I agree with annatar, Im just waiting for a fix or a link to 1.02. Annatar is right, this would have been addressed already if this was a majority problem. Although I would appreciate a bit more info on why this is happening, I'll toss my faith in stardock and IC for the time being.

Perhaps a larger number of people don't post, but that doesn't mean hordes of people have issues.

Most people don't have a problem. And the proportion of people with problems is going to be higher here, because most people without problems won't be coming to post.

That's a ridiculous statement Annatar11. Even if it was meant tongue in cheek. Do bugs occur in software? Absolutely! But it is more than a little annoying having IC discuss balancing changes and, hell, there's even a thread about the expansion pack, with no information being relayed about bug fixes.

For the record, I'm one of shaft's friends he is discussing (the one that replaced his NVidia cards (which did stop the BSOD, but not the mini dumps)).

I know IC reads these posts so... Please, IC, you have a group of users (large or small shouldn't really matter) who ardently love this game yet feel neglected by the lack of information and perceived indifference to our multi-player problems. I'm begging you to address the bug issues in some visible fashion for the sake of the community.

That's a ridiculous statement Annatar11. Even if it was meant tongue in cheek. Do bugs occur in software? Absolutely! But it is more than a little annoying having IC discuss balancing changes and, hell, there's even a thread about the expansion pack, with no information being relayed about bug fixes.

For the record, I'm one of shaft's friends he is discussing (the one that replaced his NVidia cards (which did stop the BSOD, but not the mini dumps)).

I know IC reads these posts so... Please, IC, you have a group of users (large or small shouldn't really matter) who ardently love this game yet feel neglected by the lack of information and perceived indifference to our multi-player problems. I'm begging you to address the bug issues in some visible fashion for the sake of the community.

Your statements are more ridiculous than mine. Sure there's a thread on the expansion pack. But was it started by Ironclad? Are they boasting about what's going to be in it? Are they saying they're not going to bother fixing anything?

The answer to all of those is 'no'.

They have said, more than once, that they've only been able to identify 2 causes for crashes that need to be fixed on their end, and that they hope to have them fixed for 1.1.

Now, if you think they're purposely putting it off and it's an easy fix, I daresay *that's* ridiculous.

The information has been previously given, even if not to you directly.

Yeah my friends and I have tried everything, 2/3 of us always get mini dumps after about 3 min of playing. Yesterday they managed to connect a 2 player game, but complianed of serious lag.

Not to mention only one of us can create games that all of us can connect to. This is unacceptable.

Speaking about Minidumps I am hoping this is one of the minidump problems...I have am in the process of codeing my own personal mod, and this is one code of a ship I am working with...

