BATTLETECH - How to Fix your Infinite Loading Screen Since the Patch [Modding problems]

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CorVexen

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One line summary of your issue
How to Fix your Infinite Loading Screen Since the Patch

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
Howdy Everyone

If your launching the game since the patch, and now face an infinite loading screen clicking on any of the main menu options, such as skirmish, new/load campaine, or multiplayer .....

AND you had a mod installed when the patch dropped

Then you've come to the right place to get that fixed.

Steps to reproduce the issue
AndrewT here on the forms dropped the kernal that became a fix for this issue. Heres what i had to do to get things running again.

Launch your game.
Get it to infiniate load.
Close it.
Open the Output_log.txt located in the folder E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data for the steam install.
Scroll down to the bottom to find out which files are being called for from the server side Profiles.Dat file. it will say they are NULL or not found.

and then re-add them to your shinny new ManifestVersion.json file located in E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data
doing a clean install will not fix the problem, because profiles.dat on the server is spazing out that your manifest file isn't the same.

Now with your Manifest file matching what it was before the patch was installed, relaunch your BATTLETECH and behold the glory of your lance of 4 mechs getting shot to scrap by 12 assaults.

man, 2 days away was too long.

Upload attachment
 
Upvote 0
@November11th By "remaining data" I take it you mean the BattleTech data folder?

<--- is far from being a computer guru but can follow well-explained directions. =)

Well my steam folder is on a totally different drive. You have to open up the computer brows, hit computer, hit program files x86, then steam, steam library, steam apps, common and then find the battletech folder and delete it completely.

That should fix it for you.

Again my folder is in a different drive, so my instructions may not be 100% accurate.
 
So after trying a few other things(for example creating another account which let me at least log in the heraldry options) I am still stuck at infinite loading when clicking on campaign. Already written a ticket to the support but here's my output.log either way. Maybe someone else can see something I missed.

Edit: Support was very helpful. They cleared my server profile and everything is right again. So for anyone that can't seem to get the game right again themselves, just write a ticket. :)
 

Attachments

  • output_log.txt
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Last edited:
One line summary of your issue
How to Fix your Infinite Loading Screen Since the Patch

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
Howdy Everyone

If your launching the game since the patch, and now face an infinite loading screen clicking on any of the main menu options, such as skirmish, new/load campaine, or multiplayer .....

AND you had a mod installed when the patch dropped

Then you've come to the right place to get that fixed.

Steps to reproduce the issue
AndrewT here on the forms dropped the kernal that became a fix for this issue. Heres what i had to do to get things running again.

Launch your game.
Get it to infiniate load.
Close it.
Open the Output_log.txt located in the folder E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data for the steam install.
Scroll down to the bottom to find out which files are being called for from the server side Profiles.Dat file. it will say they are NULL or not found.

and then re-add them to your shinny new ManifestVersion.json file located in E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data
doing a clean install will not fix the problem, because profiles.dat on the server is spazing out that your manifest file isn't the same.

Now with your Manifest file matching what it was before the patch was installed, relaunch your BATTLETECH and behold the glory of your lance of 4 mechs getting shot to scrap by 12 assaults.

man, 2 days away was too long.

Upload attachment


I am having the infinite load thing, but I dont have steam.
got it to work day before yesterday, left it running on my machine for a couple days, then last night I shut down my computer so it could update (windows 10).

this morning, installed version 1.0.4 of battletech, and its back to grayed out load button, nothing at all when i click continue, and infinite load after i click new. i was able to find my saves in the sgs1 folder, so i know they are on my machine.

I originally tried to delete the profiles.dat file, but i dont have steam, and couldnt find it, even running a search.
 

Attachments

  • output_log.txt
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I just bought the game and a new PC. got a steam and paradox account. Downloaded and get through the intro. Then "Loading Heraldry Options". I cant get past it.

Im not very technically savvy. I read some of the comments and I cant even get out of that screen without Cntl alt del.
 
