Kings Quest I VGA Memory problem

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Peter Swinkels · #1 Post by **Peter Swinkels** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:00 pm

When ever I try running Kings Quest I VGA I get this error message:

The only way to solve it is closing several programs such as MSN Messenger and the Virus Scanner. The stange thing is that Kings Quest II VGA works fine without closing any programs while the memory it needs is twice as much. Also I think that some programs running in the background aren't likely to use so much memory out of 128mb that a program that requires only 16mb couldn't run.

Here is some system information from DirectX 9.0:

adeyke · #2 Post by **adeyke** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:45 pm

I'd say your page file is way too small. 76 megabytes is nothing. Personally, I'd recommend boosting that to a gigabyte, or, at the very least, 512 megabytes. You do need to have that much free hard disk space, of course. However, with modern hard disk sizes and prices, that shouldn't be a problem.

Peter Swinkels · #3 Post by **Peter Swinkels** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 7:58 pm

All right let's say the page file is too small, why would this be a problem for Kings Quest I VGA which supposedly only requires 16mb but not for King's Quest II VGA which requires 32mb?

If it weren't for King's Quest II VGA working just fine I would agree that the page file might be too small.

dosuser · #4 Post by **dosuser** » Sun Aug 22, 2004 8:38 pm

This is due to a bug in the AGS version that KQ1VGA was compiled with, where it allocates far more memory than it actually needs.

The bug was then fixed before KQ2VGA was released, which is why that works without problems.

So yes, KQ1 actually attempts to allocate in the region of 120 MB of RAM, but it's not supposed to.

Peter Swinkels · #5 Post by **Peter Swinkels** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:17 pm

I suspected something like that. Wouldn't recompiling Kings Quest I VGA with a newer version of AGS solve this problem? I don't think it could be that much work to do. But I could be wrong :-)

#6 Post by **Erpy** » Mon Aug 23, 2004 1:32 pm

Compiling in itself is not. But we uphold a rather high threshold for new versions of our games, as far as rare or non-fatal bugs go. Perhaps we'll release a new version of the game when we have created a new logo-animation and fix that issue in the process.

catwoman55 · #7 Post by **catwoman55** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 12:40 pm

Yup, I am having exactly the same probs you do on my old Win 2000 machine which still matches all the config needs stated on the KQ1 page here.

I have also been trying various tools, such as newer drivers etc., but nothing helped.

The AdGame Icon sits in the task bar for hours, slowing down the mouse to the utmost pain limit, and nothing happens. Sometimes, after a while I get the same message you do, and sometimes, I just have to reboot.

Very annoying.

I uninstalled the game. Too bad as I am sure that I would have enjoyed it.

Cat

Peter Swinkels · #8 Post by **Peter Swinkels** » Thu Sep 23, 2004 4:11 pm

Annoying indeed, I don't see why just fixing the bug and updating the game would be that much of a problem, as I understand it there are more bugs that could be fixed.

Compiling in itself is not. But we uphold a rather high threshold for new versions of our games, as far as rare or non-fatal bugs go.

Isn't a severe memory problem including some other bugs enough to cross that threshold? I think that a program attempting to allocate 8 times the memory it needs has a nasty bug that needs fixing.

catwoman55 · #9 Post by **catwoman55** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 8:18 am

I agree 100%.

Too bad that - and not only here - I have observed this kind of attitude: "What, your game/sw doesn't work? Upgrade to XP, buy a new comp, get more mem, get a new HD" etc. in infinitum in many other forums.

Maybe it's a conspiracy to keep the computer industry alive??

Cat

anathoth8 · #10 Post by **anathoth8** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 2:54 pm

I hate to be negative about AGDI, considering all the wonderful work that they have done. However, this sometimes starts to sound like Sierra themselves back in those days.

"There is no fix for this problem. Just don't do that."

#11 Post by **navynuke04** » Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:43 pm

I wouldn't be surprised to see another version released at some point in the future. After the new AGDI logo is finished for QFG2VGA, they'll probably want to use it in KQ1VGA and KQ2VGA also. Erpy has already stated that if we release another version of the game, all the bugs will be taken care of.

catwoman55 · #12 Post by **catwoman55** » Tue Sep 28, 2004 7:58 am

@ Peter Swinkels:

You made me curious, do last night I downloaded KQ2... without speech and music just to start with. And - unbelievable but true - it's running smoothly so far. Quiet, but fine.

Cat

drizzle · #13 Post by **drizzle** » Tue May 10, 2005 1:11 am

I also look forward to a memory bugfix release of this game...

Kings Quest I VGA Memory problem

Kings Quest I VGA Memory problem

@Peter Swinkels