Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri NoCD fix

[whoeverxxx]

Is there an updated Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri NoCD fix? It looks like the game is on patch 4 but the latest NoCD fix I found is version 2 at Megagames. I have the US version.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hmmm, this patch has been released around 07-Jul-99, according to http://dlh.net/cgi-bin/dp.cgi?lang=e...s&sys=pc&cap=s . Are you sure the copy protection hasn't been removed in this patch already?! Yeah, it's pretty weird that there's no no-CD patch for this one around... (No, I don't have this game at all.)

[DABhand]

problem is AC hates XP machines, some get lucky, many dont.

Like me :\

[whoeverxxx]

Originally Posted by DABhand

problem is AC hates XP machines, some get lucky, many dont.

Like me :\

Theres a patch for XP users that came out in 2001.

[Beetlecat]

Originally Posted by whoeverxxx

Theres a patch for XP users that came out in 2001.

I'll confirm that, but unfortunately not for the expansion "Alien Crossfire"

[leezer3]

Nope, the copy protection is still present in the current patch
I know I had a nocd for both of these games of GCW about a year ago?, but they've vanished. (Theyre referred to in old news searches, but not present on the site?!)
Anyway, what you want is the Alien Crossfire 2.0 update from the Firaxis site, & then fish up the Alien Crossfire 2.0 eng file from here: http://megagames.com/cracks/html/c30150_0.htm
(If you are using the Planetary Pack, then install the latest update, and then the Alien Crossfire nocd fix; Make a note of the fixed exe name, and then use that as the shortcut, rather than the launcher)
Final point, the game will still complain that stuff may not work if the CD is not inserted; If you haven't done a full install then you won't get the secret project movies, but the game still runs fine.

Talking of Alpha Centauri, anyone who has seen a copy of the Linux version anywhere, PLEASE post or PM me!! (The company went out of business ages ago, and I can't find one anywhere )

-Leezer-

[Joe Forster/STA]

Please, someone run ProtectionID on this latest patch of the game and tell us what copy protection it uses.

[whoeverxxx]

Originally Posted by Joe Forster/STA

Please, someone run ProtectionID on this latest patch of the game and tell us what copy protection it uses.

On the us version patch #4 ProtectionID states (File appears to have no protection or is using an unknown protection).

I just tried playing the game on my desktop system that has a LGA P4 3GHz CPU and a popup box appears stating (Your CPU is not supported, you may attempt to play the game, however, crashes are possible). As soon as you press the OK button the game crashes. Maybe I'll try the game on my laptop later since that is the system I had in mind for the game anyway, that has a Intel 1.3GHz M CPU, might have better luck there.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hmmm, interesting. Can you, please, zip up the main EXE, along with the necessary DLL's, to be able to launch the game to the point of displaying the copy protection message, and send it to me in an E-mail?

[whoeverxxx]

Originally Posted by Joe Forster/STA

Hmmm, interesting. Can you, please, zip up the main EXE, along with the necessary DLL's, to be able to launch the game to the point of displaying the copy protection message, and send it to me in an E-mail?

Sent to [email protected].

[leezer3]

@Whoeverxxx:
You want the Windows XP patch (Top one) to fix the CPU type crash.

I think I'm now getting very confused, according to what I seem to be seeing, the basic Alpha Centauri & Alien Crossfire patches seem to have been unprotected, but the Planetary Pack remains protected?!
Edit: Oh, and the patch to V2.0 of the Planetary Pack seems to have gone missing (I know I had one earlier to fix a whole load of Windoze XP issues, not least not starting)
Have a try at installing the most recent updates for both SMAC & SMACX and seeing what this does!
From a bit of net prodding, this may well have come about as the US & UK versions used different protections, Securom R4 & Safedisc V2 respectively, and the current patches are multi-reigonal.

Very confused!!

-Leezer-

[ByteMare]

Originally Posted by leezer3

From a bit of net prodding, this may well have come about as the US & UK versions used different protections, Securom R4 & Safedisc V2 respectively, and the current patches are multi-reigonal.

If that's still true, then there should be no problem to remove the protections

[Felar Furlong]

all what you need, is to open "Alpha Centauri.ini" file with notepad and change "ForceOldVoxelAlgoritm=0" to "ForceOldVoxelAlgoritm=1". it will still complain about cpu and no cd in drive, but will work without flaws. all latest patches to smac and smacx? are unprotected.

[Joe Forster/STA]

Hi whoeverxxx,

Sorry, the package you've sent to me does not seem to be enough for testing the copy protection. When I launch the main executable, all I get is a black screen and then crashing back to the desktop. Please, test your package on your PC (or, even better, another one where the game is not installed!) and send it to me when it displays an error message or does something that can clearly be attributed to the copy protection kicking in. Thanks!

[whoeverxxx]

Originally Posted by Felar Furlong

all what you need, is to open "Alpha Centauri.ini" file with notepad and change "ForceOldVoxelAlgoritm=0" to "ForceOldVoxelAlgoritm=1". it will still complain about cpu and no cd in drive, but will work without flaws. all latest patches to smac and smacx? are unprotected.

Thanks, that worked! My sound is a little distorted but sound isn't that important on a game like this.