Difference between revisions of "Troubleshooting FAQ"

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(→‎All editions: Flickering continuously is no longer an issue, but flickering excessively might still bother some people.)
 
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{{ParentArticle|[[Guides, FAQs, and ReadMes]]}}
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{{Languages/Troubleshooting FAQ}}
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<!--------------------------------- ATTENTION! ----------------------------------
 +
Do not add questions to this FAQ on your own. Instead, add them to the talk page!
  
 +
Just because you are experiencing a problem and found a solution to it, it doesn't mean that 1) many other people are experiencing the same problem, making it a truly "Frequently Asked Question", and 2) the same solution that helped you will help others. If you found a solution to a problem not listed in the FAQ, first check the W:A Support board on the Team17 forum ( http://forum.team17.com/forumdisplay.php?f=47 ), and make a thread there to suggest and discuss your solution.
 +
----------------------------------- READ ABOVE --------------------------------->
 +
This FAQ is for technical problems and '''will only apply to users of the latest [[Updates (Worms Armageddon)|update]] of Worms Armageddon (v{{LatestBeta}})''', or users either trying to update to this version or trying to install WA.
  
−
This FAQ is for technical problems and will only apply to users of the most updated version of Worms Armageddon, or users either trying to update to this version, trying to install WA or trying to access WormNET.
+
If you have any comments regarding this FAQ, please add them to the [[Talk:Troubleshooting FAQ|talk page]].
  
−
== Crashes ==
+
== All editions ==
 +
=== General Troubleshooting ===
 +
==== Reset All Options ====
 +
Resetting all game options to the defaults helps with many kinds of problems. To do this, go to the '''Options''' menu, then click '''Advanced''' and '''Reset'''. If the game doesn't start, you can do the same by opening the "Tweaks" folder under the game's installation directory and running '''ResetRegistryOptions.reg'''.
  
−
===== I get a black screen when I try to run WA, then it crashes to desktop or I have to restart the computer =====
+
=== Starting WA ===
−
Disabling the introduction screens has been known to solve this. To do this, right-click the WA shortcut icon, select properties, and in the "Target" text box, type:
+
==== "Graphics initialization error" ====
 +
Try selecting a different graphics API using the registry scripts in the Tweaks directory.
 +
Navigate to the directory you installed W:A in, find the Tweaks subdirectory, and from there open one of the various registry scripts beginning with "Renderer_", such as "Renderer_Direct3D_9_Software_Palette.reg". Keep trying until you find one that works.
  
−
/nointro
+
=== Front-end problems ===
 +
==== The game uses all CPU in the front-end (menus) ====
 +
Try changing the graphics settings on the Advanced Options page. Specifically, enabling Wait for Vertical Sync, and trying different Graphics APIs should help.
  
−
This must be outside of the quotation marks for it to work. For example,
+
==== I can't select a high resolution ====
 +
If you enabled any compatibility options for W:A, disable them. Windows will restrict the list of resolutions reported to W:A as being available if you enable certain compatibility options.
  
−
"C:\Worms Armageddon\wa.exe" /nointro
+
==== The mouse cursor is invisible ====
 +
Disable hardware mouse cursors, either by unchecking the option on the Advanced Options screen, or by importing the '''UseHardwareCursors_Off.reg''' registry script from the Tweaks subdirectory.
  
−
If you have the Trymedia version of the game, and the problem persists, one possible cause is "Ultra VNC's video hook" drivers. Open the Device Manager (Right-click My Computer, select Properties, then the Device Manager tab), find the drivers, and disable them. [http://forum.team17.com/showthread.php?t=27835 See here] for discussion of this.
+
==== The screen flickers excessively when the game starts, or before and after a round ====
 +
On systems with multiple monitors, the screen may flicker excessively upon start, or before and after a round. This is due to the way Windows handles resolution changes, and is not something that can be fixed by the game. However, if this bothers you, this can be worked around by enabling Windowed Mode, which removes the need for resolution changes.
  
−
===== WA crashes when I try to edit the map =====
+
=== In-game problems ===
−
This is caused by having a program with an "Always On Top" feature. MSN Messenger is a common culprit. Try closing other programs, or finding this setting and disabling it.
+
==== The Steam overlay does not work during the game ====
 +
(Or, to be more specific, the hotkey used to summon the Steam overlay has no effect.)
 +
This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update.
  
