After reading Beach's AARs I decided to give DCSW 1.20 a look (I had 1.121 installed and working just fine) and see if my graphics were as impressive as the ones in his reports.

I don't know what they are like, because I am continually getting CTDs and freezes.

As a follow up to "Lock On" I think they should rename this one "Lock Up"

The Su-25T missions that worked fine with 1121 are not working with 120, the BS2 campaign starts (but the skin looks twisted somehow) but won't let me exit without using task manager, and if I follow their instructions for using two monitors I get a CTD on start-up, then another CTD when the post-mission GUI tries to load. Back to editing the lua files again

By this point I was too fed up to try the A-10C module. Good job I have BS1, BS2 & A-10C regular installs and have just started CAW on FC1 and Revanche on FC2

DCSW will be uninstalled and completely left until such time as a "finished" product is forthcoming





PS - just want to make clear this isn't meant as a dig at the designers/developers/anyone-else-involved as seems to be going on a lot at the moment. Just that I wasn't convinced beforehand and this has now turned out to be justified. I'll happily wait until things are sorted - I've plenty to keep me busy

There are a large number of folks who don't experience any of those problems, so while the product may need a few more tweaks, it's plenty "finished" enough to get good play in it.

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3615277/Georgian_Hammer_Mission_01.html#Post3615277
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3615856/Georgian_Hammer_Mission_02.html#Post3615856
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3617780/Georgian_Hammer_Mission_03.html#Post3617780

http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3613171/DCS_World_multiplayer.html#Post3613171
http://simhq.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/3617857/Few_DCS_World_MP_screenies.html#Post3617857

Have you posted about your issues on the ED forums to see if there is a quick resolution? For example, perhaps the way you edited the lua files is resulting in the CTDs, not the sim itself?

I'd start small and ramp up to find out what is causing the problems maybe? Try a single monitor with medium resolution. Just to make sure you can at least run the game... If you can get into and out of missions with no problem, then start adding some graphics complexity and see what is causing the hitch.

I don't think I've had a single CTD with DCS World yet.. I have had MP disconnect issues a couple times, but nothing while doing single player stuff.

Hope you get it sorted because the results are awesome..



BeachAV8R

Hi JonnyD, that one is the only issue you mention that I continually have, and yes, it is a bit annoying. And it has a related element to it, i.e. every time I start a game, if there is anything still open on the desktop, my screen starts to flicker it to the front, momentarily while flying (doesn't do it in the planner or intro screen, only when in mission), and the only way to stop it flickering and interfering when you use the mouse, is to alt tab to desktop to minimise it, then go back into DCS and wait for the graphics textures to reload, before you continue the mission.

And another aspect of this is when you try to exit, you get a related issue, namely, you can't use the quit button, because although the button is displayed on top, it's not actually the active layer, so you can't access the button to quit. So you again must alt tab back to desktop, then straight back to DCSw, as that brings the quit button to the front layer of the display and allows you to select it with the mouse. Then it will exit.

I have the same related active layer focus issues with the coordinate lines in the F10 screen, as they also interfere with (get in the way of) the active layer, and prevent you selecting units with the mouse. And to get around it, you must turn the coordinate lines off, however, when you do, it drops you back to the desktop (as though I had alt-tabbed ... but I hadn't ...), so you have to alt tab back to the f10 screen, and now you can select your units. Only happens once per mission though, so once that's done it works as I want it to for the rest of the mission.

Yes, that is a very annoying behaviour, and I hope it is fixed soon, but once you know that it's going to behave that way, I just alt-tab around it. Got used to it I did, a quick key-press to desktop and back at the very start of the mission and those issues are dealt with.

Don't remember seeing a single CTD in either BETA or released version though.

Plus older beta version missions that became unstable started to work properly once opened and saved within the released version.

Not having the graphical distortion issues you described, it looks just like the other DCS versions for the most part, just a bit better.

Thanks for your replies

Actually, this is the first time I've suffered these problems with any of the ED or DCS titles.

