Game won't start on Windows 10 x64

This could be something unrelated to this topic, but you could probably find out the cause of the crash for me by opening the Nerf.log file located in the System folder of your NAB installation (default location is Atari folder in Program Files folder on C drive).

To my knowledge there's no reason the game can't run on Win 10 these days. Likely, you have some missing or corrupt file that needs to be sorted out. If not that, the rendering engine could disagree with your GPU hardware.

To be clear, you did install the Community Pack, right? The game definitely won't run on 10 without the patches it provides.

This is what happens after updating everything (installed game, installed community pack, still nothing)

Log: Log file open, 06/02/26 22:34:34
Init: Name subsystem initialized
Init: Detected: Microsoft Windows NT 6.2 (Build: 9200)
Init: Version: 300
Init: Compiled: Oct 19 1999 11:40:22
Init: Command line:
Init: Character set: Unicode
Log: Bound to Engine.dll
Log: Bound to Core.dll
Log: Bound to Window.dll
Init: Object subsystem initialized
Init: Memory total: Phys=2097151K Pagef=4194303K Virt=2097024K
Init: Working set: 32000 / 159000
Init: CPU Speed=3600.036903 MHz
Init: CPU Page size=4096, Processors=8
Init: CPU Detected: PentiumPro-class processor (GenuineIntel)
Init: CPU Features: CMov FPU RDTSC PAE MMX KNI
Localization: No localization: Startup.IDDIALOG_WizardDialog.IDC_WizardDialog (int)
Log: Loading: Package Engine
Log: Loading: Package Core
Log: Loading: Package NerfI
Log: Loading: Package NerfKids
Log: Loading: Package CharVO
Log: Loading: Package WeaponSounds
Log: Loading: Package NerfWeapon2
Log: Bound to Fire.dll
Log: Loading: Package Fire
Log: Loading: Package NerfWeapon
Log: Loading: Package NerfRes
Log: Loading: Package NerfNewMeshes
Log: Loading: Package NewXHairs
Log: Loading: Package BoloMesh
Log: Loading: Package BoloTex
Log: Loading: Package Detail
Log: Loading: Package Environment
Log: Loading: Package Vox
Log: Loading: Package PAFlag
Log: Loading: Package PABall
Log: Loading: Package GenSound
Log: Loading: Package MenuUpdate
Log: Loading: Package Targets
Log: Loading: Package NABUtilitiesTex
Log: Loading: Package CoopGame
Log: Loading: Package Training
Log: Loading: Package CTF
Log: Loading: Package BotSurvival
Log: Loading: Package SurvivalBase
Log: Loading: Package RSTCSounds
Log: Loading: Package Logos
Log: Bound to Galaxy.dll
Init: Galaxy is using WinMM
Init: Galaxy initialized
Init: Unreal engine initialized
Log: Bound to WinDrv.dll
Init: Mouse info: 0 0 1
Init: Client initialized
Log: Bound to Render.dll
Init: Lighting subsystem initialized
Init: Rendering initialized
Log: LoadMap: Entry
Log: Loading: Package Entry
Log: Loading: Package AmArena
Log: Loading: Package Lights
Log: Loading: Package Flares
Log: Loading: Package Details
Log: Game class is 'SinglePlayer'
Log: Bringing Level Entry.MyLevel up for play (0)...
ScriptLog: InitGame:
ScriptLog: Base Mutator is Entry.Mutator0
DevAudio: Galaxy SetViewport: NULL
Log: Browse: RR-Amateur.nrf?Name=****?Class=NerfKids.Ted?Difficulty=3?Team=255?Index=1
Log: LoadMap: RR-Amateur.nrf?Name=****Class=NerfKids.Ted?Difficulty=3?Team=255?Index=1
Log: Loading: Package RR-Amateur
Log: Loading: Package R-Amateur
Log: Loading: Package NerfEntry
Log: Loading: Package Lightmaps
Log: Loading: Package Asteroid_effects
Log: Loading: Package Asteroid
Log: Loading: Package R-Asteroid
Log: Loading: Package UWindowFonts
Log: Loading: Package ReadyRoom
Log: Collecting garbage
Log: Purging garbage
Log: Garbage: objects: 11924->11907; refs: 327873
Log: Game class is 'SinglePlayer'
Log: Bringing Level RR-Amateur.MyLevel up for play (0)...
ScriptLog: InitGame: ?Name=****?Class=NerfKids.Ted?Difficulty=3?Team=255?Index=1
ScriptLog: Base Mutator is RR-Amateur.Mutator1
Init: Initialized moving brush tracker for Level RR-Amateur.MyLevel
DevAudio: Galaxy SetViewport: NULL
Log: Loading: Package NerfMenu
Log: Loading: Package UWindow
Log: Loading: Package UBrowser
Log: Bound to IpDrv.dll
Log: Loading: Package IpDrv
Log: Loading: Package IpServer
ScriptLog: Team 255
ScriptLog: Login: ****
Log: Possessed PlayerPawn: Ted RR-Amateur.Ted0
ScriptLog: All inventory from **** is accepted
Init: Input system initialized for WindowsViewport0
Log: Opened viewport
Log: Bound to D3DDrv.dll
Init: DirectDraw drivers detected:
Init: display (Primary Display Driver)
Init: D3D Device: Supports system memory DMA blts
Log: D3D Device 4194240K vram, 4186140K free
Init: Unreal Tournament Direct3D support - internal revision 1.9a
Init: D3D Device: szDriver=nvldumd.dll
Init: D3D Device: szDe

That graphics driver initialization doesn't seem right. Did you put the UT D3D driver into NAB? My recommendation would be to change the driver to OpenGL as it is specifically made for NAB. You do so in the setup exe (that will probably pop up on boot since you're crashing) in the video driver selection window by unchecking the "show certified drivers" or whatever it says there. OpenGL should appear in the list. Try that, and see if it solves the issue.

Already tried it multiple times using opengl, still doesn't work. Also tried compatibility mode with older windows versions, still doesn't work. I may try to install it on my laptop to see if that's any different. I have almost a 10 year old graphics card so I dunno if that is a causing factor in this but I last played the game i think in 2022 so it hasn't been a tremendous amount of time since I was able to actually play it.

And just to rule it out, you did install the base game then the Community Pack right? The Community Pack does not contain all the files needed to run the game. If you need a base game installer, you can use ours at

www.nerfarena.net/dload_game/x2543549849...x/NerfArenaBlast.exe

Nothing, tried a fresh install on an external drive just to see if that would make any difference, same issue, keeps crashing every time regardless if its D3D or OpenGL.

EDIT: I was able to get it to work (for the most part) on my Laptop, though it crashes when I select OpenGL (D3D does work), and I can't get single player to work if I want to play the story mode since it doesn't load in any bots. Any suggestions?