Time to Reinstall?

[paulp575]

The other day when I started the game, the first message I saw was there is a new CS launcher and suggested I download/install; so I did.
I closed CS and back at the Windows 7 desktop; restarted CS. Totally different interface (launcher version is now 2021.7.1).
Started game. Wow! What a difference!
Now have background music (never had that before).
Could not load game I was playing with before the launcher update because the "Load game" button was grayed out.
Looked at the Content Manager to see what was different. Again wow!
All my assets and mods were disabled!
Closed CS and rebooted computer.
Restarted CS.
Went to Content Manager and re-enabled all my assets and mods.
Closed CS back to desktiop and restarted game.
Still no "Load game".
Before all of this I was having a problem with my new map (Beech Shores which I modded to replace roundabout with two straight parallel roads.
Map is missing!
Opened default Beech Shores and redid the map.
Saved the map and closed CS to desktop.
Restarted CS and loaded new map and this error is displayed:

I click OK and everything seems to be working.

Thinking something has gone wrong and I probably need to uninstall CS and reinstall from scratch?

 

[paulp575]

That's not my point - steam.exe CANNOT be installed inside the game installation folder, as that folder is created by Steam! That is, Steam must be installed first, THEN you install the game with Steam. If you've then manually moved Steam.exe to be inside the game folder, well, I am not surprised you are having problems!

I think you need to uninstall everything - Steam and game - and then install Steam again on D: drive, then install the game in it.

I used the SteamSetup.exe file (approx 1.5 MB) to install it. When it asked for a destination installation, I used D:\Cities Skylines. The program did the rest. Besides D:\Cities Skylines folder, I do have a lot of files/folders in C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order.
I did not have to install Cities Skylines separately.

 

[AndrewT]

Alright then, we are back to trying to talk you through how to supply launch options to the game via Steam.

When you run Steam, either from a desktop shortcut, the Start menu, or steam.exe, you should see a screen like post #9 here. Do you get that?

 

[paulp575]

When I launch from the StartMenu shortcut, I do not get that screen.
However, if I launch the program from D:\Cities Skylines using the steam.exe file, I get that screen and the startup parameters are there under properties.
When I launch the game from the StartMenu shortcut, and then subsequently launch the game - by clicking on the "Play" button on the launcher, I get the game. And I have NO assets or mods so I know that part is working.

My question is - if I delete ALL references to Cities Skylines and Steam and then reinstall, how would I get all my currently subscribed assets and mods back? Will I have to resubscribe to them all?

I'm wondering why this only recently started happening, I've been using the StartMenu shortcut since Jan(?) and haven't had any problems.
Maybe it was caused by the last couple of mods I added on Sep 11th - 3 days before my first post. THose mods were: 11x11 Park; A Better Dump; Advanced Crematorium; and All in One Park.
I've checked the mods/assets spreadsheet and none of the mods I added are on there as being incompatible or broken.

 

[co_avanya]

Steam keeps track of all your subscriptions. If you don't unsubscribe something, it will all be downloaded again when you install and launch the game.

The only thing you might want to back up is your save files and if you have any custom assets you made/changed yourself. Saves are found here: C:\Users\%username%\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Saves

If I understand correctly, you edited a map, which is when the error started. Doing so with mods enabled is likely to cause problems as most mods are made for the simulation and do not work correctly while in the editors. The best thing is to disable all mods you don't absolutely need while using the editors - if you don't need any, then using the launch option -disableMods is a fast and easy way to do that.

I also recommend a clean install of everything. Install Steam to its own folder on your D drive (something like D:\Steam) and then install Cities: Skylines in another folder (something like D:\CitiesSkylines).

 

[paulp575]

Okay, I'm going to uninstall Steam and Cities Skylines (I have both entries in the Windows Control Panel --> Programs and Features as well as my uninstaller program).
Which should I uninstall first? I'm presuming CS followed by Steam.

Is the below URL the best place to download the Steam Installer from? I downloaded the file (haven't used it yet). It's 1.7 MB in size (the original installer was 1.5 MB) so I'm presuming it's the same file - only updated.

Using this installer, will it install BOTH Steam AND CS? That's what it did the first time I used it.
Or will i have to install CS separately?

 

[co_avanya]

First Cities: Skylines, then Steam yes. Once uninstalled make sure to remove any folders left behind. Check your D drive and delete the Cities Skylines folder if it's still there, as well as check C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order and delete the Cities Skylines folder there, if it isn't removed. Make sure to back up any saves you want to keep before this!

Then install first Steam from the URL in your image, log into your Steam account and install Cities: Skylines through Steam. Make sure they are not installed in the same folder like before.

 

[paulp575]

Are all the saves in the Saved folder which I see on:
For maps: C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Maps
For games: C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Saves

Since there is an apparent problem with my current configuration/setup, should I save those saves or should I start from scratch? The map saves were just working on changing the initial roads from the default Beech Shores.
The saved games I was just playing around getting familiar with the game and learning some of the techniques in using the game.

Pretty certain if I don't save any of that, I can recreate as there wasn't anything of value there.

 

[paulp575]

co_avanya ot AndrewT - can either of you answer my questions above. I really want to get back into playing this game.