TXT
entityType "Frigate"
defaultAutoAttackRange "GravityWell"
defaultAutoAttackOn TRUE
prefersToFocusFire TRUE
autoJoinFleetDefault TRUE
canBomb FALSE
frigateRoleType "Light"
statCountType "FrigateLight"
mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT"
picture "PICTURE_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT"
NameStringID "IDS_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_NAME"
DescriptionStringID "IDS_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_DESCRIPTION"
counterDescriptionStringID "IDS_COUNTERDESC_FRIGATE_LIGHT"
basePrice
credits 300.000000
metal 55.000000
crystal 0.000000
slotCount 5.000000
BuildTime 24.000000
hasLevels FALSE
ExperiencePointsForDestroying 30.000000
MaxHullPoints 600.000000
MaxShieldPoints 350.000000
HullPointRestoreRate 1.000000
ShieldPointRestoreRate 1.000000
BaseArmorPoints 2.000000
maxMitigation 0.6
Prerequisites
NumResearchPrerequisites 0
numRandomDebrisLarge 0
numRandomDebrisSmall 5
numSpecificDebris 0
armorType "Medium"
hudIcon "HUDICON_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT"
smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT"
infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT"
minZoomDistanceMult 1.500000
NumWeapons 3
Weapon
WeaponType "Projectile"
damageEnums
AttackType "ANTIHEAVY"
DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
DamageApplyType "BACKLOADED"
DamageType "ENERGY"
WeaponClassType "LASERTECH"
DamagePerBank:FRONT 52.250000
DamagePerBank:BACK 0.000000
DamagePerBank:LEFT 0.000000
DamagePerBank:RIGHT 0.000000
Range 3500.000000
PreBuffCooldownTime 5.500000
CanFireAtFighter FALSE
SynchronizedTargeting TRUE
PointStaggerDelay 0.300000
TravelSpeed 4000.000000
Duration 0.000000
WeaponEffects
weaponType "Projectile"
burstCount 4
burstDelay 0.250000
muzzleEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalLaserLight_Muzzle"
muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.400000
muzzleSounds
soundCount 3
sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALLASERLIGHT_MUZZLE"
sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALLASERLIGHT_MUZZLE_ALT1"
sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALLASERLIGHT_MUZZLE_ALT2"
hitEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalLaserLight_Hit"
hitHullEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound "WEAPONIMPACT_ENERGYLIGHT_HITHULL"
hitShieldsEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound "WEAPONIMPACT_GENERICLIGHT_HITSHIELDS"
projectileTravelEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalLaserLight_Travel"
Weapon
WeaponType "Beam"
damageEnums
AttackType "CAPITALSHIP"
DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
DamageApplyType "OVERTIME"
DamageType "ENERGY"
WeaponClassType "BEAM"
DamagePerBank:FRONT 25.000000
DamagePerBank:BACK 10.000000
DamagePerBank:LEFT 9.000000
DamagePerBank:RIGHT 9.000000
Range 5000.000000
PreBuffCooldownTime 1.000000
CanFireAtFighter FALSE
SynchronizedTargeting TRUE
PointStaggerDelay 0.250000
TravelSpeed 0.000000
Duration 4.000000
WeaponEffects
weaponType "Beam"
burstCount 2
burstDelay 5.000000
muzzleEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalBeamHeavy_Muzzle"
muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.100000
muzzleSounds
soundCount 1
sound ""
hitEffectName "Weapon_TechCapitalBeamHeavy_Hit"
hitHullEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound ""
hitShieldsEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound ""
beamEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound "WEAPON_TECHCAPITALBEAMHEAVY_TRAVEL"
beamGlowTextureName "TechCapitalBeam_Glow"
beamCoreTextureName "TechCapitalBeam_Core"
beamWidth 20.000000
beamGlowColor ffffffff
beamCoreColor ffffffff
beamTilingRate 3.000000
Weapon
WeaponType "Missile"
damageEnums
AttackType "CAPITALSHIP"
DamageAffectType "AFFECTS_SHIELDS_AND_HULL"
DamageApplyType "BACKLOADED"
DamageType "PHYSICAL"
WeaponClassType "PHASEMISSILE"
DamagePerBank:FRONT 90.599998
DamagePerBank:BACK 50.000000
DamagePerBank:LEFT 0.000000
DamagePerBank:RIGHT 0.000000
Range 5000.000000
PreBuffCooldownTime 1.000000
CanFireAtFighter FALSE
SynchronizedTargeting FALSE
PointStaggerDelay 0.080000
TravelSpeed 1000.000000
Duration 0.000000
WeaponEffects
weaponType "Missile"
burstCount 2
burstDelay 10.000000
muzzleEffectName "Weapon_PhaseCapitalMissileHeavy_Muzzle"
muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.100000
muzzleSounds
soundCount 2
sound "WEAPON_PHASECAPITALMISSILEHEAVY_MUZZLE"
sound "WEAPON_PHASECAPITALMISSILEHEAVY_MUZZLE_ALT1"
hitEffectName "Weapon_PhaseCapitalMissileHeavy_Hit"
hitHullEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound "WEAPONIMPACT_PHASEMISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
hitShieldsEffectSounds
soundCount 1
sound "WEAPONIMPACT_PHASEMISSILEHEAVY_HITGENERIC"
missileTravelEffectName "Weapon_PhaseCapitalMissileHeavy_Travel"
missileStartTurningDistance 100.000000
missileSlowTurnRate 0.708997
missileMaxSlowTurnTime 3.000000
m_weaponIndexForRange 0
hasWeaponLevels FALSE
mass 2000.000000
ShieldMeshName "Shield_FrigateTechLight"
maxAccelerationLinear 200.000000
maxAccelerationStrafe 10.000000
maxDecelerationLinear 500.000000
maxAccelerationAngular 3.300000
maxDecelerationAngular 9.999996
maxSpeedLinear 800.000000
squadTypeEntityDef:0 ""
squadAntiMatterCost:0 0.000000
squadTypeEntityDef:1 ""
squadAntiMatterCost:1 0.000000
maxNumCommandPoints 0
NumSoundsFor:ONATTACKORDERISSUED 3
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_0"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_1"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONATTACKORDERISSUED_2"
NumSoundsFor:ONCREATION 1
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONCREATION"
NumSoundsFor:ONGENERALORDERISSUED 3
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_0"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_1"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONGENERALORDERISSUED_2"
NumSoundsFor:ONSELECTED 3
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONSELECTED_0"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONSELECTED_1"
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONSELECTED_2"
NumSoundsFor:ONSTARTPHASEJUMP 1
SoundID "FRIGATE_TECHLIGHT_ONSTARTPHASEJUMP_0"
MeshName "Frigate_TechLight"
ExhaustParticleSystemName "Exhaust_FrigateTechLight"
ExplosionName "Frigate0"
HyperspaceChargingSoundID "HYPERSPACE_CHARGEUP"
HyperspaceTravelSoundID "HYPERSPACE_TRAVEL"
EngineSoundID "ENGINE_TECHCAPITALSHIP"
ability:0 "AbilitySabotageAntiMatter"
ability:1 ""
ability:2 ""
ability:3 ""
MaxAntiMatter 200.000000
AntiMatterRestoreRate 0.500000
cargoType "Invalid"
maxCargoCapacity 0.000000
formationRank 0
minShadow 0.100000
maxShadow 0.800000


