Multiplayer Game crashes during startup

from GalCiv3 Forums

Hello!  

My friends and I have played GC3 on Steam many times since the game was released.  We just tried to launch a game yesterday and it won't work.

Everyone can join the game lobby without problem, and everyone can choose their race.  When I host, I can set the AI enemies and everything else no problem at all.  We all click "ready," and then I click "start."  Initially, it seems OK.  The first few loading things pop up [destroying galaxy, loading custom ships, building galaxy] and then it crashes to Windows.  Steam remains open, but GC3 is gone--completely crashed to Windows.  There are no error messages, no debug files; there's no indication whatsoever about what is wrong.

We tried again today, and we tried our hand at troubleshooting the problem by doing the following:

1.  Disabling all anti-virus/firewall stuff

2.  Direct tunneling via Hamachi

3.  Uninstalling and reinstalling our games

4.  Switching off all of our DLC and just trying to launch the vanilla version of the game

5.  Ensuring that our PCs were completely up to date

6.  Ensuring that Steam was completely up to date

7.  Ensuring that our game files were completely up to date

8.  Having one player host a multiplayer game without any other human players in the game, then saving the game, and then loading the saved game and having the other players join and take over previously AI-controlled slots.  (This is the only way to play online when using the Crusade DLC; so we figured we'd give it a try even though we weren't using Crusade at the time.  Later we did also try enabling Crusade and it still didn't work).

After that, we tried launching the game without some players to find whether or not one of us was causing a problem for everyone, and it turns out that everyone else can host and launch the game no problem.  It's only me that causes the issue; however, to be clear, when it crashes to Windows, it crashes to Windows for everyone.

Now, during step 8 (above) we did notice a quirky thing.  Whenever I tried to join the game after another player had saved and uploaded the save file, I was totally unable to select any of the AI or do anything.  It would sort of freeze and then eventually kick me back to the main menu without any error messages or debug stuff.  

It happens without any explanation at all and it is infuriating for me because I am diehard GC3 player.  Why is this suddenly happening to me, and how can I fix it?

-Joe

 

 

galciv iii support
16,645 views 18 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

It would help if we could see what's in your debug.err file, it is located in \Documents\My Games\GC3 or \Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade

If you would upload it to a cloud service (DropBox, Google Drive, One Drive) and post a link here, the developers can take a look at it.

Also, please get the files of the other players you were playing with.

Thank you for your patience and patronage.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Ah, I see!  Sorry, I had been looking in the debug folder before and it was always completely empty.  Following your instruction I easily found it.  I am really tech-clueless sometimes. 

Anyway, here you are.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xk0ydI1QpIhxpQxXI-XxuLqYi_PuJtRv/view?usp=sharing

ObjectDock - Access shortcuts and frequently used applications from an animated dock.
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

The file requires access.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Fixed it!  Maybe you need a new link?

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Xk0ydI1QpIhxpQxXI-XxuLqYi_PuJtRv/view?usp=sharing

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I've asked the others to post their debug.err files to this discussion.  There should be two people who post.  

Reply #6 from Stardock Forums Top

Yes, new link works.

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Here is mine: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ovkeFO0xA6nd6MzNJ0LysZWusdlf0W8t/view?usp=sharing

Reply #8 from Stardock Forums Top

After that, we tried launching the game without some players to find whether or not one of us was causing a problem for everyone, and it turns out that everyone else can host and launch the game no problem.  It's only me that causes the issue; however, to be clear, when it crashes to Windows, it crashes to Windows for everyone.

I want to be clear here, you can't join at all and have it work for everyone or you just cant host and have it work? Said another way, if you host, its hosed, but if you just join, it's fine or no to both?

I any case, other things to try. 

If any of you (probably just you) are using custom factions\ships, don't.  If any of you are subscribed to anything via the Steam workshop, unsub.

Lastly, for you, it would be prudent to rename:

(you may have one or both)
\Documents\My Games\GC3
\Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade
 
to:
 
\Documents\My Games\GC3_OLD
\Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade_OLD
 
And try to run the game again starting a fresh game - no save loading - with the above conditions (no Steam subs \ custom races or ships).
 
Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager



 

Reply #9 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

I want to be clear here, you can't join at all and have it work for everyone or you just cant host and have it work? Said another way, if you host, its hosed, but if you just join, it's fine or no to both?

