Joystick not working? Blank items in menus? READ THIS!

[CBJ]

Among other things, the problem with certain joysticks not working was fixed in the 1.2 patch. If you have not yet downloaded and installed it then please do so now.

If you have already downloaded and installed but still have problems with your joystick, or are experiencing lots of blank lines in menus, then please read on:

For a short period on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th October, a version of the patch was uploaded which, although it contained the correct files, did not install them correctly over your game. There are two solutions to this:

1. Download the patch again and reinstall it. The version available for download now has been fixed and will install correctly. You do not need to reinstall your game and can safely install it over your previous attempted patch.

2. Install the patch you have already download to an empty folder, anywhere you like, and copy the files across to the game folder manually. When creating the empty folder it may complain about there being no valid X³ installation at that location. Ignore this error, and when copying the files make sure you allow the copy process to overwrite any files it wishes to.

If you have done all this and are still having problems then please post elsewhere in this forum. Only post in this thread if you have questions about the above process.

[Addition by BurnIt!]
If you want to be sure, that the patch has been applied successfully, look at the filedate of the x3.exe - if it is October 28th 2005, everything is fine. Is it any older than that, the file has not been replaced with the correct version and you should re-apply the patch, following the steps above.

[KuduKilla]

Nice 1 CBJ. Whatever u done to the 1.2 patch has made all the difference - no more problems (yet)!

Now all I've got to do is make up for the lost 36 hours faffing around with my PC. Cheers bud

[proteus2]

Well, final attempt. 1.2 patch is being downloaded for the 4th time.

£190 quid, (£35 for the game and over £150 for a new graphics card, see how much I love you guys?) and 48 hours later, and still haven't played the game.

Total reinstall (twice) 1.2 patch (4 times as mentioned) updated Dx, WMP and god knows what elce, as well as a crash cource in hardware replacement and so far ive seen the sound problem, the video problem and the kicker is the <null invalid0> databace entries.

I realise you guys are under more financial/time pressure this time round what with the console release and all, but really, coulden't the testing process have been a LITTLE more robust?

I was willing to forgive you for X2, I had a cosy picture of bedroom coders made good, but this is ment to be a fully fledged commercial releace.

Disappointed. Thats all I can say. No matter whether the game ever works or not now the illusion is shattered.


EDIT: Finally got everything up and running last night. The game is everything I expected.
And I've learned a lot about the inside of my PC along the way. Stuff that I shoulden't have had to learn in todays icon driven plug-and-play world.
Lazy? perhaps, but I buy games for pleasure, not for a weekends frustration and de-bugging.
If as a fan of the series you are hardcore enough to work the problems through, you won't be disappointed. Otherwise, well, I'm sorry to say, I hope you kept your receipt.

[AlphaCentauri]

1 small problem when you install the 1.2 patch it doesent run on windows xp x64

[corodell]

Well I've waited many months for X3, I've upgraded my PC and can I play it? NO! Looks great, I more than meet the minimum specks but there are bugs in the controls (i.e. my joystick ATTACK3 doesn't work) and the right mouse button seams to have stopped working in game.

So I thought, I'll check for a patch! It's 75meg!!! With my dial-up connection it'll take close to 5 hours to download that. Much as I hate to say it, I'll be taking the game back tomorrow and see if I can get a refund. Very disapointed.

[DemaeRamen]

I've patched and repatched but I can't get my Logitech Wingman gamepad to behave on X3 even though it's fine on other games.

The throttle doesn't work for me. The twin sticks swap roles when I restart the game. One stick is off calibration (on this game only) so I always nudge downwards. And the autopilot is forever deactivating.

Other people have posted these wingman pad problems but I just saw this and wanted to make sure you knew 1.2 hadn't fixed that gamepad.

Sorry to keep up the gripes.

[Jietoh]

Among other things, the problem with certain joysticks not working was fixed in the 1.2 patch. If you have not yet downloaded and installed it then please do so now.

If you have already downloaded and installed but still have problems with your joystick, or are experiencing lots of blank lines in menus, then please read on:

For a short period on Friday 28th and Saturday 29th October, a version of the patch was uploaded which, although it contained the correct files, did not install them correctly over your game. There are two solutions to this:

1. Download the patch again and reinstall it. The version available for download now has been fixed and will install correctly. You do not need to reinstall your game and can safely install it over your previous attempted patch.

2. Install the patch you have already download to an empty folder, anywhere you like, and copy the files across to the game folder manually. When creating the empty folder it may complain about there being no valid X³ installation at that location. Ignore this error, and when copying the files make sure you allow the copy process to overwrite any files it wishes to.

If you have done all this and are still having problems then please post elsewhere in this forum. Only post in this thread if you have questions about the above process.

