Random Crashes: Please read first

[Sarkie]

We've been getting reports of random crashes on some systems. We're tracking down as many as we can, but here are some trends that we've seen that might help some.

If none of what you read below applies to you, please go into your
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\[username]\sin episodes emergence folder

zip up any files with names like "Steam__[some stuff here].mdmp", and send them to

crashes[at]ritual[dot]com for analysis.


Worked Before The Patch, But Not After

Every crash dump we have received on this issue has led us to a corrupt GCF, but for whatever reason, GCF validation isn't correcting the problem. If you were working before the patch, but aren't afterwards:

- If you have a retail DVD, uninstall and reinstall "SiN Episodes" to correct the problem.
- If you installed off of Steam, exit Steam, delete your ClientRegistry.blob file and all of your GCF's to force a redownload of the game.

Dual Monitor Systems

While we did test on dual monitor systems, not all dual monitor systems act the same. Please try running the game in a window by going to Options -> Video -> Display Mode and select "Run in a window."

Overclocked System

We've received a lot of crash dumps from systems that have had their video card overclocked, their processor overclocked, their RAM overclocked, etc. While overclocking can be considered a cost-effective way of increasing the performance of your machine, it can also cause odd timing side effects in our game that can cause freezes and crashing. If you are overclocking your machine, you are using an unsupported hardware configuration.

VIA Chipset Motherboards

If you are using a motherboard with a VIA chipset, we've had success correcting most of these crashes by installing the latest Hyperion 4-in-1 drivers from http://www.viaarena.com.

On-board Sound Cards

Some people have been experiencing crashes using some low-end on-board sound cards. If you are using an on-board sound card, please try turning down the sound quality in the game options to either "Medium" or "Low" as a temporary workaround.

Window Skinning

Some people have reported that third-party Windows skinning applications, like WindowBlinds, have been causing crashes. Either unload these applications, or add SinEpisodes.exe to the exception list.

Corrupted Precache

If you preloaded the game off of Steam and are getting random crashes and/or visual errors, there is a likelihood that one or more of your cache files is corrupt.

To check for this, right-click on "SiN Episodes: Emergence" in your Steam Games List and select "Properties..." Click the "Local Files" tab, then click "Verify integrity of game cache..."

This process will take several minutes to complete.

Outdated Drivers

A lot of crashes that we are seeing are the result of outdated motherboard drivers, specifically AGP drivers. Please check with your computer manufacturer or motherboard manufacturer to make sure you have the latest and greatest motherboard drivers.

Uninstallation/Rollback Utilities

We've found that some uninstall/rollback utilities that monitor hard drive activity can cause the game to be unable to open or write necessary files. Please disable utilities like this during play.

Debuggers

If you have Visual Studio, SoftICE, or another debugging aid loaded while you are playing "SiN Episodes," please close it.

Viruses/Malware/Adware

Some crashes have been linked to viruses and malware. Please run a full virus scan on your computer.

In addition, some adware seems to be using the same ports that "SiN Episodes" needs to use. Please use a program like Ad-Aware or SpyBot to clean your system.

Copy Not Downloaded From Steam Or Purchased At Retail

If you are running a copy of the game that was not installed through Steam or purchased at retail, you are running an illegally modified copy of the game, and we cannot support you.

Microsoft Office

This is the oddest one...if you have a copy of Microsoft Office installed that was released prior to the version of the operating system that you are using, there is a slightly likelihood that an older version of Verdana was installed on your machine. The font functions used don't seem to like fonts from older OS revisions. I'm working on a step-by-step font recovery list.

If none of the above apply to you, please continue to send your crash dumps to the address at the top of this post. Thank you.