Edit: Support was very helpful. They cleared my server profile and everything is right again. So for anyone that can't seem to get the game right again themselves, just write a ticket. :)

Thanks for the tip, opened a ticket... I've already tried every solution in this thread but nothing worked. Seriously, they should add a "Clear Profile" functionality in the game (or code more defensively for such cases).
 
With the new update, what's the best way to file a support ticket instead of going through all the dummy file replacement stuff I did last time?

I'm stuck on Heraldry Def, which means I can't use a dummy file this time.\

NVM... figured out how to do a support ticket on here. Doy.
 
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Was testing some new mech variants I modded in and then the update hit. Now the game refuses to load Skirmish or the Mechbay unless I put in the mod files again. I have tried reinstalling, I have tried deleting all my BattleTech save data on my pc and turning off cloud sync launching the game, and then uploading new cloud data after turning that back on and launching the game, have tried loading the game with the mod and deleting all lance presets other than the base vanilla ones, still nothing. The output_log.txt file says that the server is still trying to find one of my modded mechs despite my efforts. I will attach the file here as well.
 

Attachments

  • output_log.txt
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One line summary of your issue
How to Fix your Infinite Loading Screen Since the Patch

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
Howdy Everyone

If your launching the game since the patch, and now face an infinite loading screen clicking on any of the main menu options, such as skirmish, new/load campaine, or multiplayer .....

AND you had a mod installed when the patch dropped

Then you've come to the right place to get that fixed.

Steps to reproduce the issue
AndrewT here on the forms dropped the kernal that became a fix for this issue. Heres what i had to do to get things running again.

Launch your game.
Get it to infiniate load.
Close it.
Open the Output_log.txt located in the folder E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data for the steam install.
Scroll down to the bottom to find out which files are being called for from the server side Profiles.Dat file. it will say they are NULL or not found.

and then re-add them to your shinny new ManifestVersion.json file located in E:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\StreamingAssets\data
doing a clean install will not fix the problem, because profiles.dat on the server is spazing out that your manifest file isn't the same.

Now with your Manifest file matching what it was before the patch was installed, relaunch your BATTLETECH and behold the glory of your lance of 4 mechs getting shot to scrap by 12 assaults.

man, 2 days away was too long.

Upload attachment

This sure doesn't feel like a "fix". This feels more like learning how to swim in a pool full of sharks. Why is this even happening to begin with. Why does the "server side Profiles.Dat file" even exist? Why can't we just delete that instead. What if we can't recreate the mod in the exact configuration it was before? This is ridiculous. It makes zero sense that some [Mod edit: Language] file on some server far away is preventing me from playing a game I paid for even in offline mode. This game is not some online-only esports game. Why is this a thing? HBS? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! Sorry for swearing, but I feel the need to express my level of frustration is very warranted in this case.

I'm including my output_log file. I am hopelessly lost trying to fix this. Hoping someone here can give me a better solution than "learn how to read computer code and fix it yourself".


EDIT: still beating my head against a wall on this. Here are the "null" entries I have on the output_log.file. I don't know if this is everything; i don't understand the output log hardly at all.

Data.DataManager.LoadRequests [ERROR] manifestEntry is null for [chassisdef_shadowhawk_SHD-2K] [ChassisDef] - resourceIds are case sensitive so be sure to check that too.

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

Data.DataManager.LoadRequests [ERROR] manifestEntry is null for [chassisdef_vindicator_VND-1AA] [ChassisDef] - resourceIds are case sensitive so be sure to check that too.