I haven't edited the lua files on this yet, though - so that isn't the issue. I had done on the separate installs and it works great (have a couple of stickies up at LockOnFiles with my method) but I was trying DCSW 1.20 without them, as it says in the readme that it should work.

When it didn't, I tried with one monitor - which stopped the start-up CTDs.

I did try the A-10C yesterday and things were markedly better than with BS and the Su-25T. However I still had the exit woes. I did try Alt-tabbing once on BS but no joy then - might even not have been the active screen at the time, can't know for sure now - but I will play with it anyway to see what happens.

I was wondering if there was any connection to my separate installs - I've kept everything else installed (LOMAC, FC1 (3 lots of )FC2, BS1, BS2 and A-10C at v1111). I uninstalled DCSW 1121 and actually went around the configs and registry to erase all signs of its presence (standard practice when I uninstall something) before installing DCSW 120.

The initial tests were done without even changing the options - then with them at the native resolution of my main monitor - without using the second one.

I did apply the fixes that have been released on the ED forum - but they should not cause this. There is just so much stuff on there and no apparent logical organisation of fixes and found bugs that it has become a real pain trying to solve anything on there.

I'll give it some more time and a reinstall and see how things go.

Cheers

Mr Einstein, considering your response to my post, I was rather surprised to find this today:



Which sort of contradicts your sceptical statement above:



Good job I took your post with the pinch of salt it deserved.

I'm not trying to make an argument here - just making a point, which I'm sure you'll respond to, telling me how wrong I am

I don't see anything contradictory about it. I have DCS World 1.2.0 and I've been playing the heck out of it. Finished enough to get great play actually. But the MP is not stable enough for reliable use.

We also have been gaining experience with 1.2.0 in a MP environment and that experience tells us that it isn't quite ready for prime time.

And if we are parsing statements:





Which is it? I'm not trying to make an argument - just making a point..

All of that said - there is plenty of good and working content in 1.2.0 to warrant keeping it installed. I prefer to play all the A-10C single player stuff in 1.2.0 but roll back to my 1.1.1.1 install for MP. Bringing together half a dozen complex modules under one umbrella takes time and a little patience. I assume you've reported your problems to the people that matter (ED) right?

BeachAV8R

I'd had exactly the same thought about einsteins comments when I read them. In fact I posted in that thread about it but I'm pretty sure I just deleted it before submitting it because though I didn't necessarily agree with the contradiction Einstein simply contributes too much to the community to scrutinize his every post.

There seems to be some stability issues between single player and multi player- so while each statement is in and of itself correct they apply to different aspects of the game. At least that's how I'm interpreting it.

Don't get me wrong... I'm a 1.1.1.1 guy and have no interest in playing single player 1.2 but then I don't even play sp 1111. I'm disappointed at the game level integration of land warfare with the possible exception of the jtac position. That's just one more thing that will take resources away from fixing the part of the sim that needs the most attention.

Only a single pinch of salt, eh? lol

Point taken and conceded.

When I made the first post claiming that DCS World was "finished enough" I had not experienced any of the Masterserver crashes. I stand by the latest post in that this error makes multiplayer player a gamble: will everyone get in or not? And that's broken.

On the other hand, I haven't had any issues with single play on any of the modules, other than I think the propwash effect on the rudder isn't right in P-51D, which really affects ground handling.

The biggest gain with World 1.2.0 is the ability to move units (if you have Combined Arms) while flying the A-10C campaign. It is nice to not have to commit units without recourse. Of course, I'm so covered up with flying that I struggle to maintain enough SA to bring all the pieces together. I remain amazed at the real world "Sandy" pilots that can listen to three different radios, manage their own aircraft, call in strikes, and keep an eye on all that is going on around them. They are truly incredible at multitasking..

No..no!!! You are not to change your opinion based on experience and exposure. Your posts are recorded on the internets and there must not be any disparity between past and current positions. Fall into line mister!

I can't get more than 5-10 minutes out of it before it crashes and not always under the same conditions, then usually it starts back up and shows me the debrief screen and I can sometimes restart but it always eventually crashes again. I have tried running it on the barest minimum settings and it still crashes and usually without any warning, no stutters, no freezes, just quits it doesn't seem to be a case of my PC not being able to run it, I even updated Vid Drivers.

