Unable to open the game. Main exe says you need to use a manager program to launch the game. The exe called "HardMan" only has an option for installing, and that fails.
This game is an absolute train wreck. Have tried getting various versions of this running over the years but the only thing that's ever worked is running it on an actual retro PC running Windows 98.
The version offered here is the only repack I'm aware of but it's packed for immediate user failure. Even after following the instructions below verbatim to solve its issues, the game just asks me to insert Hardwar CD #1. Sure, so I do just that and it won't recognize the CD - even though the CD itself recognizes that version UIM.06 is already installed.
Hardwar is interesting, but not THIS interesting. If you're reading this, give this a pass until something else comes online that is verified to work by multiple, separate individuals. It's not worth the headache.
@emptyhead41 Ok, you're right, it works!!! If it's for the current user. Here's the correction, I wrongly typed Installed with capital I instead of small i so the game didn't query registry correctly, I think that was the reason why it said the game was not installed, but now it's working.
Or copy paste and correct it yourself by doing following: Remember you have to place this in .reg file and click on it to import the keys and values and you have to replace single \ with double \ everywhere, because posting here a comment with double \ immediately replaces it with single \
The installer writes registry keys which Hardman.exe checks for to see what to do. Because the download doesn't come with any reg keys it tries to patch the game but the files aren't there as it's already pre-patched. Here's the keys that are missing: ("C:\path\to\gamedir" will be something like "C:\Games\Hardwar")
That's it. Run regedit, navigate to Software/refinery/... etc and enter all these key value pairs. Don't know if it's case sensitive so assume that it is. On Windows you might need to restart after changing registry. Probably not for this, but it's a possibility. Good luck.
EDIT: The path name might need double backslashes (\) instead of single ones. Not sure as I'm running this on Linux
Holy moly, this brings me back. The olden days when I was searching for game that would give me the feel of The Fifth Element flying vehicle combat between mega-skyscrapers and stuff. For similar games there's G-Police and G-Police: Weapons of Justice (which few people are aware of was a sequel). Also B-Hunter. I recommend.
The version offered here is the only repack I'm aware of but it's packed for immediate user failure. Even after following the instructions below verbatim to solve its issues, the game just asks me to insert Hardwar CD #1. Sure, so I do just that and it won't recognize the CD - even though the CD itself recognizes that version UIM.06 is already installed.
Hardwar is interesting, but not THIS interesting. If you're reading this, give this a pass until something else comes online that is verified to work by multiple, separate individuals. It's not worth the headache.
Ok, you're right, it works!!! If it's for the current user. Here's the correction, I wrongly typed Installed with capital I instead of small i so the game didn't query registry correctly, I think that was the reason why it said the game was not installed, but now it's working.
You can either download the regkeys.reg file, which is pure text file here: https://pixeldrain.com/u/Q5yYqVKK
Or copy paste and correct it yourself by doing following:
Remember you have to place this in .reg file and click on it to import the keys and values and you have to replace single \ with double \ everywhere, because posting here a comment with double \ immediately replaces it with single \
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Refinery]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Refinery\hardman]
[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Refinery\hardman\Config]
"DataPath"="C:\games\hardwar\DATA"
"DataPath2"="C:\games\hardwar\DATA"
"GDVPath"="C:\games\hardwar\GDV"
"GDVPath2"="C:\games\hardwar\GDV"
"GDVPath3"="C:\games\hardwar\GDV"
"installed"="V2"
"RunPath"="C:\games\hardwar"
"SavePath"="C:\games\hardwar\Savegames"
"Skin0"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_moon.bmp"
"Skin1"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_silver.bmp"
"Skin2"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_neo.bmp"
"Skin3"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_hawk.bmp"
"Skin4"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_death.bmp"
"Skin5"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_police.bmp"
"Skin6"="C:\games\hardwar\moth_swallow.bmp"
"SkinDir"="C:\games\hardwar\"
"SourcePath"="C:\games\hardwar"
"version"="UIM.06"
Here's the keys that are missing:
("C:\path\to\gamedir" will be something like "C:\Games\Hardwar")
[Software\Refinery\hardman\Config]
"DataPath"="C:\path\to\gamedir\DATA"
"DataPath2"="C:\path\to\gamedir\DATA"
"GDVPath"="C:\path\to\gamedir\GDV"
"GDVPath2"="C:\path\to\gamedir\GDV"
"GDVPath3"="C:\path\to\gamedir\GDV"
"installed"="V2"
"RunPath"="C:\path\to\gamedir"
"SavePath"="C:\path\to\gamedir\Savegames"
"Skin0"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_moon.bmp"
"Skin1"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_silver.bmp"
"Skin2"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_neo.bmp"
"Skin3"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_hawk.bmp"
"Skin4"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_death.bmp"
"Skin5"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_police.bmp"
"Skin6"="C:\path\to\gamedir\moth_swallow.bmp"
"SkinDir"="C:\path\to\gamedir\"
"SourcePath"="C:\path\to\gamedir"
"version"="UIM.06"
That's it. Run regedit, navigate to Software/refinery/... etc and enter all these key value pairs. Don't know if it's case sensitive so assume that it is. On Windows you might need to restart after changing registry. Probably not for this, but it's a possibility.
Good luck.
EDIT: The path name might need double backslashes (\) instead of single ones. Not sure as I'm running this on Linux
For similar games there's G-Police and G-Police: Weapons of Justice (which few people are aware of was a sequel). Also B-Hunter. I recommend.