Is the save game crash bug just annoying?

[Longstreet_slith]

Hi Folks,

I really want to buy this game, but of all of the problems I have heard, the one that bothers me the most, for whatever strange reason, is the saving a game and then crashing to desktop bug. I have seen some folks say this is beyond annoying where others say it hardly ever happens. I do know that I do not like it when a software package crashes to desktop. It is unsettling to say the least. So...is it a real game-stopper for some, or should I quit crying in my beer and but the game? [:D]

Longstreet

[Mr.Frag]

It is a trivial bug that has no effect at all on the game hence the reason it has not gotten very much attention. A extended delay was put into the routine to protect it some time back, but people have hardware that is still taking too long.

What happens is instead of counting to 5 before hitting escape to close the panel, people click like mad and slam their keys which causes the game to drop out as soon as the save completes. People with newer machines that are faster are less likely to be bothered by this, but war gamers usually have the oldest collection of hardware around so are more prone to this as their systems struggle under the load. I would point out the humor of playing a game that is going to run you multiple years of your personal time yet bitching about 5 crummy seconds ... they just don't seem to fit together well without being silly.

[niceguy2005]

I suspect the frequency of the crash varies according to the persons computer system. However, on my computer, running XP on a new system, the crash occurs about once every 30 to 60 saves. It isn't really a problem as the crash ALWAYS occurs after the save so worst case is that I have to go heat my coffee while the game loads again. If that is your biggest concern buy the game already.

This is the bug that least bothers me. In fact, with the latest patch apparently fixing the leader bug and units disappearing problems this game has become significantly more stable and playable. The worst problems now are simply lack of designed features like waypoint, IMO.

[dtravel]

ORIGINAL: Mr.Frag
I would point out the humor of playing a game that is going to run you multiple years of your personal time yet bitching about 5 crummy seconds ... they just don't seem to fit together well without being silly.

Only because you are trying to look at it rationally. If you look at it from a normal person's irrational "time is money and I don't have enough as it is" point of view, the bitching makes perfect sense. [:'(]

[treespider]

I've never been affected by this. Just click on save wait a few seconds until the game list is updated then exit.

[marovici]

Well I have to say that I envy you. My system is probably 3-4 years old (1.6 Ghz Pentium 1GB of RAM), but I get crashes every 5-8 times when I save.

[DD696]

I have a Pentium 3.4, 2 gig of ram, and the crash happens frequently with me, even with waiting the "required 5 seconds", or any time length for that matter.

Are any of you aware that you do not have to save to get this CTD? Just go to the save screen and exit out without saving. The crash will occur at times without doing the save, just the same as if you had saved the game. So the crash is not within the save game mechanism, but in the exit.

It is extremely annoying. This game is something like 1200+ turns in length. A CTD every, say 20 turns, means that the game will crash 60 times just playing one game.

[Longstreet_slith]

Hmmm....this does not sound good to me. I too have a 3.4 GHz system with 2 Gig of RAM. It crashes THAT MUCH just going to the save screen? Well....it sounds as if there is quite a range of opinion here. But this last post does not sound good to me. [:(]

Longstreet

[DD696]

Don't get me wrong. It is a fabulous game, but it does have some problems (as do they all). I wouldn't trade it for anything, but we all have out pet peeves about it. Playing a full game and getting "60" CTD's while doing so does take a lot of time....unless you are retired like me and can play it 8-12 hours at a stretch day after day. That is when the CTD's drive me buggy getting them 3-5 times a day....but then I am not a normal player as I get very immersed in it for long periods of time.

I'd say buy it to anyone who asks. The CTD just requires a few minutes to get the game up and running again.

And that is at times playing 30-40 turns in one day when things are relatively quiet gamewise.

[Don Bowen]

I have said this before and I'll repeat it here.

We are not ignoring the Save Game Crash bug - we are not yet able to isolate and fix it. It's intermittent and can not (yet) be tracked down.

But y’all continue have fun posting about it if you want.

[mlees]

With all due respect, "Counting to 5, then clicking" is an urban myth. So is machine speed.

I have a 2 GHz equivalent AMD processor, 1 Gb RAM, 20 Gb free space on hard disk, I slow count to 10, and I still crash to desktop 1 in 6 saves.

I save after every turn, into a different slot than were I restored from. (I have seven save slots. 1 whole week, if I need to go back that far. I have not needed to, yet.)

Saves just made usually do not get corrupted (only a single time this last year). So, it is not a major issue for me. But it does break my train of thought, because it only happens when I am not thinking about it happening...

Pardon me if I seemed a bit short there. I am not mad. I am just saying that that is not the behavior I have observed in my game.

[DD696]

Sorry. Did not realize I was treading on sacred ground here. [;)] I do not have any CTD's. The game just exits back to windows at times without permission, but always from the save screen. I hardly even notice it several times a day.[:D]

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: DD696

I have a Pentium 3.4, 2 gig of ram, and the crash happens frequently with me, even with waiting the "required 5 seconds", or any time length for that matter.

Are any of you aware that you do not have to save to get this CTD? Just go to the save screen and exit out without saving. The crash will occur at times without doing the save, just the same as if you had saved the game. So the crash is not within the save game mechanism, but in the exit.

It is extremely annoying. This game is something like 1200+ turns in length. A CTD every, say 20 turns, means that the game will crash 60 times just playing one game.

But the game does save so all you have to do is wait the extra 3 minutes for the game to reload. As I only play 1-2 pbem turns every day, a CTD every 30 turns means only once every 2-4 weeks. On my scale of life's annoyances this is number 8963, right above that peanut butter that you have to stir before eating. I can live a long happy life with this never being addressed.

[Terminus]

This barely qualifies as a bug for me. So what if it crashes once in a while, if I don't lose any data? The fact that I just saw the leader bug again is potentially worse...

[ChezDaJez]

With all due respect, "Counting to 5, then clicking" is an urban myth. So is machine speed.

I have a 2 GHz equivalent AMD processor, 1 Gb RAM, 20 Gb free space on hard disk, I slow count to 10, and I still crash to desktop 1 in 6 saves.

I agree that its an urban myth. I have a 2.8mhz P4, 1gb RAM and dual 160gb harddrives and WinXP. From what I've seen, waiting for a few seconds reduces, but does not eliminate the crash. I've gone outside for my smoke while saving, come back and hit exit and boom! CTD!

Chez

[DD696]

Has anyone noted what I found and stated above?

You do not have to actually save the game to get the "exit to windows". It is simply enough to go to the save screen, do not save, sit there for as long as you want, go have a pizza and beer, come back or stay out for the night, finally hit exit, and the game will randomly "exit to windows" at times. No CTD's for me, no sir. I love those "exits to windows". [8|]Good time for a break.

This could be a clue to this problem for the powers-that-be, however they don't seem to want to hear anything about it.

[TOMLABEL]

I use a 1.6ghz Pentium, 2gbRAM, & 180gb hard drive. I have not experienced and 'save' crashes since I upgraded to ver 1/6 many months ago. No problems with 1.8 either.
[8|]
TOMLABEL

[JeffroK]

I use a crappy old thing that just manages to play WITP (maybe not that bad)

This hits about 1 in 20, but as I only save when logging out it doesnt matter.

IFF you think you have lost a save, hit the autosave and you'll get the last turn. This also means you dont need to save as often.

30-40 turns a day!!, my PC must be bloody slow.

[ADavidB]

ORIGINAL: Don Bowen


I have said this before and I'll repeat it here.

We are not ignoring the Save Game Crash bug - we are not yet able to isolate and fix it. It's intermittent and can not (yet) be tracked down.

But y’all continue have fun posting about it if you want.

Dan - I started to get the Save Game Crash Bug regularly at the beginning of my new 1.80 game with Yank, but not with my new 1.80 game with Treespider. In some of the turns with Yank I was getting CTDs with every interim save! And in most cases I was waiting well more than 10 seconds to save.

The only difference was that Yank was compressing the game files before emailing them to me, and Treespider wasn't. IIRC, in my stint against PzB in his "epic" game I was also having Save Game CTDs, and PzB also compressed his game files.

I told Yank about this and asked him to not compress the files and he stopped doing it. Since then I've only had one Save Game CTD and that was likely due to a "fast finger".

Dave Baranyi

[DD696]

Hi,

I just have a lot of time. Getting up in the morning at four, making coffee, and playing the game until 10 in the evening allows for lots of turns in one day. I have actually been playing the game, not trying to run up my "post count" on the forum. Also a speedy computer helps. 30-40 is not the norm, but is achievable when the action is slow in the Pacific and you are simply building up for the next great push. I'd guess the "norm" for me is 15-20 turns a day. But then, I play against the AI.

If there were an in-game editor (and I am sure one does exist) then I would be willing to play PBEM. But I have no desire to get involved in a PBEM game that can go on for 2-3 years of real time and run into the bugs which detract from the enjoyment of the game, of which could easily be corrected thru the use of an in-game editor. Without that tool I will only play against the AI. I won't waste my time and that of any potential opponant in getting bogged down in easily correctable problems.