SBG No CD??

[Winder]

Hi All, well SB Gold arrived today and after browsing the small manual and completing the trouble free install I DL'd the map file patch and fired it up, as the manual clearly states ( you will not need the CD in the drive to start or run the program) I was a bit surprised to see it whip back to the desktop and demand the CD?? for me it certainly does seem to need the CD in the drive to work.
This CD is by Strategy First and is a European version I assume.

Did I miss something?

Also in the small tutorial on this site ( New to SB?) it recommends copying the map files from the cd to the maps sub folder, I do not see any maps files on the CD, so does this reccomendation not apply to SBG?

Thanks for help in advance.

[Ssnake]

1) The manual's a bit outdates about copying the maps. It's now done during the custom installation process by setting checkmarks in front of the various options. You may want to install over the existing installation, it doesn't hurt to be sure here.

2) The regional publisher JustPlay (http://www.justflight.com) decided not to follow our route of piracy protection through incentive. Originally we wanted to provide a rich, printed manual combined with an unprotected CD, and no availability of the manual as a PDF or in other electronic form. Instead, they decided to put the PDF manual on the CD (smart move...) and then to counter this invitation to pirates by adding some stupid copy protection that annoys the loyal customers, steals my time through the need to explain things, and costs royalty money for the "protection" developer that doesn't reach us instead.
I just can say that we had no word in this. :casstet:

[Lone*star49]

...

Winder.. welcome aboard..

If Ssnakes anwswer works.. kewl.. however.. I had posted here on 1st page of this forum.. SBGold Install Hint.. make sure you do this.. it is self explainitory..

* not a pc techy guy here.. but also try running the game from the C-drive directly..

Good Luck..

LS

[KillKess]

You can easily play without the cd!

Just make an image from the cd with clone Cd or Game Jack and let this programs simulate as cd-drive.....

Works fine without the cd...


Greetings

KillKess

[Winder]

Hmm, Please do excuse me for being rather dense, Ssnake suggests reinstalling over the existing installation using checkmarks for custom install, but there is no option to do that? it just installs plain and simple, no option page there?

Also lLonestar, I don't quite follow you, "SBGold Install Hint.. make sure you do this.. it is self explainitory.." errmm could you elaborate a bit please m8?

as I say, please do excuse me if I am missing the point etc, and thanks for your replies so far.

Edit * OK Lonestar I see your message (doh) alas I do not see a custom install feature when I run the set up? it just runs the install wizaed which points it to the installation folder and next step is istallation itself?

maiking an image file is an option, but it takes up HD space I would rather use for other things, good suggestion though.

[Ssnake]

Well, there actually are different installation routines out there. Each publisher adds his own (as weird as this may sound). eSim also changed the installation options since early versions apparently were misleading or confusing. Sigh... well, no need to worry for you unless you actually encounter a problem. Maybe they just eliminated the "compact" installation option. How many *.raw files do you see in the ..\eSim Games\Steel Beasts Gold\maps\height folder?

I think the full installation should yield about 25 or more height maps.

[Bulldog]

<S> Ok I've had SB gold for a little more than a week, just the other day, lonestar, I think it was helped me out a great deal with the same problem. Heres what I did, first reinstall the game, as you click next or whatever, you come to a page tthat shows alitlle box at the top. It says something like, height OK terrain OK and something else, anyway, the OK is on the right side of the box, there is no box to check or anything on the left side of this area, but click on the left side of each of the three areas that say OK on the right side. I run SB gold on my PC it has windows xp, and I have had no probs other than that. Hope it works for ya bro.

[Winder]

Thanks Ssnake, it seems you are right m8, it must be a different routine, the folder has 24 files so it looks as though the installation is full.
I emailed Justflight and complained about the PDF vs Manual and the fact that it needed the CD in the drive to work, I doubt it will have much effect though, bummer really because a manual is way better than pdf.

[Lone*star49]

...
Winder.. did you get the game to play at all?

And if you did.. you can re-install over it.. it will only overwrite the files with the same names on it.. nothing you've added.

