Video Initialization Error

Video Initialization Error

Failed to initialize video device! It appears thyat your videocard is too old or you don't have DirectX 8.1 installed. Please make sure you have the latest version of your video card drivers which can be found on your video card vendor website and latest version of DirecrtX which can be found at www.microsoft.com/directx

My video card is Nvidia GeForce (no updates available), and Have DirectX 11 installed on my computer.

Why am I getting this error? How do I fix this issue. This issue happens for both original Totem Tribe & Totem Tribe Gold.

Please Help ASAP ty.

In new versions of Windows like 7/8 Microsoft dropped support of DirectX 9.0 and below and you have to install it manually:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=35

I'd like to say that was helpful but it wasn't. That link send me to a page with over 30 pages of various downloades for Directx (among other downloads) I tried 8 of the different Directx downloads, and after each new thing i downloaded I tried to run TT and TTG --- Still getting the Vizualization Error. So you sent me on a hunt for something Non-Specific and had me download a bunch of JUNK to my brand new computer, and my games STILL wont work.

Anyone else have a better idea (or can give me the ACTUAL item i need to download, instead of sending me on a wild goose hunt) that would be greatly appreciuated. Thanks.

Are you blaming me that Micro$oft pushes junk on you or what?

I don't know what pages are you talking about, but on that page you are clicking the big red "download", then uncheck all the bloatware Microsoft offering and click "No thanks and continue" and then direct x installer download starts automatically. I am sorry that this process is complicated for you, but I am not the one to blame.

Well i did that first thing .... everything in your quoted post I did ... and my Tt and TTG game still wont run. I still get the Visualization error. so i ttied the other links, they dont help either.

It's not complicated --- It Flat Out Doesn't Work.

BTW - under that big red button is a list of more links and there are pages of them. when the Big Red Button downloaded useless stuff that didnt help I tried those other links. I am not blaming you for Microsofts junk. However I am annoyed that what you sent me to get DOESN'T WORK.

I don't know why it does not work, I've just posted the most obvious reason and solution. If it does not work and you have all the DirectX and drivers installed - it should work fine. Have you tried rebooting the computer?

Also I hope the drivers are installed from video card manufacturer (nVidia) and not generic ones installed by Windows automatically? I've heard about problems with default ones.

yes I restarted my computer last night after the initial download. then again this morning after i tried the same download and several others. I still get the same error.

The Video Card drivers were installed using the Nvidia GeForce Experience - Auto Downloader, which is from the manufacturer's website.

If this is the most obvious reason/solution and it doesn't work ... what are some of the LESS obvious reasons/solutions so that I might try those and see if they might fix my problem instead. 

Possible explanation (I am not sure and I have no idea how to find a work around if this is the issue) I don't have a monitor for my new desktop, so it is currently hooked up to my large flat wide screen tv. 

When I complete the download of the DirextX End User thingy it says: Installation Complete - DirectX setup has determined that a newer or equivalent version of DirectX has been installed already. No Installatiuon is necessary. 

I follow this up by rebooting my computer or simply trying to open the folder and I STILL get the Visualization Error.

Ok I had my friend bring over his old monitor and we hooked it up and the game runs just fine it seems I am getting the error because TT and TTG do not recognize an HDMI cable hookup for tv's. 

Is there a work around or a patch for this? Since most people are using HDMI hookups now (at least everyone I know uses HDMI). And because I can't afford a new monitor atm, and my friends old monitor is a huge clunker that I have no space for - plus it is super small screen.

Thanks!

From the sound of it looks like the issue is not video card driver, but TV driver. The Windows installed generic TV drivers which are not acceptable by DirectX. I don't know what can be done here. Are other games working on your TV or it's just TT?

TT, TTG, and some Nancy Drew Mysteries wont work on the TV. All my other games (WOW, TERA, BnS, W101, P101, DCUO, All BFG work just fine.)

I saw you reported bug for TT2. Does it mean TT2 works and TT1/TTG does not?

Yes, TT2 works just fine, but the older games TT and TTG do not recognize the HDMI cable input. It is not sensing any monitor at all using the HDMI. and since I do not curently have a normal monitor at my disposal any game that does not recognize HDMI refuses to play. 

I had a tech friend of mine look into this for me, and he says there may be a work around with my specific TV because it has VGA port. I may be able to trick the game into thinking my tv is a normal monitor that way, but it is not a sure thing. And I dont have one of these cables yet so i wont be able to test it out for a few days.

I am not sure what program code you have in TT2 that differs from TT and TTG so that it recognizes the tv as a display when tv is utilizing an HDMI, but if you could figure that out and make a patch for the older games so they can recognize the HDMI input that would be amazing, Thanks!

The weird thing is TTG and TT2 has absolutely the same game engine and nothing is changed in the videocard/monitor department.

I am not a coder, so my understanding of the game engine betweent he older/newer games is limited. But when i try to download the older Direct X it says unable to complete because a newer version is already installed. So if it is not a coding difference from TT/TTG to TT2 then i can only hazard a guess that the issue may lie in the older version of DirectX not recognising my TV as a monitor. And since the older versions of DirectX will not install untop of my newer version, nor will it partition itself to function only for those games, I seem to be at a loss. Again the only hope anyone using a TV inplace of a traditional computer monitor has will be to see if a VGA component hook-up is able to bypass whatever the issue is (be it coding from the game or from the DirectX).

Reguardless of what the ultimate cause is for this issue, I strongly hope your team will continue to look into this so that there is a clear course of action that can be applied for myself, and anyone else that may encounter this error, and find themselves unable to fix it through the most obvious reason/solution. 

People fell in love with your original game, and it would be a shame if those games were lost. I hope that after the success of TT2 after launch your team will be able to set aside some time (or hire someone) to work on keeping the original games playable dispite any future compatablility issues that may arise with newer technologies. Atari found was to keep die-hard Pong fans (among others) the ability to play their games on newer systems. I am keeping my fingers crossed that you guys can do the same for TT & TTG.

I, too, have an HDMI cable running between my laptop and television and can play TTG with no problem.  I am using a one-way cable however, and have no idea at all if that makes any difference.  And, Windows has installed the generic drivers on my laptop. 

I, too, have an HDMI cable running between my laptop and television and can play TTG with no problem.  I am using a one-way cable however, and have no idea at all if that makes any difference.  And, Windows has installed the generic drivers on my laptop. 

The difference between u and I here is that u have a laptop and are using the TV as a secondary source for the laptop to feed through. your drivers and OS may be able to differentiate between the two screens. However I am using a Tower PCU with no monitor except for the TV.

I, too, have an HDMI cable running between my laptop and television and can play TTG with no problem.  I am using a one-way cable however, and have no idea at all if that makes any difference.  And, Windows has installed the generic drivers on my laptop. 

The difference between u and I here is that u have a laptop and are using the TV as a secondary source for the laptop to feed through. your drivers and OS may be able to differentiate between the two screens. However I am using a Tower PCU with no monitor except for the TV.

Ah.  Okay.  Sorry I could not help. 

The difference between u and I here is that u have a laptop and are using the TV as a secondary source for the laptop to feed through. your drivers and OS may be able to differentiate between the two screens. However I am using a Tower PCU with no monitor except for the TV.

Ah.  Okay.  Sorry I could not help. 

Thanks for trying, I appreciate any input even if it isn't fixing my issue as it does help narrow down the search paramaters.