Can't save startpos.esf

[Destin Faroda]

I'm finally ready to do some campaign modding, but now I'm encountering a problem I never had in the past. Whenever I try to create a new startpos file, it won't. Everything works well until the point where the Assembly Kit has to generate the startpos.esf. At this last step, BOB claims: "Can't save startpos.esf in LOCATION"
Never happened to me on Windows 7, but now I have to use Windows 10 and I also noticed longer starting times. I use the correct gamepath and I've deleted the rules.bob files which are known to create trouble.
Am I the only one with this problem?

[izzi]

I only had that problem, because of an error i did. Because, the startpos can't be build correctly. Also what could happen, is that the name of the location is to long. I put for example the Assembly kit someone where else, so the location name is not to long.

[Destin Faroda]

Error is unlikely because I tried it with a freshly installed Assembly Kit and an unmodified game.
The path of the Assembly Kit is "D:/Games/Modding" and Steam is in "D:/Games/Steam".
I'm going to reinstall the game although I doubt this is going to change anything.

[izzi]

Error is unlikely because I tried it with a freshly installed Assembly Kit and an unmodified game.
The path of the Assembly Kit is "D:/Games/Modding" and Steam is in "D:/Games/Steam".
I'm going to reinstall the game although I doubt this is going to change anything.

Never think that it's not an error. Even the smallest thing can cause that problem. I have a Windows 10 64 bit machine, and i do not encounter a problem. Also, did you add the custom mod pack (without a startpos.esf) in your data folder (just to be sure)?

[Destin Faroda]

I've reinstalled the game and now it doesn't even get past the splash screen. The cursor turns into a yari tip and several seconds later, it crashes. Looks like I'm defeated.

[izzi]

I've reinstalled the game and now it doesn't even get past the splash screen. The cursor turns into a yari tip and several seconds later, it crashes. Looks like I'm defeated.

But if you didn't add the custom pack file (and the custom startpos file), you will get an error.

[Destin Faroda]

It's a fresh Shougun II installation without mods. Strangely, it doesn't even get to the main menu. Rome II and Attila work flawlessly though.
What's wrong with this game?

Update: For some strange reasons, Shougun II now only works if I start Steam in admin mode. Never had to do that before.
Still getting the "Can't save startpos.efs in D:/Games/Steam/.../" though.

[izzi]

It's a fresh Shougun II installation without mods. Strangely, it doesn't even get to the main menu. Rome II and Attila work flawlessly though.
What's wrong with this game?

Update: For some strange reasons, Shougun II now only works if I start Steam in admin mode. Never had to do that before.
Still getting the "Can't save startpos.efs in D:/Games/Steam/.../" though.

Maybe it has to do with a different game path (standard it's in the C drive), i have mine installed in the C drive (except the assembly kit). I do not have any problems with the Assembly kit, neither with S2TW.

[Destin Faroda]

Let's see if I forgot something:
- I unpacked the Assembly Kit onto D:/Games
- If you want to work with the standard campaign, you need the unofficial Ootomo update
- I've set the game path in the text file
- I start BOB, go to database and click on the entry startpos_calendars
- I select XML Genpei
- BOB automatically selects all the necessary files
- I press start and a window appears while the game starts
- Everything is green, the game closes, but it still doesn't generate the startpos.esf file
The startpos.esf should be in "working_data/campaigns/jap_genpei". In the past, I've imported that folder into my packfile and it worked without problems. Did I forget something?

[izzi]

Let's see if I forgot something:
- I unpacked the Assembly Kit onto D:/Games
- If you want to work with the standard campaign, you need the unofficial Ootomo update
- I've set the game path in the text file
- I start BOB, go to database and click on the entry startpos_calendars
- I select XML Genpei
- BOB automatically selects all the necessary files
- I press start and a window appears while the game starts
- Everything is green, the game closes, but it still doesn't generate the startpos.esf file
The startpos.esf should be in "working_data/campaigns/jap_genpei". In the past, I've imported that folder into my packfile and it worked without problems. Did I forget something?

I have never installed the update (i use it for FotS mostly).
First of all, you can't choose in "database". All related db files need to be used in "EmpireDesignData". So any changes in the startpos (Raw XML files), you just need to go to working data and choose "campaigns" and choose the appropriate campaign (jap_gempei) and enable the startpos.esf. That's it.

[Destin Faroda]

It doesn't matter if you click on startpos.esf or on one of the startpos tables. It's part of the same process and the result is always the same: can't save startpos.esf.
Guess that puts my mod to a halt. At least the combat mechanics work.
Thanks for trying to help me, izzi.

[izzi]

It doesn't matter if you click on startpos.esf or on one of the startpos tables. It's part of the same process and the result is always the same: can't save startpos.esf.
Guess that puts my mod to a halt. At least the combat mechanics work.
Thanks for trying to help me, izzi.

Sorry that i couldn't help you further.

[Primergy]

Just for note:

I wanted to get back into modding, but I ran into the same issue as Destin Faroda. My BoB doesnt want to safe startpos.esf files anymore - even if I didn't changed anything. I also tried different installation paths, running compatibility / admin modes etc. Nothing. Also Win 10 64x machine.

[Sara Temer]

Did you edit file "game_path.txt"? If yep and not works - send me your assembly kit, I will test it on my computer

[Primergy]

Yes, i edited the game path.

Here's my assembly kit - i removed some files to make it easier to upload. Thank you for taking a look.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8v7o2lqm641ibpe/Test.zip?dl=0

[Sara Temer]

huh, your files, without rest asssembly kit, doesn't export startpos for me, but export stardard db table works
try with this: http://www.mediafire.com/file/0s2on1..._patch.7z/file - my assembly kit

[Primergy]

Thanks for uploading, but sadly it didn't worked.

I now came to the conclusion, that it must an error with the way the game is started, means with the shogun2.exe. I tried to start the game directly with the shogun2.exe (in steamfolder/Total War Shogun 2 ) but here the game is also crashing at the splash screen. So currently I can only start the game from steam libary and only, if I start steam in admin mode.

Izzy and Sara, can you confirm, that you are able to start the game with the shogun2.exe or is it also crashing (but you can create the startpos with bob)?

[Sara Temer]

I can use Shogun2.exe to run game, but I have Win 7 64x, so you need ask izzi

EDIT: I checked on my friend's computer with Win 10 and here also I can use Shogun2.exe to run game

[Primergy]

Thanks for the tests!

They confirmed my idea, that the problem isn't BoB but how Shogun 2 is handled on windows 10. People complained that they couldn't run S2 and Atilla on Windows 10 and I assume that the bob/startpos error and the game launching error are connected. Often this was fixed by starting steam in admin mode and then you can start the game from the steam library. This doesn't work for BoB though, because it starts the game directly from the Shogun2.exe. So you have to find a way to start the game with the exe.

Currently I could fix this and I was able to generate a startpos file.

What I did was deleting the shogun2.dll + Shogun2.exe + awesomium dll + exe, disabling the windows firewall and my antivirus program and then verifiying the game files with steam (steam runs as admin). I edited the shogun2.exe + awesomium settings so that those also runs as admin. Then I started BoB as admin and voila, I was able to generate a startpos file.

Disabling the firewall and antivir isn't of course the best move.

[izzi]

Didn't had any issue in building the startpos.esf with windows 10. Didn't do a special thing to make BOB and steam run together. First you need see that you have steam running before you start creating the startpos.esf. Also, it's better not to use the modding folder from the C drive. It can cause weird issues with administration rights. Also see that it doesn't have a to long folder name. This can cause issues as well.
Are you planning to work further on your N&SII mod or just other stuff (just out of curiosity)?