1.7.2 Crash to Desktop on Startup (Fresh install)

[Alablm]

Short summary of issue:
Crash at startup.

Game Version:
1.7.2
Same issue when reverting to previous versions

What OS are you playing on?
Windows 11

What platform are you using?
Steam

What DLC do you have installed?
Garments of the HRE

Do you have mods enabled?
No, I unsubscribed and deleted them all.

Have you tried verifying your game files (Steam only)?
Yes.

How much "pain" is this causing you?
10 ; can't play ck3 at all

Please explain the issue you experienced in the most condensed way possible
First time launch on this computer and instant CTD

Please explain how to reproduce the issue
Launch the game through steam, the click on play in the paradox launcher.

Is there anything else you think could help us identify/replicate the issue?
Here is what I have tried so far:

• Uninstalling the Nvidia driver (through the standard windows GUI and with DDU), rebooting, reinstalling the latest driver version
• Checking other drivers were up to date
• Launching in windowed mode from the paradox launcher
• Running launcher and game as admin
• Running ck3.exe directly from Steam/Steamapps/Common/Crusader Kings III/Binaries
• Temporarly deactivating firewall/antivirus and adding exceptions for the ck3 folders
• Verifying the integrity through steam
• Doing a clean reinstall of ck3: uninstalling via steam and deleting the ck3 folders in document and under the steamapps folders
• Reverting to previous versions
• Launching with DX9 or OpenGL via the setting txt file
• Unplugging all controllers

See attached for System/Error/Settings/DXDiag/Debug/Exception files.

 

[AndrewT]

Running ck3.exe directly from Steam/Steamapps/Common/Crusader Kings III/Binaries

What did you see when you did this?

Launching with DX9 or OpenGL via the setting txt file

DX9 is not supported with this game, but was it any different with OpenGL?

Your CPU appears to support AVX, which would be a common cause of failing to start at all.


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.

 

[Alablm]

What did you see when you did this?


DX9 is not supported with this game, but was it any different with OpenGL?

Your CPU appears to support AVX, which would be a common cause of failing to start at all.


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.

No change on any of these. That being said, I just tried the xbox gamepass version of the game and it runs, hopefully that can generate a lead.

I notice the gamepass launcher version is 2022.9-SE, where steam is 2022-13. Is it possible to downgrade the steam launcher to see if its somehow related?

 

[AndrewT]

I notice the gamepass launcher version is 2022.9-SE, where steam is 2022-13. Is it possible to downgrade the steam launcher to see if its somehow related?

When the game starts the launcher is unloaded, so I doubt that is the cause of your problem.

You didn't explicitly say what happened when you ran ck3.exe directly from file explorer, but if that also crashed on launch then this cannot be a launcher problem as it is simply not in use. Why it would crash but the MS version not is hard to understand!

 

[Alablm]

When the game starts the launcher is unloaded, so I doubt that is the cause of your problem.

You didn't explicitly say what happened when you ran ck3.exe directly from file explorer, but if that also crashed on launch then this cannot be a launcher problem as it is simply not in use. Why it would crash but the MS version not is hard to understand!

Running the exe directly resulted in a crash as well.

That being said, I have a "fix". I have manually removed all of the steamapps/ck3 files and replaced them with the gamepass files. I was unable to copy the gamepass exe and crash reporter, as windows has them protected. That being said, a quick ~100mb download after verifying from steam has it working via steam.

 

[AndrewT]

Well, I guess it's unsurprising that as the ck3.exe from Gamepass works there, it also works when placed in the Steam folder. The question is why doesn't the Steam ck3.exe !

I'm not fully across what differences there are between the two builds, but fundamentally they have the same system and Windows requirements of course.

 

[Alablm]

Well, I guess it's unsurprising that as the ck3.exe from Gamepass works there, it also works when placed in the Steam folder. The question is why doesn't the Steam ck3.exe !

I'm not fully across what differences there are between the two builds, but fundamentally they have the same system and Windows requirements of course.

I think its possible the steam install was missing some files, because as I mentioned I am still using the steam .exe file. Windows has the gamepass .exe protected, and therefor unable to be copied.

What I don't really understand is how that could be, given I doubt I'm the first person to preform a first time install since the last patch.

 

[AndrewT]

think its possible the steam install was missing some files

The Steam Verify operation you did should have fixed that. Yo could try changing to a different Steam download region I guess, so the game comes from a different Steam server.