This post provides all of the currently known causes and solutions for the subject issues when trying to run any of our Windows games. If you are experiencing the error code above, the game won't run at all, or any issues with how the game is displayed, please take the following steps before contacting LDW Support with a Support Request.

Note: If the game had been running properly, and you changed modes from full-screen to windowed (or vice versa), you can force the game back to the working mode by performing the following procedure. If you're playing Fish Tycoon for Windows, this procedure will not work, since no configuration file exists for that game. Reinstalling Fish Tycoon will restore the original settings, however.

Look in the folder where the game is installed (it's usually found in Program Files on your hard drive). In that folder you should see a file called either ldw.ini or ldw with a file type of Configuration Settings (the icon will look like a notepad with a gear on it), depending upon how you have your folder options set in Windows. If you double-click on that file, you should see the file opened in Notepad and displaying several settings.


To force the game back to full-screen mode, you should change the settings in that file so that they look like this:

[ldw]
Fullscreen=1
ForceFullscreen=1
ForceWindowed=0
UseVsync=0

To force the game to run in windowed mode, you should change the settings in that file so that they look like this:

[ldw]
Fullscreen=0
ForceFullscreen=0
ForceWindowed=1
UseVsync=0

Then select File=>Save and the new settings will be saved. Try running the game again and see if it displays correctly.


If that doesn't restore the game to proper operation, or you'd like to determine if your computer's graphics settings are appropriate for our games, you should go through the following procedures:


First, make sure that hardware acceleration is set correctly. If your hardware acceleration is set too low, you will disable required graphic functions (DirectDraw Acceleration). To check your setting, follow this procedure:

• Right click on the Windows desktop (make sure you're not on an application icon)
• Select "Properties" from the popup menu (at the bottom)
• Click the "Settings" tab at the far right of the Display Properties window
• Click on "Advanced"
• Click on "Troubleshoot"
• Make sure that the hardware acceleration cursor is set to full.
• If you have additional tabs for your graphics card's settings (such as OpenGL or Direct3D), check those tabs to make sure that Anti-Aliasing and Anisotropic Filtering are set to "Application Preference" or "Let the application decide"

Thanks to our community for providing helpful information about this error.

Your display adapter must support DirectDraw Acceleration (not just DirectDraw) and it's advisable to have the latest version of DirectX to run this game. Not all computers come with graphics cards that support the graphics functions being used by Virtual Villagers and Fish Tycoon for Windows (and many other games). To check that you have the proper graphic support and to verify that your adapter is set and operating properly, follow this procedure:

• Click on the Start Menu, and select "Run"
• Type "dxdiag" in the Run window and click OK (or press Enter)
• Check near the bottom of the window on that first screen (the System tab) to make sure that you have the required version of DirectX. The current version at this time is 9.0c, and can be obtained easily by using the Windows Update function
• Next, select the Display tab in the DirectX Diagnostic Tool window that opens.
• Check that the function "DirectDraw Acceleration" is enabled ("Direct3D" and "APG" are not required for Virtual Villagers or Fish Tycoon, but they may also be supported by your system). Also check the "Notes" window near the bottom of that window to make sure that it says "No problems found." You may also, if desired, test DirectDraw using the button provided on that screen.
• While you're on that screen, check your display adapter's driver date. If it's very old, you should probably consider updating your driver. Most manufacturers supply driver updates through their support structure
• Restart your computer, if instructed to do so.

Your display adapter must support those functions, and they must be enabled, for the games to work on your computer.

Finally, check that your computer's color bit depth is set appropriately. Depending on the size of your display adapter's Video Memory (VRAM), setting a high screen resolution can lower the color bit depth to a setting that isn't compatible with Fish Tycoon or Virtual Villagers. You can check your display settings on the "Display" tab of dxdiag (see the above procedure, and look for "Current Display Mode:"). Your color bit depth should be the highest supported by your computer. If in doubt, you should follow this procedure

• Close open applications (you may have to restart your computer at the end of this procedure) so that you can see your Windows desktop
• Right click on the Windows desktop (make sure you're not on an application icon)
• Select "Properties" from the popup menu (at the bottom)
• Click the "Settings" tab at the far right of the Display Properties window
• Look at the "Colors" setting in the lower left portion of the window
• You should set it to the highest setting supported on your computer.
• Click "Apply"
• If asked to restart your computer, Click OK
• Try running the game again

If it still won't run, try lowering your display resolution and set the highest color bit depth again. You can again verify the settings in dxdiag.

Some applications (particularly kid's games) can only run in 256-color mode, and they can (and do) change the color bit depth to 256 colors. So even if you don't normally run your PC in that mode, make sure that it hasn't been left in that state by another application.