−
===== WA crashes when I try to edit or create a team =====
+
==== Crash when minimizing the game as it is starting ====
−
This can be caused by having a custom grave or flag with incorrect colours or dimensions, or having a program with an "All On Top" feature. Try removing all custom flags and graves, and closing other programs, or finding this setting on other programs and disabling it.
+
This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update.
  
−
===== WA crashes after the title menu =====
+
==== Right-clicking in-game fails to open the weapons menu ====
−
This can be caused by "DirectVobSub" in the Nimo DivX Codec pack. Uninstall the Nimo DivX Codec pack and it should work. You can reinstall it and manually unselect "DirectVobSub" to get WA to work with Nimo installed.
+
The program StrokeIt can be responsible for this. Either disable the program when playing, or find the program option that allows you to prevent it from interfering when WA is running.
  
−
===== WA crashes when I minimise and then try to maximise =====
+
==== In-game plays extremely slow ====
−
Minimising is not yet stable; WA will always be prone to crashing until this is optimised.
+
Try changing the graphics settings on the Advanced Options page. Specifically, try a different Graphics API.
  
−
===== Blue Screen Of Death occurs when I finish single player games, exit WormNET or host an online game =====
+
==== {{anchor|Desync}} Players quit with a "desynchronization error" ====
−
No solution.
+
Desynchronization errors are usually caused by a bug in the game. Search the [https://www.tus-wa.com/forums/tech-support/ tech support forums] if the problem is known. If it isn't, please post the replays of that game, '''from all players''' if possible (or at least the host's and the player that desynchronized).
  
−
===== My computer crashes to desktop, or restarts, when I finish or exit any game =====
+
Desynchronization errors may also be caused by 3rd-party game add-ons (e.g. WormKit modules) which change game behaviour.
−
Making an ISO of the WA CD and using a virtual drive has been known to solve this.
+
  
−
===== WA crashes when I try to play a game of any sort =====
+
==== The game colours get all messed up ====
−
Usually caused by improperly updating the game - follow the tutorial carefully. This is also caused by graphics cards that are too new, such as NVIDIA 8800GTS. WA will eventually be able to run on these cards. Until then, either consider downgrading your graphics card or, for NVIDIA 8800GTS, downloading [http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=1599 this fix] which has been known to work for some people. See [http://forum.team17.com/showthread.php?t=32198 this thread] on the [[Team17 forums]] for details.
+
Note: This can only happen when using the 8-bit DirectDraw Graphics API on systems before Windows 8. The best solution is to switch to a 32-bit Graphics API (that is, any Graphics API besides DirectDraw (8-bit). If you'd like to continue using the 8-bit Graphics API (no longer fully functional since Windows 8), read on below.
  
−
== Running WA ==
+
[[Image:Color_problem_xp.png|thumb|Your screen may look like this.]]
 +
This happens when another application is stealing W:A's palette.
  
−
===== I can't see the bottom or right side of the screen in the front end =====
+
The most common cause of this problem is incompatibility with modern operating systems (Windows Vista and 7). There are several known ways to resolve this problem, with varying simplicity and effectiveness.
−
Your font sizes are incorrect. Find your computer's display properties panel and set font sizes to "Normal" (96dpi)
+
# If you experience this problem during the game, pressing '''Shift'''+'''Pause''' should restore the palette.
 +
# If you experience this problem in the front-end, try enabling the '''Palette fix''' setting in the '''Advanced Options''' dialog. For the best effect, enable only the last two options, namely '''Re-set DirectX palette''' and '''Listen to palette changes'''.
 +
# In Windows Vista, having any Windows Explorer folder open while you play the game may resolve the problem.  
 +
# Registry-based solutions such as '''DirectDrawFix''' can enable built-in Windows compatibility entries to tell the system that the game's palette should be protected against negative changes. Note: best to not use this in combination with the Advanced Options above. Only useful on versions before 3.6.30.0.
 +
# wkColorFix is a [[WormKit]] module which suspends Windows Explorer (the most common cause of palette corruption) while the game is running (and not minimized).
 +
# Terminating Windows Explorer (<code>explorer.exe</code>) will often resolve the problem, however the taskbar and desktop icons will remain inaccessible until Windows Explorer is relaunched. There are several ways to do this:
 +
#*Using the Task Manager (which you can open by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete<!-- or Ctrl+Shift+Esc-->), end process, and then start it back by going to '''File''' &rarr; '''Run...'''.
 +
#*Using a batch file: <table class="collapsible collapsed toccolours"><tr><th>Equivalent batch command for terminating the <code>explorer.exe</code> process</th></tr><tr><td style="font-size: 110%; font-family: monospace;">taskkill /F /IM explorer.exe<br/>WA.exe<br/>Start explorer.exe</td></tr></table>
 +
#*Third-party tools are available which can do this for you, e.g. [http://forum.team17.com/showthread.php?t=41371 Worms Launcher].
 +
# Some people have reported fixing the problem by disabling the '''Indexing Service''' (if <code>cidaemon.exe</code> appears on the list) or '''Automatic Updates''' services by going to Control Panel → Administrative Tools → Services.
  
