Hello dear ladies and gents,

I hope for your help, because this problem is driving me mad as hell.

I installed this steam-version and of course have the recently updated version v.1.3.5019 and like to play it like every other P&C-Adventure: With normal loading times between the scenes or navigating through the main menu options, but what I experienced is still the worst case scenario ever - for a game like this.

For example: No matter which scenes (really - it doesn't matter at all) - every scene switch (mouse cursor transforms into a big arrow to leave this scene into another - like entering the nixe club, entering mickey's office there, entering a main scene with Christine out of the city map - it will take everytime (!) roundabout 10 seconds with a freezed black screen. In this time, I can't even move the mouse cursor. If I experience this in windowed application mode, I can move my windows default mouse cursor instead, but by clicking the window application, it returns - like normal behavior on Win7 - into "application isn't responding" - and the screen will become a blurry overlay, so that's showing me: The exe won't deliver any information. After a couple of seconds, the ingame loading icon (cafe cup) will appear suddenly with crazy fast animation - and there is the scene.
It's also reproducible on the start of the game (application itself, ran from steam lib) - takes 5-10 seconds to display the first Daedalic-logo. Also by clicking on the "load game" button on the left in the main menu - prison cell fades out, 10 seconds to wait, freeze... and then - I'm able to select my save game.
Also by starting a complete new game, leaving Joe's cell. 10 seconds.
Or for example, in Christine's apartment at the very first visit by tidying up the room. 10 seconds.
Like I already said: This happens to me in every single scene change.

I'm still wondering, because I'm a huge Daedalic and P&C-Fan - I almost play every single adventure game, but this never happened to me before and because I'm a hardcore player (besides adventures, I like shooter, action and else) - I have a lot of experience. But this error? Never happened in my whole game history.

Another thing, what makes me wonder, is the fact that the ingame graphics are very poor - 3D models with nearly awkward low model design from the late 90s and always 2D background panels. There is nothing to do - for none of my hardware elements.

I'm running this game on:

- Win 7 64 Bit
- AMD FX-6300 with 6 cores
- 8 GB RAM
- GeForce 660Ti


I already tried the following:

- defined cores from 6 to 1 (in task manager)
- changed internal game graphics settings to the lowest ones possible
- alcatraz.exe = ran as admin, deactivated desktop designs
- compatibility mode to Win XP SP 3
- deactivated my firewall
- checked internal windows log messages


I can't imagine what's wrong, but neither here in steam (just in one single review) nor in Daedalic official forums, I found that exact same case. As my computer is a ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ machine with this heavily awesome programmed game. No, I can't believe that, but I will soon test this on my work laptop (also Win 7 64 Bit).

For german fans: I created this topic already in Daedalic forums
http://forum.daedalic.de/viewtopic.php?f=109&t=5249

Does anyone out there have the same problem? :(


Best regards,

Patrick