Every time I try to play Nautilus, it freezes when I try to start a new game.I've not played the game before.As I understand it, this is a common problem.I've done all I can think of, & it does not help.I've searched, & I can't find a patch.Not sure that one was ever made.Does anyone have a patch, or a save from the very beginning that they would be willing to send? I would greatly appreciate it!!!

My computer's specs:
AMD Athlon 3.2ghz cpu
Windows XP SP2 (all updated)
2 GB Ram
160 GB hard drive
Direct X 9c
Nvidia geforce 6800gt oc
Soundblaster Audigy 2

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but 99% of everyone who tries to run this game in Windows XP, fails, with the same problem you are having. There are a few (very few!) people for whom the game does seem to work on Windows XP. There was a very long thread in this topic, about this game, months ago, where we were all desperately trying to figure out the nature of the problem and how (possibly) to correct it (and there were some fine techie minds at work here), but nothing decisive was ever determined.

I, too, am one of those who get that screen freeze. I have put the game aside to play on my Windows ME computer, as at this point I feel sure it is the only way I will ever get to play it.

I am one of the 99% that never got this game to run on XP which was kind of frustrating. I ended up playing it on my windows 98 computer at work while my boss was on holidays. LOL Good luck though.

Mystery of the Nautilus - XP - won't work...

Draclvr, there are at least two people I know who DID get it to work...and that is why I qualified my statement. One was MrLipid, who did not use Windows Media Player (so this is probably one of the problems the game has--who knows?). The other person I am not sure about, but I do remember someone posting saying that she had played it in Windows XP.

But, in the VAST majority of cases, it's seemingly....hopeless!

Guess I'm stuck then!I can't really afford to buy a Windows 98 or ME computer.My money's going in too many directions as is!Maybe later on down the line.


P.S. Seems to be totally wrong that Dreamcatcher/The adventure Company would make a game, saying it was XP compatible, & it's not XP compatible.

Folks,

Virtual PC (2004 or 2007) should be able to run this game. See the GameBoomers Virtual PC FAQ at the top of this forum.

Cheers,
MetzO'Magic

Am I safe in presuming that I would need a copy of Windows 98, 95, or ME for Virtual PC to function correctly?


P.S. Just read the FAQ for Virtual PC.My Dad may still have his copy of Windows 98.I'll find out today or tomorrow.Smile!!!

I don't know about Vista --- but for Windows Xp try the following:

Click out of the Auto setup by click "cancel"

Open game folder

My Computer --> CD Drive D --> Right Click --> Open __

Setup.exe properties Windows 98 --> last two --apply ok -- Double click on Setup.exe

Choose Windows 98

error message:
Windows Media Player 7 -- cancel

Restart your system and remember to shut down all extra programs once again.

Go to game folder --- Nautilis for both the installation file and the .exe file.
-- Properties
Windows 98 --- and also check the last two boxes -- Click Appy - Click OK.


Apply Patch Nat_PATCH_2.4,exe to
C:\Program Files\DreamCatcher\Nautilus

You will also need the Codecs for Windows Media 8 -- download and then install them as "add" and not "replace".

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai...;DisplayLang=en


Next change your video acceleration and Audio Acceleration to at least two notches to the left (you may need more or less depending on your system's configuration.)

inferno

Hey Inferno!! Here's how I was able to make Nautilus run on XP.Followed nearly all of your suggestions.Anyway,here goes:
1)Cancel auto run,turn off my av & firewall
2)Opened Nautilus disc-my computer,E drive,right click,open
3)Right click on setup,click on properties.run in compatibliity mode with Windows 98/ME,click apply,then ok.
4)Launched setup,click on Windows 98,ran setup
5)Error message for WMP 7, click cancel.
6)Downloaded WMP 8 codecs,per your link.
7)Restart computer
8)Installed WMP 8 codecs,checked 2nd box (add)
9)Launched the game.And.... It Worked!!
I didn't have to turn down my audio & video acceleration at all, but others may have to.I immediately saved my game after it started.Not sure what patch you meant, couldn't find it anyhow.To quote a famous cartoon character, "that's all folks!!" SMILE!!!!

email me if you want the patches there are two

Nat_Patch_2.4
Nat_Patch_2.4b

inferno

I'm going to have to try that procedure, Chaos! I've always wanted to play it on my XP instead of my 98SE.

Inferno, you are incredible! I am going to have to try this too!

Draclvr and Marian,

Don't get your hopes up. Chaos has joined the ranks of the very very few lucky WinXP users who can get this game to run.

I have tried the exact procedure posted by Inferno without success. In fact, WinXP crashes.

You should all look through the archive for the thread on Nautilus.

