Crashes, Crashes and More Crashes

[Chefofrats]

I finally managed to not completely eliminate, but greatly reduce my Civ VI crashes. I took several steps, and I do not know which one worked, but I have a theory based on my observations. My system is an HP Omen laptop with Ryzen 7 4800H CPU, 16GB RAM, SSD, Nvidia GTX 1660Ti, Windows 10. I play Civ VI with no mods, and my game has all expansions and DLCs.

Previously I had removed the 1330 Windows update, but in the end that only seemed to reduce the crashes slightly - they still happened often enough to prevent enjoyment of the game. So I decided to do more:

1. I reinstalled Windows 10 completely removing the previous installation, and then updated the system and all device drivers, including graphics drivers. Then I installed Steam and Civ VI. I did not bypass the launcher. All this did nothing - the game was crashing like crazy once I reached turn 150-ish on normal speed, like once every 3 turns.

2. I downgraded my Nvidia graphics drivers from the latest version to one from October 2020, I started picking the dx11 version of the game in the launcher, and I started manually quick saving at the end of each turn. This seems to have worked (no idea which of the three things did the trick, but downgrading Nvidia drivers seems most likely - it also removed all the graphics glitches I had been experiencing, like missing hair on leaders and world map flickering). In the past few days I finished two full games of Civ VI with only two or three crashes per their 200/250-ish turns.

 

[aieeegrunt]

I finally managed to not completely eliminate, but greatly reduce my Civ VI crashes. I took several steps, and I do not know which one worked, but I have a theory based on my observations. My system is an HP Omen laptop with Ryzen 7 4800H CPU, 16GB RAM, SSD, Nvidia GTX 1660Ti, Windows 10. I play Civ VI with no mods, and my game has all expansions and DLCs.

Previously I had removed the 1330 Windows update, but in the end that only seemed to reduce the crashes slightly - they still happened often enough to prevent enjoyment of the game. So I decided to do more:

1. I reinstalled Windows 10 completely removing the previous installation, and then updated the system and all device drivers, including graphics drivers. Then I installed Steam and Civ VI. I did not bypass the launcher. All this did nothing - the game was crashing like crazy once I reached turn 150-ish on normal speed, like once every 3 turns.

2. I downgraded my Nvidia graphics drivers from the latest version to one from October 2020, I started picking the dx11 version of the game in the launcher, and I started manually quick saving at the end of each turn. This seems to have worked (no idea which of the three things did the trick, but downgrading Nvidia drivers seems most likely - it also removed all the graphics glitches I had been experiencing, like missing hair on leaders and world map flickering). In the past few days I finished two full games of Civ VI with only two or three crashes per their 200/250-ish turns.

This absolutly ridiculous nonsense is why I went console for my gaming

It’s why I quit software development

Moderator Action: *Snip*

Inappropriate comment removed. ~ LK

 

[Chefofrats]

This absolutly ridiculous nonsense is why I went console for my gaming

Well, all the other games I play are on the console, but I want to have some game on the computer for when the TV is being used by somebody else in the household. I agree with your sentiment - it really is ridiculous to have to jump through so many hoops to simply enjoy a game on a mainstream system...

I just found a meme that sums up my recent Civ VI experience:

 

[The Highwayman]

I uninstalled the windows update and the performance was just as terrible. Reinstalled all updates to windows just in case. The issues began with the April patch, so it's either the launcher or asset limit as others have indicated. It's absolutely ridiculous that the game runs worse than ever at the very end of its lifespan. I could launch/exit the new Ratchet and Clank on ps5 about 30 times in the same amount of time it takes to launch Civ VI and load a single game. I'm otherwise happy with the state of the game. It's a shame.

 

[ThunderLizard2]

I uninstalled the windows update and the performance was just as terrible. Reinstalled all updates to windows just in case. The issues began with the April patch, so it's either the launcher or asset limit as others have indicated. It's absolutely ridiculous that the game runs worse than ever at the very end of its lifespan. I could launch/exit the new Ratchet and Clank on ps5 about 30 times in the same amount of time it takes to launch Civ VI and load a single game. I'm otherwise happy with the state of the game. It's a shame.

The sad thing is there's no way to roll-back to a previous version that worked. For all their flaws, Paradox offers that option on all their games.

 

[Joch]

Game plays just fine here, Win 10 with all the updates, currently playing a game on the official TSL med map.

IMHO, a lot of issues can be resolved by re-downloading and re-installing the game.

 

[HappyBuilder]

I give up. Game is beyond broken since last patch. It was a good run, but I have uninstalled the game.

