Issue with game freezing

[Funak]

Since the latest version, but possibly not because of it, my game sometimes decides to freeze, not allowing any new inputs of any kind. This is sorta like a crash, but without the decency to actually crash. I have no problem with the occasional crash, and I keep autosaves on that for that exact reason, the problem here is that since the game doesn't crash I have to manually close it, but since it isn't responsive I can't close it.
In most other games this wouldn't be a problem, you just call the task manager and force-close the game, alternatively just spam alt+f4 until the game crashes, however Civ5 have always had these weird issues that doesn't allow you to tab out in some situations (loading-screens and such), and this crash situations seems to be one of them. So while I can tab out and select other windows, the frozen civ5 window (now completely black, because reasons) forces itself to stay on top, which makes the task-manager unaccessable. The game does also not respond to the windows option of closing window that I'm able to access by rightclicking the Civ5 activity on the windows taskbar. This leaves me in a weird limbo-state where my only available option is restarting my computer.

Anyways, I'm wondering if anyone tech-savvy knows what causes this and how I can fix it, or if someone knows how to write a function that terminates the civ-window properly.

 

[Bigv32]

I have been having similar issues, but I am not 100% sure (or even 50% sure it is the mod/game directly).

I play in windowed mode, and the only times I have frozen was when I was in another window at the same time as a turn was running (as in I hit the end turn button and the AI was doing its thing). It does not happen everytime (it is rare), but for now I am just thinking it is the different programs running on the machine not playing well together. The computer is more than capable of running them all but I do not think the software likes it.

As for closing it, try using alt tab to bring the task manager up front. Ctrl + Alt + Delete and then open the task manager sometimes works. The final option is when the game is closed, open the task manager, and I believe there is an option to "Always have on Top" or something similar that force the task manager on top all the time.

 

[Funak]

As for closing it, try using alt tab to bring the task manager up front. Ctrl + Alt + Delete and then open the task manager sometimes works. The final option is when the game is closed, open the task manager, and I believe there is an option to "Always have on Top" or something similar that force the task manager on top all the time.

Totally forgot about that, I'll see if it works. Thanks

 

[Estebanium]

Yes the always on top thing is very helpful. Skyrim crashed exactly this way, it just hang while you were unable to close it with task manager behind those window. This happened a lot.

 

[Funak]

Always show on top thing worked, thanks a lot.

 

[ExpiredReign]

Since the latest version, but possibly not because of it, my game sometimes decides to freeze, not allowing any new inputs of any kind. This is sorta like a crash, but without the decency to actually crash.
<snip>

What you're describing sounds very much like a couple of GitHub issues that in fact turn out to be non-issues, the game isn't frozen, it's actually slowly walking through various functions and eventually returns to life.

Have a look at one report I created and note the final comment where I closed the issue.

I actually haven't seen this in the very latest release but perhaps the underlying problem is still there.
Related to that issue where others where the user moused over the city banner and the result was similar.

 

[Gazebo]

It may related to recursion within the unitmission logic. Ilteroi is working on it.

G

 

[Funak]

What you're describing sounds very much like a couple of GitHub issues that in fact turn out to be non-issues, the game isn't frozen, it's actually slowly walking through various functions and eventually returns to life.

Have a look at one report I created and note the final comment where I closed the issue.

I actually haven't seen this in the very latest release but perhaps the underlying problem is still there.
Related to that issue where others where the user moused over the city banner and the result was similar.

I left it going for 5 hours while I was out jogging, and it was still frozen by the time I got back, so I kinda doubt it was solving itself (and if it was, I really can't afford waiting over 5 hours for it anyways).

Still I absolutely appreciate your comment and your attempt to help me, thank you.

 

[ExpiredReign]

Yeah, 5 hours is definitely NOT the sort of thing I was seeing. Ah well I tried.

 

[Funak]

Yeah, 5 hours is definitely NOT the sort of thing I was seeing. Ah well I tried.

Could have been a specific case for all I know, not like I've given it 5 hours multiple times. About what time was the thing you were seeing?

 

[ExpiredReign]

Well the first few times it happened I just killed the programme and logged it as a crash, that happened maybe 6 or 7 times.
The last time it happened was with different circumstances to the others and I was: "WTH!!". I let it go for 10 minutes maybe and the game came back. I just thought there were a lot of calculations going on due to new situations in the game, era change, conquest, religion swap that sort of thing and the code was waiting for something to finish.

 

[Funak]

Well the first few times it happened I just killed the programme and logged it as a crash, that happened maybe 6 or 7 times.
The last time it happened was with different circumstances to the others and I was: "WTH!!". I let it go for 10 minutes maybe and the game came back. I just thought there were a lot of calculations going on due to new situations in the game, era change, conquest, religion swap that sort of thing and the code was waiting for something to finish.

Cool, for me this triggers at any time. During the AI turn, when I click "end turn" when I discover a new ai, when i order a unit to move or when I discover a new tech. No real pattern at all actually.

 

[Gazebo]

You guys wanna do some debugging for me? Install this: http://www.codersnotes.com/sleepy/

Run program, and, as soon as civ starts locking up like that, select the Civ process in the list. Once it stops (if it stops), end the link and save the report.

That program would give us a good idea as to what DLL process, if any, is eating up CPU time.

G

 

[notque]

You guys wanna do some debugging for me? Install this: http://www.codersnotes.com/sleepy/

Run program, and, as soon as civ starts locking up like that, select the Civ process in the list. Once it stops (if it stops), end the link and save the report.

That program would give us a good idea as to what DLL process, if any, is eating up CPU time.

G

Awesome, thanks for giving us a way to troubleshoot. Great to have actionable steps instead of feeling defeated on them.

 

[Aristos]

It may related to recursion within the unitmission logic. Ilteroi is working on it.

G

ouch, recursion... the best source of infinite loops on Earth.

Good luck with that one.

 

[Gazebo]

Awesome, thanks for giving us a way to troubleshoot. Great to have actionable steps instead of feeling defeated on them.

Yep. You can sort the results database (after letting the program run) by exclusive and inclusive CPU use. Both are useful, inclusive perhaps moreso in this case. You can ignore any element in the list that is not directly tied to the DLL, as we have no control over their CPU use.

G