I have two functional compilations of RedBaron3D on my system. Both are independent of the other. One is dedicated to Full Canvas Jacket. The other to Hells Angels. From "time to time" they function well. Sound and graphics etc.

However on a random basis, resulting from no new file addition on my part or new program, I will lose RedBaron3D sound. I will still have the Shell music and sounds for Full Canvas Jacket and Hells Angels, but once I enter the main program menu, silence falls upon the land. Re-booting sometimes returns sound. Swearing helps. Yet I remember that RedBaron3D has a XP sensitivity to sound files (menu2?).

Is there a more permanent fix or patch available than random system rebooting or mindless swearing? Help would be appreciated to stabilize the installations.

The FCJ configuration program can be used with any install of RB3D by copying it to the install's root folder.

There is a checkbox for USB XP Sound Fix (or something close to that.) Do you have that checked for any or all of your installs? I believe what it does is force the 'Sierra' spash screen to be invoked which, in turn, resets some sort of sound setting under XP.

Not sure this will help or makes sense, but the FCJ utility has always helped with my XP RB3D installs.

Thank you, Colonel. I do have a FCJ install and a HAG install. For the FCJ, the box is checked in the utility frontend screen. In both, I will receive shell music. But "from time to time" and to my annoyance, the sound drivers will not bridge into the host Rbd install with the main menu screen going silent. After being off for over twelve hours, I tried FCJ install again, but there was NO Sound. Any ideas to the mystery?

To see if it's the 'normal' problem on XP, where sound + joystick won't work well after first RB run (fawlty RB autodetection), pls download 'RB3D_ReLoad_1.166.zip' from my signature link, unpack all files from that archive to your Red Baron installation folder, start Reload.exe, make sure all options are unchecked for now and start Red Baron from Reload. You should have the splash intro again but also sound. If that doesn't work, you have another problem ... also if you don't have sound inside a mission, press 's', maybe you just disabled it before accidentally.

Thank you very much for your guidance. Running "RBD Reload" with Hell's Angels RB3D the sound has returned. I will admit that this took place when I returned to the Reload setup screen and checked XP Sound Fix. Sound is available on the introduction, main menu and Quick Flight sections. I also seemed to recall that an executable preference to WIN95 or 98 being checked in the properties file "should help" eliminate some confusion.

As for the FCJ version, the sound did return in full with the check to the box of Reload and the FCJ control panel. HOWEVER, In the FCJ version and while the sound has returned, I will have a CRD after launching Quick Mission. Any reason for this? I would assume the work around would be another FCJ installation with its later or final improvement patch of 2004.

Over

I don't own FCJ. But i know it uses some terrain files with different palette and this may create AFAIK CTDs in certain conditions. If you want to install *newer* FCJ, perhaps it's good to know that Kess gave all his FCJ2 unfinished work to Patrick Wilson to be integrated (and it was) in latest 'Western Front Patch'. Being a date-based patch, it can be trickier to install though - if interested you can also ask about installation etc. at the SWWISA forums ( http://forums.delphiforums.com/swwisa/start )

S!

Thank you, Mr. Laser. I have installed with success the ReLoad patch to both FCJ and HAG.
However, the primary executables still fail to launch a game with sound. Yet if only Use XP Sound Fix is checked, I return to normal game sounds in both instances. Having tinkered with it Wednesday on a few and random occasions, this fix should stick. I do not comprehend why my previous reinstallation based on patient explanations from VO lost the sound connection.

The only differnce with ReLoad is the front end. In both FCJ and HAG the classic Dyanmaix introduction starts the game. In the case of FCJ, I unfortunately do not receive access to the FCJ SuperPatch configuration menu. That seems of little matter in that both installs do employ the respective "splash" screens for FCJ and HAG at scenario launch.

Been a long time since I played the game. I recall that there was some problems with the sound and USB joysticks, Try unplugging your USB joystick before starting the game. After the game starts plug your joystick back in. Sound should then be working.

If you can find the RENS Xp sound fix it works better than the rest out there.
I played this game for over 10 years.
You can find a lot of info here plus the sound fix.
http://www.firstflare.com/Red%20Baron/index.htm

With UOP's which use different than stock planes you cannot use quick missions because those missions are prewritten with stock planes which may not be in the game anymore. You can, however, make your own new quick missions with the current planes.
It is likely that utilities which offer a sound fix are using Rens' fix.
Laser can speak for ReLoad in that respect.