What you see here are 3 weapons I have spec for this ship. My problem is after destroying a targeted ship in-game, my game decides to stop functioning. (Says in Task manager "Not responding". Any hints why?

First off, your mod has nothing to do with this thread. So make a new one.
Second, almost all mod problems can be resolved by enabling logging to see what went wrong.

No need to be an ass over this post lol, and yes this had everything to do with this thread ... IT WAS ABOUT MINI DUMPS I need to know if its a minidump problem or hints it its NOT.

Yeah thats new to me how do you log the mod......???

"Says in Task manager "Not responding"" is not a minidump. Regardless, a minidump is not a specific problem. Again - it only means the application crashed for some reason or another. Coming in here and asking for help on a modding thing related to minidumps is even more nonsensical then a bunch of people complaining about a "minidump issue" which has no single underlying cause. The only reason mods crash is if you did something wrong, and if you need help with that you can make a separate thread on it or PM someone who knows what they're doing.

EDIT: Removed solution. I'm not helping someone with problems that makes posts referring to me like "Although the person never answerd because they are retarded I am guessing who cannot be human". Don't be a dick, nobody has to help you.

Annatar11 we are reasonable people that want a working game. One of our players asked for a refund since we can't play the game and was referred to Stardock where he is pursuing that. If that works out then I'll get a refund and then come back and buy the game months down the road at bargain basement prices when it actually works. How do you know that there aren't many people minidumping are you so tunnel visioned to think that since it works for you it works for others and that everyone else that is having an issue is a moron that can't troubleshoot? I keep hearing that there aren't many experiencing the mindump but how is someone getting a count? If only a few go to the effort of sending in the minidump or posting about it don't you think they might be representative of huge quantities? How many minidump posts do you see on the forums? How can you slam the people trying to get a game they purchased to work and spending huge quantities of time troubleshooting it to play the game that they so enjoy when it is working? We can't even finish a multi game!

lol @ returning your NVidia card for an ATi.

I was a loyal Nvidia buyer for a decade since ATI couldn't code a stable driver during that time frame if their life depended on it but recently it seems like ATI and Nvidia have switched places. I recently bought my first ATI card and haven't had any driver issues on any games (that I am aware of) but there were TONS of Nvidia driver issues recently. Just an FYI that none of us were ATI fanatics that's for sure but in this recent round they seem to be more stable. Hopefully Nvidia will get it together and come back to what I expect from them.

