Matrix Games Forums

I'm having some issue with Southern Storm and PBEM++ tournament turns: when I try to load any one of them, the game crashes.

(hey nicholas77, I'm having this problem with the turns, I will get to it as soon as possible).

Hmm, that's obnoxious, isn't it. I'm not sure if this will work, but if you change your OS settings to English, does that fix it? (I don't mean you should change it to that permanently, just long enough to do the test.) I will try to get to the bottom of why this might be happening for you, but my current hypothesis is that setting the OS to non-English settings or using something like OneDrive is preventing either that directory from existing or from actually being there.

Also just for some context, regular, single player saving and loading works for you, correct?

Trying to rule out some other things:
1) What OS are you running?
2) Is this your personal machine/do you have full permissions on it?
3) Do you have any security software like a virus scanner or something that might be blocking read/write of files?

(As some context, the specific file that failed to load is a temp file that gets created as part of the load process.)

Thanks for the reply, SgtZdog. I will try now the language thing, will revert. Re. your questions:

1) What OS are you running? - Windows 10
2) Is this your personal machine/do you have full permissions on it? - yes, it is my personal rig, full access
3) Do you have any security software like a virus scanner or something that might be blocking read/write of files? - Just windows defender

I haven't had any issue with Southern Storm since it came out, in fact I've played two previous tournaments without problems.

Edit - I have tried also at work computer, where I played the first turns of this tournament without issue, and now I am experiencing the same error. Work computer is W11.

Edit 2 - changing system language does not seem to solve the problem.

I'm looking at this now too and this is the first time this code has ever blown up. If you go to the directory named in the "exception message", does that folder actually exist? The path is "C:\Users\Galahad\AppData\Local\Matrix Games\FlashpointCampaigns\FCSS\FPC21.$$$" where the final $$$ file is the saved game file.

This same path is fine on my computer and is used without problem. Has anything changed with any anti-virus you use perhaps? If it is happening on your work computer too then that really helps narrow down the possibilities. I'm sorry, but this is the first time we have had this problem!

Can you load and run non-PBEM++ scenarios normally? That would be a good starting point for us to know.

Thanks, Rob

IronManBeta wrote: Sat Oct 18, 2025 5:13 pm I'm looking at this now too and this is the first time this code has ever blown up. If you go to the directory named in the "exception message", does that folder actually exist? The path is "C:\Users\Galahad\AppData\Local\Matrix Games\FlashpointCampaigns\FCSS\FPC21.$$$" where the final $$$ file is the saved game file.

This same path is fine on my computer and is used without problem. Has anything changed with any anti-virus you use perhaps? If it is happening on your work computer too then that really helps narrow down the possibilities. I'm sorry, but this is the first time we have had this problem!

Can you load and run non-PBEM++ scenarios normally? That would be a good starting point for us to know.

Thanks, Rob

Hi Rob, thanks for the reply.

Yes, the folder exists and it is empty. I tried creating a simple txt file with the FPC21.$$$ name in that folder, to trick the game, and it was erased.

Strangely enough, it happened also in my work computer. The folder exists and it is empty, too. Quite strange because I played the first couple of turns of this tournament on my work computer without an issue.

No problem runing, saving and loading non-PBEM++ scenarios on either of the computers.

Edit: the game shows the attached window upon launching
Edit 2: Uninstalling/reinstalling doesn't solve the problem

Edit 3: I've sent a PM with some further info but doesn't seem to leave my Outbox...

Yes, the folder will generally be empty as the game tries to clean up after itself. The $$$ file will be there only fleetingly while the save file is unzipped and read. Hmmm. Still thinking, I just need some time!

Hi there, I just got in contact with Galahad on Steam who pointed me to the thread here.

I am going to copy and paste what I messaged him that I think could have been a source of the issue:

"I think this may have been my fault actually. I thought Steam cloud wasn't working for me, so I had set up my save folders to link with dropbox to transfer saves between my laptop and PC. It works fine for single player but I am thinking the PBEM files were messed up by this.

Later on I discovered my issue with the cloud was actually very silly. The saves on my laptop were being kept in a file under my documents. The saves on my PC were in the normal Flashpoint game folder."

I am really sorry about this if that was the issue and I messed up the saves.

Edit: The link I am referring to is a symbolic link in Windows to my dropbox folder. Like I said maybe something about that screwed things up.


(As an aside, is there a way to change the default path that pops up when I hit save so that it goes to the Flashpoint folder instead of one under my documents without having to manually change it each time?)