Incubation on Windows 2000

[Claw]

I got Incubation when it was released. From my somewhat faitn memories, it's a really cool, original game.
Now, I've been wanting to replay it for some time. Unfortunately, I can's get it to install on my Windows 2k PC.
I've been looking for instructions or patches online, but all I found assume that you can install the game and just have trouble running it.
But that's not the case for me. The installation aborts before copying the files from the CD. Copying the files manually doesn't work either. I already used the "compability mode" trick to get setup to start in the first place, but as mentioned it doesn't finish.

Maybe I have some strange version of Incubation and other releases can be installed fine. Anyway, does anyone know how to install an obstinate version of Incubation or can anyone tell me where I can download a version that doesn't have this problem?
HotU only offers a buy link and I don't feel like buying it when I have the original CD right here - not to mention there is no guarantee that it'll work. Apparently the game runs on every version of Windows except 2000.

I can tell you there are few things I hate as much as programmers who are so smart that they make their install routines detect the OS and tell me that it won't work and abort.

Any help is appreciated, naturally.


PS:

This thread might belong in the Gaming Help forum, although I'm not sure how many people would actually see it there. If most people are like me, they never go there. Whose brilliant idea was it to place a forum below Retardo Land in the list?

 

[cutterjohn]

How far along does the install get? (I suppose that it could really have finished installing, but something with win2k causes the installer to hang...) Also, have you tried more than one compatibility mode setting?

Other than that, I dunno what to say, as it's not likely to be missing a .DLL being that old...

[EDIT]
I still run win2k SP4 + updates myself, and have managed to get several recalcitrant games to install/run.

 

[Claw]

Every game is a unique snowflake. It's not an error. The installer aborts on purpose.

It does so after the installer has finished "initializing" and before starting the install. The compability mode can't hide the fact that the OS isn't Windows 95, which the program demands.

 

[AZ]

I works nicely on xp, even whit 3dfx emulation.

 

[Claw]

Now that was helpful.

 

[cutterjohn]

Give up and use Virtual PC?

 

[Jasede]

Try opening a dosprompt and run
regsvr32 %windir%apppatch/slayerui.dll,
then try again.

If that doesn't work... I am pretty sure there is a program switch for most installer programs that make it ignore Windows 2000's existence, but I think Incubation might be too old for that. Manually installing didn't work? You couldn't just uncab the files?

 

[Briosafreak]

I got Incubation when it was released. From my somewhat faint memories, it's a really cool, original game

Definitely.

 

[cutterjohn]

Try opening a dosprompt and run
regsvr32 %windir%apppatch/slayerui.dll,
then try again.

If that doesn't work... I am pretty sure there is a program switch for most installer programs that make it ignore Windows 2000's existence, but I think Incubation might be too old for that. Manually installing didn't work? You couldn't just uncab the files?

Jasede is correct, and it's something that I had entirely forgotten about, but many installer have some sort of command line switch like /nocheck that just basically tells the installer not to check OS compatibility but to go ahead and install. You might want to google around for installers and win2k, but you'd really need to know which installer they used. I'd hazard InstallShield from the time period, maybe... [EDIT] Buggy POS that it is...

 

[Claw]

Try opening a dosprompt and run
regsvr32 %windir%apppatch/slayerui.dll,
then try again.

If that doesn't work... I am pretty sure there is a program switch for most installer programs that make it ignore Windows 2000's existence, but I think Incubation might be too old for that. Manually installing didn't work? You couldn't just uncab the files?

There are no cab files. The files appear to be completely uncompressed, so I hoped simply copying would work. But Incubation.exe doesn't start the game, it just gives me the autorun menu: Install game, Install DirectX, Readme, Exit. In German, whatever.
I tried patching it, but that just broke it completely.

And it's InstallShield, but I haven't found any switch to turn OS detection off.

I suppose I could try installing it on a XP machine and then copy the installation. Maybe copy some registry keys. That'll take a while though.

PS: Or maybe I'll just try Virtual PC 2007, if it's not too complicated. I'm kinda lazy. I might just play Starcraft instead.

 

[cutterjohn]

I'll see if I still have some of the InstallShield(worthless fucking POS) docs kicking around, and IF there really was a no-check/force-install option, but no promises as god knows where it might be... Might be best to try a quick google...