−
===== "C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose "Close" to terminate the application." =====
+
Another application may also be the cause of palette problems. W:A logs palette corruption occurrences to the file '''palette.log''' in your W:A folder. Note that <code>csrss.exe</code> is a system process, and its presence in palette.log most likely implies OS incompatibility as described above.
−
In your Start Menu click "Run...", type "cmd" and click OK. In the black prompt box that pops up, type:
+
  
−
copy c:\windows\repair\autoexec.nt c:\windows\system32
+
==== The sound is muted, distorted, stutters, or plays unsmoothly in-game ====
 +
The cause of this issue varies based on the symptoms and your hardware/software environment.
  
−
If this doesn't work, you can perform the same task manually. Navigate to
+
If you are running the CD edition and are hearing periodic stutter, it might be due to a slow/defective CD drive or a damaged CD. Try [[Running WA without the CD|creating a CD image]] of your W:A CD.
  
−
c:\windows\repair\
+
If your sounds are distorted or muted, and you get occasional crashes or freezes while playing the game, this is most likely caused by the '''GX mode''' in '''ASUS Xonar''' sound card drivers. If you are using an ASUS Xonar sound card, open the ASUS control panel, find and disable the GX mode either globally, or specifically for Worms Armageddon. Note that as of this writing, there is no [[w:Environmental_Audio_Extensions|EAX]] support in the game -- the feature that this "GX mode" attempts to enable.
  
−
and copy the file "autoexec.nt" to your clipboard. Then navigate to
+
If your sounds are muted and nothing of the above applies to you, then check which sound card you normally use for audio output. Worms Armageddon can currently only operate with the primary sound card, unless you install a [[WormKit]] module called '''SoundCardSelect''' that can specifically tell the game to use a non-primary sound card.
  
−
c:\windows\system32
+
Some people have also experienced hearing no sound effects or speech when their sound configuration is incorrectly set to a surround sound system, despite them having only stereo speakers. Please check your sound card's configuration to ensure it's set up to match your speaker configuration.
  
−
and paste the file there.
+
Lastly, make sure to check the volume level of the game -- either in the Options menu, or when you press the Escape button during the game.
  
−
===== "C:\WINNT\SYSTEM32\AUTOEXEC.NT. The system file is not suitable for running MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows applications. Choose "Close" to terminate the application." =====
+
==== The game doesn't react to some of the keys I press ====
−
In your Start Menu click "Run...", type "cmd" and click OK. In the black prompt box that pops up, type:
+
Some keyboard have limits on how many and which buttons may be pressed simultaneously. If you find that the game [[w:Rollover (key)#Key jamming and ghosting|does not recognize some key presses]] when you hold down some buttons (such as several arrow keys and the space bar), you may need to change your keyboard or use a key remapper. See [http://forum.team17.com/showthread.php?t=33321 this thread on the Team17 forums] for details.
  
−
  copy c:\winnt\repair\autoexec.nt c:\winnt\system32
+
==== I use Ctrl+Home to lock the camera to the current worm, but it stops working for some teams in the middle of a match! ====
  
−
If this doesn't work, you can perform the same task manually. Navigate to
+
This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update. It is caused by the [[Super Sheep]] or Aqua Sheep crashing into terrain while flying, or the Aqua Sheep disappearing off the bottom of the screen. To work around this issue, you can cause the sheep to fall by pressing space just before it hits terrain.
  
−
  c:\winnt\repair\
+
=== WormNET ===
 +
==== I have been banned for no reason! ====
 +
If you get a message that you're banned when connecting, check the green text in the message log at the left bottom corner. This usually happens when you, someone on your network or someone who had your IP address previously had a virus or open proxy on their computer. For that reason, your IP was added to a [[w:DNSBL|blacklist]]. This is done to prevent flooders, spammers and griefers from connecting to WormNET using public proxies and vulnerable/infected computers and causing trouble.
  
