1.6.1.2 Not able to launch game anymore. Win 10, Ryzen 9 5900x

[iAura]

Firstly I have 336 hours logged in this game on Steam so the game used to run fine. Secondly, I have been trying to run this game for 2 months now with no luck I have tried to do what various threads have recommended similar to this one. I am not sure what is going on. Side note CK2 runs just fine and my CPU has zero issues with other games.
1) I have reinstalled Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and Netframework.
2) Tried launching in windowed mode.
3) Added Crusader Kings III to Firewall to allow it.
4) I have zero game mods in Initial Playset.
5) Restarted Steam.
6) Deleted Crusader Kings III documents folder.
7) Deleted Crusader Kings III folder in Steam file directory
8) Deleted Crusader Kings III workshop folder in Steam file directory.
9) Reinstalled the Game 4 times.
10) Verified game files 9 times.
11) I don't use antivirus software.
12) Run Steam as Admin.
*) Crusader Kings II, Imperator Rome, Stellaris, EU4, and HOI4 run fine.
I have tried multiple types of forums and other people seem to have this problem in the past. I am out of ideas and I am really frustrated at this point... Please any assistance is better than none. I have 2,561.8 hours just in Crusader Kings II. I would love to keep playing this game someday...

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[Elcharlo]

Same for me...

 

[AndrewT]

Please go here:

Latest supported Visual C++ Redistributable downloads

This article lists the download links for the latest versions of Visual C++ Redistributable packages.

support.microsoft.com

And run the x86 and x64 installers there.

IF that doesn't help, Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-CK3
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/CK3 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3 folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add CK3.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.
- start the game with no mods active and test

In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam CK3 or Documents CK3 locations, before installing again.



If those don't help:
DXDIAG is a program you run from the Windows search box on the task bar. After running it will open a window and start collecting info with a progress bar in the lower-left corner. When it completes click the 'save all information' button and save it to a file then attach that file here.

Please attach here your Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/pdx_settings.txt .
From your Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/logs/ folder, attach here system.log , error.log , exceptions.log

 

[iAura]

Hello sir and thank you for replying. I Follow all your instructions exactly as you stated them just now. The error log is at 0kb so the website won't let me upload and I cannot find the exceptions log since the folder is empty....

 

[iAura]

Same for me...

It's so strange since this is the only game out of 123 games on my pc that has an issue. I put many hours and encountered this problem about 2 months ago, gave up then I'm back because I want to play ck3 and I want to believe that I can play again... Even Imperator Rome still works for me lol...

 

[AndrewT]

You ran both those VC++ installers? Any issue doing so?

May as well update that nVidia driver to August 2022 https://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx?lang=en-us


If that doesn't help, Right click on ck3.exe , properties, compatibility. Tick "disable fullScreen optimisations" untick every other box in that dialog, Apply and exit.

Then in the launcher Game Settings menu, select fullScreen display mode, Vsync off, refresh rate 60.

Is that any better?

 

[iAura]

Yes, I reinstalled both VC++ with no issues, installed x86 restarted then 64x restarted. Sidenote I can't even get into the game to change the refresh rate. Unless there is a text file somewhere where I can edit that? I disabled the fullscreen optimizations. No luck installing the latest drivers manually and restarting just now...

 

[iAura]

Could it be that there is something wrong with the registry for the game? Also, the provided attachment shows my Programs and Features of C++ and NVIDIA installations.

 

[iAura]

I'm in Nvidia Control Panel still have no luck even resetting to default settings... Also I'm in Windows and Features.

 

[iAura]

Here is the Net Framework version. This is 4.8.1 which was released this month..

 

[iAura]

I reverted back to this version of framework 4.8.04084, released on 11/02/2020 before installing newer version, via system restore.

 

[AndrewT]

Sidenote I can't even get into the game to change the refresh rate.

This is done in the launcher, not the game, as I mentioned. Please try that.

This problem is nothing to do with .NET as the game does not use it (only the launcher does).

 

[iAura]

I am glad it's not a Net framework issue. I didn't realize that I had to put it back on fullscreen to see the refresh rate, I put the refresh rate to 60. I am still not able to launch the game and it's still telling me the same error message.

 

[iAura]

I've uninstalled and reinstalled the game completely and put it on a different drive still no luck.

 

[AndrewT]

So far we have 0 clues as to what is wrong on this machine to affect our game this way. Clearly something changed between when it last worked and first had this problem, but I cannot see what.

What if you make a new Windows user on this machine and log into it with that, any different?

 

[iAura]

Trust me I'm just as lost since every other paradox game runs flawlessly... So I made a new user try to launch the game from the launcher and still the same error. I tried to launch it directly from ck3.exe to go to the CK3 loading background then it closed out within 2 seconds. Is there a way to launch the game to bypass the launcher completely or since I got the Steam version, I am completely screwed?

 

[AndrewT]

Running ck3.exe does bypass the launcher completely. Your problem is nothing to do with the launcher.

Is the Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/logs/ folder still empty?

 

[iAura]

This is all I got which is nothing I don't see an exceptions log anywhere... I don't even see it in the "Exceptions" folder either...

 

[iAura]

So just to test something I installed the game again through the Paradox V2 Launcher (since it couldn't detect my steam version) and when I launch the game it doesn't give me the runtime error or anything ck3 takes me to the starting CK3 logo and then exits out within 2 seconds...

 

[iAura]

Ok, I may be onto something I got Crusader Kings 3 to launch on the Paradox v2 Launcher but had to revert to 1.5.1.1 and No the Steam Version of the game doesn't launch at all. So at this very moment, I have 2 "versions" of the game installed on my computer the Steam version which does not run at all even after reverting to different versions. Also, the Paradox Launcher V2 version of the game can only be played on 1.5.1.1 version of the game.