Introversion

It seem to be a very common problem.

I bought it today, and had a few problems with it.

First, I had black screen of death with my firewall on, which forced me to hard-reset my computer 7 times until I understood. So I put the firewall off. I really feel confortable with a firewall off, that is soooo great. Anyway.

Secondly, steam auth problem, like many ppl. Deleting my auth file didn't work, what can I do ?

Agent BlackBird wrote:So I put the firewall off. I really feel confortable with a firewall off, that is soooo great.

Not really helping yourself with that sarcasm. Would be more useful if you told us about what firewall, version of Windows and router you use so we could perhaps tell you how to set it to allow Defcon.

Well, I tend to become sarcastic after paying a try-to-make-it-work game, 7 hardreset, three hours of trying to fix it all by myself, and when I see dozens of people over the internet having the same problem as me, and not having a usefull solution since monthes... Paying for a free demo, i'm sorry to feel insulted you know... Trying to fix a computer problem while trying to play a game makes me feel like a warez guy, I'm frankly sorry to feel insulted by that too.

...(let's /rant will we)



Anyway, it's comodo, no router, I'm on Win 7 64.
The main problem is the key. Firewal pb I don't really care since I have a self-made solution. I'll try to make my firewall work after the game contact IV's server and play sp.

What I could do is quite warez solution if you ask me (phone my bro, ask my car back, go to my bro's, install steam/defcon, make it work, copy the auth file on usb key, uninstall steam at my bro's and hex auth file at home eventually, lend back my car.). I'll be glad if you could avoid me that...

By the way, I have the exact same black screen of death playing uplink with Comodo. Did IV tested Comodo with their games ? There might be a problem.

Agent BlackBird wrote:Well, I tend to become sarcastic after paying a try-to-make-it-work game, 7 hardreset, three hours of trying to fix it all by myself, and when I see dozens of people over the internet having the same problem as me, and not having a usefull solution since monthes... Paying for a free demo, i'm sorry to feel insulted you know... :roll:

Just so you know, 99.99% of the people who provide help on these forums do so on a volunteer basis, and as such, there is no requirement for us to actually help you. Having a hostile attitude is not going to help your situation and will only deter any of us from wanting to help. I understand you're frustrated but that is not our (the community's) fault so how about you restrain and compose yourself so we can concentrate on finding a solution to your problem. Save your complaints for Introversion's contact form, as the French say, "Il faut laver son linge sale en famille." :P

Agent BlackBird wrote:Anyway, it's comodo, I'm on Win 7 64.

The main problem is the key. Firewal pb I don't really care since I ahve a solution.

The key authenticates over the internet, more information here. If you're having problems with your key then it's either a Steam niggle or you have a network problem. What router do you use? and is Defcon setup to be allowed through the router's firewall?

As for Steam niggle, you tried deleting the authkey but what about File->Change User, log out, restart steam, then you log in again with the same user (as suggested here)?

Agent BlackBird wrote:By the way, I have the exact same black screen of death playing uplink with/without firewall.

Are you using Windows' compatibility mode? As you're probably aware, Uplink and Defcon aren't 64-bit games so that could be the reason for a problem when starting a game. Alternatively, Windows 7 is still relatively new and graphics card developers are frantically updating their drivers to cope with the updates/changes, have you updated your graphics drivers recently?

Is that the Steam version of Uplink? There should be no need for Uplink to connect to the internet until you use the ingame IRC client so it shouldn't cause a conflict with your firewall at startup. Does Uplink still have this problem with the firewall disabled?

Is your firewall part of a suite or standalone? Did you turn off the firewall program/suite or just allow all traffic?

Thank you for the IV contact link, I'll try that too.
I've updated my post while you were writing this one, so there's some allready said things in this one. My fault.

DinoSteve wrote:(...)

Agent BlackBird wrote:Anyway, it's comodo, I'm on Win 7 64.

The main problem is the key. Firewal pb I don't really care since I ahve a solution.

The key authenticates over the internet, more information here. If you're having problems with your key then it's either a Steam niggle or you have a network problem. What router do you use? and is Defcon setup to be allowed through the router's firewall?

No router.

I allready found this link. It finally put me on this page then in this page so it can be used for my pb.

DinoSteve wrote:As for Steam niggle, you tried deleting the authkey but what about File->Change User, log out, restart steam, then you log in again with the same user (as suggested here)?

Yup.

DinoSteve wrote:

Agent BlackBird wrote:By the way, I have the exact same black screen of death playing uplink with/without firewall.

Are you using Windows' compatibility mode?

No need when my firewall is off.