 

[AndrewT]

Are all the saves in the Saved folder which I see on:
For maps: C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Maps
For games: C:\Users\Paul\AppData\Local\Colossal Order\Cities_Skylines\Saves

Local saves are there, yes. Cloud saves are visible here:

Sign In

store.steampowered.com

I think the best way to proceed is if you disable ALL mods and assets and start a new test city. I don't think I've ever had so much trouble getting that done! Can you please answer my question from post #22 above, IMO we need you to implement the -noWorkshop -disableMods launch options and start a new test city.

 

[paulp575]

Local saves are there, yes. Cloud saves are visible here:

Sign In

store.steampowered.com

I think the best way to proceed is if you disable ALL mods and assets and start a new test city. I don't think I've ever had so much trouble getting that done! Can you please answer my question from post #22 above, IMO we need you to implement the -noWorkshop -disableMods launch options and start a new test city.

Going to try a test city using your suggested parameters.
Also, if I save what I've already got (all on my local computer) and then remove steam and Cities: Skylines and reinstall from scratch, will I run into problems using saved items from what might have been a corrupted game? There's nothing serious in any of those saves.

 

[AndrewT]

Going to try a test city using your suggested parameters.
Also, if I save what I've already got (all on my local computer) and then remove steam and Cities: Skylines and reinstall from scratch, will I run into problems using saved items from what might have been a corrupted game? There's nothing serious in any of those saves.

If you have corrupted save files, either locally or in the Steam cloud, they can possibly cause game problems, yes.

 

[paulp575]

If you have corrupted save files, either locally or in the Steam cloud, they can possibly cause game problems, yes.

How would I know if the saved files are corrupted?

 

[AndrewT]

If they exist in the two possible locations but the game does not see them in the Content Manager menu, they are certainly corrupted.

 

[paulp575]

If they exist in the two possible locations but the game does not see them in the Content Manager menu, they are certainly corrupted.

They were there until I added the following parameters to the properties screen to do a test:
-noWorkshop -disableMods

 

[AndrewT]

Theose switches can't really affect the visibility of save game files ... ?!?

 

[paulp575]

Totallt removed Steam and Cities: Skylines from my compuer and re-installed.

Noticed 2 things:

1. After installing Steam I installed Cities: Skylines. I saw an option to install Cities: Skylines in a folder of my choice. Since I installed Steam in D:\Steam I decided to install Cities: Skylines in D:\Cities Skylines. Install ignored my choice and everything is now installed in D:\Steam. Not a problem, but it's an error on the installer process.

2. After installing I rebooted my computer to ensure everything was set. When I launched Steam I got the screen launcher screen (attached). When I attempted to set Cities : Skylines properties (in the left side of the screen - nothing. No right click! Apparently launcher version 2021.8.2. removed that option. So I'm guessing now I have to start Cities: Skylines and then go into the Content Manager to temporarily disable Mods and Assets, but how do I temporarily disable the link to the Workshop? I think I remember someone (in this post) saying when I want to use the Map Editor I should disable Mods,and Assets, but do I also need to disable the link to the Workshop?

 

[AndrewT]

1. the game's installation is entirely done by Steam, the game or our launcher have nothing to do with it. You can only install the game in a Steam Library, you'd have to make a new one somewhere else before you could install the game into it. But I wonder if you are referring to our launcher's installation instead?

2. there are not, and never have been, any options for this game in the launcher - check your own post #6 here with the previous launcher version, it looks exactly the same as now, in that respect. Mod/asset management has always been in the Content Manager menu

You should disable all mods and assets in there before you do any map editing. I don't think having the workshop active will do any harm.

 

[paulp575]

1. the game's installation is entirely done by Steam, the game or our launcher have nothing to do with it. You can only install the game in a Steam Library, you'd have to make a new one somewhere else before you could install the game into it. But I wonder if you are referring to our launcher's installation instead?

2. there are not, and never have been, any options for this game in the launcher - check your own post #6 here with the previous launcher version, it looks exactly the same as now, in that respect. Mod/asset management has always been in the Content Manager menu

You should disable all mods and assets in there before you do any map editing. I don't think having the workshop active will do any harm.

I guess I need to stop replying to this thread! You need to coordinate your responses with co_avanya!
Previously (post #4) co_avanya told me to right click on Cities: Skylines in the launcher and select properties. Then enter "-noWorkshop -disableMods" launch options.
I did that and then after launching Cities: Skylines I noticed in the Content Manager there were no Assets, or Mods listd and the Steam Workshop panel was blank/empty - whcih seemed to be correct..

 

[AndrewT]

Previously (post #4) co_avanya told me to right click on Cities: Skylines in the launcher and select properties. Then enter "-noWorkshop -disableMods" launch options.
I did that and then after launching Cities: Skylines I noticed in the Content Manager there were no Assets, or Mods listd and the Steam Workshop panel was blank/empty - whcih seemed to be correct..

Yes, that is correct when those Steam launch options are in use - that is their exact purpose, to simplify the launch/run process while diagnosing problems. They are nothing to do with our launcher.

I fail to see how that invalidates my answers?

 

[co_avanya]

Open Steam, then at the top click Library and find Cities: Skylines on the list on the left. Right-click on it and select Properties, then paste "-noWorkshop -disableMods" (without the quotation marks) into the box at the bottom and close that window to apply then. Then click Play through Steam to open the game.

Just quoting myself for visibility. The launcher you attached a screenshot from is the Paradox Launcher. You need to do this in Steam.