 

[Lonecat Nekophrodite]

I don't understand what's wring with F'xis. With their interests in Civ6 wane (And the need to compete with Amplitude's Humankind means Civ7 must be 'on par' or better), bug fixes are more or less ignored.

Actually 'Definitive Patch' should SOLVE all that nasty crashing problems. especially with F'xis became less friendly to Modding community.

 

[Knightfall]

I've had a lot of success with uninstalling and erasing all mods. 5.5 hrs. of play over two days and no crashes, although there are still occasional issues with hanging.

 

[Rotomagus]

Issue hit me too now. Crash/hang like every 10 rounds. Often have to start the whole machine anew to get out of the hangs. Game is unplayable as it is.

How to put some unfriendly pressure on Firaxis to get horsehockye done?

 

[aieeegrunt]

Issue hit me too now. Crash/hang like every 10 rounds. Often have to start the whole machine anew to get out of the hangs. Game is unplayable as it is.

How to put some unfriendly pressure on Firaxis to get ****e done?

Vote with your wallet. Encourage others to do the same

 

[Rotomagus]

Vote with your wallet. Encourage others to do the same

too late for that, no?

I am fed up with those companies putting buggy horsehockye out with no consequences. I bought the game I want it to work. There MUST be a way. Court?

 

[Linklite]

too late for that, no?

I am fed up with those companies putting buggy ****e out with no consequences. I bought the game I want it to work. There MUST be a way. Court?

Doubtful, at the very most you'll get a refund. The law is often on the corporate side - I bought the luxury version of the keyboard for my Surface Go from a chain store via their website. Despite the website and my receipt clearly stating that itnwas the luxury version, they sent me a standard one. When I complained, all I got was a shrug of the shoulders. As luck would have it, it was faulty (honestly!), so to see time, they told me to return it and buy a new one wiyh the money as that would be quicker than sending it off and being sent a replacement. Another store was doing the luxury version but at a cheaper rate, so I did the obvious thing.

All you can do is send complaints (yeah, good luck actually being listened to) and refuse to buy games that don't reach your standard. If enough people do that, they migh listen for the next game. Or abandon the series, one or the other.

Incidentally, one reason I don't like playing PC games, so much hassle. I had to mess about to get SW: Squadrons to work, had to change my settings, and that was frustrating.

 

[aieeegrunt]

too late for that, no?

I am fed up with those companies putting buggy ****e out with no consequences. I bought the game I want it to work. There MUST be a way. Court?

No one wants to admit it, but we basically live in a corporate dystopia, there is little you can do.

My plan is to take the money I earmarked for Civ7 and get a PC and Civ4 instead, since I fully expect Civ7 to continue 1 UPT and the district system and of course crippled modding support, zero playtesting and a joke of an AI

Because doing that stuff takes time and effort that could be a management bonus instead.

Doubtful, at the very most you'll get a refund. The law is often on the corporate side - I bought the luxury version of the keyboard for my Surface Go from a chain store via their website. Despite the website and my receipt clearly stating that itnwas the luxury version, they sent me a standard one. When I complained, all I got was a shrug of the shoulders. As luck would have it, it was faulty (honestly!), so to see time, they told me to return it and buy a new one wiyh the money as that would be quicker than sending it off and being sent a replacement. Another store was doing the luxury version but at a cheaper rate, so I did the obvious thing.

All you can do is send complaints (yeah, good luck actually being listened to) and refuse to buy games that don't reach your standard. If enough people do that, they migh listen for the next game. Or abandon the series, one or the other.

Incidentally, one reason I don't like playing PC games, so much hassle. I had to mess about to get SW: Squadrons to work, had to change my settings, and that was frustrating.

Oh My God ya ended up buying an original xbox many many years ago purely to play Halo CE lans with my buddies and “just put the disc in and play” killed PC gaming for me.

 

[Timewarp]

No one wants to admit it, but we basically live in a corporate dystopia, there is little you can do.

My plan is to take the money I earmarked for Civ7 and get a PC and Civ4 instead, since I fully expect Civ7 to continue 1 UPT and the district system and of course crippled modding support, zero playtesting and a joke of an AI

I tried various different scenarios in Civ VI, and will continue in the CIV series with CIV V. I also plan to play at Prince / King since I prefer to not have to micromanage so much, and not have to min/max the optimal developer based algorithm for super fast growth that crushes the enemies.

Civ V will be my "I need to chill" type of activity rather than my "Edge of the seat let's work hard" type activity.

 

[Rotomagus]

No one wants to admit it, but we basically live in a corporate dystopia, there is little you can do.