DinoSteve wrote:As you're probably aware, Uplink and Defcon aren't 64-bit games so that could be the reason for a problem when starting a game. Alternatively, Windows 7 is still relatively new and graphics card developers are frantically updating their drivers to cope with the updates/changes, have you updated your graphics drivers recently?

No, but Uplink works just fine when my firewall is off. I didn't go past the defcon menu to check if the game work fine, but users allready play this game with this OS, i guess. Win7 is relativly similar to vista. I could install win98 games on it with no problems.

DinoSteve wrote:Is that the Steam version of Uplink?

Yes.

DinoSteve wrote:(...) Is your firewall part of a suite or standalone? Did you turn off the firewall program/suite or just allow all traffic?

Firewall shut down completly. Comodo is a suite but I only allow it to be a firewall + "defence +" (which monitor write acces to my register in real time). My anti-virus is AVG.

Thanks for your time Steve.
I'll go to bed now

First, update your graphics drivers and DirectX. If Defcon and/or Uplink still black screen with the firewall enabled try using compatibility mode.

Having two anti-virus programs could potentially cause problems. Although Comodo says the anti-virus portion is disabled parts of it may in fact still be running. Why do you have AVG installed when Comodo comes with an AV? Have you tried manually configuring Comodo to allow either of the games? Does Comodo have any logs you could check to see what's happening? Is there a blackbox.txt in you Defcon directory?

So no router, but a modem or other device? Basically, does the device that allows your computer access to the internet have a firewall?

I didn't go past the defcon menu to check if the game work fine, but users allready play this game with this OS, i guess. Win7 is relativly similar to vista. I could install win98 games on it with no problems.

Sure, other people have Win7 but it's unlikely most have the exact same hardware, software and drivers as you. As for the Win 98 games, just because they're older doesn't mean they are less likely to work. If anything they are more likely to work due to compatibility for them having to be taken into account since XP. Basically, you're comparing apples with oranges.

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:

Agent BlackBird wrote:By the way, I have the exact same black screen of death playing uplink with/without firewall.

Are you using Windows' compatibility mode?

No need when my firewall is off.

Uh...

Compatibility mode and firewalls are completely unrelated. Firewalls, of course, relate to internet access, but compatibility mode relates to running a program in an environment that mimics an earlier version of Windows.

ChemicalRascal wrote:

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:

Agent BlackBird wrote:By the way, I have the exact same black screen of death playing uplink with/without firewall.

Are you using Windows' compatibility mode?

No need when my firewall is off.

Uh...

Compatibility mode and firewalls are completely unrelated. Firewalls, of course, relate to internet access, but compatibility mode relates to running a program in an environment that mimics an earlier version of Windows.

You're right but you misunderstood me
"No need when my firewall is off." means "There's no need to use a compatibility mode since when my firewall is off, the game work fine."

DinoSteve wrote:First, update your graphics drivers and DirectX. If Defcon and/or Uplink still black screen with the firewall enabled try using compatibility mode.

You're all blocking on this problem, it's funny. When my firewall is off the game work just normal, so it's not a driver problem.
I'll update anyway but I think you're wrong.

DinoSteve wrote:Having two anti-virus programs could potentially cause problems. Although Comodo says the anti-virus portion is disabled parts of it may in fact still be running.

That's right, and I would see it if it was the case, don't worry for that.

DinoSteve wrote:Why do you have AVG installed when Comodo comes with an AV?

Because Comodo's AV is crap ? And AVG 's AV is great ? Because AVG's firewall (which is off, like open office's and windows) is crap, and Comodo's great ?
There's no more "security" software that don't come packed in a suite in 2010... Suites are crap parts with only a good part.

DinoSteve wrote:Have you tried manually configuring Comodo to allow either of the games?

Of course, like any game, but I don't think I understand your whole question.
There is no problem with this firewall, read the tittle of the topic, this one is "fixed"... My problem is the auth key, nothing else...

DinoSteve wrote:Does Comodo have any logs you could check to see what's happening?

I checked yesterday, and there was no event in comodo AND in windows, appart "event 41 : user pulled the power off".
Bl&ack screen of death means, the screen is black but the computer still all work normal (music is running, etc). I've got no access to : ctrl/alt/suprr, alt+F4, alt+tab.

It's not the first time I got that, it's a firewall bug coming along with a game bug (Comodo ask a yes/no question, but the screen is drawing things and it drawed over the message, which is a no-no programming method).

DinoSteve wrote:Is there a blackbox.txt in you Defcon directory?

I'm not sure if it's not a joke , but no, no blackbox.txt in my directory.

DinoSteve wrote:So no router, but a modem or other device? Basically, does the device that allows your computer access to the internet have a firewall?

