ProFantasy software is being stupid, please help

[EpicBradley129]

So I've finally gotten around to actually downloading mapping software, and just downloading it is giving me a headache-inducing amount of trouble. I downloaded ProFantasy's World Builder bundle, i.e., Campaign Cartographer 3 Plus, City Designer 3, Dungeon Designer 3, and Fractal Terrains 3. CC3+ downloaded fine and seems to work, but everything else has been a nightmare.


First of all, everything downloads really slowly. Like, CC3+ and CD3 took half an hour each to download. FT3 seemed to download much quicker. This is not a problem per se, but does anyone know why this might be so?



I downloaded CD3 fine, but when I tried to install it it told me it couldn't find CC3+ on my computer, even though I had literally just downloaded it and it was actually open at the time. I downloaded CC3+ to the directory C:\Users\User\Documents\My Games\Profantasy\CC3Plus, which is not the default place to save. I don't think this should be a problem, but it's the only thing I can think of that could have gone wrong.



FT3 downloaded and installed fine, and when I ran it right after installation it opened fine, but then when I closed it and tried to reopen it through a start menu icon, at first it wouldn't open, and then it gave me a message saying that FT3 needed a program that wasn't on my computer to run, even though it had already opened once, and I've used the demo extensively with no problems. The exact message is "Fractal Terrains 3 Demo on your PC needs the following Windows feature: DirectPlay".

When I tried to install the feature, it just gave me the error message "The function attempted to use a name that is reserved for use by another transaction. Error code: 0x80071A90" and directed me to this help website:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2734782

I have no idea what's wrong and it's incredibly frustrating. Moreover, when I told the thing to run FT3 without installing the feature, FT3 opened fine, or at least seemed to. Then I noticed that the version I had was 3.0.4, and the current version is 3.0.12, so I tried to update FT3. I downloaded and installed the update, but when I open FT3 I'm still stuck with v3.0.4.

I should note that in trying to open FT3, I went into the program folders and clicked on the file "FT.exe," which looks like it's the same thing as the start menu shortcut. I think it is, because it opens FT3 fine, and without the above error message, but it too is stuck on v3.0.4.

I should also note that I installed FT3 into the same directory as CC3+: C:\Users\User\Documents\My Games\Profantasy\FT3



I haven't tried downloading DD3 yet because I imagine I'll run into a similar problem as for CD3. This is incredibly frustrating, please help!

[Mouse]

I think you might find it more useful to ask the same question on the Profantasy forum, where the original coders hang out with the users. If they don't know the answer, then no one does. Visit https://secure.profantasy.com/default.asp, and choose Community/Forum from the menu.

I did all my installation into the default location and have never had a moments trouble, so I really can't help you, other than make the suggestion, and ponder the questions out loud (see below)

EDIT:

On the point of the speed of the download, the software just happens to be that size because of the stupendously massive stock of images and textures that come with it, so downloading depends on the speed of your broadband. As a rough guide It took about the same time for me to download it, and I rely on 3G mobile broadband, which is reputed to be slower than conventional broadband, but hey, it seems to work perfectly fine for me

On the point of having CC3+ open while installing its add ons - I think that might have been a mistake, but again you would have to ask the coders.

On the point of the demo message... well that might indicate that you have yet to register your software, but that's only a guess.

On all the FT3 issues... well, I really do not have a clue what went wrong there. Sorry!

Did you buy the software from Profantasy directly, or was it a third party vendor?

[waldronate]

The most likely cause of the download speed problem is just bad luck. ProFantasy is using Amazon services for their hosting and if you get a bad connection or a file that isn't cached fairly close to you, then downloads can be slow.

Generally speaking, CCx requires that you start and exit the program between installations. The system core is a rather elderly bit of software that is self-registering and does things both at startup and exit. It is a good idea to exit most software packages before trying to upgrade them (the add-ons for CCx are upgrades). In the case of CCx, you should also run the most recent update from the web site after installing any add-ons.

Modern installers have a nasty habit of inserting themselves between the shortcuts that they make and the actual program. They do this so that they can verify package integrity as a first line of defense against nasty malware packages that might try to inject inappropriate DLLs into directories. FT 3.0.4 is almost five years old now and the installer's understanding of what the OS needs to have may have changed. I am told that there will be a new FT3 update out around GenCon this year that should fix some bugs in the river generation system.

