I recently downloaded version 1.00.03 from the LDW website (full version for purchase), and have Windows XP. After installing the game, I set up a tribe and got them to 400 food, population of 10, purchased several different Tech things, and was dividing their tasks between researching and building and having the kids keep the food supply up by looking for mushrooms. I tend not to use the numbers to navigate the screen (I play in fullscreen mode) but instead use the hand icon. Well, when I was moving a child toward a collectible or mushroom the screen froze. I had no other systems operating, the Internet was not connected, etc. It was just this game, that was the only open program, and the screen froze and I saw the hand icon but couldn't move it. I also had an arrow, as what I would see on my desktop. But while I could move the arrow around, I couldn't click out of the game or anything. Nothing worked, not Ctr+Alt+Delete, not Esc, nothing. The game remained frozen for 5 or 6 minutes, then completely shut down. And I was back to the Windows screen where I log in to get to my desktop and personal settings. It didn't even shut me out to the desktop. This happened three times, and it did not make a difference whether I was in fullscreen mode or not, or where I moved the hand icon to or what character I was drag/dropping. Also, it wouldn't always be drag/drop either, it froze up regardless. This happened three times, and then I rebooted and ran my system in Safe Mode. Couldn't find anything wrong with the files, so I used F8 and was able to go back to the last known good settings. I did this, and ran my firewall, and didn't find any viruses or spyware--and I have the latest version plus updates, and I feel pretty confident that it's not an external _bug_. Also worth mentioning: I never got an error message. I read the previous posts and I never saw an error message--the screen simply froze and after 5 or 6 minutes I was back on the Windows log-in screen. When I restart the game after it freezing/booting me, it is back to shortly after the tutorial ends. I have about 83 food and just a couple hundred tech points, and my villagers that were not deposited on Isola as trainee builders are "Untrained," despite this not being where I previously left them. I understand that this game operates in real time, but is there a way that perhaps in future versions there could be a means of manually saving one's progress rather than relying on the save methods built in to the game?

Also, I am having the same problem with game progress. I have finally been able to play the game and start two tribes, one with nature faction and the other with magic faction, but my trees never seem to grow, percentage of builder work completed never updated, and my nursing mothers have nursed for three days. And I haven't altrered my system clock. I learned my lesson from the 1st Virtual Villagers game, when I set my clock forward and all my villagers became skeletons. So with VV2 and VV3 I haven't played around with clock settings. I also don't download cheat patches because the fun of the game (IMO) is figuring out things as you go. That's also why I don't usually come to forums, because I don't want walkthroughs and spoilers I want to figure it out on my own.

I feel very disappointed that I paid $19.95 for the "latest version" of a game that I am NOT enjoying. It is no fun at all to not see any progress other than 2% build completed over three days, without keeping my tribe on pause. I generally run my game in normal speed, but with the time glitches I changed to 2x speed (no change to any of the numbers), and then when I am away I run the game at 1/2 speed. No error message; no system clock errors (my system clock is 7:58 am German time currently and that is the accurate time for this morning. German time only because I'm at an American military APO address.)

---> I edited this message because shortly after posting it, I forgot to mention that when I finally was able to get the game going (three days ago) and not freeze out (it just started working on it's own, I did nothing different that I am aware of) I had my chief create magic food. I read that it's an ability my chief has every 24 hours...but it's been more than 24 hours and every time I drag my chief to the food hut to create more magic food it gives me a message on the bottom of the screen that the chief can only do this every 24 hours. I also have a puzzle that shows up as completed (clearing the rocks) but the builders are still working on it, and it only says 11% completed.

Thanks again.
Thank you for your help.