 

[Claw]

To whom it may concern:

I finally got Incubation running. It does indeed run without any trouble on XP, so I installed it on an XP machine and then copied it to my own.
I assume copying the files from the CD would work just as well, except for one little detail: Incubation.exe looks for registry entries created during installation and without them you can't start the game.

By the way, Incubation also has a MP mode. Hmm.

 

[Dementia Praecox]

Kudos for updating. I fucking hate when people ask for help, get a bunch of tips, get it to work by some other means and then just leave the thread for dead. Or worse, they go all good for nothing "problem solved" without stating how they fucking solved it. That is ungratefulness on it's worse. It's disrespect for those who try to help. They are the worst kind of lowlife fucktards on the face of the planet. When I'm at loss with some retard problem, googling it will with almost 99% certainty spawn some a couple of forum-thread with someone as retarded as me asking that silly question. If it's a rather obscure question though, like this thing here, or for example one related to a FUCKED up random fucking SHIT crash bug, probably caused by interlacing and shitty fucking file formats, in Final Cut Pro: you can fucking rest assured that there is only one thread, just one, where someone ask that particular question. And you can then bloody well be damned to fucking DEATH if not that fucking RETARD who asked, got it to work, only to then to fucking FAIL to state how he GOD FUCKING DAMNED DID IT! Trust me when I say I just want to bite off my arm, and beat those fuckers to death with it. Several times over.

 

[Cthulhugoat]

Sorry for digging this thread, but I'm having some problems. Everything else works fine except for the cutscenes. They have no sound at all. Using compatibility modes doesn't change anything. Heeeelp?

 

[Deacdo]

I works nicely on xp, even whit 3dfx emulation.

3dfx emulation? What's that? I like a game called Blade of Darkness that had some trouble with non-voodoo cards. Would that help it work well?

 

[Claw]

Sorry for digging this thread, but I'm having some problems. Everything else works fine except for the cutscenes. They have no sound at all. Using compatibility modes doesn't change anything. Heeeelp?

You could try at the Incubation Data Archives. Here's a link to their FAQ which also includes an answer to your question:

http://s2.invisionfree.com/Incubation_F ... owtopic=53

 

[sqeecoo]

So is this game any good? Or is it just a bad/mediocre x-com clone?

 

[Shagnak]

I like a game called Blade of Darkness that had some trouble with non-voodoo cards. Would that help it work well?

What trouble is that meant to be, exactly?

It's just that I've only ever played it on non-Voodoo cards, and with no issues.
In fact, it was one of the free games that came with my Geforce 4 4200ti, back when they were the cards to have

(I got it in 2002, the game was released in 2001. Voodoo died in December 2000).

 

[Amasius]

So is this game any good? Or is it just a bad/mediocre x-com clone?

Incubation is a spin off of Blue Bytes Battle Isle series. Its an excellent turn-based tactical combat game in a real-time 3D environment.

 

[Deacdo]

I like a game called Blade of Darkness that had some trouble with non-voodoo cards. Would that help it work well?

What trouble is that meant to be, exactly?

It's just that I've only ever played it on non-Voodoo cards, and with no issues.
In fact, it was one of the free games that came with my Geforce 4 4200ti, back when they were the cards to have

(I got it in 2002, the game was released in 2001. Voodoo died in December 2000).

Must have been thinking Nvidea, then. I seem to recall there were problems with Radeon cards. I used a fan made patch to run it but it was pretty buggy.

 

[Claw]

So is this game any good? Or is it just a bad/mediocre x-com clone?

Where does your nickname come from?

 

[Amasius]

So is this game any good? Or is it just a bad/mediocre x-com clone?

Where does your nickname come from?

Hm, Sqeecoo / Squee'Coo - interesting coincidence.

 

[Cthulhugoat]

Sorry for digging this thread, but I'm having some problems. Everything else works fine except for the cutscenes. They have no sound at all. Using compatibility modes doesn't change anything. Heeeelp?

You could try at the Incubation Data Archives. Here's a link to their FAQ which also includes an answer to your question:

http://s2.invisionfree.com/Incubation_F ... owtopic=53

Thanks. I think I got a ripped version (110 MB), god damnit.