Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post bug reports and ask for support here.

Moderators: elliotg, Icemania

j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Main menu loads ok, when I start any tutorial or new game, galaxy renders, game UI starts to draw (boxes only) and then game crashes to desktop.
All dx, dot net and stuff installed.

There is no file in the "AppData\Roaming\Code Force Limited\Distant Worlds\1.9.5.0" folder.

There is a file in "AppData\Roaming\Code Force Limited\Distant Worlds"
named "1.9.5.10SteamCrashLog.txt"

Code: Select all

 22:07:13 Initialize: System.NullReferenceException: Odwołanie do obiektu nie zostało ustawione na wystąpienie obiektu.
    w DWSteamAPI.GetAppID()
    w DistantWorlds.Types.SteamAPI.Initialize(String crashLogPath)
 

This happens even when Steam is not running. I launch the game by DistantWorlds.exe
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

Please try starting the game in windowed mode and check if the issue persists.

You can set the game to start in windowed mode by editing the Startup.ini file ( in the game installation folder).
Change:

'SCREENWIDTH 1024
'SCREENHEIGHT 768

to

SCREENWIDTH 1024
SCREENHEIGHT 768

Don't forget to save it on exit.
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

I'm already starting it in windowed mode.
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

And have you tried in full screen?
Could you please also attach a DxDiag report file?
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Yes I did.
Attachments
DxDiag.txt
(113.43 KiB) Downloaded 8 times
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

Do you hear any music being played in the background when the game loads the main menu?
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Yes, please check the video: youtube /watch?v=omPmDper1vM
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

Disable the sound in the game options menu and reinstall xna from:
Distant Worlds Universe\_CommonRedist\XNA\4.0
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Done.
Still crashing.
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

How are you connecting your monitor? With a DVI? An HDMI? or DisplayPort?
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

DisplayPort.
ldog
Posts: 90
Joined: Mon Jun 02, 2014 9:30 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by ldog »

Monitor connection??? Seriously. Are you going to waste his time for months like you did to me (ID:20127 still open), checking every ridiculous thing under you can think of.
I check here once in a while in the vain hope that I might find something useful.

Hey! Are you using 115V or 220V power? Try switching to the other type.
User avatar
VPaulus
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 2:02 pm
Location: Portugal

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by VPaulus »

ldog, sorry that we have not yet found a resolution for your issue but we are still awaiting the response from the developer. However I must say that the issue j4r3k is reporting is a completely different issue. His is a crash when he loads the game, whereas your issue is an Out of Memory issue which is occurring with the medium-sized galaxy. The Out of Memory issue is a specific issue which we need to have the developer suggest a fix for this, so your monitor configuration will not affect an Out of Memory issue. We have chased this with the developer but we have not yet heard back from him.

I am sorry that we have not been as responsive as we could have been, and I can only apologise for this, but we cannot fix your issue on the helpdesk and only the developer can fix this. We will chase this with both the developer and the producer today and try to get a resolution as soon as possible


@j4r3k
Can you please update your graphic card drivers?
If the game keeps crashing, could you then try plugging your monitor using a different type of cable, like an HDMI or DVI?
I'm asking you this because DisplayPort can occasionally causes crashes and I would like to rule out that the possibility if possible.
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

I've latest drivers. Cable change to DVI of course did not solve the problem. What next, jump and clap twice?

I just noticed if I launch the game through Steam it won't make it to main menu. It starts to render and crashes (attachment 1).

If Steam is not running it loads main menu but fails to render game interface in same way as above (attachment 2).

(could not take screenshots of game window with printscreen)
Attachments
IMG_0774b.jpg
IMG_0774b.jpg (72.52 KiB) Viewed 166 times
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Attachment 2.
Attachments
IMG_0775b.jpg
IMG_0775b.jpg (58.24 KiB) Viewed 166 times
User avatar
JosephM
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:13 am

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by JosephM »

ORIGINAL: j4r3k

What next, jump and clap twice?

Hello j4r3k,

We are sorry that you are having issues and we are working to help with these. I know ldog is also having issues and I know how frustrating it can be having issues with a game - we do try on Tech Support to help as much as we can. Often we are able to fix issues easily, sometimes we need developer involvement, and sometimes we try practically everything and cannot get a game working. Sometimes issues are solved as easily as updating a game or disabling anti-virus software, so at times our responses may even seem basic and unhelpful, but the simplest solutions often fix issues. I know that changing a monitor cable may seem pointless, but there are numerous reported issues with DisplayPort crashing so checking the cable eliminates this as an issue - which helps us narrow down the cause. Paulo has checked the DxDiag, translated the DxDiag into English and noticed that there are mentions of the sound files, hence why he checked about sound not interfering. These are seemingly basic fixes, but they are relevant to your issue.

Distant Worlds Universe uses a lot of prerequisites and occasionally these cause issues. This is why we created a troubleshooting guide to help customers ensure that they have tried all of the basic steps which commonly interfere with the game.

Regarding the SteamAPI call on the crash log, this is part of the log when it runs the Steam version (even if Steam is not open) and is not abnormal, but the failure in the line after that suggests that the XNA or .Net Framework are causing the issue. First, can I confirm that you have Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer installed and enabled. You can check these at:
Control Panel > Programs and Features > Windows Features > Media Features > Windows Media Player
Control Panel > Programs and Features > Windows Features > Internet Explorer 11

If these are enabled, then is the game installed to C:\Program Files(x86)? If so, please try the following. Uninstall the game and install the game in a different Steam folder than C:\Program Files (x86) (for example C:\Games).
You can follow the instructions below on how to Install Games in different locations:
http://www.mameau.com/add-existing-stea ... y-folders/
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_art ... -tdlc-0426
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

Both WMP and IE11 are installed. My Steam folder is on D: drive.
User avatar
JosephM
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:13 am

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by JosephM »

Hello j4r3k,

Before I try to help with a .Net repair, please can you ensure that no background programs are interfering with the normal running of the game. You can do this by running MSConfig and disabling all non-windows start-up programs and services. Then run the game and see if the issue persists. If it does not, then please reopen MSConfig and enable the services one by one until you find the problem program. A tutorial on how to do use MSConfig can be found below:
https://us.battle.net/support/en/articl ... plications
j4r3k
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2015 4:36 pm

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by j4r3k »

No apps are interfering the game.
User avatar
JosephM
Posts: 203
Joined: Tue Mar 18, 2014 7:13 am

RE: Starting new game or tutorial crash to desktop

Post by JosephM »

Please therefore try repairing the .Net installation. First, please go to the Control Panel then Programs and Features and attempt to repair .NET Framework 4.5.

If a repair does not help, then try to download and run the .NET Framework Repair Tool to see if it can find and fix any issues with the .NET Framework on your computer. You can download the tool from the below link:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download ... x?id=30135

If the repair tool does not help, then Download the .NET Framework cleanup tool and choose to remove .NET Framework 4.5. Then reinstall again .NET Framework 4.5 (using the file from the redist folder). The cleanup tool can be found at the below link:
http://blogs.msdn.com/cfs-file.ashx/__k ... 0_tool.zip
Post Reply

Return to “Tech Support”