−
and copy the file "autoexec.nt" to your clipboard. Then navigate to
+
To remove your IP from the blacklists, visit [http://dronebl.org/ DroneBL] and [http://rbl.efnetrbl.org/ EFnet RBL], submit your IP address (it should be filled in automatically) and, if you're listed, send a removal request. You should also scan your computer for viruses and malware, otherwise you'll be blacklisted and banned again. Once you removed yourself, just wait for your WormNET ban to expire (this currently takes 12 hours), and you should be able to connect again.
  
−
  c:\winnt\system32
+
==== I see the error "Unable to detect IPX protocol" when clicking "Test network" ====
 +
Ignore this error. [[w:IPX|IPX]] is an outdated network protocol, obsoleted by TCP/IP.
  
−
and paste the file there.
+
==== "Unable to connect to the server; please try another server." ====
 +
This is usually caused by a software firewall blocking the connection attempt. You will need to find the option in your security software which controls blocking connection to IRC networks, and disable it. This might also be caused by security features in the routers of some ISPs; in particular Comcast's xFinity Advanced Security has been reported to block access to WormNET.
  
−
===== I get a "No CD" Error =====
+
==== No one can join my games ====
−
You probably tried to patch WA when it did not need patching. Uninstall the game and try installing only the update.
+
Consult the [[Hosting Guide]].
  
−
===== "ltkrn10n.dll was not found" =====
+
==== I can't join my friend's game ====
−
You must install the patch before you install the update. Uninstall the game and install the patch first, then the update.
+
Your friend may need to do some network set-up first - see the previous question.
  
−
===== "The instruction "0x5cb7603a" referenced memory at "0x00483fe2". The memory could not be "read"" =====
+
==== When I try to host a game, the game freezes up ====
−
You probably forgot to install the update. Try installing the update. You may need to reinstall the game.
+
Certain network security (firewall) software  can cause this by producing a pop-up in the background when it detects your computer trying to open a port. Configure your firewall/antivirus product to allow unrestricted access to W:A.
  
−
===== When trying to run the game, the Sold Out installation setup sometimes insists that I install the update, even when I have already done so =====
+
==== When I try to join games, I keep getting a "Checksum 15" error ====
−
Ignore the message.
+
This occurs when the game has been improperly updated. Follow the installation tutorial carefully.
  
−
===== The frontend and menu system suffers flickiness, lacks background sound, messed up animations, or unusually slow/fast animations =====
+
==== When I try to team in, nothing happens ====
−
Locate your WA directory and doubleclick the file "SlowFrontEndWorkAround_On.reg". If this doesn't solve the problem, do the same with "SlowFrontEndWorkAround_Off.reg". If neither of these work, your videocard is too modern. These problems will be fixed in a future update. [http://forum.team17.com/showthread.php?t=24821 See this] thread for more details.
+
This problem can be caused by a misconfigured device on your network. Your computer is trying to send the team as a packet larger than the [[w:maximum transmission unit|maximum transmission unit]] of a network node between you and the game's host. Normally when this happens, the said node will send back an [[w:Internet Control Message Protocol|ICMP]] packet, and your computer (or another routing device) will reconfigure to fragment the data into smaller segments (see [[w:Path MTU discovery|Path MTU discovery]]). However, if you are using a firewall or router configured to block ICMP messages, auto-reconfiguration will fail, and the packet will be silently dropped, creating a "black hole connection".
  
−
===== Right-clicking in-game fails to open the weapons menu =====
+
To work around this problem, you can:
−
The program StrokeIt can be responsible for this. Either disable the program when playing, or find the program option that allows you to prevent it from interfering when WA is running.
+
* contact your ISP or network administrator
 +
* reconfigure your router or firewall to stop blocking ICMP "Fragmentation Needed" (Type 3, Code 4) messages
 +
* [http://www.google.com/search?q=set+MTU+windows manually set the MTU of your operating system to a lower value] (might lower network performance)
 +
* use a VPN service such as [http://www.hotspotshield.com/ Hotspot Shield] (not recommended)
  
−
===== In-game plays extremely slow on Windows Vista =====
+
==== "Skipped packet" message in chat, followed by desynchronization or disconnect ====
−
If you're using a Nvidia graphics card, updating to the latest beta drivers has been known to fix this issue. Currently these are [http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=1634 160.03 32-bit] and [http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=1635 160.03 64-bit].
+
This problem is usually caused by an incompatibility between Windows 7, multi-core processors, and wkPackets (a former dependency of [[WormNAT2]]). The latest version, available from the [[WormNAT2]] page, addresses this problem. Note that this problem may occur even to clients merely joining a game when wkPackets is enabled. To fix this, please delete wkPackets.dll from your Worms Armageddon directory.
  
