Please help with CTD resolution...

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:45 am

Hi, first I would like to thank you for putting out an amazing space simulation. When it runs, it is truly an immersive environment. My issue is that I need help figuring out why EM version 1.208 keeps crashing to desktop at 100% loading indicator. I have read all the previous posts but haven't been able to find a solution. With the prior version it would CTD at 100% loading indicator approximately 1-2 times and then it would work fine. If the simulation started, it would run perfectly and never crash. The problem was always getting it started. With the new upgrade to version 1.208, I can no longer get it to run. My antivirus program is Microsoft Security Essentials with the EvochronMercenary.exe as an excluded process. I have also created an exception in the windows firewall for EM. I'm not using any malware program. Now it crashes everytime before it starts. My computer OS is Windows 7 64 with the latest updates and my hardware is as follows:
Gigabyte GA- P55A-UD4P
Intel i7 860
G.Skill DDR3 1600 8 gb
XFX Radeon HD 5870 with Catalyst 10.11 driver
and directX 11
Onboard Realtek HD ALC 889 sound with 6.0.0.6194 driver
TrackIR 5

It always crashes at 100% loading indicator after hitting the launch button. The last error message I got is as follows:

Problem Event Name: APPCRASH
Application Name: EvochronMercenary.exe
Application Version: 1.0.0.0
Application Timestamp: 4b7840d9
Fault Module Name: eap155.dll
Fault Module Version: 1.5.5.0
Fault Module Timestamp: 487e344d
Exception Code: c0000005
Exception Offset: 00002604
OS Version: 6.1.7600.2.0.0.256.48
Locale ID: 4105
Additional Information 1: f65f
Additional Information 2: f65f4b376c1ec27ee99e6ab6f3d1845a
Additional Information 3: 725f
Additional Information 4: 725f9b25f8cfe475cdba37b2b7a1b1c5

I would be grateful if you could help me to resolve the underlying conflict as I have truly been enjoying this game and feel that even with the CTD error it was a worthwhile expenditure of $30. I would love to get back into the Evochron Universe, perhaps even delve into the multiplayer.

sincerely,

orion.

Post by **Vice** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 5:43 pm

Yeah, that is a sound related error message. Although it may not help, try turning off the music in the Options menu and make sure you are testing with only default game media.

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 7:25 pm

Hi Orion, welcome to the game and forum. I hope you get it to work. Also what you can try is set your audio settings to the most basic settings and not use complicated surround sounds or comlicated audio settings if you are using any and use as suggested the games default sounds and settings. Just to trouble shoot till you get it working and then take it from there....

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:36 pm

Hi everyone,

I was running my own added music a combo of melancholy solitary space soundtracks from BSG and mass effects 1 & 2. I had read a previous thread that mentioned that the mod system was only handling musiclevel1-1 -->musiclevel1-9. Anymore files and it would crash. So to be on the safe side, I was only using 9 .ogg files for each of the 3 musiclevels and it would run after an initial crash or two with the previous version. With new version(1.208), it doesn't run at all. I assume some audio parameters are more stringent in some regard with the new version. I took your advice and changed the music directory name so that EM only uses default media. And...EUREKA!, you guys found the issue. It runs beautifully everytime now without any music mods. I am happy that the issue has been found. My only remaining question is: What did I do wrong with the musiclevel files if I only added 9 .ogg files to each level with the largest file being only 3.9 mb? I guess I want to have my cake and eat it too...

Maarschalk · Post by **Maarschalk** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 9:40 pm

Nice....Now see you out there some time.......

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:03 pm

I don't want to waste any more of your time. I found a simple solution. I just turned the game music off and run winamp in the background with as long a playlist as I need. Using this method, the music is not as dynamic but one benefit is that it continues to play when I am in a custom ship building mood. Sometimes, I would spend an hour tweaking a ship and the music would stop in the ship building screen once the initial track ended. Luckily I have 8 gb of ram so no issue there. Once again, thanks for the lightening fast support. You guys are like the dream team for support issues.

thx,

orion.

Post by **Vice** » Sat Jan 22, 2011 10:29 pm

What did I do wrong with the musiclevel files if I only added 9 .ogg files to each level with the largest file being only 3.9 mb?

It's no trouble, happy to help. As for why it went wrong, that may have more to do with the OGG format used rather than anything else (as long as all of the filenames were correct). The format used in the game that would be a good target to test with is 44KHz 128 kbps (0.4q) stereo. See if just re-saving the files in that format will let it work.

Orion · Post by **Orion** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 5:13 am

Unfortunately, my mp3 --> ogg converter is rudimentary freeware without specific options for fidelity/bitrate. That could be causing the difficulty. Nevertheless, I am just happy that EM works again. Cheers...