BATTLETECH - Game UI crashes, game sounds continue

[mossler]

One line summary of your issue
Game UI crashes, game sounds continue

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
Win 10 Pro

Which version of the game are you running?
1.9.1-686R

What DLC do you have installed?
None

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
UI stuck, but clicking around randomly seems to indicate that there is reaction, hear acknowledgments, etc ... but UI stuck. Previously, I had Unity crash after starting Phase 3 fight with the pirate leader and the Shadowhawk.

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
I'm in very early game. Start mission to capture Argo, finish phase 1 (kill radar towers, power generator, tanks), finish phase 2 (kill Locust/Jenner/Commando and 2 tanks), get the "XO" - "DR" interchange. UI crashes.

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]

There is no crash recorded in that output log, but many many video/graphics errors. The Dxdiag records both a crash and couple of AppHangs in the game though. Frankly not sure what to make of all that!

Is this just in one particular campaign or career? Or in any new one you might start too?

 

[mossler]

There is no crash recorded in that output log, but many many video/graphics errors. The Dxdiag records both a crash and couple of AppHangs in the game though. Frankly not sure what to make of all that!

Is this just in one particular campaign or career? Or in any new one you might start too?

This is my first ever run through ... so I will try again tonight and if it dies, I will attempt another campaign. Might try the save game on my lower spec laptop.

 

[mossler]

Tried again, crashed once I started selecting the Sybil's mech.

 

[AndrewT]

We see this in the game's crash stack, which should not be there:

C:\Program Files (x86)\DisplayFusion\Hooks\AppHook64_F541DADA-3B6D-457B-9A6E-0072E42C952F.dll

Not sure what that does but can you try unloading or disabling it please?

 

[mossler]

Will do.

FY, I played the scenario on ,my laptop without issues, so it is indeed compatibility problem of sorts

 

[mossler]

So I disabled this manager, rebooted and everything worked. I tried another few times with full-screen, different CPU modes, and all worked. I re-enabled the Display Manager, rebooted, tried again and it worked again.

No clue. Perhaps the Nvidia driver after a long while has this issue or something else.

I can no longer reproduce this bug.

Thank you for your attention and sincere thanks for digging into the details.

 

[mossler]

FYI, small update. Last night I decided to try an alternate start, just as a sanity check on my own game style choices so far.

Oddly, during the semi-tutorial fight of "3 years later", whenever my Spider would jump into view of the turret generator, ie remove fog of war, the game would crash.

Did so twice, and it was quick retest. I didn't have the DisplayFusion running, I was in full screen. Odd, so I bumped the CPU down to Powersaver, where on this Ryzen it sleeps cores 4-5-6. No reboot, re-ran the scenario with 0 issues.

So I am wondering, is there a multi-core/core affinity bug lurking in Unity or perhaps that + Nvidia drivers specifically ?

Either way, there is a stability issue somewhere, and I don't have this problem on my 500+ other games, save Ubisoft and their infamous bugs that re-appear from time-to-time. I even replaced my 5700XT with this RTX2060 just to avoid "most" issues. Yes, I like having my games run smoothly, it breaks the meaning of "playing something to relax" when the game quits on you. Crashes are counterproductive to the whole "relaxation" principle.

 

[AndrewT]

If we can see output logs from these new crashes we may be able to see if they are related to you previous ones or something else.

But from what you say there is a likely hardware contribution here. Is anything overclocked on this hardware?

 

[mossler]

No overclocked anything, Oddly no crash dumps either.

Will make effort to check next time.

 

[mossler]

I'm not sure anymore what to think that goes wrong in this game. Maybe the files can give a clue. Again, nothing overclocked and nothing else crashing for me.

 

[AndrewT]

Well, the crashes in the last two output logs are both just after "evaluating prefer optimal distance to hostile", but are otherwise quite different in their crash stack. The two crashes as recorded in dxdiag are also similar in some respects but not others. Infuriatingly inconclusive!

Was this with the Powersaver on again? Or you undid that?

 

[mossler]

If memory serves, the 3600 was set to AMD Balanced mode, which is what I used for hours before this particular fight. The only common thread I guess is that the fights contain "named mobs", this was with the Victoria Espanoza / Dropship fight. And it was her turn. Last time, with the named Pirate, it was on her turn that it tended to crash.

I will retry in Powersaver mode.

 

[mossler]

Just re-ran the mission with Powersaver, everything else the same and it passed it. Of course, no idea if this is "the fix", but I suspect you guys have something that runs away...

 

[AndrewT]

Just re-ran the mission with Powersaver, everything else the same and it passed it. Of course, no idea if this is "the fix", but I suspect you guys have something that runs away...

Well, it will have to do as I suspect there will be no more patches for this game, I'm afraid!

Given that I'm very glad you found a way past this problem, even though, I acknowledge, you should not have to do that.