Memory Leak?

[Gav]

ARGH! This stupid bloody game. It'd be so good if it WORKED.

To fix this low performance bug I have changed the following settings:

Enter your C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\ folder and open "_Civ4Config" (.ini file)

Changing the following settings to the ones below solved my problem, hope it works for others also.

AllowScreenShots = 0
SyncInput = 1
D3D9Query = 1
LoggingEnabled = 1

trying those out now, i turned the movie settings down as low as possible too.

 

[Oblivious]

I've been experiencing CTD issues as well, both before and after the patch.

Before the patch, I would get a typical crash to desktop. Usually in the modern era, on any maps Standard or larger. Once I would get the first CTD in game, I could usually play for 20-30 min before getting another one.

After the patch, the game's performance seemed better, speed wise anyways. But, instead of a CTD, the game would just freeze (at pretty much the same game conditions as pre-patch). Mouse still moves, but it's difficult to leave the game and get to the desktop again. I may not have given it enough time, but it seemed that the Windows Key, ctrl-alt-del and alt-tab wouldn't work. Alt-F4 worked, but I've had to hard restart my system a few times to escape the game.

My specs are:

p4 2.53 ghz
1024mb ram (2 x 512mb) 333 mhz
ATI Radeon 9550 256mb
Soundblaster Live
Windows XP Pro

Thanks to everyone who sent me some reports!

Still, I am waiting for some 1.2-1.5Gb report (all reports I received so far were about 500-600mb which is my case). If I receive one, it can reveal a great mistery of civ4 allocations. If I understand why it might consume 1.2Gb, I might be able to cut it off even in 600Mb case down to 300-350Mb...

I would send my report, if I knew what it is I need to send (and where it's located). I only have 1gb, but if it helps....

 

[Mooseman]

I'll give it a whirl and let you know if it works. I'm not optimistic though?

Mm

 

[Gav]

jesus, The_Kangaroo's fix (or my video settings, but id say his stuff) WORKED

it worked so well in fact that i played for hours, no problems whatsoever, and next time im going to try it with higher graphic detail.

 

[tomas1931]

If you look at my entrys The program is having a difficult time when it attempts to move around on the map It then eventually crashes to desktop with bizarre colors and resolution requiring a reboot They should be able to correct this

 

[Yrth]

I tried out The_Kangaroo's changes:

AllowScreenShots = 0
SyncInput = 1
D3D9Query = 1
LoggingEnabled = 1

to the ini file and, just as Gav reported, it worked!!! I've been playing for the last couple of hours from 1951 to 1988 and moving around the map and fighting battles and not one CTD.

WOW. I don't know why, but I was crashing every 1-3 turns the last three times I tried before making The_Kangaroo's changes. I hope it keeps working.

Just for the record, my specs: Athlon 4000+ (Notebook at 2.6Ghz), 1 GIG RAM, X600 ATI Radeon. EDIT: I have the 1.09 patch (which I downloaded and installed without problem)

This is better than the patch! I hope others have luck as well.

 

[Gav]

just confirming again that i played an hour this morning on highest graphics detail possible with no problems, because of the .ini file changes.

thank you Kangaroo!

 

[Tormunda]

Are you guys serious? That the fix we all want is the .ini file change?
I'll check it out tonight, first thing and post my findings too

 

[BlueLikeYou]

I tried those settings as well, but no luck. In modern era on huge map, still crashes after 1 or 2 turns, and crashes instantly when attempting to zoom out to globe view.

 

[CyberChrist]

AllowScreenShots = 0
SyncInput = 1
D3D9Query = 1
LoggingEnabled = 1

I fail to see how these changes would in any way help with the slowdown that occurs from CIV extensive overuse of RAM. In fact as far as I understand these functions then some of them might very well even make it worse.

 

[Gav]

I fail to see how these changes would in any way help with the slowdown that occurs from CIV extensive overuse of RAM. In fact as far as I understand these functions then some of them might very well even make it worse.

before the changes I had crashes.
after, i dont. how could that be worse?

 

[mrgenie]

before the changes I had crashes.
after, i dont. how could that be worse?

you're just one of the lucky! civ is a very instable program..it's still in beta testing..and for every computer there is 1 or maybe some more, settings/driversversions etc which lead to THE solution..for you the ini worked..for me it didn't for me the drivers worked.

