Problem

im not smart at computers but it might b ur video card?

AnxiousTube , one thing that comes to mind is resolution. Sometimes when you change the resolution in a game that excess the monitor's resolution or unsupported resolution, you can get a black screen and can't get back in the game to change it  to normal. Thus, you would have to edit a file to be able to get in the game again.

If this isn't the case try updating your video card drivers.

If nividia then - http://www.nvidia.com/content/drivers/drivers.asp

or if you have ati then - http://ati.amd.com/support/driver.html    -or-

If its integrated graphic card then that could be the problem in its self check the requirements of the game.

If none of these suggestions work for you, then always try to uninstall / re-install the game and see how that goes. Just don't forget to backup your saves.

Give me/us some more info an clear some things up.

1. Has the game worked before and just stop working recently?

2. Did you mess with the video settings of the game at all?

3. Did you patch the game recently?

4. Are you using a no CD "fix" or no DVD "fix"?

5. Did you in fact try to uninstall it and reinstall it? + Did you do nothing after the reinstall? Just install and play (well try to).

6. Can you list you pc hardware and operating system?

The game has worked before.

I never ajusted the settings in the game to cause this problem.

 I reinstalled it several times for a fact.

I patched the game but, when i went to right click on the starter up screen it said it was versrion 1.0 so it never updated.

I'm using a CD-Rom fix.

And, I have no idea what my video settings are but they used to run this game so I think it has something to do with the internal information about the game.

Am thinking that you no CD fix version doesn't match the game it self. For example, you have might have the no CD fix for v1.0 of the game but you patched the game to version 1.4. Also, you may have the 1.4 no CD fix and the game is at version 1.0. Therefore, that could lead to a black screen problem. It is pretty important that your no CD fix matches the game's version. And I will boldly say that no game will work right if the no CD fix doesn't match the game's version. Does this theory sound correct, AnxiousTube ?  If so you need to find what version you game is. Then, try finding the no CD fix that matches that version.

On a side note this game does have an expansion. It is possible you need a CD fix for parts of the game for it to work. However, I am unsure if you have the expansion and if the game in question needs two no CD fixes.

If none of this works, you can not just reinstall and play off the CD?