Why won't my game play on my friends computer?

This is one of the questions which is asked repeatedly in the forum.  Hopefully this resource will become a "point to" answer to help the new comer, and relieve the veterans of repeating the information.

As with any software you may buy online or at the store, there are a number of requirements that must be met for anyone to successfully use it.  There is always that odd system setup or combination of software programs that will create a situation where your game just won't play, but if you ensure that the following requirements are met, you should enjoy a ninety-nine percent success rate in sharing your games. 

When you share your games with a friend, you must include all the files in the game folder.  There should be a minimum of four items in your game folder (the game exe, the files folder,  and two .ini files) and any others you wish to include, such as instructions, images, etc.  

These files must be on your friends hard drive in order for him to play the game.  Because some of the files must be uncompressed, the game cannot be played from a CD or DVD.  The files may be copied to his hard drive, or you can include an installer to do the job for him.  An installer will insure that you friends place all the files in the proper location, and create shortcuts for the game and uninstall feature. See the resources at the bottom of the page for links.

Another thing you may want to include with your game is a readme.txt file or instructions file, to explain the basic install and play procedures to your friends.  You can also include a small utility to check the players system for compatibility.   See the resources at the bottom of the page for links.

Once you have done your part, your friend needs to do his.  These are the requirements for another system to play your game:

1. Minimum system requirements.  

Just as your system had to meet a certain level of compatibility or performance to build the game, so must the system on which the game will be played.  The minimum system requirements for FPSC V1 games are:

  1. Windows 2000 or newer operating system.  These include Windows 2000, XP, or Vista.
  2. A Pentium III 1Ghz or faster processor.
  3. A least 512MB of system memory, more if the video card uses system memory. 
  4. A DirectX 9.0C compatible graphics card with a minimum of 64MB memory
  5. Enough hard drive space to install the game and maintain sufficient space for virtual memory.

Remember that these are the minimum requirements, and how well the game plays will depend on how much the system exceeds them. 

2. DirectX

This one is probably the most difficult to ensure.  I've heard it said many times, "He has DirectX  9.0c, but it still won't play.   Your friend should download and install the latest version of DirectX 9.0c.  His version may be many months old, and your game may require the very latest version.  See the resources at the bottom of the page for links.

3. Graphics drivers.

Once again, it is important that you friend have the latest drivers for his graphics card.  Some of the features you build into your game will need the latest 3d enhancements to his card.  Most times, the manufacturers website is the best source for updated drivers. See the resources at the bottom of the page for links.

 

Resources: