startup ctds resolved

Time of Fury spans the whole war in Europe and gives players the opportunity to control all types of units, ground, air and naval. Not only that, each player will be able to pick a single country or selection of countries and fight his way against either the AI or in multiplayer in hotseat or Play by E-Mail. This innovative multiplayer feature will give player the chance to fight bigger scenarios against many opponents, giving the game a strategic angle that has no equal in the market. The game uses Slitherine’s revolutionary PBEM++ server system.

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gwgardner
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startup ctds resolved

Post by gwgardner »

I'm not getting 'loading saved game' CTDs anymore. These types of CTDs were one of the major reasons players shied away from ToF.

What I did was:

1) start whatever scenario I wanted to play, then save.

2) Then I went to the saved game folder C:\Users\[yourname]\Documents\My Games\Time of Fury\Saves and opened the subfolder for the specific saved game I want to continue playing

3) created a temp folder there

4) cut any currently unneeded consts_[countryname].ini file and pasted to the temp folder

Example, in my current game I'm currently in 1940. Bulgaria is not yet at war. So the file consts_Bulgaria.ini is removed to the temp folder.

The end result is that there are many less files for the 'load saved game' function to deal with, and this has solved my CTD problem. Later on, when a given country is active, I can copy it back to the saved game folder from the temp folder.

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Rasputitsa
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by Rasputitsa »

I have used a combination of a reduced 'units images' folder, which originally had over 1000 image files and a size of 90mb of data, now using less than 700 re-sized, mainly colour unit images, with an overall size of 30mb. Countries like Argentina and Brazil will never show in most scenarios and other minor countries do not need dedicated unit images, as they will use default images which are available for every type and level of equipment.

Secondly removed some scenarios and tutorials, that I do not use, into an Archive Folder (I can bring them back if I choose), just keeping a few favourite scenarios available in the scenarios folder. This also makes space for new modded scenarios.

Using the last issue of v1.05, these actions greatly reduce the amount of data the game has to load on start and has practically eliminated CTDs on game start. [:)]
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

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DonCzirr
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by DonCzirr »

Thanks for that information guys.

BTW - did either of you ever put together a bundle / zip of the .ini files you tweaked to get the game near optimal? (aside from core coding issues that can't be overcome without the Devs)
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Rasputitsa
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by Rasputitsa »

I have had some family medical problems over the last few months and have not done very much, also now suffering a series of crashes in 'Windows 10' on the desktop, each windows update seem to bring more problems. The issues with Wastelands and the ToF updates now seem to look really good, compared to the nightmare Microsoft have presented.

The way the game is originally configured, each scenario contains the consts.ini file, which controls how most of the game features work. The Terrain Combat Odds Modifier text is in this file, but not working for all nations except Poland. Since v1.01 the game has given no benefit for terrain effects in combat. The fix was to put the terrain modifier text into each country_consts.ini file in the scenario folder. Bingo!!! combat odds terrain effects now working for all nations (some countries do not have a country_consts.ini file, but easy to create one for all nations in play).

The greater use of the country_consts.ini files opens up huge possibilities in modifying the game. The game was carrying most settings the main consts.ini file for each scenario, but this was a one-size-fits-all effect with settings applied equally to all nations, all the time. By moving more settings into specific country_consts.ini files you can give different countries different attributes and change them as the game progresses.

One example, the combat modifiers have a setting for city defence, but some countries did not defend their cities at all and should have this modifier set to neutral (no effect). The Soviets did not defend cities during the first stages of 'Barbarossa' (doctrine was only configured for attack), with German tanks driving into practically undefended and unprepared cities, but by 1942 put up a strong defence of VORONEZH and fierce defence at STALINGRAD (what would have happened if MOSCOW had been reached earlier).

Each country can be given a specific city defence setting in its country_consts.ini file, this settings can be changed in a running game as each game save folder contains a copies of the latest country_consts.ini files.

This process applies to many more game settings and it is not so much a one-off mod, as a way of managing the game to get the best effects. Instead of a fixed game performance the game can be more realistic and dynamic, some of these issues could be handled in 'events', but this becomes more complicated and I think some of the game bugs and crashes are triggered by game 'events'.

To get to the point of you comment, all of the above is useful, but where does the optimum game lie. I have been happy to adjust and tweak the game, as I play, to get effects and resolve issues to keep the game going to my satisfaction. Recognising that many players will not want to have to do this to make the game work and will have their own opinions of what is optimum.

I have selected the 'Fall Gelb' scenario as providing the most options for play, as Axis against the AI. I have been preparing 'readme' sheets for a series of mods, or adaptions, that could be applied to the scenario for a more realistic and challenging game. Small changes can have big effects in the game and most of it hardly qualifies as a mod, being just small changes of text.

I have had little opportunity to fully test much of this and practically making it up, as the game goes along, but happy with the results.

I have exchanged material with Gary and his opinion will be crucial on whether this can be workable and the makings of a package already exist, after some play testing and getting the ..!X$"x%@.. Windows 10 system to work.

It could be prepared scenario files with some modification, or a pick-and-choose selection, to apply as required. [:)]
"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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zakblood
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by zakblood »

i'm a windows 10 exberk if you need any help testing anything, please let me know

and yes i did mean ex berk not expert[:D] [;)]

been using since alpha stages so been on it more than most[&o]
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 22621) (22621.ni_release.220506-1250)
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Rasputitsa
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: zakblood

i'm a windows 10 exberk if you need any help testing anything, please let me know

and yes i did mean ex berk not expert[:D] [;)]

been using since alpha stages so been on it more than most[&o]

Windows 10 was working OK at first, but then problems started by having conflicts with other APPs, Amazon, Google, Norton, especially in the last few weeks. Some systems seem more vulnerable, HP computers and certain motherboards. Now no mouse, or keyboard access, but the real problem is the time lost in restoring after each crash and the realisation that you are going to have to do the whole thing again in a few days time.

I was only sticking with Windows 10 because it supports the 26" touch screen I am using and ToF works brilliantly on touch, when the system is working it is a great experience.

I am getting desperate enough to consider buying a new computer to try and break the cycle, didn't believe in conspiracy theories before, but beginning to think that Microsoft is out to get me. [:(]

"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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zakblood
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by zakblood »

i have 8 versions of windows 10 installed on different hardware, all used the upgrade free version then once a free key was registered i wiped them one by one and installed fresh installs with no older o/s on them, no issues to date to mention in any game, then again i do use dos boxes and emulation for games as well
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Rasputitsa
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by Rasputitsa »

ORIGINAL: zakblood

i have 8 versions of windows 10 installed on different hardware, all used the upgrade free version then once a free key was registered i wiped them one by one and installed fresh installs with no older o/s on them, no issues to date to mention in any game, then again i do use dos boxes and emulation for games as well
Same here, moved from Windows 8, thru 8.1, then took the upgrade to Windows 10, everything OK at first, then a few weeks ago after Critical Updates the crashes started, I was able to restore thru earlier restore points and didn't lose any data, although I did have to reinstall some of the games.

Latest problem is the computer starts normally, but no keyboard, or mouse, so you cannot get past the welcome screen and can only do a hard switch-off, which risks scrambling the HDD. I can get into the recovery page with ESC on start, but all the restore options which worked before now failing. The available recovery options now heading towards the nuclear options, which I am reluctant to do when the problem might just be missing keyboard/mouse drivers.

This is the second time I have had this issue, after fixing it once, so you start to lose heart, what's the point of fixing it when you are likely to have the same problem next week.

I want to be gaming, not spending hours playing beta tester for Microsoft.[:(]

"In politics stupidity is not a handicap" - Napoleon

“A people which is able to say everything becomes able to do everything” - Napoleon

“Among those who dislike oppression are many who like to oppress" - Napoleon
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zakblood
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by zakblood »

i was a beta tester for them and have been on the insider program for years, technet before that, so i don't mind, most errors tbh are program or drivers not O/S related 99% of the time imo.

and a clean fresh install of the latest version of windows 10 fixes all, no older stuff left over to worry about.
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 22621) (22621.ni_release.220506-1250)
gwgardner
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RE: startup ctds resolved

Post by gwgardner »

ORIGINAL: DonCzirr

Thanks for that information guys.

BTW - did either of you ever put together a bundle / zip of the .ini files you tweaked to get the game near optimal? (aside from core coding issues that can't be overcome without the Devs)

No bundle uploaded. What I'm playing now is Rasputitsa's Fall Gelb Mod, which pushes up the start of the scenario to the beginning of 1940. So I simply installed his scenario, removed some currently unneeded const_[country].ini files, made sure the needed ini files in the saved game folder had the settings for terrain defensive modifiers per Rasputitsa's findings.

I using 1.05. Have not had any problems with the upkeep issue, but check that each turn.

Of course you could play any of the campaign scenarios, with the above modifications.

By the way check out my AARs from several years ago, in the forum.

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