F2000 Mod Troubleshooting

[Keith Carter]

Let's let this thread live in order to track/document what is done to get the mod running.

[RusRob]

Here is a basic guide for installing Heat and F2000 (or other mods) This may seem like a lot of info but it is really quite simple and straightforward.

I hope this helps out, One of Team Players members, Raybee and I wrote this. It should cover most of the problems you will encounter with installing Heat and mods.


Basic Entry Level Heat Editing Tutorial Part 1

Getting the game installed and patched correctly can save alot of headaches and questions
you may have later on.This tutorial should help you get Heat up and running and ready for
some mods and tracks to be installed if you so wish.

Step 1:
You will need to do a full install of Nascar Heat to the hard disk (200 MB's) in it's
default location. C:\Program Files\Hasbro Interactive\Nascar Heat

You want to use the default directory because when you install mods and tracks they
will all use the default subdirectory of Heat.

Step 2:
Before installing any patches,start the game with the CD still in so the game can add
the files that the install doesn't put in the Heat directory.Just go into the game and
set it up where you can just go run a lap at a track.Then exit Heat.A few more files will
be added once you do this.

Step 3:
Take out the CD

Step 4:
So now you should be ready to patch the game.
You will first install the NoCD patch. This will allow you to run the game without the CD
in the drive, and you will need it for installing mods. You can download the NoCD Patch
from the Team Players web page under the utilities section.

Step 5:
Install this patch,directing it to Heat's default location.
C:\Program Files\Hasbro Interactive\Nascar Heat

Step 6:
Now if this patch did it's job and was installed correctly, you should now be able to
start Nascar Heat without the CD.

Step 7; Next Install the 1.73 patch which is also located at Team Players web page.
Accept the default subdirectory

Step 8:
Now you should start the game again and go to the "Options" screen.In the bottom right-hand
corner,you should see the version number 1.73.
You can now go ahead and setup the game to your liking } Graphics,Sound,
Controller...etc.

Step 8: To set up the game so it will run in hardcore mode, (required for realistic driving with no helpers) go to your main Nascar subdirectory C:\Program Files\Hasbro Interactive\NASCAR Heat
and find the options.cfg (can be opened in notepad) and find the section that says:

enable_ui_click no (gets rid of the menus click)

hardcore_enabled yes (set to yes)

Save your changes and close the file.

NOTE: Almost all of these options you see in this file can (and should) be set in the options screen in Heat.



Frequently Asked Questions aka FAQs

Q. I have followed directions but all the race cars are white now.What did I do wrong?

A. Some older video cards such as Voodoo 3 or lower will do this.A simple fix is to go into your Nascar Heat\Run folder and change the paint.res to paint256.res. Any mods you download from this point with a paint.res,will have to be renamed to paint256.res


Q. I have followed directions but all the race cars are red now. What did I do wrong?

A. Generally this is a texture error, Heat cannot find the textures (car paint job) for that mod. Try the above fix first. If that doesn't fix it, you may have had a corrupted
download of the mod, Try downloading the mod (not the game) again and reinstall it. When you install the mod a second time you will se a dialouge to uninstall the mod, say yes.

Heat is a very basic program, and doesn't "hook" itself to windows so usually reinstalling
it isn't necessary (but not always).

Q. I have installed a mod but I don't know how to start it.

A. In the mod folder there should be a batch file or an exe file with the name of the mod. Copy that file to your desktop (not a shortcut but a copy). You should be able to start the mod from that shortcut.

Q. I am running Windows XP and cant get the icon to start the mod.

A. XP has a bit of a difficult time starting mods from the Exe made for Windows 98se.

Try right clicking on the exe file for the mod you are trying to run. You should see a <computability> option. try to set it for computability mode.

Or, Go to your mod folder and Right click on a blank space in the subdirectory and select <new> < Text Document >

Then past the text below into the file and save it as F2000.bat (or the mod name you are installing) then just copy that file to your desktop and run the game

@echo off

@echo off

if exist ..\nascar heat.exe goto nascarhe
rem if exist ..\nheat.exe goto nheatexe
rem if exist ..\nascar~1.exe goto nascar

:nascarhe
"..\Nascar Heat.exe" -mod:F2000 -noautoplay
cls
exit

:nheatexe
"..\NHeat.exe" -mod:F2000 -noautoplay
cls
exit

:nascar
"..\nascar~1.exe" -mod:F2000 -noautoplay
cls
exit

If you are making a batch file for another mod, change the F2000 to the mod you are installing. this name has to be the same as the folder name of the mod.

