Crashes once the game loads the world map

[DotFX]

I have verified my game files (on Steam)​

Yes (Also did a clean install, even updated my RAM to 32Gb)

I have disabled all mods​

Yes

Summary​

Crashing in main menu

Description​

I bought the game on the last sale. Played for 2 days straight without any problems whatsoever (on my previous 16Gb RAM sticks). Decided to update Windows. After that the game started to consume twice as much RAM and I got into overflow constantly - hence the new 32Gb sticks. Removed the update. Some times it could launch and play for a minute before freezing. Once it even launched with the correct RAM usage (around 7-9Gb with system resources and I could actually play a little). Updated my RAM. Now it just either freezes or crashes immediately as I get into the game proper. I get around 40% overhead in RAM, 50-60% in CPU, and around 30% in GPU.

Steps to reproduce​

Start the game - New game - Tutorial scenarios - Dai Nam - Ironman on - Start game - Confirm save file - Load into the world map - Crash

Game Version​

1.8.7

OS​

Windows 11

P.S. Can't upload .txt files somehow, so made DxDiag as .log

 

[DotFX]

Maybe fix found: I started the vic3.exe with admin rights - it worked, I loaded onto the map, moved around, no freezes\crashes so far. Will test more

BTW: Had a crash last time, now the launcher always reminds me about it once I want to boot the game. It suggested reverifying the files (which I did 2 times now) and checking if Net. Framework and the other thing is installed. How can I disable that message? It does not disappear. Launching the game directly from the exe in the folder works though

UPDATE: played through the first couple years in 4-5 speed, no crashes\freezes so far

UPDATE 2: Got 2 super long freezes in a war with Cambodia (Dai Nam start) during fights, but eventually the system responded and the game continued

 

[AndrewT]

You shouldn't have to run as Admin; have you put victoria3.exe in all the exceptions lists in your antivirus app?


You also have the problem Windows 11 24H2 version; A user has come up with another possible workaround
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/threads/24h2-w11-update-issue-found-no-more-crashes.1728373/
Some affected users have definitely seen that help them with this issue. I'd suggest you look at this step first!

And, In your Steam Library right-click on this game and choose Properties. In the Launch Options line, paste this in there
-vulkan

Good luck!

 

[DotFX]

Hi @AndrewT,

I have the whole Steam folder in the exceptions for Windows Defender AND it is not in Program Files folder either, so (I guess) there should 0 relation to system files in any way. But still, running as admin removed all the crashes after the game initializes the world map. And I also fixed the freezes by modifying the registry key as suggested in the pinned thread. However, the suggestion about Vulkan is not really helping in my case. When I tried it - the game worked, but opening any menu/tab/etc. took a solid minute or two to load said tab/menu/etc.

As it is now, admin rights + registry key solved most of my problems (I still get small freezes rarely, but they do not crash the system, and resolve in under a minute usually)

Edit: or not really. Played for 2 days again "almost" without issues, went to load the savegame now - crash on load. Managed to get into the game on 3rd try

 

[DotFX]

@AndrewT

Found this error in Win Event Viewer:


- <Event xmlns="

http://schemas.microsoft.com/win/2004/08/events/event

">
- <System>
<Provider Name="Application Error" Guid="{a0e9b465-b939-57d7-b27d-95d8e925ff57}" />
<EventID>1000</EventID>
<Version>0</Version>
<Level>2</Level>
<Task>100</Task>
<Opcode>0</Opcode>
<Keywords>0x8000000000000000</Keywords>
<TimeCreated SystemTime="2025-05-26T15:42:28.3833130Z" />
<EventRecordID>46685</EventRecordID>
<Correlation />
<Execution ProcessID="15532" ThreadID="10888" />
<Channel>Application</Channel>
<Computer>DESKTOP-HQR0PF7</Computer>
<Security UserID="S-1-5-21-4270275716-183329102-272862337-1000" />
</System>
- <EventData>
<Data Name="AppName">victoria3.exe</Data>
<Data Name="AppVersion">1.0.0.0</Data>
<Data Name="AppTimeStamp">67da9705</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleName">ntdll.dll</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleVersion">10.0.26100.3323</Data>
<Data Name="ModuleTimeStamp">facafff0</Data>
<Data Name="ExceptionCode">c0000005</Data>
<Data Name="FaultingOffset">000000000001c7da</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessId">0x3928</Data>
<Data Name="ProcessCreationTime">0x1dbce54b08e3ebf</Data>
<Data Name="AppPath">C:\Installed Programs\Steam\steamapps\common\Victoria 3\binaries\victoria3.exe</Data>
<Data Name="ModulePath">C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll</Data>
<Data Name="IntegratorReportId">084a9166-154e-45c1-971f-8bd78377f666</Data>
<Data Name="PackageFullName" />
<Data Name="PackageRelativeAppId" />
</EventData>
</Event>
<Data Name="ModulePath">C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll</Data>
<Data Name="IntegratorReportId">084a9166-154e-45c1-971f-8bd78377f666</Data>
<Data Name="PackageFullName">
</Data>
<Data Name="PackageRelativeAppId">
</Data>
</EventData>
</Event>

 

[AndrewT]

I have the whole Steam folder in the exceptions for Windows Defender

I think what you've done there is prevent WD doing scans of that folder, but that is not the same as putting the game's .exe into the exceptions list.

In the Windows search box enter Ransomware. Enable Controlled Folder Access if disabled, then go into the Apps Allowed Through list and add victoria3.exe there

Now try the game NOT as Admin, with both DX11 and Vulkan . Any better?

 

[DotFX]

Now try the game NOT as Admin, with both DX11 and Vulkan

Dunno what kind of black magic Ransomware setting is, but it worked without admin rights.

Started as Belgium
On DX11: no lags/stutters - the world loaded in without crahes/freezes. Cranked the speed to 5 + moved around the map changing zoom levels for a minute or two = no crashes, both in fullscreen and windowed;
On Vulkan: I do get occasional hiccups/stutters when moving around the map, zomming in/out, and sometimes when opening menus/tabs. But it is like half a second, maybe a whole second, not a minute like last time.