 +
==== "Error: OIN - Unknown command" ====
 +
This issue is most likely caused by buggy Deep Packet Inspection in your internet connection/routing hardware. Find this option in your modem/router's control panel, and disable it.
  
−
== Patching/updating WA ==
+
Alternatively, a one-time workaround seems to be pressing the "Refresh" button on the user list, and joining the channel then. This will need to be done every time you connect to WormNET, unless you disable Deep Packet Inspection permanently.
  
−
===== When installing the 3.0 patch, why do I get the error "Failed to find installation path" ? =====
+
See [http://steamcommunity.com/app/217200/discussions/2/613936039400887612/ this thread] for more information.
−
This is caused by the Registry entries created by the WA installer. This can be solved by reinstalling, or editing the registry entries as follows:
+
 
−
# Start menu > Run > Regedit
+
== CD edition ==
 +
=== Installing WA (CD edition) ===
 +
==== The installation freezes at 100%, and the game fails to install when I quit it. ====
 +
Keep waiting, the installation will eventually complete after a few minutes. Cause of this problem is unknown.
 +
 
 +
=== Patching/updating WA ===
 +
==== When installing the 3.0 patch, I get the error "Failed to find installation path" ====
 +
This is caused by missing or incorrect Registry entries created by the WA installer. This can be solved by reinstalling, or editing the registry entries as follows:
 +
# Start menu &rarr; Run &rarr; regedit
 
# Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Team17SoftwareLTD\WormsArmageddon\"
 
# Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Team17SoftwareLTD\WormsArmageddon\"
 
# Double-click the PATH string and make sure the directory location is correct
 
# Double-click the PATH string and make sure the directory location is correct
  
−
===== Why do I get a "Bad Integrity" error when trying to run the Patch or Update file? =====
+
==== I get a "Bad Integrity" error when trying to run the Patch or Update file ====
 
The file is corrupted. Try deleting it and downloading it again.
 
The file is corrupted. Try deleting it and downloading it again.
  
−
== Installing WA ==
+
=== Starting WA ===
 +
==== I get a "No CD" Error ====
 +
You probably tried to patch WA when it did not need patching. Uninstall the game and try installing only the [[Updates (Worms Armageddon)|latest update]]. Alternatively you might have installed an update intended for the CD version of the game on the Steam or GOG editions. Please use the installation and update tools provided through the Steam or GOG platforms to keep your game up-to-date.
  
−
===== I can't install Worms Armageddon. The auto-run installation screen disappears, and nothing else will work. =====
+
==== "ltkrn10n.dll was not found" ====
−
Disabling DMA (Direct Memory Access) has been known to solve this. To disable DMA,
+
You tried installing an outdated update installer on top of an unpatched version of the game. Download and install the [[Updates (Worms Armageddon)|latest update]].
−
# Start Menu > Control Panel > System
+
−
# Click the Hardware tab, then click Device Manager
+
−
# Expand the System Devices sublist
+
−
# Double-click "Direct memory access controller"
+
−
# Select "disable" from the Device Usage drop-down list
+
  
−
===== The installation freezes at 100%, and the game fails to install when I quit it. =====
+
==== When trying to run the game, the Sold Out installation setup sometimes insists that I install the update, even when I have already done so ====
−
Keep waiting, the installation will eventually complete after a few minutes. Cause of this problem is unknown.
+
Ignore the message.
  
−
== WormNET ==
+
=== In-game problems ===
 +
==== W:A crashes when I try to start a match ====
 +
This problem appears when W:A fails to read a file from the CD. Check the condition of your W:A CD. [[Running WA without the CD|Creating a CD image]] may help.
  
