(1.00.95 Steam) - Stream Write Error - Access Denied (Can't Progress)

[Energico]

Following today's update, whenever I try to save, end turn, or quit the game, I get a series of stream write errors. They seem to be a series of design files and then one final error when I'm ending turn or trying to save. When I try to quit, it gives me a similar error for the preferences file.

I have tried running as administrator, validating the game, uninstalling and reinstalling. It is the Steam version with plenty of open drive space and I had just played it last night without issue. I did last night edit the map file slightly to give myself a couple possessions following a war (Cuba, Guantanamo Bay, and Puerto Rico), but my vague memory was I progressed a turn after that (I could be mistaken).

When I try making a new game, it gives me a "Cannot create save directory" error.

I'm on Windows 11 and I can't seem to locate an error log in the root folder.

Attached game save, pictures below. Thank you for any help you can provide, as this completely bricks my ability to play.

Screenshot 2025-08-11 112926.png (4.06 KiB) Viewed 2150 times

Screenshot 2025-08-11 112935.png (5.29 KiB) Viewed 2150 times

Screenshot 2025-08-11 114202.png (6.42 KiB) Viewed 2150 times

[MaximKI]

That is quite strange. We haven't encountered this issue in our testing and preparation for the update. Do you happen to run any mods? What was the last version of the game you ran without issue? Do you happen to have multiple copies of the game installed?

[Energico]

Should be a fresh install with no mods, as I hadn't done much with RTW3 since I bought. I was running the last Steam version which I believe was 84 last night without issue. And no I should only have the Steam version installed. I'll confirm I don't have any mods or other installations somewhere, but that would be highly unlikely.

EDIT: Unless I did something weird back in 2023, found no signs of mods or other installs. I did have an old save from then that migrated to new save location, which I deleted in-game earlier and is not in the Documents Save folder, but appears to still exist in the Steam Save folder. Either way, I haven't touched that save since I started playing again, so not sure if it would be relevant. If I delete it in the Steam folder, Steam re-downloads it upon launch. I've also tried adding it back into the Documents save folder in case that was an issue, still same problems for my current save.

I also don't know if this is relevant, but including the launcher log I found in the Save folder area.

[MaximKI]

I had no issue loading or playing a turn or two on your uploaded save file.

Can you confirm where your Steam save files are? The default location is usually Users\[USERNAME]\Documents\My Games\Rule the Waves 3\, but you may have changed yours or you may have a different path.

Have you checked if an anti-virus may be somehow impacting your installation of RTW3?

[Energico]

My save path is currently One Drive > NAME > Documents > my games > Rule the Waves 3 > Save > Game2. This is at least what the game set up when I loaded it up.

I have the Windows antivirus stuff and nothing else currently. However, upon further inspection of Windows Security's protection history, I did notice a bunch of access blocks by it for RTW. I just allowed access and it seems to be saving correctly! Not sure why Windows decided it was bad one day after no issue the first, but that appears to have been it. I will update this if I run into any other issues, but thank you for helping me troubleshoot!

[PvtErdnuss]

Hello there! Same errors here!

Same situation on Windows 10.

Reinstall via Steam / Deleting / manual Deleting / didnt bring the game back to live.

After manually deleting all the files in the Documents/My Games/Rule the Waves 3- Directory i only get the following message when trying to start a new game:

"Error in StartNewGame procedure! Cannot create save directory: C:\Users\MyWindowsUserName\My Games\Rule the Waves 3\Save\Game1\"

Maybe you can give us a solution? or fix?

Thx a lot.

[MaximKI]

My save path is currently One Drive > NAME > Documents > my games > Rule the Waves 3 > Save > Game2. This is at least what the game set up when I loaded it up.

I have the Windows antivirus stuff and nothing else currently. However, upon further inspection of Windows Security's protection history, I did notice a bunch of access blocks by it for RTW. I just allowed access and it seems to be saving correctly! Not sure why Windows decided it was bad one day after no issue the first, but that appears to have been it. I will update this if I run into any other issues, but thank you for helping me troubleshoot!

That's great to hear!

@PvtErdnuss - have you checked your antivirus software or Windows Security, as Energico has in this post?

[PvtErdnuss]

Ok that's quick.

I have checked the Windows Security Protection History as well. And yes RTW3.exe was blocked as well here. Allowed it - seems to be the fix we were looking for.

I'm still also wondering why after the latest patch (or maybe it's because of the patch?) Windows Defender decided it might be a hostile access and started to deny it. There might be a lot of people out there having the same problem.

[MaximKI]

That's great to hear!

[MaximKI]

Could you please confirm for me where your Steam versions of the game are installed?