Even worse...
 

Sad but true, I PURCHASED the game three days ago, valid CD-Key, original CD's...etc.

After following along with the tutorials, reading the manuals, and configuring the game for opt. performance on my system, I settled in for a nice LONG gaming session...but... Five min. into the game. "YOU HAVE BEEN DEFEATED"

I promptly contacted EA games support, and was given a copy of what I'm assuming is a standard "reply letter" to anyone who complains, pretty much a WORD-FOR-WORD copy of whats in the "trouble-Shooting" section of the manual.

About 20 e-mails later, I'm STILL not able to play, and recieving NO help from EA, of course Best Buy wont take the game back (opened) and I'm finding little or NO help on the net.

Re-installing, or running the "setup" prog. makes no difference. Just so everyone knows, this problem is NOT restricted to users that may, or may NOT have obtained thier copy of the game "officialy", As I have been in touch with 3 other RETAIL VERSION owners, who are encountering the same snag.

It's sad when you spend a nice CHUNK of cash (which could have been spent on BEER! :) ) on a game, then have to resort to "back-door tactics" just to play it.
:confused:

Fix problem:
 

1) Delete file Lotrbfme.dat from game directory
2) copy this string into blank !setup.reg file and load it
=================Cut=====================
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"Language"="english"
"InstallPath"="C:\\GAMES\\TBME\\"
"Version"=dword:00010000
"MapPackVersion"=dword:00010000
"UseLocalUserMaps"=dword:00000000
"UserDataLeafName"="My Battle for Middle-earth Files"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth\ergc]
@="DZDD8NF64DBHYDFB0HLM"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"Installed From"="C:\\121212\\"
"Registration"="SOFTWARE\\Electronic Arts\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth\\ergc"
"CacheSize"="3351006208"
"SwapSize"="0"
"Language"="English US"
"Locale"="en_us"
"CD Drive"="C:\\"
"Install Dir"="C:\\GAMES\\TBME\\"
"Product GUID"="{3F290582-3F4E-4B96-009C-E0BABAA40C42}"
"Region"="Europe"
"Folder"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Ãëàâíîå ìåíþ\\Ïðîãðàììû\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)\\"
"Patch URL"="http://transtest.ea.com/Electronic Arts/The Battle for Middle-earth/Europe"
"Suppression Exe"="rtsi.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth\1.0]
"Language"=dword:00000001
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"LanguageName"="English US"
=================Cut=====================

3) Get file from DVD Disk - lotrbfme_inst.exe & run it
4) Enjoy

If I delete the dat data the game doesnot start anymore!

Drunk ? Ok, but with vodka !
 

I think he must also do some editing on the paths. I don't know if his Windows will tolerate something like
C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Ãëàâíîå ìåíþ\ :confused: \Ïðîãðàììû\\EA GAMES\\

He is drunk, OK. But i'm not sure that's with Vodka... :)

Bonjour chez vous,
Ma Pomme

i think
 

he means....

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Menú Inicio\Programas\EA GAMES\La Batalla por la Tierra Media(tm)\



mine its spanish sorry but i think you gays can figure out, he copy from another language.

any budy try it =??

:) sorry, this string equivalent
C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Start Menu\\Programs\\EA GAMES\\

WHat should I do? If I delete the dat data tha game does not start!
There was a Tool which helped in generals to modify the dat with your ip! May it be possible to change this tool so that it makes this for BoM!

