[Windows 7] CK2 suddenly very slow/bad FPS [SOLVED]

[aceskipper1]

Hi,

So, I've played a lot of CK2. I have over 1000 hours clocked and (perhaps this shows how long i've been playing) I've got a physical disk copy of the game (which, when installed, runs on Steam).

Anyway, everything has been running fine. However, on Sunday I went to play, loaded up my usual save, everything is working fine - averaging around 90 fps. I then click play (speed 1) and my fps drops to around 4 frames. I try loading up a brand new game, rather than using the save file, same problem.

Anyway, my first thought was that this was something to do with my hardware. I deleted 300 gb worth of files, updated my Windows 7 'updates', updated my Nvidia GeForce graphics card drivers, defragged my harddrive, restarted my computer, etc. Still nothing.

*Worth noting, I don't think this is a problem on my end as I have been able to keep playing Mount & Blade: Warband, Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Europa Universalis 4 without any problems or any drop in fps.*

Having done all of the above with no result, plus testing the mentioned games above (all working fine), I concluded that it must be an issue with the game itself. I first went to Nvidia GeForce and optimised it. Nothing. I then went to Steam and verified the integrity of the game files. Nothing. I uninstalled the game and re-installed. Nothing, all still laggy when I click play. Finally, I decided to be extra certain - I uninstalled the game, I then deleted all of my local files relating to the game (documents/Paradox Interactive/Crusader Kings 2) and unsubscribed from all Steam Workshop mods. I re-installed, a bit more optimistic. I opened the game, no mods available (good sign), had to sign in on the launcher again (good sign), it asked me about the tutorial when I got to the menu (good sign). I clicked singleplayer: new game: custom game: selected a random county (somewhere in Ireland I think): clicked play...

... and this time, upon clicking play, the game just crashed to desktop. There was no error message, no freeze, nothing like that. I just clicked play, and in the blink of an eye I was on the desktop with no program running.

I am so very confused and frustrated. As my playing hours might suggest, I enjoy this game. I also run a 21 person multiplayer game every Sunday, which I record to my YouTube channel, so my crashing also impacts other people (and gives me a time constraint to try and get this sorted).

I have attached my DxDiag. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

 

[aceskipper1]

If it helps, the following two videos actually visually show my problem:

So, this video is when everything was running fine (for comparison):

Spoiler: Video 1

This video, meanwhile, was last Sunday. If you skip to timestamp 14:50 then you can see my hit unpause and watch the sudden fps drop:

Spoiler: Video 2

Obviously, we're using mods in these videos (check video description for link to modpack), but given that I did a clean install without any mods makes me think that isn't the problem.

Note the fps count in the top right corner of video 2.

 

[aceskipper1]

Update: Just did another test, didn't crash on start this time (I changed back to fullscreen, I was on windowless after the clean install). It still lags terribly. Averaging around 7 fps perhaps.

 

[AndrewT]

Anyway, everything has been running fine. However, on Sunday I went to play, loaded up my usual save, everything is working fine - averaging around 90 fps. I then click play (speed 1) and my fps drops to around 4 frames. I try loading up a brand new game, rather than using the save file, same problem.

The game itself has not changed for some months so there must have been a local change to trigger this. Was there a Windows, driver, antivirus or other update between the last time it ran okay and the first time this happened?

Does this issue affect Stellaris and HOi4 also?

Please attach your Documents/Paradox/CK2/settings.txt
From your Documents/Paradox/CK2/logs/ folder, attach system.log , error.log , exceptions.log

I uninstalled the game, I then deleted all of my local files relating to the game (documents/Paradox Interactive/Crusader Kings 2) and unsubscribed from all Steam Workshop mods.

Did you also delete the Steam-CK2 folder? Sometimes mods can leave extra files in there.

 

[aceskipper1]

Thanks for the quick reply.

No updates to windows, drivers, anti-virus or anything like that occurred between when it ran properly and when it didn't. The only thing I can think of was the installation of a mod my friend made (which allows you to send specific amounts of money as gifts, rather than the default calculation - makes it easier for players to send money to each other). Which was a manual install (not on workshop), so maybe I accidentally damaged some of the files in there. I am skeptical, however, because I only touched the files in Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK2, which I completely deleted when I did a clean install.

I did a test on a few more games. EU4 I already mentioned works fine still, I also tested Stellaris and HoI4 as asked and they both still work fine. In addition, I tested Imperator: Rome (also runs fine).

Non-Paradox games I tested (just in-case it helps to determine whether this is an issue with my PC as opposed to the game files) include Red Dead Redemption 2, Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Mount & Blade: Warband (all running fine).

I didn't delete the Steam CK2 folder, so maybe it's that? I've attached the files you requested (except for exceptions.log which wasn't there). Now, I'll do another clean install but I'll not only delete all the files in Documents/Paradox/CK2 but also Steam/Steam Apps/Common/CK2, and (to be certain), I'll install it on another HDD. I'll get back to you with the results.

(As a side note, I've disabled my anti-virus and it still doesn't work, so it isn't that. A friend recommended I try this.)

 

[aceskipper1]

Ok, udate:

I uninstalled again, deleted all the files in both documents and also steam/CK2. I re-installed onto my second HDD, verified the integrity of the game files and started the game. It now works fine.

Clearly, I must have messed up the files somehow. Thank you for your time.