I apologize for the MP dumps. I've addressed this multiple times in other threads but they've been buried so it isn't because we are ignoring it or trying to hide it - its just impossible to comment on it everytime it reappears in a new thread. Tech support has also been in email contact with a variety of people (including some in this thread).

The MP bug is 1 of 2 major bugs we are aware of and its a sync bug. Statistically, it is very rare which is why it is so difficult for us to track down (we have yet to see it ourselves but we have something going out soon that will help us find it from those who do get it). Also, any multiplayer fixes are scheduled to go out in 1.1 not 1.04. They are in seperate code paths and completely seperate systems being worked on by completely seperate people. This isn't a matter of just throwing the fix into 1.04 and 1.04 development is not slowing down 1.1's development so don't feel we are wasting time on 1.04 (balance + misc) when the *real* bug is in 1.1 (multiplayer).

Now, to save you all a lot of headaches - the nature of the sync bug is that once you've had a game where it happens it is very unlikely you can recover from a MP save game. If you load the MP save game and continue to play you will crash again. You will then load a more recent save game and crash again. The crashes will come more and more frequently. If you see this behavior just start over as its very probably that its the sync bug and the crash is nothing to do with your machines, network, or drivers.

As soon as 1.04 is out I am going to make a post looking for volunteers. I have a special 1.04 build that will track the synchronization info we need to track it down. Since we can't recreate it we need to have a few players who it happens to regularly to play 1.04 with this build and then send us their logs when it goes out of sync.

Finally, I'll make a sticky in the technical thread covering most of this info so hopefully new people with the same problem will be informed on what is being done and what the source of the problem is.

P.S Minidump is the generic term for a general crash - it could be anything and is not caused by any specific problem. We can decode the minidump to get useful information on the true nature of the crash.

See, this is we love them so much

If i were into dudes, Blair should be my wife (sorry Yarlen)

Thank you for the update! This is really all we are after, a little information and status. I would also suggest putting an area in the FAQ of known issues. We can get this crash to happen every time, we would be more than happy to help when you're ready.

Thanks for volunteering BlueSolitare. Please email [email protected] with the subject "Sync Bug Volunteer" and I'll add you the list (you are the first).

And if anyone else thinks they are syncing out and it happens regularly, please follow the email instructions above as well.

I had a minidump problem, that don't make my saved game continue.
Everytime i load my saved game, everything works...but as soon as i select my ships on the left menu, the game crashes, and i cannot finish my skirmish.
Sad

Blair, THANK YOU for the post, what you have posted completely describes the situation that we are seeing and it is great to get confirmation that it is in no way hardware or platform related. My little group DOES get it almost every game however. Can you describe the nature of what is going wrong so that we know what actions in-game trigger it? I might be game to have my group volunteer for 1.4 but some of them are upset enough to not play the game any longer so I may have to see if everyone is game to try.

Also Blair what is the time frame for when 1.1 may be out ballpark or at least what time frame are you targeting? Most likely none of my group can/will play until it comes out potentially.

I talked to Blair a bit about it yesterday, and I don't think they even know, because they can't reproduce it at all on their end. From the minidumps they know that it's a sync issue, but they don't know why or where or how it happens.

That's why they're asking for volunteers who can reproduce this constantly to play with their special build that will produce sync logs, for them to narrow down exactly how and where it happens in hopes of a fix.

So if your group is up to it, signing up to help with the special build would probably go a long way towards IC being able to narrow this one down and fix it for 1.1. This special testing itself should get started shortly after 1.04 launches today.

Sounds fair, I just wish I had seen this post much earlier, we burned a TON of time and spent money on new hardware when if we had known (if Blair had known at that time) we could haved money and mental wear and tear. In any case we have buy-on from 3 people (me and my other two compatriots) who crash every game in this manner to test on Friday. I am married, have a pregnant wife, etc. and can only play for one day a week and tomorrow is it. If I can get the three of us set up over the next two days I'll probably have useful data to send to IC by early AM on Saturday. We're up to it just let us know how to do it.

You could email for the sign-up (per Blair's post a bit above) and ask about a more exact time frame, to see what you will or won't be able to do Since I don't know the exact plan

Annatar, if you were in any way responsible for bringing this thread to Blair's attention.. Thank you.