Yes and it's off. But you know, in 2010, everything have a frewall on it. :p I wonder why there's no mouse/keyboard firewall yet

DinoSteve wrote:

I didn't go past the defcon menu to check if the game work fine, but users allready play this game with this OS, i guess. Win7 is relativly similar to vista. I could install win98 games on it with no problems.

Sure, other people have Win7 but it's unlikely most have the exact same hardware, software and drivers as you. As for the Win 98 games, just because they're older doesn't mean they are less likely to work. If anything they are more likely to work due to compatibility for them having to be taken into account since XP. Basically, you're comparing apples with oranges.

I meant Win7 is able to run some applications that run by the 95/98 standarts, with "I didn't know that kind of sci-fi hardware could ever exist", nothing else. Deus Ex works really perfect for exemple.

"hardware/driver" is, to my mind, a bad excuse that game developpers use to say OS are poorly programmed and/or the electronic is faulty, but it's another story... lol
OS are there just to prevent program depending of electronics. This is one of OS's main job. If developpers can't call standart methods, it's not OS/driver/hardware's problems.
My OS works very fine with any other software and I would have other problems not only in defcon if it was a hardware/driver not running properly. It's either me messing around with comodo, or the game, and I think it's both. Non-standart drawing method + a clumsy user

ANYWAY The problem is, as the title of the thread suggest, auth keys in steam, not this firewall. I have to check a few things with it before. Maybe it's too paranoid, esp the def+ component which I could turn off.
Since the auth key was asked with a firewall off (else it's black sod), I can't really know what's wrong. i'll try completly naked, with AVG off aswell but... I'm not really fond of this too.

Agent BlackBird wrote:"No need when my firewall is off." means "There's no need to use a compatibility mode since when my firewall is off, the game work 100% ok."

The game works 100% yet you're having authentication problems. :/

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:First, update your graphics drivers and DirectX. If Defcon and/or Uplink still black screen with the firewall enabled try using compatibility mode.

You're all blocking on this problem, it's funny. When my firewall is off the game work just normal, so it's not a driver problem.
I'll update anyway but I think you're wrong.

You complained having the firewall off wasn't a viable solution. With the firewall on, one of the problem presents as a possible graphics problem.

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:Why do you have AVG installed when Comodo comes with an AV?

Because Comodo's AV is crap ? And AVG 's AV is great ? Because AVG's firewall (which is off, like open office's and windows) is crap, and Comodo's great ?
There's no more "security" software that don't come packed in a suite in 2010... Suites are crap parts with only a good part.

That simply isn't true. To name but just a few AVG, Avast!, HijackThis, ZoneAlarm and Online Armor are all available as standalone products.

But anyway, the simple fact is, having two anti-virus products installed can compromise your protection and cause software conflicts. Not saying this is the cause of your problem, but if that was the case then that would be a problem caused by you, not developers.

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:Have you tried manually configuring Comodo to allow either of the games?

Of course, like any game, but I don't think I understand your whole question.
There is no problem with this firewall, read the tittle of the topic, this one is "fixed"... My problem is the auth key, nothing else...

Turning the firewall off is not a fix. Defcon and Uplink should work with a firewall that blocks them. The black screen start up would indicate a bigger problem. Just because they "work" with the firewall off doesn't mean the underlying problem is fixed.

And by configure I mean setup Defcon to do portforwarding and/or allow the numerous ports it communicates on.

Are you able to see a list of servers in Defcon when you click the join server button?

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:Does Comodo have any logs you could check to see what's happening?

I checked yesterday, and there was no event in comodo AND in windows, appart "event 41 : user pulled the power off".
Bl&ack screen of death means, the screen is black but the computer still all work normal (music is running, etc). I've got no access to : ctrl/alt/suprr, alt+F4, alt+tab.

It's not the first time I got that, it's a firewall bug coming along with a game bug (it ask a yes/no question, but the screen is drawing things and it drawed over the message, which is a no-no).

Sound and no graphics would suggest a graphics problem. Comodo's popup may be causing Defcon's graphics to flake. 99% of the time this would be a problem with your graphics drivers and not Introversion, update your graphics drivers.

Agent BlackBird wrote:

DinoSteve wrote:Is there a blackbox.txt in you Defcon directory?

I'm not sure if it's not a joke :), but no, no blackbox.txt in my directory.

I take it you didn't bother reading the sticked topic...

Agent BlackBird wrote:I meant Win7 is able to run some applications that run by the 95/98 standarts, with "I didn't know that kind of sci-fi hardware could ever exist", nothing else. Deus Ex works really perfect for exemple.