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 11:27 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[Maxx]

<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">
There was just completely NO dash board. Game worked fine. But it was like driving with your eyeballs on the pavement.

<font color="green">SOLUTION BY MAXX:<font color="black">
I'm sure the missing dash was the "bumper" view which you switched on by mistake, you can select various views by pressing F1/F2/F3 & i think F4.

One F1 setting is the cockpit view and I think it toggles between that and bumper cam. F2 will switch on the x-ray view which can be useful for testing closed wheel cars as you can see what the wheels/tires are doing.

Maxx

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 10:55 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[ajs]

I just bought the Wingman steering wheel, plugged it in and to my utter disappointment I could not open the F2000 mod or even the No CD Heat. Every other time I shut down and started up it worked fine. Here is what error I get:

00.11.357: ================================================== ====================
00.11.357: Sep 6 2002 12:09:31 N W32 M6 R senor_b
00.11.357: ================================================== ====================
00.21.762: lost surface on lock!
00.21.762: dx: Restore: DDERR_WRONGMODE
00.21.762: dx: Restore: DDERR_WRONGMODE
00.21.762: dx: EndFrame: DDERR_SURFACELOST
00.21.812: dx: BeginFrame: DDERR_SURFACELOST
00.21.872: dx: EndFrame: D3DERR_SCENE_NOT_IN_SCENE
00.21.872: dx: BeginFrame: DDERR_SURFACELOST
00.21.872: dx: EndFrame: D3DERR_SCENE_NOT_IN_SCENE
00.21.872: dx: BeginFrame: DDERR_SURFACELOST
00.21.872: dx: EndFrame: D3DERR_SCENE_NOT_IN_SCENE
00.21.942: dx: BeginFrame: DDERR_SURFACELOST
00.21.942: dx: EndFrame: D3DERR_SCENE_NOT_IN_SCENE

Can someone please help me.

Tony S.

AJS SECOND POST
Now I tried it and it works, very strange. I did plug the wheel in after I started the computer up though. I don't know if that had anything to do with it or not. If I get another error, I will attach the entire log.
Thanks, Tony

<font color="green">Probably cause<font color="black">
Plug and play did not find the wheel when first installed. Some plug and play products state specifically to have the computer on when plugging in.

Edit: Removed all but error code.

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[RusRob]

I do not have an idea about XP or 2000. My guess isthat you probably will not be able to run it with 2000 because of HAL (the Hardware Extraction Layer) I am certified in Windows NT and NT Server and I know that 2000 shares the same base OS as NT.

But that isn't to say that it will not run,

I would suggest you can make a post over at BHMS, Black Hole MotorSports. Or At our Fourm, BHMS is by far larger than us but we have been seeing about 4 times the traffic so you will pronably get a larger auidance.

Our Forun is
TEAM PLAYERS

BHMS is
BHMotorsports

For some of these odd problems I would make a post at both sites you should recieve an answer in fairly short order.

I hope this helps some

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 11:11 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[Les]

I dont know if you can do it 2k but in XP if you right click on an exe and select "Propreties" then click the "Compatibility" tab you can set it to run basically under Win 98 or win me.

Like I say I dont know if 2k has it but it is worth a shot. Normally under XP I get a pop up box when I start it. Also this idea has worked for some. I may have this backwards but if your heat.exe is named Nascar Heat.exe remane it to NHeat.exe that fixes some problems but prolly not this one.

[The Big Ben]

<font color="red">PROBLEM:<font color="black">
Keith Carter
This game is giving me a lot of grief with Win2000 Pro SP3. It will load fine, but when I go to actually start an F2000 race, the screen usually goes blank (monitor is still getting a signal) but there is still a blank glow to the screen like it's still on (like a black screen at POST). I can't alt+tab out of it and my only option is to reboot. This also happens when trying to exit HEAT. I have been able to run the F2000 mod, but it's hit or miss on whether it works or not. I run my PC desktop at 1280x1024 and I tried the game resolution the same, but it didn't work at all then. It seemed to respond better at 800x600, but it is still very questionable on whether it runs or not. Any pointers?

