SST Forum - Game Support

Have You Got DirectX Problems?

This is applicable to PCs running Windows 95 or 98 only.

Typical DirectX problems include 'black' PET screens or a complete failure when video clip sequences are started (as at the game start). DirectX is a set of special driver files which the PC version (only) of SST uses to drive the graphics and sound on your computer. SST provides version 5 of DirectX with the game, but this has been updated since to at least v8.1.

To get the latest version, please visit the Microsoft website.

Some computer magazines which have 'free' CDs on their cover provide a recent version of DirectX — this can be much faster than downloading one from the Net, especially if you don't use a broadband Internet service.

How To Handle a Downloaded File

As with all system updates, we would advise that you create a folder under your C: drive called UPDATES and, in there, create another folder called DIRECTX. Download the file to that directory.

When you have finished the download, come off the Internet and run the Update File (it is an EXE file). This will update your system. If ever you need to repeat this (maybe because your system has had to be rebuilt), the Update file may still be available to you and so can be re-applied.

Older S3 Virge and Trident Cards

Some of these used drivers which were not compatible with DirectX. The publishers of Starship Titanic included generic drivers for these under CD1, in the folder called Install/Extras. You may find that, by installing these, you can then get DirectX to function properly.

As an aside: many video cards by 'other manufacturers' use a generic set of chips (video chipset) such as "S3 Virge" and then disguise this by calling their card under their own brand name. The drivers they produce are based on the original generic driver for that chipset. Those custom drivers (often with menu bars and bits and bobs) are very often inferior in performance to the generic drivers. This is true for all just about all cards. If you want the best video performance, you may prefer to search the web to find generic drivers from the chip manufacturer, rather than use the drivers supplied with your graphics card.

Patch Files

Some graphics cards need bug patches, and some are just plain incompatible. If you think this is your problem, or if you have a machine running a Cyrix 686 chip, check out our own StarShip Titanic Patch Site.

Still Not Working?

If, after installing this update, you continue to have video or sound problems, please proceed as follows.

Somewhere on your computer will be a folder where DirectX is installed (usually C:\ProgramFiles\DirectX\Setup). Go to that folder and run the file called DXDIAG.EXE. This will test your system and report to you on its DirectX compliance and whether or not it is working. Please note that, on most systems, it is quite normal with 2D video cards for your Primary Video driver to be your usual driver, not the DirectX driver.

SST Forum Report: 01/05/03112:45 PM
Name: halbschatten

One of our German gamers had a problem which initially we thought was DirectX related. Hardwares introduced through the later parts of 2002 were causing many problems with so-called 'legacy' softwares, in which SST apparently was now classed. It seems almost anything released before WindowsXP was suddenly classed as 'legacy' and, in my experience, if you bought a new computer and put WindowsXP on it, almost nothing worthwhile in the way of programs would run. But halbschatten found the problem on his computer. First of all, read his problem report.

"Hello! I'm hoping someone is able to help me. Trying to play SST (first time) after installing it on Wondows 98. The Game starts. IM able to navigate in the room and to put the right CD into the Computer. The Starship crashes into my romm and a Robot comes out. He coming down the staircase and stops in front of me. then the screnn goes black. Nearly the whole screen. And then nothing happens anymore....

I've updated DirectX to version 9 but it doesnt helps.
I've tryed to use Windows 2000 with the hints given in the helppages. The same results as in Windows 98.

It would be really great if someone gives me the missing hints to run the game. Thanx a lot!"

We were not able to help halbschatten, but he came up with his own solution. He identified that the Intel Indeo codecs were not properly driving his hardware, and he had to update them. He also realised that WindowsXP (which he had also tried loading) no longer provided these codecs. Obtaining and loading new codes solved his problem. It might not work in every case, but you never know. The download from » www.ligos.com/indeo.htm is free for WindowsXP users.

If anyone has trouble obtaining this, please post to the SST 1st Class forum. It just so happens we now have a copoy of the codec file ourselves.