"hardware/driver" is, to my mind, a bad excuse that game developpers use to say OS are poorly programmed and/or the electronic is faulty, but it's another story... lol :roll:
OS are there just to prevent program depending of electronics. This is one of OS's main job. If developpers can't call standart methods, it's not OS/driver/hardware's problems.
My OS works very fine with any other software and I would have other problems not only in defcon if it was a hardware/driver not running properly. It's either me messing around with comodo, or the game, and I think it's both. Non-standart drawing method + a clumsy user :)

You don't seem to understand the cause of many compatibility problems between versions of Windows. All versions of Windows have been far from perfect. While it may seem like it just works many software developers have had to write their code to that accommodated and compensated for Windows bugs. Each time a new version of Windows would be released it would fix some those bugged features thus breaking the older applications. That is a fault with Windows developers, not software developers, and that is why Windows has to provide compatibility modes.

Also, stating most of your software works is a moot point. You only need one weak link to break the chain. Defcon and Uplink use standard techniques but they are different to many other games in that they use alternative high quality graphics libraries.

A possible reason why you don't see more people with this problem is that most people don't use Comodo (only one other person with a problem stated they used that), and that these days people update their graphics drivers and run the program compatibility mode when they hit a problem.

Agent BlackBird wrote:ANYWAY The problem is, as the title of the thread suggest, auth keys in steam, not this firewall. I have to check a few things with it before. Maybe it's too paranoid, esp the def+ component which I could turn off.

You're completely missing the point of an underlying problem.

Why come here looking for help if all you're going to do is refuse to do what I/we suggest. Just update your drivers and try compatibility mode then report back.

DinoSteve wrote:

Agent BlackBird wrote:ANYWAY The problem is, as the title of the thread suggest, auth keys in steam, not this firewall. I have to check a few things with it before. Maybe it's too paranoid, esp the def+ component which I could turn off.

You're completely missing the point of an underlying problem.

Why come here looking for help if all you're going to do is refuse to do what I/we suggest. Just update your drivers and try compatibility mode then report back.

I'm not refusing, I will do what you said, but I doubt it will work. You'd understand hard-reseting my comp in case it fails doesn't make me really "willing to try" things.

By theway, these are not related problems since my firewall is not only off, but unloaded in Win7 when I launch the game to go past the bsod.

It's strange it worked. And now both problems are solved.

What I did is download last videodriver, put my firewall in "installation mode" while updating it.

I was logged out from steam.
Double-clicked Defcon from the desktop, log in steam, launch the game ok, with the firewall still in "installation mode". Auth fails as usal, I click on join a game, firewall ask if I let pass through, I say "yes, forever".
I shut down the game, then I put back my firewall in normal mode, unlog from Steam, remove the auth file from my computer, launch from the desktop, log in Steam, results is auth fails but no bsod... Then I quit the game, launch from Steam, auth is ok... I really don't understand ...

I have to test Uplink now, just to check. I'll edit this thread if this is ok, wish me good luck...

Uplink bsod-ed... So I hard-reset my machine again. Then I set Comodo in installation mode and launch Uplink -> Uplink work fine. Then I quit the game, I set my firewall back in normal mode, bsod again.

Uplink (and Defcon in the auth key/first launch process) have a clear problem with the defence+ component of Comodo !
To me, it's not the videodrivers, it's because I set my firewall in Installation mode.

Since I have Darwinia too, I'll try Darwinia just now.

Darwinia "bsod-ed" too but I had access to ctrl/alt/suppr. There's a pop up from my firewall saying
"Multilaguage subsystem

Localization error of format string

Ressource ID:748

Original:
%s \b1 could not be recognized\b0 and it is \b1 about to acces the keyboard directly \b1 allows an application to read the pressed keys or simulate the key strokes\b0.
Many applications use this to provide keyboard shortcut functionality.
However, malware can also use this functionality to log the key strokes.
If %s is one of your everyday applications, you can safely allow this request.

Localized:" and the same error message in french.

Then I click ok, my firewall ask if I let this pass, I click "yes, forever".

I will try to relaunch Darwinia still in normal mode.

Have you tried reading this?

You probably shouldn't call it BSOD, that's reserved for the Blue Screen of Death. A much more serious problem.

DinoSteve wrote:Have you tried reading this?

You probably shouldn't call it BSOD, that's reserved for the Blue Screen of Death. A much more serious problem.

Ok, thanks.

With Darwinia, I "black screened of death" again, but in an original way :
- relaunch the game
- firewall ask for the second time if I let darwinia take control of my keyboard, I say "yes" ticking the "forever" button.
Hit escape, click quit game and... Hahaha, black sod.

If you want to know, when defence+ is in installation mode, no black sod. I go back in a moment, just trying normal mode again.
-edit- mkay, no black sod... I don't understand this time. Darwinia splash screens (esp. the 8 bit beeper that I just had) are quite dangerous for my mental sake