OK, I'll list several scenarios below for the sake of clarity:

1.  I host multiplayer; they join.  We start: crashes to windows.

2.  I host multiplayer; they do not join.  I start with only AI players: crashes to windows.

3.  They host multiplayer; I join.  We start: crashes to windows.

4.  They host multiplayer; I do not join.  They start without me: no problem.  The game works fine.

5.  I play single player: no problem.  The game works fine.

These scenarios are true regardless of whether we are playing in vanilla GC3 or Crusade or with any other iteration of DLC enabled.

We did try without using any custom races, but we didn't remove the custom races from the game.  We just didn't choose any of them when we set up the match.

 

Reply #10 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Sorry, I had made a mistake with text color in the above message.  It's been corrected now.

Reply #11 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Just a follow up:

I renamed the folders to the "_old" versions as you suggested, and I unsubscribed from all GC3 content that I had subscribed to.  

So, to be clear I was running Crusade and all of the other DLC, but with no custom content whatsoever.

I was able to start the match by hosting and playing alone with only AI; however, when the others attempted to join my lobby, they ran into problems.  

Mondofish was able to join the lobby, but was unable to "claim" an AI slot or do anything at all for that matter.  The other person playing with us clicked to join my lobby, and never made it into the lobby.  We waited for ever and ever and ever and then just gave up [around 25 minutes].  Something was clearly wrong.

Here's the debug.err from today:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dBbOP1hSC5Th5Kc6AxUaNj0g54VQ4h3c?usp=sharing

Reply #12 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

You had asked me to unsubscribe from everything in the Steam Workshop.  So I unsubscribed from anything related to GC3.  

But, did you mean that I should unsubscribe from literally all content (i.e. workshop subscriptions for all games--not only GC3)?

Reply #13 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting Gravity464, reply 12

But, did you mean that I should unsubscribe from literally all content (i.e. workshop subscriptions for all games--not only GC3)?

No no... Just GC3 content. 

The log appears to indicate you are loading a save game for the MP session, yes?

If so, please try a NEW game.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

 

Reply #14 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Hey guys, 

So, I did what you said and we launched a multiplayer game successfully by disabling all custom content and starting a match [with Crusade enabled].  We then saved that game and restored the session by loading it just to make sure it worked, and it did.  So it seems we can play GC3 in its most updated form with all DLC, but with absolutely no custom content.  Thank you for helping us be able to play the game again.

This situation is really bittersweet though.  The reason why I love GalCiv is the ability to customize it.  I've made hundreds of ships and several races.  

Why can't I use them anymore?

Reply #15 from Stardock Forums Top

That is very good to hear.

Quoting Gravity464, reply 14

Why can't I use them anymore?

It's not that you cant, its a matter of finding out what content is causing the issue (enabling one at a time for each player) and then why it is.  That can be a daunting task if there is a lot of it. 

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager

Reply #16 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting sdRohan, reply 8


After that, we tried launching the game without some players to find whether or not one of us was causing a problem for everyone, and it turns out that everyone else can host and launch the game no problem.  It's only me that causes the issue; however, to be clear, when it crashes to Windows Gacha Neon, it crashes to Windows for everyone.



I want to be clear here, you can't join at all and have it work for everyone or you just cant host and have it work? Said another way, if you host, its hosed, but if you just join, it's fine or no to both?

I any case, other things to try. 

If any of you (probably just you) are using custom factions\ships, don't.  If any of you are subscribed to anything via the Steam workshop, unsub.

Lastly, for you, it would be prudent to rename:

(you may have one or both)

 

\Documents\My Games\GC3

\Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade

 

to:

 

 

 


\Documents\My Games\GC3_OLD

 


\Documents\My Games\GC3Crusade_OLD

 

And try to run the game again starting a fresh game - no save loading - with the above conditions (no Steam subs \ custom races or ships).

 

Sean Drohan
Stardock Support Manager






 

 

This works :) Thanks a lot. Saved a lot of times

Reply #17 from Stardock Forums Top

Quoting forumwale, reply 16

This works Thanks a lot. Saved a lot of times

Very pleased to hear it.

Sean Drohan
Stardock Product Lifecycle Manager