Zoltec's 7.9 CTD Investigation Thread

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Okay, it seems the "movies_seen=" has a higher rate of success, failed in one part, but successive on its second part.

Agetian, I would like you to implement this one on the experimental build. "movies_seen="

Please, update the attachment thanks.

UPDATE: When I opened the toee.cfg file "movies_seen=" disappeared! My last testing is with the "movies_seen=" blank.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

The experimental build is working fine, Agetian. It does what I want. But I need to test things yet.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

I need you to attach another build which will make the "movies_seen=null". I recommend that, because, it has a higher rate of success, than the first experimental build posted. And also retain it "movies_seen=null" on toee.cfg if a certain crash happens. Though, there is no instance that it will disappear when it crashes. Just to make it fully-proofed.

The first experimental build has successes on the failed ones, but soon after, it reversed the effects on the successive ones which are posted above. This is pretty accurate.

If you are confused with on what I'm suggesting to attach, see below

movies_seen=(304,-1)(1027,-1)(1002,4009)(1015,-1)
to
movies_seen=null

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

No, that's why I'm incorporating movies_seen=null instead of movies_seen=, because, it sometimes crashes then completely removes it from toee.cfg list

Yes it should be "null".

@Agetian No hurries there, I'll test more and see which is more stable. There are many unknowns in the .cfg file that can cause crashes. And we will clean that up.

@Gaear Thanks for the information, I'll check that later. By the way, are you familiar with .cfg file contents? I need to know more about them.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Initializing sector data what is it? What files are associated in that, I looked at the loading.mes and its pointed to 103, the corruption is pointed there since the continuation of {200}{Loading protos (clearing old)...} crashes.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Nevermind.

Agetian, let me test your new experimental build. "movies_seen=null" Thanks.

Let's gather some testers (anyone will do), mainly sirchet and gazra they seem to be experiencing the crashes more frequently.

Here's the format

Make it 4-5 test each resolution, download the latest Front-End 4.2 @ the first page of this thread.

set "movies_seen=null" in your toee.cfg located in your game directory

Success(x); x is the number of successes Failed(x); x is the number of failures

Window mode - Disable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(x); Failed(x)
Resolution "your supported or preferred resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x)

Fullscreen - Disable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(x); Failed(x)
Resolution "your supported or preferred resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x)

Window mode - Enable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(x); Failed(x)
Resolution "your supported or preferred resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x)

Fullscreen - Enable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(x); Failed(x)
Resolution "your supported or preferred resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x)

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Bumping for testers. See above.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

I'll attempt some testing, but it will have to be later after a few appointments across town.

Thanks for digging into this stuff guys.

EDIT:

Snuck in some testing before I go.

Fullscreen - Disable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(0); Failed(4)
Resolution "your native resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x) Can't native is 1920x1080

Window mode - Enable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(0); Failed(4)
Resolution "your native resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x) Can't native is 1920x1080

Fullscreen - Enable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(0); Failed(4)
Resolution "your native resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x) Can't native is 1920x1080

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Hi, thanks for the test results. But are you sure you've followed the instructions like:

Firing up toee.cfg inside your Temple of Elemental Evil directory and looked for "movies_seen=content" and change it's content to null? i.e. movies_seen=null before running up TFE-X and setting up it's other other settings.

I'm sorry but you have missed the first test:

Window mode - Disable intro

Resolution 800x600 - Success(x); Failed(x)
Resolution "your supported resolution" - Success(x); Failed(x)

For basic instructions: other settings

Go to TFE-X and set it to Window mode, Disable Intro, and the 800x600 resolution, click "Play". If finished try it again with your preferred resolution. And move to the next test after you filled up the Success(x) and Failed(x).

Go to TFE-X and set it to Fullscreen mode, Disable Intro, and the 800x600 resolution, click "Play". If finished try it again with your preferred resolution. And move to the next test after you filled up the Success(x) and Failed(x).

Go to TFE-X and set it to Window mode, Enable Intro, and the 800x600 resolution, click "Play". If finished try it again with your preferred resolution. And move to the next test after you filled up the Success(x) and Failed(x).

Go to TFE-X and set it to Fullscreen mode, Enable Intro, and the 800x600 resolution, click "Play". If finished try it again with your preferred resolution. And move to the next test after you filled up the Success(x) and Failed(x).

I'm still encouraging people to try these tests. Sirchet, can you tell us "where it crashes" repetitively? Thanks!

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

This is wrong. I run a test again and it seems that, this is related to Mainmenu.mes "tweaking", that's why I'm having crashes with it.

Anyway, I've found a very interesting alternative to it, using a bink compressor (if Co8 Developers are not already aware of this) to adjust the video scaling of every video in ToEE and etc; if that remedies video related problems that would be great. I've also found a graphic enhancement for d3d9 applications which can implement a "Subpixel Morphological Antialiasing" to an application that is SweetFX 1.4 and it's working on ToEE. Though, it's a third-party .dll, I'd recommend you to use it personally at your own risk.

Lastly, its proven that MainMenu.mes is called internally. Basically when I removed the associated movies in there, it makes my ToEE crash at Initializing sector data at splash screen and have an Offset: 0016278a error which came from the temple.dll directly.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

I would like to re-iterate that the fix that I'm working on is solely-based on toee.exe startup i.e. splash screen loading crashes, this is not related to in-game movie crashes, like encountering the skull-movie and etc.

MORE INFO

I've confirmed today that Sirchet's problem lies on the introcinematic.bik and has no association with my movies_seen=null problem. CrimsonVirus and Sirchet has the same OS and resolution, thereby, the problem always pointed to introcinematic.bik, since, they are able to past through it ONCE on every successful restart. Though, if Sirchet can verify where and when it crashes, there might be a difference and might be possibly pointed to another problem. I'm not diverting the problem, but I need to isolate the crashes that I have with the splash screen.

However, I think there is a fix for that introcinematic.bik problem, but I need verification from Sirchet after he tried this. <QOUTED BELOW>

Gazra and I seems have the same particular problem, we are both using Windows XP and always CTD before the Initializing Sector Data... shows up. But my startup behaves differently and it seems whether there is a keyboard input or mouse movement or nothing at all, it loads successfully. For that, Gazra you can greatly minimize your crashes or even eliminate it with my movies_seen=null. Though, the only problem is the hassle of inputting that, if ever this one wouldn't reach the Front-End.

JUST TO ADD SOME INFO

neorequiem seems to have the same introcinematic.bik problem and he confirms that in 7.8 he can still watch the introcinematic.bik movie, but in 7.9 NOT!

And I cannot confirm if some of the intro movies are modified or tweaked, just before the v7.9 release date. I'm assuming that the newly compressed movies especially the introcinematic.bik contains some problem. I'll try to retrieve the v7.8 introcinematic.bik and test it with folks here. If it will contain the problem further.

We can avoid video crashes if we can devise a standard format working for all resolutions

Example

If a user picks 1920x1050, TFE-X will interchange the correct working movies for that particular resolution. Its just a bit sad that there are only a few testers, for these tests can surely benefit the entire community. Signing off.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Bumping for Sirchet.

@Sirchet(below) No problem.

 

Re: ToEE Front-End X 4.0 Discussion Thread

Yes Zoltec, I crash between initializing sector data and stating the movie of the big battle, intro movie.

It seems almost like the movie almost starts and then ctd.

The few times I have been able to pass this spot, (directly after reboot) the other in game movies work nicely.

I will try the suggestion you posted above when I am back an am able.

Again, thanks for looking into this.