Hey, venus,

I moved us over to tell you that the suggestions I got, to run the game as Admin and/or to put the game somewhere other than Program Files X86 (or wherever GOG wants to install it), don't work.

I emailed GOG for help, too, on the theory that it wouldn't hurt for them to know it's not just you. <g>

And our problem is, in case anyone else is interested, that the game blinks out of existence as soon as you hit Save or Reload. I'm running Win7 Pro 64 bit.

Gil.

Is this the Director's Cut version that GOG has or the original version of the game from 1996.

If you've got the original version from 1996, you might try playing the DOS version of it in DOSBox.

The Director's Cut version (released in 2010) may have been updated to allow it to run from C:\Program Files on newer operating systems, which would mean that isn't the problem.

Hey, Jenny,

This is the original Broken Sword but GOG has released it with ScummVM already installed with the game so there's no way, I'd think, that I could try to play it with D-Fend Reloaded (being a nincompoop when it comes to DOSBox).

GOG has released the original version of the game free as a bonus if you have or buy the DC.

Gil.

If you mean playing the original from someplace other than GOG, that's a no hoper. It's not available anywhere else that I know of. GOG persuaded Charles Cecil to let them provide the game because there was so much call for it.

Here you are Traveler a place to buy the original. I bought this exact one from these guys a couple years ago they still have it.

Sold Out

Yes I meant that one -- the one that was published on CD in 1996. If GOG has added ScummVM to it, it isn't exactly the original version any more, so no you probably wouldn't try it with DOSBox.

The ScummVM site has cut scene packs for Broken Sword. I don't know if they'd help or not.
http://www.scummvm.org/downloads/
scroll down to the bottom of the page for the Broken Sword downloads.

I'm afraid they won't be much use, Jenny. The game plays just fine, no problem with cut scenes, it simply goes bye-bye when you try to reload or save it.

Thanks anyway,

Gil.

venus, we may have a possible solution but the solution comes with a problem of its own.

Someone on the GOG forum stopped the game from crashing by creating a folder on his C drive called SAVES. Then he edited the sword1.ini file and pointed the save path to the folder he created, i.e., changing the savepath to C:\SAVES

Another said that instead of making a new folder he enclosed the savepath in quotes: savepath="D:\Games\Broken Sword - The Shadow of the Templars\"

Well, that's great, but looking in the game file location, I don't see any sword1.ini file. Sheesh, if it ain't one thing, it's another.

Gil.

Btw, he theorized that the original savepath was too long and that's why the game crashed.

Maybe that's part of the problem. Ask him to send you his Sword.ini file, then go through it and edit it for your computer.

Well...I am not too computer savvy, Jenny. The first time I looked for sword1.ini, I opened the file location from the desktop icon instead of going to Computer as I should have and working my way to the game files. When I did that, I found sword1.ini in Program Files(X86) and double clicked on it; notepad opened and I changed the savepath to C:\Games, a folder I'd created. Didn't work. I couldn't save the change. It told me that access was denied.

So, I uninstalled the game and reinstalled it in C:\Games. Then I tried the alternate solution and enclosed the savepath in quotes as "C:\Games\Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars\". For some reason, access wasn't denied for that.

So, I started the game, let George get out his first two sentences and then hit F5 and Save. It worked! Or seemed to. This time, instead of the game crashing, I got a list of saves and filled in the first one. Then I hit Save and blast it, an error message popped up: Unable to create file 'sword1.000' (The savepath "C:\Games\Broken Sword - The Shadow of the Templars\" does not exist)

So, I'm back at square one. I'm sure that somewhere inside ScummVM, there is a savepath that doesn't agree with the one I created. Well, fairly sure. But I don't know how to get at it. Or honestly, what to do if I did.

Gil.

Hi traveler,
As suggested by others with other games, have you tried playing it with Administrator mode?

Is there a way of making these folders shorter re: C:\Games\Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars to something like:

C:\Games\BS1\Shadow just to try it out, sometimes really old games do not like folders bigger than 8 characters.

Starcom,

C:\Games\Broken Sword - Shadow of the Templars\ is way shorter than the original which started out as C:\Program Files(X86) and all the rest of it.

I can't rename the entire game BS1, can I?

Nope, running as Admin doesn't work. Fortunately, the game does recognize Quit. <g>

Gil.

Not sure about renaming the entire folder to BS1, but each folder as:
BS1\Shadows.
If you try this, you will probably have to create a new desktop Icon from your game exe file to reflect the new path.

One other thing, when you installed the game, have you tried right from the installer to set the Compatability mode to Windows95, 98, etc., before installing?

No, I haven't. But the game plays just fine as it is. Do you think setting the compatibility to something else will affect ScummVM and/or fix the crash when I save or reload?

Sorry, I'm just getting really turned around here. Next thing you know, I'll be banging my head on the monitor.

Gil.

Well I wouldn't want you to BANG your head on the Monitor, so best to wait for other experieced help with other possible solutions.

But if worse comes to worse and no more solutions come along in the next few days, then I would roll up my sleeves and try it.

Heck, I would try the Compatability mode righ now (wihout re-installing), start with Win95 and if you can, place a checkmark in some of the Settings, especially the ones with:
1)Run in 640 X 480 Screen Resolution
2)Disable Visual Themes

In the Privilege Level
Run the Prog. as an Admin.

venus,

I tried everything suggested on GOG but nothing worked until someone said that he loaded the files in ScummVM and it worked. Well, what could I lose by trying it? I had ScummVM loaded on my computer (not that I had the slightest idea how to use it) so from something I read on that program, I decided to let the game install in the default location (Program Files X86 for me) but closed out and didn't launch it.

I opened ScummVM and went to Options. Under Paths at the top right, I chose the game file as the save path. Under Graphics, I chose aspect ratio correction and full screen. Honestly, I don't remember if I chose Load Game or not; I was nervous messing around with this. But it's playing just fine, it saves and reloads without crashing. I just have to open ScummVM and double click on the game's name to launch it.

Gil.

Traveler, thanks so much! It worked!

I actually thought of adding the game to ScummVM initially but was unable to figure out how to do it. I did it a bit differently than you did. (I think. Unless you did this part as well.) I've always chosen "Add Game" in the past for all of my old Lucas Arts and Westwood games. I'd thought of adding Broken Sword yesterday, but I was unable to find its location.

However, as soon as you mentioned Program Files X86, I was able to find it. I had been looking under the wrong directory. (Actually several wrong directories.)

Anyway, now it saves and loads perfectly. Thanks so much for your suggestion! Off to play the game now.

Lol! More than likely I did hit Add Game as I was blundering through.

You're probably like me and don't pay much attention to the installer when you install a game but next time watch where it says it's putting the game. It will tell you and you won't have to scrabble through all those wrong directories. <g>

Aw, man, this is great, isn't it? Still gonna play the DC first? (So far, I like the DC better but I'm too curious to stop now!)

Gil.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind for next time. I may need to be more aware when I eventually pick up part 2, if it has the same issue.

Yes, this is great! I think I like the DC a little better as well because of the ability to play as Nico. I always enjoy games where you can play more than one character, plus the situation with the mime really added some nice extra back story.

I'm still sticking with the original first, though because I want to see what was added to the DC when I get around to it. They're both addictive.

Which are you starting with? Have you played the original before?

I've already played the Director's Cut - which shouldn't give you any trouble at all saving and restoring - and loved it; the original game is new to me. I'm playing the original to see what was cut, what was added to the DC other than Nico and that lock puzzle I enjoy so much, and if any of the other puzzles are different. I already know the old goat is going to be a pain in the original so I'm bracing for that. <g>

Still jazzed,

Gil.