Avengers v3.0 startup issues...

[Kyle]

First time mod user for Freedom Force, so forgive me in advance for any "rookie" errors.   

I'm trying to play the Campaign in the Avengers v. 3.0 mod. 

Following its Readme exactly, after I alter the startup shortcut, I get the following whenever I try to Apply the alterations:

The name 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Irrational Games\Freedom Force\fforce.exe -game avengers -log' specified in the target box is not valid. Make sure the path and file name are correct.

I've found other posters here who encountered the nearly-same Error Message, but they typically had a spelling/spacing issue throwing off the accuracy of their coding alterations, while as far as I can tell, don't.

That said, I'm wondering if there's any chance that where my Win. 7 64-bit Professional edition has installed Freedom Force, is keeping the shortcut from being altered.  I have experienced VERY similar headaches with installing Unreal Tournament 2004 (and older titles) on my system.  I typically have to uninstall it from the Program Files (x86) and then do a fresh install into the regular Program Files to get it to work.  Could the same apply to this, or...?

I did some poking around in the avengers directory, and found an avengers batch file, which I launched from, but that, I believe, has its own errors as well.  The startup GUI screen has some wonderful George Perez Avengers art displayed, but whenever I start a new campaign, the following happens...

The Watcher is in a tense conversation with the Grandmaster, when the Hulk and Namor begin attacking the Watcher, and then, very shortly thereafter, the battle suddenly ends, and I'm at a screen that allows me to select my squadmates from a roster of available Avengers.   If I proceed with my selection, and then click on "Next" the chosen Avengers appear, and we're off to battle Hulk and Namor.  From the earlier dialogue between the Watcher and the Grandmaster, I'm supposed to be the Watcher, correct?   Is this supposed to happen, or is my running the mod from its batch file screwing this up and causing the Hulk and Namor to attach the Watcher? 

I don't know how many mods come with their own batch file, but, needless to say, I'd like to be able to launch mods normally, through altering the startup's shortcuts properties.  Thank you in advance.

[spydermann93]

Hmm... that is most strange. It would seem that the shortcut that you have set-up is correct.

I'm not too experienced with mods for , but the only possible issue that I can think of is that the mod is installed to a different directory.

[Kyle]

the only possible issue that I can think of is that the mod is installed to a different directory

Ugh!  I was afraid someone would say that...   

It really bothers me that MS programmed Win. 7 to automatically dump "older" games into the Program Files (x86) directory when a third of the time it's going to cause issues with the program running correctly.  I'll wait a bit longer and check this thread again to see if anyone else confirms my suspicions.  I hate uninstalling/reinstalling programs over an issue as perfectly avoidable as this. 

Thank you for your input!

[spydermann93]

Quick question:

Do you still have "User Account Control" on? That may be causing the issue, as it installs part of whatever you download to a "VirtualStore" folder, and with some games, that really messes them up.

[Kyle]

I've installed/reinstalled Freedom Force FOUR times today, trying different directories, all of which were NOT inside the Program Files (x86) structure, and NONE of them allowed me to completely Apply the following to get the Avengers 3.0 mod to launch:

"C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force\fforce.exe -game avengers -log"

The above directory path was my last installation of it (as this path matches exactly what so many others have used before I'm going to keep it there now).

During the reinstallation of FF, my computer crashed, and I then spent nearly an hour trying to uninstall it.  In the end, I had to use System Restore.  NOT fun.

Do you still have "User Account Control" on?

Yes, but this is the first time I've ever heard of it being able to interfere with games.  I just shut it off, and I'm rebooting now.  Hopefully it'll allow me to make the changes to the shortcuts.  Will report more as I learn about it.

[Kyle]

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    Do you still have "User Account Control" on?

Yes, but this is the first time I've ever heard of it being able to interfere with games.  I just shut it off, and I'm rebooting now.  Hopefully it'll allow me to make the changes to the shortcuts.  Will report more as I learn about it.

DIDN'T work!   

Wow.  This is such a major bummer.  If my system won't allow me to alter the Properties of the shortcut for this game, then that means a TON of mods will be completely unplayable to me, since most of them do not come with a BATCH file like Avengers 3.0 does. 

Any other advice that could help me workaround this issue? 

[spydermann93]

I'll install FF and the Avengers mod (I believe I actually have the same game that you do) and see what I can come up with.

I too have Windows 7, so I'll see what method works best.

[Kyle]

MIRACLES happen!

I got the Avengers 3.0 to launch from an altered startup, but it's a fluke that I even stumbled upon it.

Here's what I did - I altered the path name by changing the placement of the ".  This is what it looks like for me, I was able to Apply it, and the mod started perfectly:

"C:\Program Files\Irrational Games\Freedom Force\fforce.exe" -game avengers -log

Yeah, so I'm quite happy now, and my 4 year old son loved watching the battle between Captain America, Iron Man, Antman and Thor against Namor and Hulk.   

All of the above said, I still feel that if it's at all possible for one of us to test this out that it will be very worthwhile to know for a certainty, in case anyone else runs into the same problem.

Spydermann93, thank you for going through all of the trouble to install your version of FF to test out what's happening on my behalf.  You ROCK!  

Later tonight, I'll try launching a DC universe based mod with an altered shortcut, and if it won't launch, I'll structure the pathway with the " moved in the same way as defined above.  Looking forward to your report on your experiences spyderman93.