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Sid Meier's Civilization III: Complete

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xianjam 9 Apr, 2015 @ 12:45am
READ THIS - Changes from the new update, and how to revert and keep both versions
Here is a zip with files you can merge into your directory made from the instructions below. It won't replace any files, it will only add new files. Launch Civ3_NoRaze.exe to play. https://www.dropbox.com/s/p969ocvp5hs4be0/Civ3PreSteamUpdate.zip?dl=0 Alternatively, you can follow these instructions. They are only the files downloaded/created from the changes below, so they are innocent files. NOTE: This game has some issues with Windows visual effects. That does not fix this.

There are three files that were changed. Well, more, but only three that matter. Two of the changes can be done manually for the executable.

[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Civ3Conquests.exe
--Added Steamworks support to replace dead GameSpy servers
--Removed Direct IP support
--Added Steam overlay support
--Other changes that cause new problems/glitches/incompatibilities?
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt
-"GameSpy" changed to "Steam" reference on line 10
--Added a line between "PING" and "Host" (line 86) that just says "Unknown".
Erasing the line will fix the text incompatibility with mods, BUT it completely breaks the text in the normal game. Lose-lose, unless you can get the old executable, which works fine if you erase the line 86 that says "Unknown". The text is broken in the old executable if the line is still there.
[InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt
--Ditto to the changes to above

Also, the gamespy icon was removed from
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/gamespy.ico
[InstallationPath]/civ3PT3/gamespy.ico

The ini file was also updated, ruining some people's configuration:
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/conquests.ini

These files were added for the Steam overlay to work:
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/Civ3Restarter.exe
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/steam_api.dll
[InstallationPath]/Conquests/steam_appid.txt

So... I'm not sure if I explained that very well. Let's rewrite that in an instruction format!

1. You will need this file.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=14557

2. Put it in your [InstallationPath]/Conquests directory, or the same directory as Civ3Conquests. Don't replace Civ3Conquests.exe.

Optional step. If you don't do this step, the text will work in the non-steam version but will appear corrupted in the Steam version until the line is added back in. This will make it easier to have both versions. Open NoRaze.exe in a hex editor and find the first occurance of "labels.txt". Replace it with "label2.txt"
O-1. Copy: [InstallationPath]/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.
O-2. Copy: [InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/[civ3PTW]/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.
O-3. Copy: [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt to [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/label2.txt - Keep the original.

3. Open [InstallationPath]/Conquests/Text/labels.txt (or use the file label2.txt if you did the optional step) Find line 86 (just below "PING" and above "Host name". the line says "Unknown". Erase that.

4. Open [InstallationPath]/civ3PTW/Text/labels.txt (or use the file label2.txt if you did the optional step). Find line 86 (just below "PING" and above "Host name". The line says "Unknown". Erase that.

5. Make sure that [InstallationPath]/Conquests/conquests.ini is to your liking. The update reverted any changes you may have made. I added KeepRes=1 and PlayIntro=0 to the bottom of mine.

5. Launch Civ III through NoRaze.exe to play the pre-updated version. Go play some Civ!
Last edited by xianjam; 16 Apr, 2015 @ 1:41pm
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Showing 1-10 of 10 comments
Doug 9 Apr, 2015 @ 10:31am 
In the optional step, I'm pretty sure on line 2 "label2.exe" was meant to be "label2.txt"
#1
Doug 9 Apr, 2015 @ 10:34am 
Excellent work! Nicely detailed.

Might be slightly clearer if you mention that the download in Step 1 is the NoRaze.exe mentioned later and how it's different from the generic exe (Computer won't raze cities, though you still can).

How much (if any) of this would break if you had Steam verify your files vs corruption?
(My guess is none if you took the optional path).
Last edited by Doug; 9 Apr, 2015 @ 10:37am
#2
xianjam 9 Apr, 2015 @ 1:12pm 
Good catch.

Yeah, if you do the optional step, then there won't be any conflicts. But, it will replace your conquests.ini file, so you'll have to make any changes you've already made again.

If you don't do the optional step, then the text will be messed up in the non-steam executable version.

But I should have clarified that if you don't do the optional step, the text will break text in the Steam executable version until you add the line 86 back in that says "Unknown". Thanks. I'll make some changes to the guide.
#3
Shift Worker 13 Apr, 2015 @ 4:22am 
Great work. This makes the RAR mod work - i.e. corrects the labels. I still however have the slow movement issue for units when moving using a mouse. Got any ideas on this?
#4
Doug 13 Apr, 2015 @ 11:54am 
Originally posted by Shift Worker:
Great work. This makes the RAR mod work - i.e. corrects the labels. I still however have the slow movement issue for units when moving using a mouse. Got any ideas on this?

Xianbaum found what he felt was the critical file change in the Steam multiplayer update and an existing online older version with which to replace said file. Unfortunately, it's possible that other file changes also mattered for other problems (like the mouse movement) and have not been identified (and don't have easily locatable replacement versions online). Regrettably, for anything this doesn't fix, either someone will need to do a full file compare list of the pre-update/post-update versions and provide older versions, or we'll simply have to wait for Steam to fix the bugs in the update.
#5
xianjam 13 Apr, 2015 @ 5:13pm 
Originally posted by Shift Worker:
I still however have the slow movement issue for units when moving using a mouse. Got any ideas on this?
Not certain but I think that the low fps is an issue with thte Win7/8 implimentation of GDI compatibility with legacy games using GDI. You could try "KeepRes=0" to see if that would help. Low FPS happens to me in SimCity 2000 too. I tried some things to try and help but to no avail.

Originally posted by Doug:
Unfortunately, it's possible that other file changes also mattered for other problems (like the mouse movement) and have not been identified (and don't have easily locatable replacement versions online). Regrettably, for anything this doesn't fix, either someone will need to do a full file compare list of the pre-update/post-update versions and provide older versions, or we'll simply have to wait for Steam to fix the bugs in the update.
Coincidentally, I have both installiations. I ran diff on the two installations today and there were more changes than I though, but I don't think anything else essential changed.
If you wanna see the diff, here's a link to that post. Mostliy just changing the word "GameSpy" to "Steam". http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=13774000&postcount=5
#6
funnytool1 16 Apr, 2015 @ 4:13am 
the file is 404
#7
Doug 16 Apr, 2015 @ 5:45am 
Originally posted by funnytool1:
the file is 404

What file?
#8
wence-kun 18 Apr, 2015 @ 4:45pm 
Thanks!.... but I was hoping it would fix the lag I have since the update and that's still the same. A lag when I use the pointer to move my units.
#9
Shift Worker 24 Apr, 2015 @ 1:21am 
"Xianbaum: Not certain but I think that the low fps is an issue with thte Win7/8 implimentation of GDI compatibility with legacy games using GDI. You could try "KeepRes=0" to see if that would help. Low FPS happens to me in SimCity 2000 too. I tried some things to try and help but to no avail.

The patch released/loaded today fixed the mouse issue but the menus have again gone out of whack.
#10
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Date Posted: 9 Apr, 2015 @ 12:45am
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