Problems with GWX 3.0 (clean) on win 8.1/steam

[matthias_wlkp]

Hi!

I played SH2 and even Silent Service 2 very long time ago, when I didn't really know what I was doing... However very pleasant memories stayed and when I discovered a board game about submarines (The Hunters), those memories came back and I tried to install SH3.

I recently built a new desktop (my first one):
http://ca.pcpartpicker.com/user/Matt...lkp/saved/4mNL
therefore I'm running a fresh, fully patched Win8.1.

I quickly discovered GWX and tried to run it. Everything was fine until second patrol - when I got rammed by a tanker and sunk... (don't ask). Apparently, I somehow lost more than that sub...

For some strange reasons, I was unable to reload my old save, to redo that patrol - game CTD during load...

Ok, maybe the game invalidates old saves after death, so I restart the campaign, this time in Konigsberg. First patrol was fine, then during second one I stayed in a port until the war started and sunk two destroyers. After I came back to base I was supposed to move from Konigsberg to Kiel - mission loads... CTD again! Loading career - start mission again - CTD!

I looked for different solutions - I found the one with disabling read-only property in the game folders and running the game as administrator - mission loaded! But wtf! I'm on West African Coast, close to Congo river.... Ok, end mission, trying to start again - CTD....

I reinstalled SH3 and tried to play vanilla for a while, but that experience with GWX was so much better, that I tried to give it another go - no luck, this time I'm unable to even start my first career - I get CTD whenever I try to start a mission...

I removed everything again, went through registry (I'm not sure if I removed everything, since I never had to do that before). Reinstalled the game, installed GWX - CTD again....

Does anyone have any clue what might be wrong? Vanilla game worked fine, with GWX I'm still able to play single missions... I didn't add anything more than GWX except a screen resolution fix to play in 1080p.

Please help...

[BigWalleye]

One word: Steam. Suggest you check out Desertstriker's tutorials on YouTube about installing and modding the Steam version. It requires special handling.

Or, you could just spend $10 and get the publisher's version. It's available from numerous sources on-line, both DVD and download. Then you won't have to deal with any Steam-related quirks.

Steam may be a fine source for a lot of games, but if you scan the threads at SubSim, you'll find that a large proportion of the posts requesting help with a problem installation include the words "I have the Steam version...."

[Aktungbby]

MATTHIAS_WLKP!

[Jimbuna]

Try running GWX without the res fix and if that works you can then try one of the resolutions available.

Welcome Aboard

[matthias_wlkp]

Resolution mod didn't affect the issues I had... I've been fooling around with what I had in the optional mods, and I managed to start the campaign somehow... I turned on following mods:

- 16 km atmosphere
- alternative flotillas
- enhanced damage effects

I haven't got time to test it thoroughly, but I strongly suspect the flotillas to be a kind of fix, since it's the only thing I turned on that affects the campaign directly.

So far, so good - I managed to start the campaign, do two patrols (no sinking yet, since it's August '39). The only issue so far is, that when ending patrol on sea ("Return to base") "teleports" me back to the harbor with full refit and I can start next patrol on the same date. If I return to base and "Dock at XXXXX", time passes normally and next patrol starts after a few weeks. That is something I can live with (will motivate me to actually return to port, or will use every second patrol to skip time).

[Jimbuna]

Are you using SH3Commander? and if so have you installed the GWX cfg file?

[matthias_wlkp]

No, I'm not using SH3C. I only use GWX 3.0 gold with the goodies it came with that I can activate with JSGME.

[Warren Peace]

First and foremost, don't let Steam install games to Program Files (x86), that's a bad place, Windows doesn't like anything messing with the Program Files folders, so I would strongly recommend changing the Steam install directory if you have not already done so. Aside from this, I can not speak from personal experience if Steam could be the culprit, since I had no issues whatsoever when modifying my own install through Steam.

Secondly, since you mentioned ending patrols at sea, in my experience with GWX this can cause some really odd behavior on subsequent patrols (I've experienced CTDs, broken AI, ships not loading properly, and some other assorted silliness), so I would highly recommend cruising back to base and docking when within 25km.

Thirdly, pick up Commander, it is the best thing to happen to SH3 since GWX.

[matthias_wlkp]

I have Steam with it's library on separate partition, just in case .

So far, so good... Just completed second patrol, both finished in Wilhelmshaven and managed to start another patrol without CTD. Before this one I had one more carrer, but I "teleported" to port and after second patrol it started crashing again...

[desertstriker]

good to hear

may your torpedoes stay true

[Jimbuna]

SINK EM ALL!!