Not random CTD

[Sunndae]

Hi all. Now that I have registered here anyway id like to ask a question about something bothering me for a while. I cannot seem to get rid of this problem.


In one of my campaigns I have modified only text files. The language files, the unit and build prod files and of course the startpos file. Now what happends is that every game at some point my game will CTD at a certain year, always the same year after loading autosave games. This year however is not the same year any time I replay this campaign from the beginning. Happends usually somewhere inbetween 20-60 years. I guess the computer is trying to build something that it cannot. This however usualy doesnt result in a crash to desktop.

I hope anyone can enlighten me as to what might be causing this crash. I am quite sure it has got to do with the modified files as the game runs just great otherwise. The crash comes without any error message. So I am at a total loss here. Thanks in advance .

[Stazi]

Generally, the language files can't cause CTDs. Prod, build and startpos files can. Have you checked the logs? Is there any window that pop-ups when game crashes (maybe in the background)? The most common mistakes that cause CTDs are the ones when you give some of the units/buildings to a different faction and forget to change culture/religion dependencies. Crusades and Jihads are especially vulnerable. If you give them to a faction that previously didn't have one, you have to assign at least one unit that can be automatically produced when crusade/jihad is sent. Otherwise.. CTD. It can happen randomly when AI try to send it.

[Sunndae]

Hi Stazi thanks for the quick reply.

Unfortunately there is no window popping up (I wish there was) thats why I am at a loss here. Ive checked the crusades but it cant be them either. Crusades and Jihads are only available to the unmodded factions.

[Stazi]

Run the game with -ian command. Load a saved game the turn just before the crash. Go through all factions and check what they are building/recruiting. If it's a unit or building that needs more than 1 turn to build you'll see it. Cancel it and hit end turn. If you don't get CTD, that's the one.

[Sunndae]

Thanks again for the reply. Actually I am always running the game in -ian mode but I dont know how to change to all 30 factions. Be it how it is the problem is most likely NOT in the unit prod and build prod files as ive changed them back to the original with the same CTD happening.

[Stazi]

AFAIK you can only see fiirst 20 factions (0-9 and +shift). MTW can keep some setting in saves so you probably have to try play a new campaign.

[Sunndae]

Yeah well I am tryiong to narrow down the problem but it is a slow proces. Ive played it now around 15 times from the beginning untill CTD. Next thing I will do is play with the old startpos file (cry) and see what is happening. I noticed that some of the factions located on the islands didnt build anything untill I changed their neighbours, so it might be a neighbour related problem eventually. The thing is Ive spent quite some time in building this campaign, making it a mixture of several mods with only factions to my liking, changing their starting positions, colours, shield, units, buildings, names, titles and such. After every few changes I made backups and tests but as long the game ran fine for 2 turns I just guessed I didnt make any mistakes or typ0s.
Ive narrowed down the problem so far that I can say it is not in the prod files. That however is to my surprise as I have never experienced CTD after changing language files before. And usually the campaign simply doesnt run at all if theres a problem in the startpos file. I guess exceptions are always to be found but I will get there eventually .

[Sunndae]

I have fixed the problem. It was somewhere in the startpos file... My guess is a image i took from another mod or a border problem. Cant be anything else.