Sadly I'll stop playing this game (always crashing at some point)

from Elemental Forums

I was waiting for FE to comes out, and when it came, I was extremely rejoiced!

 

I did a few test games with the vanilla version, but did not go that far. Then I switched to Stormworld, using 12x8 maps (yes, that's big). 4 times in a row, my games ended up crashing (around turn 200).

 

I was told (with some good reasons) by Heavenfall that memory usage was just too big. So I scaled down to 8x6 games, with 8 factions. Tried that twice. Again, at some points, a repeatable crash. HF told me he was only playing on medium and had no crash with this setting.

Preferring large map with vanilla over medium map with a very good mod, I started some days ago a 7x6 map with 6 factions, vanilla.

 

Now is turn 132. Again, a recurring crash. (see log below, nothing indicated that sounds suspicious).

 

So my conclusion is that it is not possible, because the game is not stable enough, to play large maps. My specs are Windows 7 64 bits, 4 gig of RAM, a powerful video card and plenty of disk space.

 

Given the current settings I would have to use, i.e a game with no more than a medium map, I don't think I'll resume playing FE right now, and I'm very sad of that, because I really love the game. A pity really.

 

Debug Message: Current Memory Usage: 822912 KB
Debug Message: Cities in World: 39
Debug Message: Units in World: 1410
DebugMessage: AutoSaving - Begin
DebugMessage: AutoSaving - Complete
Debug Message: AI Faeryl Viconia: Now researching Glyph Stones

 

edit: in fact this is not pure vanilla, I'm using city snake mod, the mod that adds some spells and modified the benefits given by some buildings. Now, I guess that devs will say that as this is not a vanilla game, I have no right to complain. Somehow I think that the excuse is too easy to pull out.

 

11,957 views 16 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

You can post the full debug.err using www.dropbox.com

I am sure getting the full information helps the developers find the bugs even more than just a fraction of the debug message.

https://forums.elementalgame.com/415301

The devs cant find the crashes if they aren't reported, some or most of these are dependant on the machine setup.

Thanks for reading :thumbsup:

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Stardock probably needs a lot more information than what you're supplying to address your specific issues. 

Check the stickies at the head of the Support subforum for how you ought report problems. 

Also, consider opening up a support ticket by emailing support@stardock.com.

Siege of Centauri
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

One thing that is a general note, you should try updating memory to 8GB. It might not prevent crash (though it might), but a 64 bit Windows 7 system with a "powerful" GPU shouldn't be creaking along on 4GB when you can get 8GB for under $40 at Newegg. 

As someone else noted, please provide more info so the developers can determine why the game is crashing. They will fix it if they can find the problem, but there's not enough in this thread to pin down the error.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

Sorry, I have 8 gigs, I mis-remembered and typed 4 gigs. It indeed makes sense, given the low cost of RAM these days.

 

I'll chalk out this game, because there are mods used and I believe the devs won't look at it because of that, even if the mods I use seem pretty mundane. Plus they are on vacation if I get it right. Basically, I believe I'm on my own and I should not expect anything anytime soon relatively to FE stability in large games.

 

I have restarted yet another game, foolishly thinking I'll perhaps be able to play it to the end game this time, without crash. I just can't accept right now that this great game should only be played with medium maps (plus I checked Civilization V, seeing if I can get some good fun of it, but two years after release, there is still no equivalent of Fall from Heaven, Cavemen to Cosmos etc. i.e no comprehensive big mods, but I digress).

 

So my new settings are: Cugen Hold premade map, 6 factions total. A few light mods that should not use much memory. Keeping fingers crossed!

 

 

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Have you tried updating all of your drivers?

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Personally, I configure my game so that there are zero turns between save games.  So whenever the game crashes I can always load the last autosave to restart from the end of my last turn.

I wish the game did not crash, but this is not the only game that I have enjoyed playing that has stability problems, and I am glad that autosave makes living with the occasional crash so easy.

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

I have been getting more crashes in 1.1.  Not sure what happened, but I current game has crashed three times.  I use it as a sign that I have been playing to long.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting dihir, reply 7
Personally, I configure my game so that there are zero turns between save games.  So whenever the game crashes I can always load the last autosave to restart from the end of my last turn.

I wish the game did not crash, but this is not the only game that I have enjoyed playing that has stability problems, and I am glad that autosave makes living with the occasional crash so easy.
End of dihir's quote

Silly me. I thought zero turns meant it wouldn't save the game at all, so I've kept it at 1 turn. Good to know--thanks!

 

Reply #9 from Elemental Forums Top

This won't help, I do have autosave every turn too, but the crash are reproducible.

Reply #10 from Elemental Forums Top

If the crash is reproducible that is bad for us, but that is good for the developers if you can get them the save file that causes it -- the hardest part of fixing problems is getting them to happen in the first place.

Reply #11 from Elemental Forums Top

Except they only debug vanilla saves. Who is really using pure vanilla these days? 

I had this modded game where it showed in a reproducible way that a settler was not used up when forming a city. I got no answer nor feedback on it. It was a modded game but I provided my mod directory in a zip.

 

I believe they don't have the resources to check the forum in depth and fix all bugs, sadly. I remember also a few others bugs or remarks from Heavenfall and the errors are still in their xml files. Not good, sorry.

Reply #12 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Nibelung44, reply 12
I believe they don't have the resources to check the forum in depth and fix all bugs, sadly. I remember also a few others bugs or remarks from Heavenfall and the errors are still in their xml files. Not good, sorry.
End of Nibelung44's quote

Well that I have suspected for some time too, since some of or a lot of the bugs posted in the beta still persists throough 1.00 and 1.1

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Reply #13 from Elemental Forums Top

It is unreasonable to expect support on a modded game. They have plenty to deal with in the un-modded game.

Reply #14 from Elemental Forums Top

If the mods are just xml files deployed to user space then and if you also make it trivial for them to use the xml files you are using, they might support the issue.

But if you give them something to debug and they cannot reproduce your problem when they try, or if you make it complicated and difficult for them to even try, or if your files are not valid xml, they will probably not want to waste their time on this issue.

Reply #15 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Heavenfall, reply 14
It is unreasonable to expect support on a modded game. They have plenty to deal with in the un-modded game.
End of Heavenfall's quote

True, but all players (ok most players) are rather unreasonable, then again so are many companies these days, and deals only work if you can get it on paper.

Anyways... My part of the "unreasonable"... I have almost only played the vanilla game for the same reason, but the problems I still face in vanilla will also be present in any mod I grab and attach to the game.
I am rather selective, and even small stuff ruins games for me these days, I blame constant pain >_<

Sincerely
~ Kongdej

Reply #16 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Nibelung44, reply 12
Except they only debug vanilla saves. Who is really using pure vanilla these days? 

End of Nibelung44's quote

 

I am using pure vanilla.  Everyone I know who is playing the game is using pure vanilla.  Therefore, all players are using vanilla these days. (By my informal sample size) You make interesting assumptions about what the developers need to support.  I have no expectation of support of mods from the devs unless they are being real generous to often unthankful fans.

 

Unless of course, in your opinion, I and my friends are not "real" gamers and therefore don't count in questions like the one you posed.