Planet M.U.L.E.

I downloaded yesterday, and I haven't got it running.
Windows Vista 64 bit, Nvidea 8400 video card.

My first download was version 1.2.3 (apparently I got in just before upgrade.) I asked for a local game (not having set up an account) The game start screen appeared OK (this one time.) When I pressed 'J' to join and 'A' for A.I.s, nothing happened on the game screen - I only know something was supposed to because I later watched the instructional video. I do get messages like "Winston Pettygrew-Smythe joined the game in slot 1", "Added computer player <A.L.A.N.>" in the frame when I press J and A.

On all subsequent attempts, the main game screen simply doesn't appear: The frame around the screen is fine (e.g. I can enter chat messages) but where the game should appear is a hole: I can see other windows throught it, it is completely transparent. (THis is after 'new game' from lobby. Everything up to this point seems fine.)

On one of the attempts to play, it prompted me to download version 1.2.4, which I have done. I have installed the latest video driver, and the latest Java, it makes no difference. Nor does it make a difference if I play with www.planetmule.com as the host. (All games I've attempted have been training games.)

I do have another (A.T.I.) video card I could try if it seems likely to help - I'm using the slower-but-not-flakey card at the moment.

Here's a log from an attempt to play the game (I 'disconnect'ed to terminate the game.)

 INFO [Properties.<init>]                           VERSION: 1.2.4
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Classpath: data.jar
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Java VM: 14.0-b16
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Java Runtime: 1.6.0_14-b08
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           OS: Windows Vista 6.0 x86
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Java Library Path: lib
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Max Memory: 266403840
  INFO [Properties.<init>]                           Avaialble Processors: 2
  INFO [PropertiesBase.readFromFile]                 Reading Settings from file settings.txt
  INFO [SubstanceLoader.initLookAndFeel]             Window Skin: Business
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         Enabling Adam's AI (Not Mac)
  INFO [Main.main]                                   lpSolve: 5.5 Release 0 Build 15
  INFO [SoundPlayer.initialize]                      Initializing Sound System
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         Initialising sounds..
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         - Sound works
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         - 64 OpenAL source available
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         - Sounds source generated
  INFO [MasterClient.close]                          MasterServer: Closing...
  INFO [MasterClient.close]                          MasterServer: Closed (8ms)
  INFO [MetaFrame.<init>]                            Creating Meta Frame
  INFO [MapSkinParser.findSkins]                     No extra skins found
  INFO [MasterClient.logSend]                        MasterClient: Sending Enter Lobby
  INFO [Login.dispose]                               Disposing login
  INFO [Main.main]                                   Creating game container
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    LWJGL Version: 2.4.2
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Desktop Display Mode: 1920 x 1200 x 32 @60Hz
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Current Display Mode: 1920 x 1200 x 32 @60Hz
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Display Adapter: nvd3dumx,nvwgf2umx,nvwgf2umx
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Display Driver: null
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.setVSync]                  Setting vsync: true
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Setting pixel format
  INFO [MuleGameContainer$1.run]                     Pixel format: Samples=0 Alpha=0 Depth=8 Stencil=0
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    GL Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    GL Renderer: GeForce 8400 GS/PCI/SSE2
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    GL Version: 3.2.0
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    GL Max Texture Size: null
  INFO [SlickLogSystem.info]                         Use Java PNG Loader = true
  INFO [MuleGameContainer.<init>]                    Display finished
  INFO [Main.main]                                   Entering game loop

Looks like the same problem 64-bit Linux users have.

I don't use windows, but the solution is very likely the same thing or similar to what we had to do. Take a look in the Linux thread.

I don't see anything obvious that could be wrong and it's not related to the Linux 64bit issue. I suspect there is a problem with the video card drivers. Please try pressing F5 to go to fullscreen mode and see if that helps.

Going to fullscreen with f5 works, thank you.

Incidentally, task manager shows the process as "java.exe *32", so it looks like I have 32 bit java - that might be part of the puzzle.

Does the game screen appear in the frame if you press F5 to go to fullscreen and then press F5 again to go back to windowed mode?