SHIII Load Failure

[Steeltrap]

This is a thread I posted in the general SHIII forum - I've copied it here as there's more concentrated technical knowledge in this forum.
===============================================
All

I've been playing with GWX 2.1 and OLC mod (NOT including GUI part) + SHIII commander.
In 3rd patrol Dec 1939.
Did a series of attacks against a convoy then broke contact.
Saved game once well away from anything (as far as I could tell - weather pretty poor).

Now I find SHIII won't run. I get the GWX load screen and the red bar at the bottom gets about 40% across then it fails and cuts to an error message (something to do with SH3.exe and simdata.dll). I have not made any changes to the game mid-patrol. I have loaded other saves in this patrol.

I've tried loading directly without SHIII commander - same result.

Anyone have any ideas? I don't see why it should start doing this. Don't want to go through the hassle of a re-install, and can't see why that should be necessary. Had I tried loading another mod etc. (especially mid-patrol) then I could understand it.

One other question - when saving, does it cause problems to save over previous saves using the same name? I hope not, as it would mean having 20-30 saves in no time!

Any suggestions/comments/advice welcome.

Cheers

[Jimbuna]

It is possible you have saved within 30km of the convoy (rendering range for the SH3 world).

Usually, the only fix is to resort to a prior save.

Stooooopid game engine.

Applying the same name to multiple game saves should not prove problematic.

Try to ensure you maintain the 'Player' name in the save game box because that is strongly rumoured to help avoid future save game problems.

[Steeltrap]

Trouble is that SHIII will not load, so I don't have any options as to which save to use......

[nirwana]

btw u cant have unlimited savings in a patrol, its deleting the oldest 1 automaticly if it reach 9 saved games if i remember correctly.

Could temporary cache files be the reason for the trouble ?

[Gato76]

delete your last save in the SH3 folder

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by Gato76

delete your last save in the SH3 folder

Thanks, I tried that - deleted all but the first save, but it's made no difference.

Rename the SH3 folder in my docs.
SH3 will recreate a new folder.
(Note that this is just to test)
If it still crashes?
The problem is not there.
Being that you get the simdata.dll thing?
It would appear to me a file got corrupted.

What mods are installed?
And what Anti Virus do you use?

[bigboywooly]

Simdata is usually a campaign file error

Can you list all your mods

[Steeltrap]

Originally Posted by bigboywooly

Simdata is usually a campaign file error

Can you list all your mods

OK, I'll try (at work so no access to my game rig at home):

GWX 2.1 (using enhanced damage, I think....and that's about it).
OLC (latest but NOT using GUI) This replaces 16km mod from GWX (as I understand it).
SHIII Commander files from GWX, then overwritten with OLC commander files (OLC instructions say to use these files instead of GWX's)

Within Cmmander I use:
- random ship tonnage
- random crush depth
- real ship names
- realistic crew

Pretty sure that's it.

I loaded OLC when in port. I was on a patrol after that and had saved during it without incident. It was after another save (and I did my best to avoid any of the 'save problems' likely triggers) that it stopped working.

My PC:
AMD Athlon FX-62 dual core
2Gb RAM
74Gb Raptor WD740GD hard drive
Radeon X1950 XTX graphics card
Windows XP-Pro

I have no anti-virus running at present, as this machine isn't connected to the internet (long story - short version is I have a laptop for that and transfer files by burning them to disk).

Hope this helps. If any more details would help, please advise. Greatly appreciate the assistance, as always!

[onelifecrisis]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

SHIII Commander files from GWX, then overwritten with OLC commander files (OLC instructions say to use these files instead of GWX's)

:hmm:
I assume you mean the U-boat folder?
If so then there has been a small misunderstanding. I didn't say my U-boat files were to be used "instead of" the GWX files. They're to be used in addition to the GWX SH3C files. This is what my readme says...

If you use SH3 Commander then you should copy the contents of SH3 Commander Files.7z into your SH3 Commander folder (usually C:\Program Files\SH3 Commander) saying 'Yes' if you are asked whether you want to overwrite files.

The files in my U-boat folder are new files (new GUI TGA images, not used by any other mod) so they won't overwrite anything, but they do go into folders that already exist which is why you may get an overwrite prompt when you extract them from "SH3 Commander Files.7z" into SH3C. I admit this isn't clear from the readme, and it probably doesn't help solve your problem (it sounds like you installed correctly, in spite of the misunderstanding) but I wanted to clarify what the correct install procedure is.

[Steeltrap]

Thanks OLC.

I did follow the instructions (they are nice and clear) but I couldn't recall exactly what they were when I wrote that post.

So, as you've said, I didn't use them instead of the GWX files, rather I used them in addition to the GWX ones.

Thanks for seeking the clarification.

All in all, I think it's simply a case of something has screwed up somewhere. My concern is that it'll happen again, as I followed all the instructions from GWX and your mod to get to the point where things failed for no reason after running for some time without apparent difficulties.

Judgeing from the info you have posted?
Here's what I would do.

Do a new install from the ground up!!
Make sure you get Multi SH3 for that install!!
You MUST have this or you whack your standinging stuff
in My Documents!!

Start with a clean GWX install!
Then run.
Then add mods one at a time.
Do this until you match your original install.
If the new install works?
Start compareing file sizes.
Look at the campaign files first!

If your adapt at computer stuff?
Backup files and do a copy and paste in areas.
Then test the original install.

[Steeltrap]

Privateer

Thanks for the input. You're correct - if I were approaching this in the same manner as my professional work, I'd do something similar to your suggestion.
If SHIII starts to feel like work, however......

I will do a clean install and see what happens from there. Will use multi-SHIII and compare if something goes pear-shaped.

Cheers

I agree.
It's a Pain in the Behind at times!!
I do it because I'm a glutton for punishment I guess!!

Then again?
I do it to try to help others to solve issues.
I've had the Honor of helping some guys in thier 80's
to solve issues.
And to think that I was the one that helped them?
It's the lest I can do for them!


Sometimes?
We need to go beyond what is easy for some of us.

Your problem may be the key to others problems down the road.
Now think of that 86 year old Vet in Alaska asking about
the same problem a month from now?


Wouldn't you like jumping in there and saying this is how you fix it?

[OuNiS]

Originally Posted by Steeltrap

One other question - when saving, does it cause problems to save over previous saves using the same name? I hope not, as it would mean having 20-30 saves in no time!

Any suggestions/comments/advice welcome.

I had a problems when I saved using the same name. Many times after I have overwrite existing save SH3 couldn't load game next time.
After that I never overwriting saves.