<font color="green">SOLUTION:<font color="black">
Keith and David,
I run Nascar Heat with WindowsXP, and it works perfectly. But I did have your problem once. And the reason was my video card drivers. There was a conflic somewhere. I could run F12002 but not Nascar heat. So I updated my video drivers. And now everything works smooth. SO here is a website where you can get the latest drivers.
video drivers

Give us some news if it worked

RESPONSE:
BIG BEN!! I updated my Detonator drivers for my GeForce3 to a new release and I have no problems to speak of yet. Thanks! Now you guys are in trouble!!
--------------------
Keith Carter #28
99 VanDiemen
keith@f2000.com

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[Jtovo]

WIN XP. We got NH running on XP once we changed the short cut to run in WIN 95 mode.

WIN 2000. Downloaded Win patch 3 and system crashed and crashed. Cannot run NH on 2000.

WIN NT 4.O almost ran, but Direct X is not compatible with NT. Went to Microsoft and cannot find a DirectX for NT.

So, it runs on Chuck Lessiks XP, but not on any of my machines.

I cannot Upgrade my NT machines at work, but can update the Win2000 to XP, just would prefer not to. Any ideas?

Keith responds
Win patch 3? You mean Service Pack 3? Is the OS crashing whenever because of the service pack upgrade or is it crashing only when trying to run HEAT?
--------------------

Jtovo responds
Yes service pack #3. It crashed just before the windows welcome screen. I get a NTOS???.??? error. I uninstalled and re-installed a couple times, but no luck. I was going to try SP2 and see what happens, but nothing.

I found an old P3 in my storage trailer that is on 95 and it loaded but then crashed as the game started. I think it is the video card (I buy cheap ones when I build the systems, not very importand when it comes to US customs)

So, we shall see. But SP3 on 2000 does not work.

Novemeber 13 post:
Making progress.
Now I can get it to start on Win 2000 with SP2, but after the welcome screen (choose play or setup) I choose play and get an "unable to open driver datafile" error.

Anyone have an idea? It sure is cold in Chicago and very boring.

<font color="green">SOLUTION AT THIS POINT<font color="black">
The game WAS NOT run with the CD in the drive prior to intalling the patch's. Restart the game from the CD and run a short race. Then, reinstall the patchs. If this does not work. Uninstall heat and start over folowing the directions at the top.

[size="1"][ April 10, 2004, 11:09 AM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[Dave]

<font color="red">FRAME RATE:<font color="black">
Anyone know of a way to display Heat's frame rate?

I can handle the Glen but I do less well at the downloaded tracks. Those tracks seem to stutter a bit and I want to see if there is a significantly different frame rate between the Glen and the others.

Thanks.
Dave

<font color="green">MAXX Responds:<font color="black">
There is a utility called FRAPS which will display the ACTUAL Frame Rate, continuosly in-game. You just start it up before starting the game and it displays this info in the top corner (or elsewhere by config).

You can get it here : http://www.fraps.com/download.htm

Maxx

[size="1"][ May 01, 2003, 04:13 PM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[RusRob]

I can tell you that just like in cars,,, bigger is badder,,,

When you plan on running sims you want the best vid card you can get, as well as the processor and memory.

I am running Heat on a middle of the line system and I run the graphics turned all the way up, I try to push my box to the limit,, and as I work up a mod, when Mine gets the jitters, I start to reduce the size of the graphics that make up a car. That way guys with slower machines should be able to run well with less details.

Heat can get the jitters if you have mail open or a chat program up and running, Also if you have any other apps that are up and running with autosave feature.
I have also heard of some virus protection prgs that will do the same.

My system that I am building this car on is:

PIII 1 gig system with 256 ram.
Geforce 2 with 64 meg vid card
21" monitor
Logitech Wingman FF with pedals.

The only other thing I can say is defrag your drive, that will keep Heat running as smooth as possible with what ever hardware you have.