−
===== I get the error "Unable to find IPX protocol" =====
+
== Linux ==
−
# Start Menu > Control Panel > Network Connections
+
==== The game crashes when selecting the OpenGL Graphics API ====
−
# Right click your connection and select Properties
+
This is a [https://bugs.winehq.org/show_bug.cgi?id=15232#c20 known bug] in Wine / MESA. The workaround is to use a different graphics API in W:A, or an older version of Wine / Proton.
−
# Select "Internet Protocol" from the list, then click "Install"
+
−
# Select "Protocol" and click "Add..."
+
−
# Select "IPX/SPX/Netbios" and click "Okay"
+
−
 
+
−
===== When I try to connect to WormNET, the game freezes up =====
+
−
ZoneAlarm can cause this by producing a pop-up in the background when it detects your computer trying to connect. Configure ZoneAlarm so that it already allows access to WormNET.
+
−
 
+
−
===== When I try to connect to WormNET, nothing happens =====
+
−
PeerGaurdian can cause this by blocking the WormNET IP address. Consider reconfiguring or disabling PeerGaurdian.
+
−
 
+
−
===== When I join WormNET, the content of the channel list, player list and the message of the day box never loads =====
+
−
In my experience, you'll need to quit and restart the game to solve this. If it still happens, you may need to restart the computer.
+
−
 
+
−
===== When I try to join games, I keep getting a "Checksum 15" error =====
+
−
This occurs when the game has been improperly updated. Follow the installation tutorial carefully.
+
  
−
===== When I host a color map the other players get an error saying: "PNG error: Invalid distance too far back" and the map doesn't load for them =====
+
== Miscellaneous ==
−
This is thought to be caused by firewall software that is interfering with outgoing data. Contact your network administrator.
+
==== Getting support ====
 +
If your problem can't be solved by following this FAQ, create a new thread on the [http://steamcommunity.com/app/217200/discussions/ Steam Worms Armageddon] forum, or the [https://www.tus-wa.com/forums/tech-support/ TUS Tech Support forum]. You could also search the forum for similar problems.
  
−
===== I keep experiencing desynchronisation issues when using the pre-made maps =====
+
==== I downloaded Worms Armageddon from the Internet without paying. Can you help me? ====
−
Cause of this problem is unknown, but reinstallation has been known to solve it.
+
Please consult [[Arr|this advisory video]].

Latest revision as of 12:09, 31 July 2020

In other languages: English (en) • español (es) • français (fr) • magyar (hu) • polski (pl) • русский (ru) • +/-

This FAQ is for technical problems and will only apply to users of the latest update of Worms Armageddon (v3.8.1), or users either trying to update to this version or trying to install WA.

If you have any comments regarding this FAQ, please add them to the talk page.

Contents

All editions

General Troubleshooting

Reset All Options

Resetting all game options to the defaults helps with many kinds of problems. To do this, go to the Options menu, then click Advanced and Reset. If the game doesn't start, you can do the same by opening the "Tweaks" folder under the game's installation directory and running ResetRegistryOptions.reg.

Starting WA

"Graphics initialization error"

Try selecting a different graphics API using the registry scripts in the Tweaks directory. Navigate to the directory you installed W:A in, find the Tweaks subdirectory, and from there open one of the various registry scripts beginning with "Renderer_", such as "Renderer_Direct3D_9_Software_Palette.reg". Keep trying until you find one that works.

Front-end problems

The game uses all CPU in the front-end (menus)

Try changing the graphics settings on the Advanced Options page. Specifically, enabling Wait for Vertical Sync, and trying different Graphics APIs should help.

I can't select a high resolution

If you enabled any compatibility options for W:A, disable them. Windows will restrict the list of resolutions reported to W:A as being available if you enable certain compatibility options.

The mouse cursor is invisible

Disable hardware mouse cursors, either by unchecking the option on the Advanced Options screen, or by importing the UseHardwareCursors_Off.reg registry script from the Tweaks subdirectory.

The screen flickers excessively when the game starts, or before and after a round

On systems with multiple monitors, the screen may flicker excessively upon start, or before and after a round. This is due to the way Windows handles resolution changes, and is not something that can be fixed by the game. However, if this bothers you, this can be worked around by enabling Windowed Mode, which removes the need for resolution changes.

In-game problems

The Steam overlay does not work during the game

(Or, to be more specific, the hotkey used to summon the Steam overlay has no effect.) This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update.

Crash when minimizing the game as it is starting

This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update.

Right-clicking in-game fails to open the weapons menu

The program StrokeIt can be responsible for this. Either disable the program when playing, or find the program option that allows you to prevent it from interfering when WA is running.

In-game plays extremely slow

Try changing the graphics settings on the Advanced Options page. Specifically, try a different Graphics API.

Players quit with a "desynchronization error"

Desynchronization errors are usually caused by a bug in the game. Search the tech support forums if the problem is known. If it isn't, please post the replays of that game, from all players if possible (or at least the host's and the player that desynchronized).

Desynchronization errors may also be caused by 3rd-party game add-ons (e.g. WormKit modules) which change game behaviour.