(Filename: C:/buildslave/unity/build/artifacts/generated/common/runtime/DebugBindings.gen.cpp Line: 51)

I have absolutely no clue how to fix this. Someone who knows more than me... please help! :(
 

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  • output_log.txt
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Last edited by a moderator:
This sure doesn't feel like a "fix". This feels more like learning how to swim in a pool full of sharks. Why is this even happening to begin with. Why does the "server side Profiles.Dat file" even exist? Why can't we just delete that instead. What if we can't recreate the mod in the exact configuration it was before? This is ridiculous. It makes zero sense that some F*ing file on some server far away is preventing me from playing a game I paid for even in offline mode. This game is not some online-only esports game. Why is this a thing? HBS? WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?! Sorry for swearing, but I feel the need to express my level of frustration is very warranted in this case.

I'm including my output_log file. I am hopelessly lost trying to fix this. Hoping someone here can give me a better solution than "learn how to read computer code and fix it yourself".


EDIT: still beating my head against a wall on this. Here are the "null" entries I have on the output_log.file. I don't know if this is everything; i don't understand the output log hardly at all.



I have absolutely no clue how to fix this. Someone who knows more than me... please help! :(
I think I know what the issue is, but please bear in mind that my experience with this sort of thing is limited at best. As best I can tell...

The cause for this error is that the VersionManifest you were using was able to point the game towards files for two custom 'Mechs that you added to your campaign: your SHD-2K and VND-1AA. The VersionMenifest that you got from HBS when your game updated overwrites the custom VersionManifest you were using, and does not point the game towards the custom 'Mechs (specifically, the game cannot find the chassisdef files for those custom 'Mechs). So, when the game tries to load one of these custom 'Mechs in your campaign, it has no instructions on where to retrieve those files from, and it hangs and you get an infinite loading screen. If you re-add those custom 'Mechs into the new VersionManifest, the way you did when you added them to your campaign the first time, then the problem should resolve itself.

Basically, any time you have a mod that adds something into the game you need to edit the VersionManifest so that the game can locate those things when it tries to load them. Any time you update your game a new VersionManifest is added, which replaces the one you were using. So if you are using mods that add things to the game, you have to "re-install" your mods so that the new VersionManifest can locate the things that they add.
 
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In any event, I appear to have encountered my own infinite loading bug. After scanning the output_log.txt, I've found the trouble spot to be this:

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at BattleTech.CombatGameConstants.PrewarmVFX () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.CombatGameState._Init (BattleTech.GameInstance game, BattleTech.Contract contract, System.String localPlayerTeamGuid) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.CombatGameState.FirstTimeInit (BattleTech.Contract contract, BattleTech.GameInstance game, System.String localPlayerTeamGuid) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.GameInstance.LaunchContract (BattleTech.Contract contract, System.String playerGUID) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.GameInstance.LaunchContract (BattleTech.Contract contract) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.SimGameState+<StartContract>c__AnonStorey5.<>m__0 () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.UI.LoadingCurtain+<DelayExecuteVisibilityAction>c__Iterator0.MoveNext () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at UnityEngine.SetupCoroutine.InvokeMoveNext (IEnumerator enumerator, IntPtr returnValueAddress) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
I'm at a loss. Any thoughts?

[EDIT] Additionally, when attempting to start a new campaign this:

(Filename: Line: -1)

NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
at BattleTech.CombatGameState.TriggerAutoSaving () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.CombatGameState.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.GameInstance.Update (Single deltaTime) [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
at BattleTech.UnityGameInstance.Update () [0x00000] in <filename unknown>:0
Appears after the above text. And then it repeats itself several thousand times.

One thing that I forgot to mention is that the usual "above the planet in your dropship" loading screen does not appear, in either instance.

[EDIT2] Seems like it might have been because I was using an old CombatGameConstants.json file? I checked over all of my mods one-by-one, and that was the only one which was different than the one downloaded by the 1.2 update.
 
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Okay, attempted to install the Roguetech mod and now have the infinite load bug. I have done everything but a fresh install of Windows as far as removing my game files. I see I am getting the manifest issue, how does one open a ticket and with whom am I opening it?


By the way I am trying to get back to being able to play vanilla.
 

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