BATTLETECH - Game doesn't start [SOLVED]

[DMNinja]

One line summary of your issue
Game doesn't start

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
Windows 8.1 Pro

Which version of the game are you running?
1.9.1 (I assume. Can't open main menu to check, but it's a fresh install from a clean wipe)

What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, Shadowhawk Pack, Heavy Metal

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
I downloaded the game again yesterday to play, and after an install on a clean computer, the game immediately hangs on a black screen at the point that it should play the opening cinematic.

I've tried validating files, updating GPU drivers, doing the clean install, and disabling the cloud save mentioned within this forum. Nothing worked. No profiles.dat file that I could delete, as per other threads

I have attached the latest save, but i'm not sure it loads into the game

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
Initiate the game through steam launcher

Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)
File(s) attached

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log
File(s) attached

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox
File(s) attached

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
File(s) attached

Attach screenshot / video
File(s) attached

 

[AndrewT]

Did you try forcing the game onto your Intel video? Because several of the game crashes in that dxdiag are against the Intel video driver, not the nVidia we see in the game log. If so, FYI the game will never work on the Intel.

The errors in the game log all point to DirectX 11, which is odd. you might try a clean reinstall of that new nVidia driver:

- uninstall it and all other nVidia software
- reboot
- install it again by fresh download from here:

Download The Latest Official NVIDIA Drivers

Download the latest official NVIDIA drivers to enhance your PC gaming experience and run apps faster.

www.nvidia.com

- reboot again

I hope that does it!

 

[DMNinja]

Thank you for your response! I just checked to make sure, and the game is supposed to run on the nVidia GPU. (picture appended).

The clean driver install didn't help either. I've noticed that if I don't tab out after 2 mins or so, the screen just stays black, with no sound, but I can tab out as if the application were responsive. I always close it by pressing "Exit" on the steam page. What else can we do?

EDIT: Is there a chance the game is still being forced to run through the onboard Intel graphics somehow? If anything, I just want to rule out that possibility completely, because I want no application to run on those.

EDIT#2: I disabled the onboard graphics completely to check, and the application does indeed try to boot from the Intel onboard graphics for some reason without my explicit consent. Here's the catch though: I'm on a laptop, and the screen controller is located physically on the onboard graphics (for some reason). In other words, my screen properties and resolution defaulted to the lowest standard when the nVidia GPU took over. Screen size got all messed up etc. And because of that Battletech was stuttering to the point of being unplayable

Now the question becomes: Why does the existence of the onboard graphics mess it up completely? Why does it even try to load anything from the onboard graphics anyway? Setting it to do so from the nVidia control panel doesn't help. Help in this issue is greatly appreciated. At least now we know where to look!

EDIT#3: I am submitting my registry keys for inspection. Something seems off. The resolution hexes point to a different resolution, and some are straight up invalid.

 

[AndrewT]

Is there a chance the game is still being forced to run through the onboard Intel graphics somehow? If anything, I just want to rule out that possibility completely, because I want no application to run on those.

No, as you can see in your output_log.txt it is on the nVidia.

Why does the existence of the onboard graphics mess it up completely? Why does it even try to load anything from the onboard graphics anyway?

My understanding of how Windows handles dual video is is all goes through the Intel in the first instance, and ends up at the nVidia if appropriate.


Does this machine have multiple video outputs? Because I've seen machines where the Intel uses one output and the nVidia another. What kind of video cable do you use?

 

[DMNinja]

No, as you can see in your output_log.txt it is on the nVidia.

If that is the case, then why does it work (in the capacity that it does) when I disable the onboard graphics completely?

My understanding of how Windows handles dual video is is all goes through the Intel in the first instance, and ends up at the nVidia if appropriate.


Does this machine have multiple video outputs? Because I've seen machines where the Intel uses one output and the nVidia another. What kind of video cable do you use?

This machine has an HDMI and a VGA output, but since it's a laptop, I'm using the built-in display. I did try to connect to an external monitor through the VGA output, but the result was the same. I may try HDMI today and update this post with the results.

UPDATE: I didn't check the HDMI after all. Got busy with the Easter preparations. BUT I did figure out a few things:

The game does boot without any drivers installed. Be that either Intel or nVidia. When I installed drivers again on my machine, the issue appeared. When the game booted up, I still need to mention that it was at an unplayable condition.

I traced the issue back through another game that crashes when booting. On that particular game, I was getting a DXGI error: Device removed, which is a complex issue regarding drivers and power management. All the things I tried didn't work. Including adding a TdrLevel 0 hex in my registry.

The issue is that D3D (DirectX 3D) for some reason fails to create a 3D environment. I could try to force the game to run in DX9 if possible. No idea how. Hope this information is of use.

 

[AndrewT]

Our other major Unity game Cities Skylines has a launch option that forces DirectX 9. Whether that will work with this game I do not know but easy to try:
In your Steam Library right-click on this game and choose Properties. Click on Set Launch Options, and paste this in there:
-force-d3d9

 

[DMNinja]

Whether that will work with this game I do not know

Just checked and it doesn't. For the sake of brevity, and to get back to topics you're more familiar with, in what way would the existence of drivers would make the game crash? What else can I try on my end (change registry keys, .cfg file settings etc) to make it work?

 

[AndrewT]

Well, if there is a problem in a driver then having it exist will trigger that problem. When the drivers are not installed Windows uses the default MS basic video driver instead, which I would expect not be able to run this game. But why this driver, the most common in the world right now, is having this problem on this machine with this game I cannot see.