Because doing that stuff takes time and effort that could be a management bonus instead

Couldnt agree with you more. And exactly that is, what I want to mercilessly oppose to. Freaking corporate investor parasites, they be cursed.

I didnt even bother for Civ5, as both 3 and 4 (especially with the ridiculous combat results, if one remembers) where incredible horsehockye in all regards (AI Bonusses at first place), but then I just clicked 'buy' in a drunken whim, when 6 came around. Many good ideas, a few ridiculously BAD ones, I thought, ok 'give it a try'. But again, AI survives only with Bonusses, and most concepts are only shiny coloured betrayals, as the do not have any impact in Game...

If there even IS a civ7 at all, I will wait for the reviews of the finished game before touching it.

If everyone did only that step, WAIT! The companies and their parasitic 'investors' could not continue as they do now...

 

[aieeegrunt]

Couldnt agree with you more. And exactly that is, what I want to mercilessly oppose to. Freaking corporate investor parasites, they be cursed.

I didnt even bother for Civ5, as both 3 and 4 (especially with the ridiculous combat results, if one remembers) where incredible ****e in all regards (AI Bonusses at first place), but then I just clicked 'buy' in a drunken whim, when 6 came around. Many good ideas, a few ridiculously BAD ones, I thought, ok 'give it a try'. But again, AI survives only with Bonusses, and most concepts are only shiny coloured betrayals, as the do not have any impact in Game...

If there even IS a civ7 at all, I will wait for the reviews of the finished game before touching it.

If everyone did only that step, WAIT! The companies and their parasitic 'investors' could not continue as they do now...

I hated 5 , and I initially enjoyed Civ 6 but the bloom came off the rose fast

And that is honestly the ideal Only This Month’s Profits Matter corporate scenatio; a shallow quick endorphin fix game is cheaper to make and if you only care about SALES NOW turning people off in the long run doesn’t matter, when you run the series into the ground you’ve already got your obscene bonus and no doubt a golden parachute to leave with.

Note that you WANT modding crippled in this scenario. Mods extend the longevity of a game and make “official” DLC’s and add ons irrelevant, this goes directly against the SALES NOW and monetizatipn objective. The last thing you want is a Vox Popuwhatever for the last Civ game making the new one look bad

If you are in it for the long game and franchise loyalty like pre-76 Bethesda you WANT mods becuause it builds franchise and brand loyalty, and you can get away with Memetic Betheda Launch Day bugs and stuff because you know the modders will both fix it AND give you an endless steam of new content FOR FREE.

This is why Fallout/Elder Scrolls games sold so well, especially when they brought modding to consoles.

Then they took that away because Muh Monetization and the resulting debacle literally bankrupted them.

Honestly go read a few strategy articles for Civ4. Be forwarned you will rage hard, because every single system got removed, dumbed down and/orvoutright ruined in 5 and 6

 

[Chefofrats]

Honestly? I prefer official DLCs and expansions to mods. And I prefer Civ VI to V, and V to IV. Having to rely on mods for gameplay is just annoying - vide World of Warcraft, where nothing beyond the easiest, solo content is doable without a plethora of mods.

Back on topic - downgrading Nvidia drivers to an October 2020 version (and/or launching the game in dx11 rather than 12) really appears to have solved my crashing problems. Haven't had a crash in a few hundred turns now, over 2 or 3 games on standard speed. Saving at the end of each turn seems to make no difference - I tried that method, and then abandonned it, with no changes crash-wise.

 

[ThunderLizard2]

Honestly? I prefer official DLCs and expansions to mods. And I prefer Civ VI to V, and V to IV. Having to rely on mods for gameplay is just annoying - vide World of Warcraft, where nothing beyond the easiest, solo content is doable without a plethora of mods.

Back on topic - downgrading Nvidia drivers to an October 2020 version (and/or launching the game in dx11 rather than 12) really appears to have solved my crashing problems. Haven't had a crash in a few hundred turns now, over 2 or 3 games on standard speed. Saving at the end of each turn seems to make no difference - I tried that method, and then abandonned it, with no changes crash-wise.

Wow so your solution is to use an older driver? Now you start having issues with other games that want the latest drivers install.

 

[racha]

Wow so your solution is to use an older driver? Now you start having issues with other games that want the latest drivers install

This happens sometimes. A year or two back I seem to recall Ark had the same issue (and possibly Civ at the same time?) - the next Nvidia update usually addresses the issue. In a perfect world it wouldn't happen, but rolling back to the previous driver version has never caused another game to fail in my experience.