CTD in Roman campaign, first battle, first turn with hannibal with default armies

[jinandjuice]

Windows 7
RTW 1.5 with BI and ALEX engine
no steam
install path: C:\Program Files\Activision\Roma Surrectum. It's just vanilla RTW with a changed folder.
used ALEX engine; Rome
System specs:
2.1 dual core
3gb ram
intel gma 4500x
units low, terrain medium, trees low, everything disabled except for widescreen and smoke. 1366x768 resolution.
It's the first turn of the Roman campaign, 0 turn I believe. Nothing's been changed except I added a "chirugeon" to the Roman general right next to Hannibal.
When I enter the battle, both sides with the default units, a few mins in the battle, the game crashes without reason. The actual time it crashes varies, but I've fought the battle 4 times and every time it's crashed. I did notice on the last 2 CTD's, however, that something went wrong with the graphics: rays of color shot out from the center of the screen, and that is the last frame that I saw. I think it might have to do with zooming in on a unit's skin, as when zoomed out, you only see their sprites.

Afte the 3rd CTD, I did a clean install of Rome. Same issue.

I shall attempt to verify whether it is the skins or not when I get the time.

Thank you.

[DarthLazy]

Your still alive???

----

Me thinks card issue. Try skipping the battle. Auto_win and try fighting another battle. Check if unit shaders is on. The shots of color scream card problem though..

[Beetlecat]

I'm getting that immediate CTD when fighting the first battle w/Hannibal. I've tried dropping all detail and resolution down to 1024x768. The battle finally loaded after doing that, but CTD immediately upon starting the battle. Would deleting my preferences be a good troubleshooting step?

I've upgraded to 2.1 on top of a working 2.0 (many turns, many campaigns, never a CTD), and also copied over the correct descr_rebel_factions.txt file (actually installed 2.1 again just now over everything, and re-coped the descr_rebel... file) with still the CTD on the first battle.

I'll try a fresh install of everything later.

[jinandjuice]

Hello Lazy O, it's been a while before we battled on Europa Barbarorum. I'm just periodically dropping in these days, but am glad to see that you're still alive and kicking.

I found the problem: Carthaginian naked fanatics' skins will not render properly. Well, it seemed to be able to render, as I can zoom in enough to see their naked flesh for 1 or 2 frames before the game crashes. These 2 times, there were no colors flying out of the center. The first crash had nothing special going on immediately before, but during the second time, when I zoomed in on the naked fanatics, RTW seemed to attempt to reload the screen, complete with the loading bar, identical to what you'd see if you change your resolution in game.

That's all I know. I'm not using high-res models btw.

[Beetlecat]

Ok... now I'm getting upset.

Just set up a complete vanilla install.
Ran Alex -- works great.
Installed 2.0. ran rome (0-turn) fought the first battle v. hannibal - lost it - worked fine.
Installed 2.1. rome 0-turn - loading the first battle -- CTD.

I have made sure to copy the quickfix file in and everything else overwrote just fine.

Any possible suggestions?

Edit: I've also started new campaigns with RTW.exe and BI.exe and both of them are able to launch and play through the first Hannibal ambush with no trouble at all. It's Alex.exe + 2.1 that seems to be the culprit with me.

As an aside, I've also noticed that the first battle with Hannibal in RTW and BI is an actual ambush -- my units are lined up in a column and attacked from the flank. Is this a missing feature from Alex? I've played 2.0 many times and never had the first battle go this way (I always trigger the ambush).

[white_wolf99]

I'm 100% sure the problem is something with naked fanatics. I have CTD every time when i zooming camera on them. Not only in firs battle but in every battle. It's possible to win the battle without CTD, but you must play with zoom max out of the field.

[Brusilov]

Naked fanatics with or without the modesty patch.........

[white_wolf99]

without

[Beetlecat]

As an experiment, I avoided the first ambush by Hannibal, and fought another battle elsewhere --and it worked fine.

Starting a new Rome campaign, I triggered the first battle by attacking Hannibal, and the battle loaded and finished fine (well, not so fine for my soldiers ).

Started another Rome campaign, tried to move away from Hannibal to trigger the ambush and CTD when loading the battle.

This is peculiar.

[DarthLazy]

Just to know...Why would you want to zoom in on Naked dudes?!?!?! Try the modesty patch

[white_wolf99]

Just to know...Why would you want to zoom in on Naked dudes?!?!?! Try the modesty patch

hahahahaha I'm zooming on the battlefield not just on naked fanatics. But it always CTD when enemy army has at least 1 unit of naked fanatics.

[Brusilov]

Do you have the unit shaders on or off?

It's recommended to have them on: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=387992

[jinandjuice]

shaders are off.
also, I was able to complete the battle by avoiding zooming in to render the 3d skins of naked fanatics without modesty patch.

[Brusilov]

shaders are off.
also, I was able to complete the battle by avoiding zooming in to render the 3d skins of naked fanatics without modesty patch.

As you can see from the link I supplied the unit shaders should be on.

[dendza]

Same thing, playing 2.1 with BI and CTD every time in middle of Battle with Hannibal ... getting anoying, I lost an hour of play ... any solution to this issue ?

[Hecatombe]

I (I'm in love with the RS) I play with Sparta, but when trying to play with Rome has ever happened to me this ctd. The first battle is often ambushed by Hannibal and as I zoom me out to the desktop. I tried to put the details at least upgrade my card, etc etc, but always crash. It would be funny to blame either naked fanatics. I'll try to play the Roman campaign without zoom in sausages Carthaginian and I will comment the result.

[Mr_Ace]

The 'Unit shaders' option must be enabled for the mod to not CTD, which was specifically stated by dvk901.

Your problem is having Unit Shaders unchecked in Options. RS2 MUST have unit shaders checked.

[Bor]

same problem, shaders on.. naked fanatics fanaticly ruin my campaign

[Acheron]

Same thing has just started happening to me, never been a problem before, and i start a new campaign and fight Hannibal, half way through the battle, the fanatics make ther charge and i zoomed in and bang CTD and now every other time i try to fight the battle it doesnt get past the loading screen, even if i have a trun and attack him on the second, same thing, ive altered all my settings to the suggested ones and then some, but still no luck..