Quote:
Originally Posted by BannedOak
... I receive a black screen with a white error window stating Can not initialize 3D engine...
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The Steam version of the game should "automatically" install the DirectX v9c dll files, and codecs when you first start the game. They used to use a modified version of the old Ubisoft installer, where the player was given a choice to do such, so it really should not be that, unless you are interrupting that process somehow. However, with recent Windows Updates and the "modern" hardware found on newer computers, there can be other befuddling issues. Primarily, it is the SH4.exe file causing the issues - or rather, the OS's interaction with the executable file...
Navigate into your game folder (with Steam, the default path is "C:\Program Files (x86) \Steam \SteamApps \common \Silent Hunter Wolves of the Pacific" - which is another problem, btw). In the folder, find the file "SH4.exe". If you have the folder options set to not display the file extensions, be aware that there is also a file "SH4.ico", so you will want to select the first "SH4" that you see by left-clicking the file. Once selected, right-click on the file, which will bring up a "Context Menu" pop-up. From that menu list, at the bottom, left-click on "Properties". You should be on a "General" tab, and you should also see five other tabs, including "Compatibility". If not, choose the other "SH4" file. Click on "Compatibility", and you will now see several options that you might have to use. Up top is the "Compatibility mode" that some players have to use set to "Windows 7" - but not all players have to use this. Below that is a tick box for "Disable fullscreen optimizations", which is what it sounds like you might have to utilize. Again though, not everyone has to use that. Just under that is "Run this program as an administrator", of which SOME people have to use. Last, but not least, near the bottom is a button "Change high DPI settings", which in Win10 will make another pop-up, and you would then use the tick box toward the bottom that is for "Override high DPI scaling behavior - Scaling performed by: Application". This is usually required, especially if you have to use the "Disable fullscreen optimizations". You can attempt them one at a time, and see what happens, but it might also be that you have to do them all. I have one Win10 machine where I have to use them all, and the other machine, I only have to Disable the fullscreen optimizations and Override high DPI. YMMV
For a Steam install, if your game is installed under the Steam folder in a Program Files folder, and you are wanting to utilize mods, you will have to "move" the game one way or the other, either by re-installing Steam to a folder of your own creation, by moving it by hand, or if you have a 2nd hard drive available, by creating another Steam Library folder on the 2nd hard drive. Do NOT use a back-up partition on your computer though... Refer to
Moving a Steam Installation and Games on the Steam site for more info on that subject.
Very frustrating to have to deal with some of this (actually, all of this...
), but it is what it is in today's 'modern' computer and OS world...