The game colours get all messed up

Note: This can only happen when using the 8-bit DirectDraw Graphics API on systems before Windows 8. The best solution is to switch to a 32-bit Graphics API (that is, any Graphics API besides DirectDraw (8-bit). If you'd like to continue using the 8-bit Graphics API (no longer fully functional since Windows 8), read on below.

Your screen may look like this.

This happens when another application is stealing W:A's palette.

The most common cause of this problem is incompatibility with modern operating systems (Windows Vista and 7). There are several known ways to resolve this problem, with varying simplicity and effectiveness.

  1. If you experience this problem during the game, pressing Shift+Pause should restore the palette.
  2. If you experience this problem in the front-end, try enabling the Palette fix setting in the Advanced Options dialog. For the best effect, enable only the last two options, namely Re-set DirectX palette and Listen to palette changes.
  3. In Windows Vista, having any Windows Explorer folder open while you play the game may resolve the problem.
  4. Registry-based solutions such as DirectDrawFix can enable built-in Windows compatibility entries to tell the system that the game's palette should be protected against negative changes. Note: best to not use this in combination with the Advanced Options above. Only useful on versions before 3.6.30.0.
  5. wkColorFix is a WormKit module which suspends Windows Explorer (the most common cause of palette corruption) while the game is running (and not minimized).
  6. Terminating Windows Explorer (explorer.exe) will often resolve the problem, however the taskbar and desktop icons will remain inaccessible until Windows Explorer is relaunched. There are several ways to do this:
    • Using the Task Manager (which you can open by hitting Ctrl+Alt+Delete), end process, and then start it back by going to File → Run....
    • Using a batch file:
    • Third-party tools are available which can do this for you, e.g. Worms Launcher.
  7. Some people have reported fixing the problem by disabling the Indexing Service (if cidaemon.exe appears on the list) or Automatic Updates services by going to Control Panel → Administrative Tools → Services.

Another application may also be the cause of palette problems. W:A logs palette corruption occurrences to the file palette.log in your W:A folder. Note that csrss.exe is a system process, and its presence in palette.log most likely implies OS incompatibility as described above.

The sound is muted, distorted, stutters, or plays unsmoothly in-game

The cause of this issue varies based on the symptoms and your hardware/software environment.

If you are running the CD edition and are hearing periodic stutter, it might be due to a slow/defective CD drive or a damaged CD. Try creating a CD image of your W:A CD.

If your sounds are distorted or muted, and you get occasional crashes or freezes while playing the game, this is most likely caused by the GX mode in ASUS Xonar sound card drivers. If you are using an ASUS Xonar sound card, open the ASUS control panel, find and disable the GX mode either globally, or specifically for Worms Armageddon. Note that as of this writing, there is no EAX support in the game -- the feature that this "GX mode" attempts to enable.

If your sounds are muted and nothing of the above applies to you, then check which sound card you normally use for audio output. Worms Armageddon can currently only operate with the primary sound card, unless you install a WormKit module called SoundCardSelect that can specifically tell the game to use a non-primary sound card.

Some people have also experienced hearing no sound effects or speech when their sound configuration is incorrectly set to a surround sound system, despite them having only stereo speakers. Please check your sound card's configuration to ensure it's set up to match your speaker configuration.

Lastly, make sure to check the volume level of the game -- either in the Options menu, or when you press the Escape button during the game.

The game doesn't react to some of the keys I press

Some keyboard have limits on how many and which buttons may be pressed simultaneously. If you find that the game does not recognize some key presses when you hold down some buttons (such as several arrow keys and the space bar), you may need to change your keyboard or use a key remapper. See this thread on the Team17 forums for details.

I use Ctrl+Home to lock the camera to the current worm, but it stops working for some teams in the middle of a match!

This is a known issue in Worms Armageddon 3.8, and will be fixed in a future update. It is caused by the Super Sheep or Aqua Sheep crashing into terrain while flying, or the Aqua Sheep disappearing off the bottom of the screen. To work around this issue, you can cause the sheep to fall by pressing space just before it hits terrain.

WormNET

I have been banned for no reason!

If you get a message that you're banned when connecting, check the green text in the message log at the left bottom corner. This usually happens when you, someone on your network or someone who had your IP address previously had a virus or open proxy on their computer. For that reason, your IP was added to a blacklist. This is done to prevent flooders, spammers and griefers from connecting to WormNET using public proxies and vulnerable/infected computers and causing trouble.