Hmm..what module are you playing it it..maybe that has something to do with it? I've only played the A-10C module..and haven't had a CTD yet. I wonder if imported missions brought along from Black Shark and Su-25T are causing crashes?

I've played dozens of hours in the P-51D, A-10C, CA, and Su-25T modules without error. I haven't spent much time in the Ka-50 module, due to my configuration not being up to snuff just yet, however. Is that the module you're having problems with?

Is it always the same mission?

Have you looked at the crash logs to see what is being reported?

I'm just playing DCS World and the Su-25, I felt like before I invested I would dust off an old FC profile and try it out first but so far I haven't bought any modules and now I feel at least vindicated for not spending the money yet, but who knows maybe the individual modules would run fine. I could re-install Lomac/FC and I know it would run fine and when it runs World runs on High or Low settings with no discernible issues right up until it CTD's! I don't know where to look and even the logs have no real info in them. I have Black Shark 1 also though since my last format it's not installed and it runs fine even though flying it is something else entirely.



-for example I moved the entire save folder and let it create a new one and this is the content of the latest crash log
-= not a whole lot to go on

# -------------- 20120819-151458 --------------
C:\Program Files\Eagle Dynamics\DCS World\bin\edterraingraphics3.dll
# C0000005 ACCESS_VIOLATION at 665C950F 01:0001850F
#
# EAX = 00000000
# EBX = 0012E21C
# ECX = 72BDFF30
# EDX = 72BDFF30
# ESI = 72BDFF30
# EDI = 0A4F20D8
# CS:EIP = 001B:665C950F
# SS:ESP = 0023:0012E130 EBP = 1F8FCD80
# DS = 0023 ES = 0023 FS = 003B GS = 0000
# Flags = 00210202

-well there's another file and it has quite a bit more to say.. without putting it up it's reporting a lot of can't find textures and cant open folders maybe I should just re-install.

Yeah..it would be nice to narrow it down to the common denominator if there is one. Is it always during the same Su-25 mission or are they happening at random? Can you make a quick mission and try? Also..does it happen only in the single missions or does it happen in the instant action too?

Have you tried checking/unchecking "full screen" too in the options? I think you can still play full screen with it unchecked.

Good luck.. I hope you get it sorted and definitely post your problem over at the ED forum because they will have a better idea of what specifically to look for that is causing your crashes..

Pretty much have tried every thing suggested, and all random quick missions; ramp start, runway, airborne, even turned off my Saitek Profiler and just went with only axes and keyboard. I am now re-installing to a folder outside of Program Files and I'm not re-installing the crappy looking training files. So fingers crossed..

Smart move!

A quick search for "edterraingraphics3" at the ED forums turns up many results. Here are just a few:

http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=78768
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=82003
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=83118
http://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=88557

They all seem tied to limited resources (memory, CPU, or GPU). What are your PC specs?

[edit: gee, your specs seem to be in your sig :sheepgrin:
One of the crash reports above seemed to have been traced back to a CPU overclock. Either un-overclock your CPU (yuck) or try lowering the graphics settings to the lowest possible and see if that works. If it does, incrementally step up the detail until you find your breaking point. If not, you may want to consider investing in new hardware before purchasing any DCS modules! Good luck, either way!]

There's quite a lot of response here, to my surprise, but it's late and I'll read it tomorrow.

Your quoted points are not confusing, though - as it clearly says, I hadn't edited the lua files before the post, but I was going to - and guess what? (stands back in amazement) it fixed all the CTD issues I was having.

I found some issues with online play in 1.2.0 - but they were really minor (connection to DCS being the only one) and don't bother me much.

Apart from that in the last couple of days I've had no problems at all.

EDIT - no, that's wrong - just a half hour ago I went into the A-10C controls to have a look for something and found that the joystick input assignments were all nuts. Things like showing 6 button presses for one action and the lines were all in red.

It was easily fixed, mind, by just importing the back-up assigment files I keep. Strange, though

I have seen this one too, like a bunch of conflicting controls were programmed.