CTD on return to base

[Lugworm]

Hi anybody any ideas on this problem, I am on patrol 25 in my latest career and every time I click on the return to base button I get a CTD. I have played patrol 25 twice now and it’s happened both times.

A little background info, around patrol 22 I changed to a type VIIC, I had no probs with my set up except for the odd game save crash right from patrol 1. On patrol 25 I changed to a different conning tower, one with 2 flack positions, all sorts of probs now started to occur. CTDs in game, lots of game save crashes on starting, I ended up deleting patrol 25 and starting again also going back to a type VIIB.

Started patrol 25 again played a few days and started having game save crashes starting the game in mid patrol, I found out sometimes they would load if I started SH3 without commander. I also had some weird convoy behaviour with some MFM ships (cam ships) set like blocks of granite and unmoving in a stormy sea, one with another MFM embedded in its side as though it had had a collision, Later the cam ships disappeared and the embedded ship was free to sail on. After a week of patrol 25, odd behaviour and CTDs on start up I finally tried to exit the patrol, I clicked on the return to base button and the game locked up and CTD. Arghh!!! After a week of game play:damn: . Tried reloading the last save and playing it same thing happened.

Deleted patrol 25 and started again with a type VIIC, didn’t use Commander, only had one game save crash and that opened up on the second attempt. I did notice the MFM ships had reverted to shipping line skins (game now in 1942 and merchants before were now all grey) but I took that as because I was not using Commander. Another week of game time in patrol 25 and when exiting and returning to base it CTDs again. Is there any hope of saving this career? Or is it I suspect a complete reinstall, as I asked before, Any Ideas?

[flag4]

hi Lugworm, this is of interest...

I am on patrol 25 in my latest career and every time I click on the return to base button I get a CTD

why are you clicking return to base when you are on patrol ?

you are either on patrol or in base - it becomes patrol 26 when you go out again. maybe i dont understand...

:hmmm:

when i exit the game i 'save and exit' ususally naming each save as 1 - 2 - 3 etc. if i return to base my patrol is over.

i dont know how it works but if you return to base far out at sea it may have adverse affects on your save. also saving near sinking ships or other moving enviroments may cause problems. hope this helps.

[Lugworm]

Hi Flag4, When i am at sea i have used all my torpedoes and want to exit patrol 25 and return to base, i press Escape on the keyboard, that gives me the option for saving or exiting the patrol. I press exit patrol which takes me to the mission summary page, i click on the return to base button and get the CTD, i have just loaded the game and last game save and checked, lock up and CTD again.

[comet61]

I had this happen to me once. I did a search here and at the other forum sites and I keep getting references to saving/exit & Exit/Return to Base anomalies. I always make it a point to be at least 25km from my point of departure before I select RTB to end patrol. A few things I do not do upon saving:

Don't save right after a kill if the ship in still visible-I read somewhere to be at least 50km from the "sunken ship" icon on the NAV map. This includes downed aircraft.

I never save while submerged. There was a topic on here or another place that saving while under water can be problematic. I believe this to be true.

I have recently discovered (maybe a theory) that saving while in high time compression mode can also cause ill effects.

If you are using MODs with JSGME, make sure that the right mods are loaded if you do a lot of switching around like I do. I swap skins for VIIB's and IXB a lot. So I make up my mind which career I will be playing and load the correct MODs/skins etc. Switching to the wrong MOD on a particular save will have fatal results...I found that out the hard way once.

Anyway...these are a few things I do not do or do. Also, don't use the Crew management buttons in F7. Move your people manually. Yes...it is micro-managing, but it is a known bug and it is mentioned in the GWX guide as well.

When I was playing the stock version I was crashing 1 out of 5 times, then once I went to GWX and learned the "rules" I rarely crash at all now and all my saves stay intact. Need to manage them carefully I guess.

I am a complete noob to these forums and game, but not software glitches on these type of game engines. Microsoft Train Simulator uses a very similar design as with SHIII. It is amazing how the particular behaviors are closely related.

Hopefully you'll figure it out soon enough.