KOTOR2 Gaming issues on Win Vista 64bit

Ok, so I've been driven demented since I bought this game. It was pain enough that it took me 4 CD's to install the game, but when I installed it, the game ran once before it decided not to work again. The error I kept getting was that it needed some NVidia Detonator drivers 45.23 before it would work. Now I searched the web and tried to find these drivers for Vista 64bit. I eventually found it, downloaded it and installed it. Tried to run the game again, still no work. I updated my drivers for my graphics card. Still no luck getting the game to run. I can't even update the game at the moment as it tells me it can't find the update file.

So in the normal fashion, I decided GIYF (google is your friend), I googled the error I was getting and I came across some official Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 forums. Their first recommendation which helped to find the core of the problem, is to turn off sound in the configure menu. The game can now be played without problems, however without sounds. Playing the game without sound is unnacceptable though. I actually found out the issue is actually with the file mss32.dll. This is the Miles sound driver that is used in the game. The forums recommended downloading another version of this file. Unfortunately, their links were dead and I only found one arhaic version of this file which made no difference at all. So assuming that the game is using the same driver as it's predecessor, KOTOR1, I decided to try something mad. Now I've just recently finished the first game, so I still have it installed. I decided to copy the mss32.dll file from the KOTOR directory into the SWKOTOR2 directory. Tried to launch the game again and lo and behold it works without a problem. I've now progressed a fair amount in the game without seeing any problems.

What I don't understand is, that the version of mss32.dll for KOTOR2 is 6.6.7.0 and the one I replaced it with is 3.0.0.0. In my thinking, I would assume this would not work, however, I was wrong. So anyone having a problem with KOTOR2, try the older version of mss32.dll, it's much better than playing the game without sound.

Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra

On Saturday night, my lovely girlfriend brought me to see Bill Bailey's Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra. Now I've been dying to see Bill Bailey for some time, I've seen a load of his DVD's: Cosmic Jam, Part Troll, Tinselworm and many more. He's a very well spoken, talented, musical genius. He always tries to intertwine music and comedy and he does so in a magnificent fashion.
In this Remarkable Guide to the Orchestra, he has gone one step further to making his show almost completely musical in nature. He tries to educate people like myself who can't tell the difference between an oboe and a trumpet. He brings us around each instrument and uses popular music and theme tunes from shows to help us remember and understand the magic that is the orchestra. Memorable moments include Mr. Bailey introducing us to the Oboe with the a classical piece, he then gently strips away all the instruments to show us that the oboe was in fact playing the tune to Staying Alive by the BeeGees.
From Nokia ring tones to the theme tune of Emmerdale Farm and Alpine cow bells, he shows us all that orchestral music makes everything sound epic.

An incredible show, I'd recommend it to everyone.

Yesterday I got the best email ever in the world. EA finally sent me an invitation to take part in their Beta program for Command & Conquer 4. It's the final in the Command & Conquer series. As far as I know, EA are only handing out these invitations to contest winners. The contest was to come up with the name for the final game in the series. Now I know my entry was Tiberium Twilight and the winner was Tiberian Twilight. So I'm a little unsure about how I got it. Still though, I'm happy as Larry. Unfortunately I'm under an NDA with EA, the only information I'm allowed disclose is that I'm a part of the Beta Program. I'm not allowed mention anything about what new units, gameplay or anything to do with the game.
I will however let you know that it is shaping up quite nicely and I will thoroughly enjoy being part of the Beta Program. Believe me, when it's finished it will be well worth the wait.

I believe I will go ahead and pre-order the game as well, when it is released. With the pre-order comes an autographed photo of Kain. I can't wait.