I know you said it.. but make certain..that you choose "custom install" and when you


get to options.. only 3, one is Height/map... they all have "ok" to the right of them..

if you see these.. then in the one in the middle.. ie Height/map.. move your cursor

over to the extreme left of it and rt or lft clk and a "check-mark" will appear.. then complete install..

Also.. on around Page 8 in this general forum.. under post by Deadman, titled something

like .. "Just saying Hi" .. open it and look for my post with most of the key commands

.. maybe you can print it and it will give you more help.. until you figure out the rest..

Good luck..again..

LS

[Winder]

End result, I followed KillKess' advice and got clone CD and made the image then ran it on Deamon tools, the image file was much smaller than I thought (30 odd meg) and hence toook up much less room, it runs fine without the CD now and all is working as it should, so I am concentrating on the tutorials etc and having a blast!

Thanks to all for help and advice.

[Lone*star49]

...

Winder.. great news, and be sure to check out Hell Hounds post at the top of this forum..same page titled: "SB Anti-Frustration Kit".. go to the site listed there and reap the information and hints of Steelbeast.. and if and when you think your ready to try online play, that too is explained how to do it.. and the rules (Etiqutte) of online Mult-play..

Enjoy..

LS ;)

[Newbie-Olle]

I've also purchased the Gold version...

Ssnake:1) The manual's a bit outdates about copying the maps. The manual is a bit outdated about almost(?) every change made since it was originally written. (SB ver 1.00?)2) The regional publisher JustPlay (http://www.justflight.com) decided not to follow our route of piracy protection through incentive. ... Good to see it wasn't your idea. :) Originally we wanted to provide a rich, printed manual combined with an unprotected CD,A very good thing, IMO.Instead, they decided to put the PDF manual on the CD (smart move...)Smart for them, lousy for us!
The manual is designed to be read in a book, and to make it useful it's required to print it on paper. This process took about an hour and a half and would have cost me a small fortune if I'd have to do it at home... :(... and then to counter this invitation to pirates by adding some stupid copy protection that annoys the loyal customers, ...Tell me about it!

To start SB Gold as installed this is what I have to do:
1) Click the shortcut.
This launch a JustPlay intro movie, that I skip by pressing a key.
2) Wait while the CD speed up and slow down several times while a small screen blinks "Validating...".
If the "validation" goes through allright I get to the splash screen and the CD stop. Here I can move the mouse pointer, but the computer wont react to any click on the mouse or tapping on the keyboard.
3) Open the CD tray.
4) Close the CD tray.
The CD now spin up and launch a pre-install screen, minimising the SB splash screen.
5) Close the pre-install screen.
6) Expand the SB screen.
7) Now SB is running! I can click on the splash screen and enter the main menu! :)

Last night I did some changes...
1) Rerouted the shortcut from "Install.log" to "TankSim.exe".
This got rid of the initial JustPlay movie, but left the CD check.

2) Went to the eSimGames site and downloaded the patch "SB 1.195 to 1.226". Installed it without problem.
Low and behold, the CD check is gone!
Thank you, eSimGames, for this no-CD patch! :thumbup:

Cheers
Olle

[Hussar]

Strange that. I have SB Gold which already indicates 1.226 yet it won't play without the CD. Like Ssnake said, doubtless a region/publisher thing.

This DVD boxing/pdf manual crap really annoys me and is common with European publishers. I shall certainly buy SB2 (regardless of extra costs) direct from US or from Strategy Plus (perhaps), a UK supplier that imports direct from US.

I have had the same problems with Combat Mission (published in US/CDV in Europe) and Breakaway Games' Napoleonic games.

[Newbie-Olle]

Strange that. I have SB Gold which already indicates 1.226 yet it won't play without the CD. Like Ssnake said, doubtless a region/publisher thing. Yes, it's a "publisher thing", but do as I did: download the 1.195 to 1.226 update and install it. Also reroute all shortcuts to the TankSim.exe file.
What happens is you get to play eSimGames' .exe that doesn't have a CD check instead of your original JustPlay .exe with CD check.

Happy hunting
Olle

[dejawolf]

lol.
like a cd crack.
only legal. ;)