BATTLETECH - Game crashes on campaign start

[Schmerzmittel]

One line summary of your issue
Game crashes on campaign start

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
Windows 10 64bit

Which version of the game are you running?
1.9.1-686R

What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint, Urban Warfare

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
CTD on campaign start. Career seems to work (no CTD in ~4 hours of gameplay).

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
Start the campaign. CTD. Altering the campaign options does not change the behaviour.

Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)
File(s) attached

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log
File(s) attached

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox
File(s) attached

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
File(s) attached

Attach screenshot / video
File(s) attached

 

[AndrewT]

I don't recall seeing this game crash in Binkplayer before:

Windows Error Reporting:
+++ WER0 +++:
Fehlerbucket 1347870369181639578, Typ 4
Ereignisname: APPCRASH
Antwort: Nicht verfügbar
CAB-Datei-ID: 0

Problemsignatur:
P1: BattleTech.exe
P2: 2018.4.2.64310
P3: 5cf7e95c
P4: bink2w64.dll

Try going to [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\Plugins\ and renamng that DLL to anything else.

 

[Schmerzmittel]

I don't recall seeing this game crash in Binkplayer before:

Try going to [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\BattleTech_Data\Plugins\ and renamng that DLL to anything else.

Tried this, the game won't start any more. I get the Harebrained/Paradox/Unity-Intros, after that, the screen fades to black but never starts the intro video. If I press any buttons, the message "Press ESC to skip" appears in the upper left corner, but pressing ESC does nothing. Game will stay in this mode until force-closed via task-manager and produces no crash-log. New output_log is attached.

 

[AndrewT]

There is no crash or significant errors in either output log, unfortunately. I guess run a Steam verify operation to replace that file, and see if it finds anything else to fix.

Have you ever been able to start a campaign on this machine? Or never yet?

Do you have access to any other machine to do a test install on, and try it out there?

 

[Schmerzmittel]

There is no crash or significant errors in either output log, unfortunately. I guess run a Steam verify operation to replace that file, and see if it finds anything else to fix.

Have you ever been able to start a campaign on this machine? Or never yet?

Do you have access to any other machine to do a test install on, and try it out there?

Deleted the file and verified through steam - no changes, the game still crashes on campaign startup. Career runs fine. I have never played the campaign, nor do i posess another PC that would be able to run the game.

Since its the binkplayer that crashes, could this be related to audio-issues? My setup is a little complicated and seems to have problems sometimes (i.e. VLC is not able to playback sound).

EDIT: Is it possible to load up savegames of other players? Could you (or someone else) provide a savegame just after the campaign intro so i can try that?

 

[AndrewT]

ince its the binkplayer that crashes, could this be related to audio-issues? My setup is a little complicated and seems to have problems sometimes (i.e. VLC is not able to playback sound).

That is quite possible, yes. I see your audio output in Windows is set to the default MS usbaudio2.sys driver and some loudspeakers. You could try switching that to a different audio device/driver.

EDIT: Is it possible to load up savegames of other players? Could you (or someone else) provide a savegame just after the campaign intro so i can try that?

You can absolutely load other players' saved games, but I don't play this game so I don't have any myself. They are under
C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\USER_ID\637090\remote\C#\SGS#\

Maybe someone else reading this can attah one here? Or you could post a request in the main forum here, or the Steam Discussion group.

 

[stjobe]

Here's a savefile created right after character creation and campaign intro video. Hope it helps!

 

[Schmerzmittel]

Here's a savefile created right after character creation and campaign intro video. Hope it helps!

First of all: Thank you very much. I can play the first mission without problems, but after finishing the first mission the game crashes - the old "bink2w64.dll caused an Access Violation (0xc0000005)" returns.

 

[stjobe]

First of all: Thank you very much. I can play the first mission without problems, but after finishing the first mission the game crashes - the old "bink2w64.dll caused an Access Violation (0xc0000005)" returns.

You're very welcome. It does sound like there's something that's interfering with your video playback then.

 

[AndrewT]

I agree, but what! We're just not seeing this elsewhere.

Please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here, thanks.

 

[Schmerzmittel]

I agree, but what! We're just not seeing this elsewhere.

Please install and run the free utility Speccy. Send its output to a text file and attach that here, thanks.

I'm certainly grateful that you've not given up on me

 

[AndrewT]

Not that much running in there, I expected to see some sort of video editing suite or something. The only process I can imagine might affect this area is:
C:\Program Files\AMD\CNext\CNext\RadeonSoftware.exe
which I assume is Catalyst, can you try unloading that?

If that doesn't work I frankly have no idea what is doing this to you!

 

[Jade_Rook]

One option to get to play would be to switch to Career mode. It sounds like the only thing that is crashing it is the campaign videos. Career mode removes the original campaign, including the videos, so you should be able to play a full campaign like that. You would miss out on the original campaign story, which is sad, it is really good, but it should let you play.

 

[Schmerzmittel]

I've found a fix. The problem seems to stem from using an USB audio-interface as an external sound-device. I've tried different driverconfigurations (ASIO/Windows/Manufactorers drivers) which all resulted in crashing the game whenever a video is played. It works for me after I unchecked the "exclusive mode" under System configuration -> Audio -> _Your device here_ -> Advanced. Thanks for your help and hopefully this will help anyone who encounters the same problem.

Maybe the settings are named differently on your computer, since my windows is in german, the translation is rather loose based on what I think MS would name it in the english version.