To remove your IP from the blacklists, visit DroneBL and EFnet RBL, submit your IP address (it should be filled in automatically) and, if you're listed, send a removal request. You should also scan your computer for viruses and malware, otherwise you'll be blacklisted and banned again. Once you removed yourself, just wait for your WormNET ban to expire (this currently takes 12 hours), and you should be able to connect again.

I see the error "Unable to detect IPX protocol" when clicking "Test network"

Ignore this error. IPX is an outdated network protocol, obsoleted by TCP/IP.

"Unable to connect to the server; please try another server."

This is usually caused by a software firewall blocking the connection attempt. You will need to find the option in your security software which controls blocking connection to IRC networks, and disable it. This might also be caused by security features in the routers of some ISPs; in particular Comcast's xFinity Advanced Security has been reported to block access to WormNET.

No one can join my games

Consult the Hosting Guide.

I can't join my friend's game

Your friend may need to do some network set-up first - see the previous question.

When I try to host a game, the game freezes up

Certain network security (firewall) software can cause this by producing a pop-up in the background when it detects your computer trying to open a port. Configure your firewall/antivirus product to allow unrestricted access to W:A.

When I try to join games, I keep getting a "Checksum 15" error

This occurs when the game has been improperly updated. Follow the installation tutorial carefully.

When I try to team in, nothing happens

This problem can be caused by a misconfigured device on your network. Your computer is trying to send the team as a packet larger than the maximum transmission unit of a network node between you and the game's host. Normally when this happens, the said node will send back an ICMP packet, and your computer (or another routing device) will reconfigure to fragment the data into smaller segments (see Path MTU discovery). However, if you are using a firewall or router configured to block ICMP messages, auto-reconfiguration will fail, and the packet will be silently dropped, creating a "black hole connection".

To work around this problem, you can:

"Skipped packet" message in chat, followed by desynchronization or disconnect

This problem is usually caused by an incompatibility between Windows 7, multi-core processors, and wkPackets (a former dependency of WormNAT2). The latest version, available from the WormNAT2 page, addresses this problem. Note that this problem may occur even to clients merely joining a game when wkPackets is enabled. To fix this, please delete wkPackets.dll from your Worms Armageddon directory.

"Error: OIN - Unknown command"

This issue is most likely caused by buggy Deep Packet Inspection in your internet connection/routing hardware. Find this option in your modem/router's control panel, and disable it.

Alternatively, a one-time workaround seems to be pressing the "Refresh" button on the user list, and joining the channel then. This will need to be done every time you connect to WormNET, unless you disable Deep Packet Inspection permanently.

See this thread for more information.

CD edition

Installing WA (CD edition)

The installation freezes at 100%, and the game fails to install when I quit it.

Keep waiting, the installation will eventually complete after a few minutes. Cause of this problem is unknown.

Patching/updating WA

When installing the 3.0 patch, I get the error "Failed to find installation path"

This is caused by missing or incorrect Registry entries created by the WA installer. This can be solved by reinstalling, or editing the registry entries as follows:

  1. Start menu → Run → regedit
  2. Navigate to "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Team17SoftwareLTD\WormsArmageddon\"
  3. Double-click the PATH string and make sure the directory location is correct

I get a "Bad Integrity" error when trying to run the Patch or Update file

The file is corrupted. Try deleting it and downloading it again.

Starting WA

I get a "No CD" Error

You probably tried to patch WA when it did not need patching. Uninstall the game and try installing only the latest update. Alternatively you might have installed an update intended for the CD version of the game on the Steam or GOG editions. Please use the installation and update tools provided through the Steam or GOG platforms to keep your game up-to-date.

"ltkrn10n.dll was not found"

You tried installing an outdated update installer on top of an unpatched version of the game. Download and install the latest update.

When trying to run the game, the Sold Out installation setup sometimes insists that I install the update, even when I have already done so

Ignore the message.

In-game problems

W:A crashes when I try to start a match

This problem appears when W:A fails to read a file from the CD. Check the condition of your W:A CD. Creating a CD image may help.

Linux

The game crashes when selecting the OpenGL Graphics API

This is a known bug in Wine / MESA. The workaround is to use a different graphics API in W:A, or an older version of Wine / Proton.

Miscellaneous

Getting support

If your problem can't be solved by following this FAQ, create a new thread on the Steam Worms Armageddon forum, or the TUS Tech Support forum. You could also search the forum for similar problems.

I downloaded Worms Armageddon from the Internet without paying. Can you help me?

Please consult this advisory video.

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