Game Launches to Black Screen

[thealcibiades]

Hey guys never really asked a question on here before but I've been having a problem and I'm unsure where else to bring it up.

I pre-ordered The Evil Within through Steam for my PC weeks ago and I've been pumped to play it. However, I found out last night that that might not be possible if I can't figure out how to fix what's wrong. Every time I launch the game--be it on my desktop or laptop--it launches to a completely black window that plays what I can only assume are the intro/menu sounds. The black screen doesn't resolve itself.

I've tried uninstalling/reinstalling the game, restarting both computers, and verifying the integrity of the game but none of it has helped. I'm assuming that this has something to do with the intense graphics of the game so I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on how to fix this issue?

I know trying to get a refund from Steam is near impossible and I do want to try and make this work on my PC.

 

[inerax]

I would update your GPU drivers. You can do this from the AMD/Nvidia website.

What are your specs?

This is happening on 2 computers?? What are the specs of both? (you said both computers)

 

[thealcibiades]

How would I go about updating the drivers? Would I just go to a website and download something? (Sorry I'm rather clueless when it comes to more technical things.)

My Desktop's specs are (and I hope this is all the info):

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3-2130 CPU @ 3.40GHz
RAM: 7.88 GB usable
System type: 64-bit Operating System, x64-based processor

Laptop specs:

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i3 CPU M 380 @ 2.53GHz
RAM: 3.80 GB usable
System tpye: 64-bit Operating System

I installed the game onto an external hardrive so that it wouldn't take up space on my computer and I know it has space because it's multiple terabytes large. I've been trying mainly to get this thing working on my desktop because it's been able to play all game I've bought smoothly once I reduce the window size. However, given that I can't even see a menu to change this I'm stumped.

 

[Vynavill]

Those specs are lacking the GPU; for both, you only specified the CPU model, but we need the GPU model as well.

If you just hear sounds but see nothing, I get the feeling it's either a driver related issue or a resolution related one, as the game might be launching on an unsupported one for your monitor/GPU combo. If something was incompatible or broken, it wouldn't run at all.

I suggest starting with the advice given from inerax. Go to Nvidia's/AMD's download site, there will be an easy form to fill in which will redirect you to the latest driver for your card.
Download it and install it.

Updating DirectX libraries wouldn't hurt either, although Steam should've handled that.

 

[thealcibiades]

I'll try and take a look into that tonight then when I get off of my work shift and update the thread with news on if it worked or not.

Also, where would I find my GPU information? I'm not really sure where to look for it.

 

[Vynavill]

Use HWInfo. GPU-Z would be faster, but doesn't outright state the exact model (with a screenshot and full data comparison, one would be able to determine the right model, but it's not written clearly); HWInfo, on the other hand, provides that without hassle.

@JDFan
If it "launches to black screen", how can it be minimized?

 

[JDFan]

If the game is running (ie. you hear the sounds) - then chances are it is running in minimized mode - try alt-tab and see if the game window is one of the choices and switch to that window (sounds like you may have it set to launch minimized )

 

[thealcibiades]

Okay so, back from work finally to check things out.

First of all my GPU information (which I'm just gonna put everything down because I don't know what's important) and this is what the DirectX Diagnostic Tool tells me:

Intel HD Graphics
Chip Type: Intel(R) HD Graphics Family
DAC Type: Internal
Device Type: Full Display Device
Approx. Total Memory: 1664 MB
Current Display Mode: 1920 x 1090 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Generic PnP Monitor

The HWInfo says:

Intel HD Graphics; Intel Sandy Bridge-DT GT1 - Integrated Graphics
Intel HD Graphics 2000
Sandy Bridge GT1
Integrated
Memory Module: SK Hynix HMT
Type: DDR3 SDRAM
Operating Type: Microsoft Windows 8 (x64) Build 9200

I'm not sure if you needed all this information but I guess there it all is! I have the latest DirectX version so I know it's not that. As for the Nvidia site, I found the form to fill out but I'm completely at a loss of which product type I'd need to select. Do you guys have any ideas? (Sorry I'm making this so difficult this is all new information to me!)

Also, I tried alt-tab and it wasn't minimized. The only option still for it is the black window playing the sound effects.

 

[Vynavill]

Hmm, it's an embedded GPU. On the account of personal experience, they're bound to have issues, not to mention they kill performance with anything released after 2004.

Try updating drivers from here (download the right version and install), but don't expect miracles...

 

[thealcibiades]

As far as I can tell after looking through these there doesn't seem to be one that works as I have only Intel(R) HD Graphics without it being version 2000-4000 while still being Windows 8. I guess this means there's no real way to update my GPU to be able to see the game?

 

[Vynavill]

It's for all versions of HD 2000 AND 3000
Here's a more direct link (works for w7, w8 and w8.1 64bit)

 

[thealcibiades]

So I tried to download the .exe file and a window popped up that said, "The driver being installed is not validated for this computer. Please obtain the appropriate driver from the computer manufacturer. Setup will exit."

At this point I'm getting exasperated and I feel like all attempts to update the GPU are being blocked from me. Do you think there's no way to make this work?

 

[Vynavill]

Oh...that usually happens when the PC is a pre-built. I was assuming you bought it as a custom built system...

If that's the case you need to get the right model of your PC and look it up your manufacturer's page, if there's any updated driver. I do believe it's the fact it's an embedded, and an old one at that too, but it should run anyway, even if epicly bad...

 

[thealcibiades]

So I looked into the Intel website and found a way to manually go into and install a generic updated driver even if the .exe file says you can't. Turns out I have the most updated driver for the 2000 version which means I guess that there's no updating I can do?

Which I guess in turn means that there's no way I'm gonna be able to update my GPU for this game.