I know nothing about registry keys that would affect the drivers, I am sorry. Is that something you could contact nVidia support about?

 

[DMNinja]

I figured it out!!

I'll try to be as detailed as I can on my procedure for those who may have issues in the future!

PREFACE: My particular issue was highly specific, and niche in nature. It can only be encountered if you're using a laptop.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE: A laptop's actual lifespan is longer than its useful lifespan. That effectively means that due to each model's unique architecture, the manufacturer is releasing driver versions SPECIFICALLY for that laptop, but they cease production of those drivers a few years after the release of the model. In other words, using the default driver updates MAY cause issues relating to your specific hardware

THE "WRONG" PROCESS: After installing the game, I noticed that the game wouldn't initialize. No logos, no intro video, nothing.

I followed a trial-and-error process that you can observe within this thread, but in summary, it boiled down to me uninstalling all graphics drivers, checking if the game would work then (which it did, weirdly enough, since it was not meant to run on the MS default display drivers) and tried reinstalling drivers. This procedure was half-correct.

THE CORRECT PROCESS:
Install Game
Does the game initialize?
If not, look up your exact model, and dig up the latest version of its drivers from the manufacturer (if those still exist).
If the related page is deleted, use the wayback machine and hope the links in there still work.
Download the latest drivers SPECIFIC to your device. In my case, the drivers are from the year 2016 and I SINCERELY thought they'd be outdated.
Cleanly uninstall the drivers. Do it manually, or use DDU [Display Driver Uninstaller] (not sure if allowed to link to it). I did a manual clean uninstall.
Reboot
After cleanly uninstalling the old ones, make sure to NOT be connected to the internet, since windows will try to install default MS display drivers.
Install each driver for each GPU. In my case, it was Intel onboard graphics, and then nVidia GPU.
Reboot each time you install drivers.
Check if the game works now. In my case, it did! (And it fixed the extremely choppy frames (1-2FPS) that made it unplayable too)

If none of the above does work, submit a ticket here

PS: Might I ask you one last question AndrewT? How can I force steam to delete my old Battletech cloud saves? I don't want my game to crash or panic now that I've got it working

EDIT: Last but not least, thank you for your time, help, and pointers. Without those, I would have not been able to hone my search towards the right solution!

 

[AndrewT]

Well, I've been supporting this game since release and never seen a need to use vendor-specific drivers ... indeed I didn't think nVidia did that, just Intel and some old AMD ones. But I can't say I'm completely across that space.

Might I ask you one last question AndrewT? How can I force steam to delete my old Battletech cloud saves?

Can you not delete them in the game?

 

[DMNinja]

Well, I've been supporting this game since release and never seen a need to use vendor-specific drivers ... indeed I didn't think nVidia did that, just Intel and some old AMD ones. But I can't say I'm completely across that space.

I arrived to that conclusion upon talks with my tech mentor, when I mentioned that the display controller is physically located in the same chipset as the integrated graphics. He explained what I wrote above in more length, and he also suggested that I create a disk clone and switch OS. If the issue persisted it'd be a hardware issue (and most probably power related).

Again, I'll be completely honest when I say I am taken aback that vendor-specific drivers fixed the issue. Especially when they were updated in 2016. I am currently running nVidia graphics 332.60 instead of 5XX.XX (the latest), specifically tailored to my device. This might be an issue for other people, in that their retail brand is NOT the same as the manufacturer brand. In my case, my laptop is a white-label brand (Clevo) that was bought by the retail chain which added the rest of the components and sold it as their own brand. I found the drivers on Clevo's website which were surprisingly, still up.

Can you not delete them in the game?

Sorry for not providing you with the information beforehand, since I was mostly focused to writing down and reproducing my steps towards solving this issue.
Prior to my latest uninstall, I had disabled Steam Cloud Sync, and I've not logged into my paradox account in the game, nor have I enabled Sync again. My old files are still on the cloud. They are saves of the unmodded campaign playthrough. Will they mess up my client? I remember reading that loading those files in might crash my client.

If they don't affect my client in any way, I can just delete them from in-game, or keep playing on them. But in the case that they do, would steam downloading them into my client crash the client itself, or would that only happen if I tried to load them, in which case I can just delete them from inside the game anyway.

 

[AndrewT]

Typically Unity will open every save file on game load, so as to read out identifying information about the save such as in-game date etc. Whether that would cause you issues I'm not sure.

I am not aware that Steam have a way of deleting your cloud saves directly; you can see them here of course:

Sign In

store.steampowered.com

Googling "clean out steam cloud" found a number of fairly clunky ways of doing it though!

 

[DMNinja]

A penultimate FINAL update: I've allowed steam cloud sync, and I was able to get into the game and delete my files. If anyone stumbles upon this thread, just know that you can delete your saves (that might be incompatible with your files) after you get in the game.

I got into the game to assess performance, and everything's working fine... except for cutscene audio. Any chance for help on this matter? We've finally troubleshot the game not booting up. I sincerely hope cutscene audio will be less of an issue

EDIT: It was simple. I just changed the following setting: Sound > Playback > (your chosen audio output device) > Properties > Advanced > 16 bit 48000 Hz (DVD Quality). Audio playback now works in custscenes!


With that, I have now officially bugfixed the game and am able to have a pleasant gaming experience! Thank you AndrewT for the help and support! Can you add a [SOLVED] tag to the start of the thread? People will find this valuable I think.