UI disappears
 

I didn't find this on the bug threads, and I doubt I'd be the first to discover it; hence I am assuming it is a rare or heavily contingent problem.
My commander interface (where I can select and order commanders from time to time- don't know what forum regulars call it) would disappear sometimes. Usually this happened when I would exit the army screen in an ongoing game. I was able to assuage this by just restarting the game, sometimes repeatedly.
I could definitely deal with that, though.
Recently, however, I got a virus, so I had to reformat and restore and et cetera (I did manage to salvage my saved gamse, fortunately). Whence I reinstalled Dominions (first game I installed!) and patched and so on, I proceeded to try and play it.
All miseries conjunct, my once intermittent problem of my commander interface disappearing seems to have evolved: if I so much as select a different province, everything vanishes. Armies, forts, province data, magic sites; my entire user interface has ceased to exist. All I can see is some well-drawn map.
No hotkeys or anything works, I have to close the program with the Task Manager.
My theories so far are: video card betraying me, DRM gone horribly wrong, some crucial file gone AWOL, or some remnant of that damned virus lives to thwart me again.
Thank you so much for any assistance.

Just wanted to add, don't enjoy contacting support (though they were very helpful before)- thus I'd like to see if the community would help me first.

Re: UI disappears
 

Do you use the space bar to open the commnders order screen?
It positions itself based on the mouse pointer position. So if your mouse pointer is at the right edge of the screen then the commands appear out of view.

Re: UI disappears
 

If the problem you had after reinstalling is what I suspect, you'll probably want to delete the whole directory and reinstall Dom3 from the CD, re-enter your CD key, etc. Totally fresh install, although you can save your saved games and maps/mods folders if you want.

-Max

Re: UI disappears
 

You sound like a pirate. I'm not saying you are one, but that's what you sound like to me.

Re: UI disappears
 

If so, he's pretty good at hiding it. I didn't spot a single 'arr', and no mentions of landlubbers OR booty.

...but, in all seriousness, trying to pirate the game will cause problems along the lines of those you're experiencing, which is why some might look at you with suspicion.

It's likely the case that the game doesn't like the CD-key it finds. To avoid reinstalling, you can move or rename the file named quite simply 'key' in your dominions 3 folder and then start the game. It should prompt you to re-enter your CD-key - make sure you type it in properly.

If you're still experiencing problems, and the CD-key is without doubt the one you received with your game, there's nothing to do but head over to customer support.

Re: UI disappears
 

Ok... I'll actually buy the game... *grumbles at the addictiveness of Dominions 3*
But when I do, all my saved games will be good, right?
I hope admitting to being a pirate then offering to repent isn't against forum rules.

Re: UI disappears
 

I don't know. They don't take kindly to yer kind 'round here.

Re: UI disappears
 

And yet I believe we should encourage repentance.

Re: UI disappears
 

Especially said repentance comes replete with a cash tithe. <3

Ultimately, he just played a really nice demo version, considering how much has been changed and improved with the patches.....

Re: UI disappears
 

Well, I've bought the game. It should arrive in about a week. Until then I suppose I'll walk on my knees and wear one of those Opus Dei barbed belts. Then maybe I'll light some incense and offer libations to the gods of computer gaming. What else could I do for pennance?
But seriously, this game's DRM is impressive. I remember patch 3.16 (or 3.15) would freeze the game every turn generation. Now, with a keygen, and without any registration requirements like with Stardock, my attempts at being cheap are still thwarted.
But seriosly, this game is worth the 50 bucks (and that DLed pdf manual was a female dog to use- I know, I'm so shameless I even pirated the manual).