CyberChrist is one of the people like me, for us the ini change doesnt help don't critisize him for having bad luck, just be glad it works for you

.i just tried 100different driver versions untill it worked. I back your statement that it doesnt make things worse it's very simple, every solution works for some people,. for others not..every one must just try and find THEIR solution since firaxis is obviously not doing anything to fix this..if they already need 6 weeks of complaining for not adressing to this issue, it's likely they need some more months but then again..it's only a beta stage game..and for a beta it's pretty cool

oh ya, some say this is not a beta because it has not enough bugs to be a beta? i don't know how you count them and where is the limit to a beta..and maybe some releases of other games as beta were worse..maybe..but anyway, a game which has this amount of programming/driver/settings failures..which is so uncompatible with so many different systems around the globe..i call that beta stage! really

so we just must enjoy if the game workds for some..and wait for firaxis to fix all the compatibilty issues...exploits like the trading bugs, treaty thing..I'm not really concerned about that..ok, i now can play the game..but firaxis must adress the issues which causes the crashes first..I dont have crashes anymore..but I hope they first help the people with the crashes..when we can all play the game..then they can always fix the minor problems..but i wish all you guys who still have bad luck playing the game to be able to play without those problems pretty soon

 

[The_Kangaroo]

The settings I suggested work most of the time, but the overall problem with memory overuse by the application is still a major problem. Sometimes I experience the same problems as before the .ini changes, but they happen a lot less frequently.

 

[phalzyr]

Harkonnen: I'll use you program at home tonight and send you an email tomorrow. been a bit busy lately..

Strangely the patch seemed to cut my memory usage down a bit, huge maps seem to take up less memory for me. But maybe that is because Ihad little issues before pathc so it helped

I might be wrong but if my memory is right a game that took 900+ very close to 1GB of memory, took only 800+ (toward low end) after patch... Every time I alt-tab out now my max whole sytem usage has never surpassed 1GB after patch...

 

[blue3c]

Kangaroo,

Please do not take this wrong but you can not say they work most of the time. You can say they work for some people most of the time.
I am just saying be careful wof what you say in here. Saying they work for most of the time, suggests they will work for everyone who bought the game world wide most of the time. And while I respect you, I do not think you have tested in with most of the people world wide who purchased the game.

All hail Sid The antichrist

 

[JensG]

Kangaroo's ini edit seems to have done a lot of good for my game. Has just been playing 3 hours, huge map, more than 200 mill population. No crashes at all.

Jens

 

[Tormunda]

I hate to say it, as it just don't make sense!!!!
But....
I tried the .ini changes and I just complete my game with no crashes at all....

It just don't make sense!!! But ummm. Thanks Kangeroo!

 

[CyberChrist]

before the changes I had crashes.
after, i dont. how could that be worse?

The settings I suggested work most of the time, but the overall problem with memory overuse by the application is still a major problem. Sometimes I experience the same problems as before the .ini changes, but they happen a lot less frequently.

This thread was and still is (I hope) about the serious problems with extensive memory (ab)use/slow down of CIV and NOT other bugs/settings that may cause blue screens or CTDs.

And while it is nice if the suggested INI file changes help those who have been experiencing severe blue screen and CTD issues that are not related to memory (ab)use/slow down, these suggestions/discussions really belong in another thread as they do in fact do NOTHING to help with the memory (ab)use/slow down problem - quite on the contrary.

Posting about them in this thread is IMHO straying far from the main issue of this thread - bordering on threadjacking.

 

[steveywonda]

I've experienced exactly the same issues as others on here. I've got an NVidea Geforce FX 5700 with a high spec Athalon and 1gb RAM. I've had the CTD problems before and after the installing the patch but they are different. Since installing the patch I get an error report and the screen reverts to about 16 colours and all I can do is restart my pc, before the patch it was just a clean CTD.

I had tried one 'solution' offered in a different thread that involved opening the NVidia display (right click on desktop) and changing the system performance to High Performance rather than High Quality. This worked for a couple of days but now I'm back to CTDs every 2-3 turns. I'm going to try Kangaroo's suggestion soon but just want to add my voice to the many on here who just want Firaxis to pull their finger out and do something!

Good luck everyone

Steveywonda

 

[CyberChrist]

CyberChrist is one of the people like me, for us the ini change doesnt help don't critisize him for having bad luck, just be glad it works for you

Heh heh, CIV runs fine with no crashes at all on my system - until it slows unbearably down due to the poorly structured/programmed memory handling/demands.

I am currently crossing my fingers that Harkonnen gets around to finishing his hack soon and that this hack will offer a noticeable improvement in performance. This hack (judging by his description of it) could very well help with various crashing issues also, but for my part it is more about making CIV beareably playable on a system that is not otherwise troubled by any major bugs (crashes etc.)