[Keith Carter]

Dave, To answer your question.... You have to start the actual NASCAR Heat game and not the mod. When you go into the Graphics display under OPTIONS, you max out all of the detail (1280x1024, ALL Mirrors, Full Detail, etc....) and then click on "Benchmark" in the lower right hand corner of that screen. This will give you a relative starting point as to what detail you want to trim off to get the Fps you want. I'm not sure how you would actually do it in a race though in order to display it while you're driving. With everything maxed out, I'm at 40.1 Fps.

[RusRob]

<font color="red">FRAME RATE<font color="black">
Keith,

You can get there from the mod, Actually the mods run using the Heat engine, all of the menu system is the same, the only thing we are doing is replacing the Nascar cars with which ever mod you run.

One of the real framerate killers is the detail slider, If I back that off 1 click form the top settings, My system goes from 36 FPS to 45 FPS. Also I design all of my cars to not use the highest detail level. What that last click does is have Heat supply a glossy finish on the cars, just sucking the framerates. All of my cars have the shine built into the 3D model as well as the graphics, they will actually look better with the highest detail turnd off.
Not to be confused with the checkbox for high detail cars, that doesn't matter with my cars also because I make them all high detail. That should be unchecked.

<font color="green">Keith Responds:<font color="black">
Thanks for the tips Bob, with everything mentioned here my FPS jumped up to 54fps...

--------------------
Keith Carter #28
99 VanDiemen
keith@f2000.com

[size="1"][ May 01, 2003, 03:58 PM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[rickb99]

<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">
Rex E. Burkheimer Member # 947 December 29, 2002

OK, I set up the desktop. It loads, looking like the OE Heat. It gets to the point of loading the track then crashes.
Here's the log

========================================
01.15.880: () Panic: Couldn't find sound backfire.sfx
01.15.880:
========================================

<font color="green">SOLUTION:<font color="black">
Dave Senior Member Member # 20 December 29, 2002

That's almost the same exact crash log I was getting.

Look for a file called "paint.res" and change it to "paint256.res".

*************************************************

<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">
Chris Lorenz Member # 803March 04, 2003

I use a momo feedback wheel / pedal set up and all of the controls work fine in normal nascar heat but in f2000 version only the steering wheel works. any ideas
thanks
Chris

<font color="green">SOLUTION:<font color="black">
Lucky Member # 997 March 04, 2003

Try copying the options.cfg file from your Nascar Heat main folder and pasting it into your F2000 folder.

Lucky

*************************************************

<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">
A new F2000 SIM player is having problems in the multi-player mode.
====================================
14.49.698: () Panic: TaskResume: Task "Multiplayer" was not suspended
14.49.698:
====================================

<font color="green">SOLUTION:<font color="black">
We finally got it figured out. All he had to do was emulate it to run under the Windows 2000 settings, instead of the Windows 98 settings.

**************************************************
<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">

POSTED BY: Ron B. March 31, 2003

I'm trying to install the game on my Win2K Pro laptop (1.8ghz, big ram, big Hd, etc). Nascar heat runs fine with the CD in the drive. After I install the NoCD patch and remove the CD from the drive, I get the following error.

Our apologies! Unable to copy race.bin! Any ideas?

<font color="green">SOLUTION:<font color="black">

I just did a fresh install for my nephew. Forgot a basic thing and had the SAME problem you're having.

The NO-CD patch would NOT work unless the 1.73 patch is installed before or, at the same time.

SECOND SOLUTION:
As I understand it that race.bin file is a 'hidden' file. If problem continues after above, check the path that's shown for where it should be. Go there and 'unhide' it.

**************************************************

[size="1"][ July 04, 2003, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: rickb99 ][/size]

[rickb99]

<font color="red">PROBLEM<font color="black">
For all of the more recent mods that have added splash screens when you load their shortcut (mods such as the "toHeat" conversions WC2K3 and NR2K3), I am getting a dsetup.dll error.

"Can't load dsetup.dll"

The splash does indeed load, but I hear the error message beep and nothing else happens. I then right-click the taskbar to close the splash screen and then press OK on the error button.

<font color="green">SOLUTION<font color="black">
I had the same problem and found that i had 2 exe s in nascar heat folder

Nheat.exe is only one you need. Worked fine after that.