Hope it helps.

When I try to play the original RTW online (I can play SP fine), ALL games are listed as uncompatible. I'm not running the BI executable, yet it says I am.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just did. In the Options menu, RTW vanilla clearly says Version 1.3.

[This message has been edited by Crazed Ewok (edited 10-02-2005 @ 02:38 AM).]

Did the MP problem occur only after you installed BI? In that case, the expansion could very well be the culprit.

Any help will be appreciated.

I uninstalled the expansion and original game, reinstalled and tried to update the patch. It told me I was already updated, so I copied my back up saves back to the folder and had the same problem.

I uninstalled the game again and then deleted the folder still left on the computer. I reinstalled, had the same update problem, but was able to start a new game with the original, but still cannot load my back up saves.

I followed the link posted here earlier and tried to delete the game from the registry, but it was not there. I have no idea what to do now.

One of the things that causes this is a required file not EXACTLY matching the format that the game engine expects. For instance, the exact error you describe (return to menu when beginning campaing) WILL occur if you make an error in editing this file:

C:\.....\Data\world\maps\campaign\imperial_campaign\descr_strat.txt

There is some sort of unexpected file format, error, etc. in one or more game required files that will cause this. Perhaps it is an incompatibility in pre 1.3 game files and the 1.3 game engine. I have not yet looked into that.

As for solution, I don't have an acceptable one (the unacceptable one is to maintain 1.2 on one boot partition, and 1.3 on another, which is OK for me, but not acceptable in general).

Good hunting...

As a further comment, I have not played a lot of the 1.3 patch yet. If what I have read in this forum is true, particularly about the horrible bugs in Roman faction play introduced in 1.3, then it looks like I'll need to keep a dual install anyway, depending on exactly what I want to play (e.g., which set of these terrible game bugs I would enjoy infesting my game). I'm really really hoping "they" read these sorts of posts and immediately and firmly commit to a 1.4 patch which is thoughtfully considered, well-programmed, and properly tested... which will elimiate these sorts of gameplay (particularly AI) bugs.

So, it seems WE will be unable to play 1.2 files in 1.3 patched games, and I do not have the time to make a conversion program (but... maybe someone does!) for 1.2 saves to become 1.3 compatible.

Good hunting....

Uninstall RTW (and BI, if you have it)
Install RTW
Install RTW 1.2 patch
Install BI

After that, everything ran. I don't know if old campaigns and saved games worked, because I lost them in the uninstall.

It is almost beyond belief that the game makers do not allow 1.3 to load 1.2 saves, even if a "conversion" utility were necessary (e.g., convert the 1.2 save into 1.3 format, and then continue to play in 1.3). In my experience, this is a slap in the face of those of us who have been playing RTW for the last year. It does not affect the "new" players who begin playing RTW with the BI edition, since they will have no 1.2 saves.

SO I consider it a personal insult that my dozens of saves are no longer usable in 1.3. However, the reality is that I now have dual-install of 1.2 and 1.3, but that is a "pain", since it takes up much hard drive space and I need to reboot any time I want to play the other version.

EDIT: I did what Ewok did and it's fine now,I didn't have 1.02 patch was all.

[This message has been edited by Death Hawk (edited 10-28-2005 @ 06:47 PM).]