you mast change path to you game

=================Cut=====================
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"Language"="english"
"InstallPath"="paste\\you\\path\\to\\game"
"Version"=dword:00010000
"MapPackVersion"=dword:00010000
"UseLocalUserMaps"=dword:00000000
"UserDataLeafName"="My Battle for Middle-earth Files"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth\ergc]
@="DZDD8NF64DBHYDFB0HLM"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"Installed From"="C:\\"
"Registration"="SOFTWARE\\Electronic Arts\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth\\ergc"
"CacheSize"="3351006208"
"SwapSize"="0"
"Language"="English US"
"Locale"="en_us"
"CD Drive"="C:\\"
"Install Dir"="paste\\you\\path\\to\\game"
"Product GUID"="{3F290582-3F4E-4B96-009C-E0BABAA40C42}"
"Region"="Europe"
"Folder"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Start Menu\\Programms\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)\\"
"Patch URL"="http://transtest.ea.com/Electronic Arts/The Battle for Middle-earth/Europe"
"Suppression Exe"="rtsi.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth\1.0]
"Language"=dword:00000001
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"LanguageName"="English US"
=================Cut=====================

Change this string "paste\\you\\path\\to\\game"

Which path do you mean?

Pizdec.
Use this:

=================Cut=====================
REGEDIT4

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"Language"="english"
"InstallPath"="C:\\Program Files\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"Version"=dword:00010000
"MapPackVersion"=dword:00010000
"UseLocalUserMaps"=dword:00000000
"UserDataLeafName"="My Battle for Middle-earth Files"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Electronic Arts\EA Games\The Battle for Middle-earth\ergc]
@="DZDD8NF64DBHYDFB0HLM"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth]
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"Installed From"="C:\\"
"Registration"="SOFTWARE\\Electronic Arts\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth\\ergc"
"CacheSize"="3351006208"
"SwapSize"="0"
"Language"="English US"
"Locale"="en_us"
"CD Drive"="C:\\"
"Install Dir"="C:\\Program Files\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"Product GUID"="{3F290582-3F4E-4B96-009C-E0BABAA40C42}"
"Region"="Europe"
"Folder"="C:\\Documents and Settings\\All Users\\Start Menu\\Programs\\EA GAMES\\The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)\\"
"Patch URL"="http://transtest.ea.com/Electronic Arts/The Battle for Middle-earth/Europe"
"Suppression Exe"="rtsi.exe"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\EA GAMES\The Battle for Middle-earth\1.0]
"Language"=dword:00000001
"DisplayName"="The Battle for Middle-earth (tm)"
"LanguageName"="English US"
=================Cut=====================

I think it is because I do not have the setup.exe! I tried it without that! SO that I just made that with the registry!

Dear Bladez
 

I think he means that you put the correct direction where u got the game installed.

for the one he put of example.

tody its late but i made the reg, tomorow il try on LAN.

must be instaledfrom "c:\\"

o can be "d:\\:"

another thing if you
Get file from DVD Disk - lotrbfme_inst.exe & run it , where i put it ?

thx

Vodka...? Nah... just beer...
 

ALRIGHT!!!!

I FINALY got some real help from the "EA Support" team.

I was told to run the "autorun", then select "install"... (Even though the game was already installed) after a few seconds, rather than asking for a cd key, or going through any of the setup process, the game simply started up.

Perhaps this forced the game to re-run the "setup.exe" file, spawning a new ".dat" file...? no idea, seemed too simple.

But, for the last hour or so, I've been playing just fine, no "exploding" units, or instant "DEFEAT". :)

One bit of help I WAS able to squeeeeeze out of the tech guy was that "supposidly" the security check that causes the crash on "burned" copies of the game only takes effect once, in the first 5 min of ACT 1. So, in theory, loading in someones SAVED game, that begins on ACT 2, will bypass this entirely. Not sure where the saved games are stored, didn't bother to check (since mine is now working). But trust me when I say you realy WONT be missing much by starting in ACT 2. (Unless of course you REALY enjoy chopping wood... :P)

Sorry my advice isn't as interesting as "edit this, delete that...etc etc..."
Someone give that "saved game" thing a try... let me know, and I'll post my saved games on "ARES"

Those of you who are struggling to get the game running... stick with it, it's well worth it.

Yes yes .. homosexual people are the same as heterosexual people.. welcome the real world where being gay doesn't affect the number of posts you make a day..

PS: That was a semi-sarcastic way of saying don't use gay as a negative thing.