 

[Vynavill]

Ok, at this point the drivers must be up to date.
Just for being sure that it's just the embedded gpu causing issues and not something else, let's see if any error is still being logged.
Mind that my OS isn't in english, so options may be slightly different from what i'll say here.

- Try running the game and let it get to the black screen, then close it down.
- Open your start menu and type "event viewer" in the search bar (I suppose W8.1 has that too, I'm still on 7); find it and run it.
- There should be a tree menu on the left, expand the first option named "custom views", and then select "Administrative events".
- A list should appear in the top part of the center area; order that list by date and hour, descending, and look for any errors in the last minutes.

Report back here the results.

 

[thealcibiades]

Several happened in a short span of time it looks like.

I'll try listing some out:

1.) @ 12:41 PM Source--Device Setup Manager. Event ID: 123. Level--warning. "The DSM service was delayed by 254 seconds for a driver query/download/install on device 'STORAGE\VOLUMESNAPSHOT\HARDDISKVOLUMESNAPSHOT9'"

2.) @ 12:37 PM Source--CAPl2. Event ID: 513. Level--error. 'Cryptographic Services failed while processing the OnIdentity() call in the System Writer Object.'" And there are 8 messages total of this before a different one comes up.

3.) @ 12:36 PM Source--DNS Client Events. Event ID: 1014. Level--Warning. 'Name resolution for the name teredo.ipv6.microsoft.com. time out after none of the config DNS servers responded.'"

I could go because there were several more errors I'm guessing while the internet was connecting and stuff, but these were the most recent three. The first one kind of sounds like my external hard drive (which is where I put all my Steam games) but I don't know.

 

[Vynavill]

Teredo stands for the Teredo IPv6 Tunneling Interface; AFAIK, it's a virtual network card used to translate IP addresses to the IPv6 format, should any application require it, so it's not that much of a problem (since literally almost nothing uses IPv6 yet...)
Those other look like errors with the disk, but I see nothing related to video in this case (unless the issues with the disk aren't letting you load textures, but you wouldn't be able to load and reproduce audio either at that point)...

I'm starting to get the feeling that the HD 2000 simply doesn't cut it...

 

[thealcibiades]

I'm starting to get that feeling too which is disappointing but I guess unavoidable at this point.

Thanks for helping me though, I'm glad we were able to run through every possibility at least.

 

[Vynavill]

The weird thing is that, if it was incompatible for some reason, it wouldn't run the game at all...
I'm still unsure whether to get the game for PC or for PS4, but supposedly (at least basing on what I googled) there should be a config file at root/Users/your name/saved games/tangogameworks/theevilwithin/base/

I'd like you to try another thing before actually abandoning the thought of playing it. Look if you can somehow launch the game in windowed mode and see if that works. The closest thing to the issue you're experiencing, except faulty drivers, is a default resolution not supported by your current monitor/GPU combo...
You're not gonna get much out of an HD 2000 anyway, but it would be a crime not to try everything if you really want to play the game.

 

[thealcibiades]

[strike]What exactly do you mean by root/users/etc.? Should I be looking in the Steam folder? Tonight I made it easier on myself and downloaded the game to my desktop so that it's no longer on a separate external but I have no clue where to look for for this config file.[/strike]

Once I find it how will I configure it to lower the default resolution?

EDIT: ignore that top stuff about being unable to find it, I did. I'm just trying to figure out now what I should adjust to adjust the resolution. I opened the CFG file into notepad and it looks like at the bottom there's the resolution details. I'm gonna copy/paste them here.

win_ypos "35"
win_xpos "98"
in_joystick "1"
r_windowPosY "66"
r_windowPosX "106"
r_windowHeight "646"
r_windowWidth "1207"
r_mode "16"
r_screenGrainAmount "1"
con_IconWindowY "24"
con_IconWindowX "24"

I'm guessing I should try picking out what will possibly change the resolution but I have no clue what to try altering.

 

[Vynavill]

Keep a backup copy of that file and try modifying it as follows:
win_ypos "0"
win_xpos "0"
in_joystick "1"
r_windowPosY "0"
r_windowPosX "0"
r_windowHeight "600"
r_windowWidth "800"
r_mode "16"
r_screenGrainAmount "1"
con_IconWindowY "24"
con_IconWindowX "24"

- I'm not so sure of the others, so let's leave them be for the moment.
- Screen grain is for adding in the so called "film effect" (vertical lines and small dots randomly showing on screen, as if a film was being projected on a screen from an old projector).
- Mode is probably AA, but I'm not that sure. Try bringing it to 0, eventually, but don't expect much out of it.

If they still don't work, try different resolutions, like 1024x768, 1280x720 or 1440x900 (any higher and the game will probably be unplayable due to your GPU). You just need to modify the windowWidth and windowHeight parameters with the above combinations.

Also, find the "R_forceaspectratio" voice in that file (or add it to the end, if there isn't any), and set it to "2"; it will remove black borders that add up to the cinematic effect.
There's another one, "R_swapinterval" which, when set to "-1", would also allow you to go up to 60 FPS, as the game is locked at 30, but with an HD 2000 you probably will have an hard time getting over 15 FPS, so it's useless to add

 

[thealcibiades]

I did all the changes/saved them out and opened the game--the window size definitely changed to 600x800 however the screen is still entirely black when I bring it up.

It seems that changed the dimensions isn't affecting whether or not I can see the game. Do you have anymore ideas of what else I could do/what the problem may be?

 

[Hackety]

Won't work, your Intel Graphics Processor doesn't support DirectX 11. Nothing you can do about, trust me I learned the hard way like you did. P.S. Steam doesn't offer refunds. P.P.S I wrote a paragraph before this but accidentally refreshed the page. P.P.P.S Yes Intel GPU's do suck.