[Addition by BurnIt!]
If you want to be sure, that the patch has been applied successfully, look at the filedate of the x3.exe - if it is October 28th 2005, everything is fine. Is it any older than that, the file has not been replaced with the correct version and you should re-apply the patch, following the steps above.

CBJ,

Thanks for posting this. My only major problem so far has been the blank lines at the bottom of the screen.

I have a quick question regarding the patch...I have already upgraded to 1.2, but will reinstall based upon your post. However, if I reinstall the pacth...will I loose my saved games from the earlier version of 1.2? Thanks!

Regards,
Jietoh

[CBJ]

No, your savegames are safe.

[Ipecac]

I'm having a joystick problem; this seems like the place to get help.
I'm using a Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 and it mostly works. The only problem is the auto centering seems to be turned off in X3. The feedback works when you hit something, and the buttons all work as does the steering. Normally the joystick motors hold the stick at center, and you have to work against it to steer. During X3 it's just limp. The second I turn off X3 the motors kick back in. Any question how to get this working?[/i]

[alphalvr]

auto centre and flight/space sims dont go together, its not that its not working its just planes etc dont have autocentre.

its a ms sidewinder feature and i expect they could add it though

[Ipecac]

I think that's a really good point. I do think though that in airplane sims, auto center serves to simulate the resistance against the flaps etc. by the wind. Maybe it would be better if the ffb motors worked against your movement, but then slowly returned to center. That would be sweet. In space though, the stick should be centered because you're not using flaps to cause changes in velocity. If the stick was limp in a space ship, then you'd not be able to make fine adjustments because you'd have to constantly apply and then remove thrust, otherwise the thrusters would continue to fire. You'd rather just tap the stick and get a small adjustment. You dig?[/i]

[CBJ]

Chaps, this is not the thread in which to discuss issues with a particular joystick. The problem described affected most joysticks and manifested itself as a complete absense of function, not a minor issue with one particular feature.

For reference, the Force Feedback 2 joystick didn't return to centre in X² and is unlikely to in X³, apparently because of a limitation in the drivers which Microsoft, having desupported the product, are no longer updating. There is apparently a little utility you can download from somewhere (I don't have a link I'm afraid) called RTC.EXE which provides a workaround to this problem.

Anyway, if you wish to discuss this further then please do so elsewhere.

[shwaycat]

[Addition by BurnIt!]
If you want to be sure, that the patch has been applied successfully, look at the filedate of the x3.exe - if it is October 28th 2005, everything is fine. Is it any older than that, the file has not been replaced with the correct version and you should re-apply the patch, following the steps above.

When you say "filedate", do you mean Creation date or Modified date?

[angloempire]

cheers mate its took me long enough and cost a lot 2 i mean £300 for god sakes this game betta be worth it lol

[Ted400]

great download the patch and then fiddle forever to get the joystick working, life sucks when u dont have broadband out here it the sticks, any suggestions? shdunt this have been considered befoer the release? bleh

[fenix67]

My logitech Extreme 3D joystick, hasn't worked at all from day one, but it works fine in other games.

[Pow R Toc H]

I've patched and repatched but I can't get my Logitech Wingman gamepad to behave on X3 even though it's fine on other games.

The throttle doesn't work for me. The twin sticks swap roles when I restart the game. One stick is off calibration (on this game only) so I always nudge downwards. And the autopilot is forever deactivating.

Other people have posted these wingman pad problems but I just saw this and wanted to make sure you knew 1.2 hadn't fixed that gamepad.

Sorry to keep up the gripes.

Same here! My r/h stick acts as the throttle when moved up/down and sets the speed to mid lvl when untouched.I have the latest patch and have set my THROTTLE SLIDER to adjust speed in the profile but it doeesn't work at all.Anyone know of a fix?

[Sidargo]

I have a Logitech Rumblepad 2. It kind of works, though not as specified in the manual. The rudder is on the vertical axis of the second stick and its impossible to reassign it to the horizontal axis. It also is reversed (up = right, down = left) which pretty much makes it unusable. I now have the pleasure of manually reorienting my rolling profile by nudging solid objects on purpose.

FUBAR.

Cheers
Sid

[LLDB]

I have purchased the 2.0 version. When trying to purchase new ship, a big question mark floats in window instead. no pic of ship selected.

Will the 1.2 patch fix this even though it's version 2.0?
Is there a 2.0 cd patch?
Really dont want to use a hack and create a used ship yard to see a ship.

[CBJ]

The question mark is normal. You cannot apply the 1.2 patch over 2.0 - that would be going backwards. Why do you want a 2.0 patch if you already have 2.0? Why don't you just use the monitors to see a ship flying around if you want to know what it looks like before you buy it?