Note that FT has never had any .NET dependencies, but there have been installer versions that do. FT also shouldn't need DirectPlay, but it's possible that the subsystem that FT does use (the elderly video for windows) may have a dependency on DirectPlay with your particular configuration of OS and drivers.

If FT3 is giving you a message about the demo version, you may want to uninstall the demo version and then install the main version and then the update.

[Mouse]

All the updates for all your packages will be available from your account page on the Profantasy site, once you have registered your purchase. At least... that's how it worked for me, but you do have to register your software to get them

I'm too lazy to type it all out, so here is a screen shot list of the latest updates for CC3 (CC3) and CC3 Plus (CC3+):

[EpicBradley129]

Thanks for your responses guys.

Update: I uninstalled the FT3 Demo, FT3 and the FT3 update like waldronate suggested, then reinstalled FT3. FT3 opened fine just after installation, but when I opened FT3 from the start menu option "Launch FT3," I got a similar error message, but this time saying that "Launch FT3 [as opposed to "Fractal Terrains 3 Demo"] on your PC needs the following Windows feature: DirectPlay." When I canceled out of that message, FT3 opened like it did before. Then I tried opening FT3 from the desktop icon, which before I deleted, and it opened without a fuss. So is this DirectPlay thing only a problem for the start menu launch icon? The program should still work fine? Will it work if I open FT3 from the start menu and just ignore that message, or should I open FT3 from the desktop icon? I like to keep my desktop free of icons, so I'd rather be able to delete the FT3 desktop icon.

For updating FT3 to v3.0.12, I think I might know what the problem was. Last time when I installed the update, it didn't ask me to choose a directory to install in, it just automatically searched for and found FT3 on my computer. This time when I went to install the update, it told me it could not find FT3 automatically and asked me to select the destination folder to install in. I think last time the update found the FT3 Demo rather than the full program, since I downloaded FT3 in a directory that wasn't in Program Files. This time the demo was no longer on my computer, so it couldn't download to the demo. This should solve my problem with not being able to update. One thing: where within the FT3 folder should I download the update? Should I just install it into the directory C:\Users\User\Documents\My Games\Profantasy\FT3, or is there a specific folder within the FT3 folder that I should install the update in (e.g., C:\Users\User\Documents\My Games\Profantasy\FT3\System)?

Did you buy the software from Profantasy directly, or was it a third party vendor?

I bought the software from the ProFantasy website directly, so there shouldn't be a problem with that.

EDIT: I tried reinstalling CD3 and it worked this time. So that's good.

EDIT #2: I reinstalled the v3.0.12 update for FT3 in the general FT3 folder (C:\Users\User\Documents\My Games\Profantasy\FT3), and then when I opened FT3 from the start menu, it opened without any error messages and opened as v3.0.12 instead of v3.0.4. So I guess that problem just resolved itself. With that, I've successfully downloaded all four programs, so I think I'm good now. Thanks you guys for all your help!

[Mouse]

I have never bothered with the start menu option, so I wouldn't know if that was normal. I only ever use the desktop shortcut. I really and honestly can't remember how the update installed on my machine, because the installation programme did it all automatically, and I never changed any of the destination folders on any of my PF software.

However, I can tell you that I got it wrong in one important sense, in that I somehow managed to install it as a user, and not an administrator, so if I want the programme to run properly I have to right click the desktop icon and choose run as administrator. Otherwise you can't really do much with the advanced export options for a start, which is I presume why you wanted FT3 in the first place

For a more technical answer, I'm afraid you will have to wait for Waldronate or someone else with a brain to come along and help (if you need any that is). I'm all techno'd out.

I hope you enjoy your new software

[waldronate]

The most important thing about installing FT3 (and CC3, but not CC3+) is that you install it into a location other than Program Files (or Program Files (x86)). Windows believes that only administrators should be able to modify the contents of those directories. FT3 believes that it is perfectly acceptable for it to store information in its own install directory. As you might expect in this war of the wills, Windows wins and FT3 won't properly save its updated information. I've had some discussions with it and it's considering mending its ways, but for now your best bet for a good experience is to just avoid installing to the Program Files place in the first place.

The issues with the start menu operation are probably due to the installer keeping you safe (or maybe Windows is keeping you safe: it's hard to be sure sometimes).

I am glad to hear that things have resolved themselves.