX200 and MX400 cards are not capable of handling pixel shader effects as used in the game. I found a list of Nvidia cards that do not handle pixel shader effects and posted them as my second message in this the near the top of the following thread:

http://www.tiltedmill.com/forums/showthread.php?p=51130#post51130

[Keith]

The tutorial missions are small and your system can handle them, but evidently your computer is not equipped to handle the regular more demanding campaign and scenarios of the game.