Robert, did you try it the way I did it?Never say never!I followed Inferno's suggestions, more or less, & did a thing or two of my own.After I was finished,I went to the programs list,pulled up Nautilus,& made sure it was running in compatibility with Windows 98/ME.Try it my way before you say never!Just a thought. Smile!!!

Chaos,

I've been down this path before which is why I suggested people do a search for threads on Nautilus in this forum. You will find many messages on this subject, many of which I wrote.

Inferno's method and your modification works on a very very few systems. It does not work on mine or most other WinXP users. The Media 8 Codecs don't help at all.

The most likely explanation is that some Microsoft patch prevents the game from running. I've even had problems with Win98 when it had the latest security and bug patches from Microsoft.

One strange bit of data. I've never had problems playing any of the game's wmv files with any version of Media Player that was installed on my system.
The problem is the manner in which the game tries to get the movies to play.

Thanks inferno! I needed to find the patch but a google search showed nothing. I knew I found this item within the last year so I just searched GB Glitches. Just in case anyone else is looking I am thanking you and bumping the post at the same time. Googling the patch name brought me to the right place where there are now 2 patches! One stops the intro and outro which supposedly is where the problem is here .
Linda

Good to know

inferno

Hi,
As one of my computers has XP home that came out Dec of 2001, all I had to do was add the Codex that was needed. I haven't changed it very much as I find it will play a lot of the older games. Not really sure why, but it was nice to be able to play Nautilius. I did tell the computer to install the first and second Broken Sword via compatiblity mode and it did.
It's a great game if you can get it to work.
Charllotte

Nautilus is a funny game when it comes to making it work. If it doesn't like your computer you will climb the walls with it.

I still locked up in my XP, it plays in an old laptop-Win 95 but scene changes do take a while, but it is terrible in my hubby's Optiplex-Win 98. The colors keep leeching for lack of a better way to describe it. My old dell-Win ME didn't play it well either.

I finally sold the game and promised to send the patch for it along with the game but then couldn't find it anywhere which is the reason for searching here for the patch again.

However, I also have the European version Secret of the Nautilus so I may just keep trying. I have a HD in this computer running XP but without all the updates so maybe I will get lucky there like ssgamer

Linda

I would never let it come to that. It would become a miniature frizzbie.

As many people have stated The Mystery Of The Nautilus has some serious issues when the game tries to play the game videos in the game. I tried at least seven times to get Nautilus to run. Well after alot of trial and error and using the suggestions on this website I set everything to Windows 2000 compatibility (98 would freeze installer) and checked the last two check boxes as has also been stated here. So I ran the game Nautilus and I had subtitles enabled. The narator would say :"The seas..." and then game would freeze.

I exited out of the game and got to thinking. Since I skip the animated logos at the very begining of the game by hitting the escape key. Could I also do the same for the beginning movie?

Well I decided to give it a try. I relaunched the game and tried hitting escape before the narrator finished "The Seas" where the game had froze before. I Hit escape as soon as he said the word "The". And it worked!!!!! Since then I have not had a single in game video problem.


On a side note I believe it would be best to let you all know I have Vista(shudders).

Fascinating!

I was one of those who found it impossible to get Nautilus to run in XP, so made use of Metzomagic's (Steve's?) Virtual PC to play the game.

However, having spent so many long and frustrating hours on battling in XP, I follow the various threads on Nautilus with interest, and I tried KingKnightRider's trick with the Escape key. And what do you know - it worked for me.

I loaded in W2000 compatibility, cancelled WMP 7.1, turned off AVG, hit Escape as soon as I heard "The" - and ended up in the decompression chamber. After a few forays around the room and the Diving Gear room, I saved the game and exited. When I restarted the game, I loaded the Save and away I went.

Am I just one of the lucky ones, or can most folk now Escape out of the XP/Nautilus cul-de-sac?

Thanks, KKR.

petert

Curiouser and curiouser, said Alice.

I have just uninstalled Nautilus from my PC, and reinstalled it in XP.
No messing about with compatibility modes, no adjusting audio and video accelerations, no trying to find WMP 7.1, no downloading of codecs, and with AVG still running. And when I hit the 'play' icon the game seems to freeze, but when I hit 'Escape', away I go, into the decompression chamber!!

Would be nice to know if other folk have the same success.

petert

This is really incredible if indeed this is all it is going to take to get the game to run in Windows XP; I will have to try it out and report back my findings!

It will take more than hitting the [ESC] to get this game to run on all WinXP systems. It does not work on mine.

This technique assumes the only problem is with the game start. On my WinXP system, the game crashes the system when attempting to play logos.wmv which is the Dreamcatcher T-Bot intro.
It is not the wmv file itself, because it will play directly with several versions of Media Player. The problem is the manner in which nautilus.exe calls Media Player.