Stuck in safe mode, constant crashes

Condawg · 03-30-2012, 03:17 AM

I bought Tropico 4 today, and when I was playing, I got a message on Steam. Overlay didn't work for some reason, so I alt-tabbed out to reply.
As soon as I alt-tabbed back into the game, it decided to crash on me. This made it boot into safe mode, with all of my settings lowered. I went through, changed them back, and it crashed again. Next time I tried changing just the resolution and got another crash.

I reinstalled, verified game cache, deleted a file in %appdata%/Tropico 4 that a Google search told me to delete, and nothing has worked. It sucks, I got the first crash right after getting to the last tutorial. I had really enjoyed it all so far and was really excited to play. Now I've spent the last five hours trying to fix it.

Any help appreciated

flingkatu · 03-30-2012, 04:05 AM

Maybe you should post your system specs, it may help with troubleshooting.

Installed the latest drivers for your video card?
Run the game at lower settings?

Do you have the new expansion...Modern Times...yes or no?

TheMcD · 03-30-2012, 04:16 AM

Same problem here. Have the newest expansion, latest drivers installed.

GPU is a Nvidia Geforce GT 540M, processor an Intel i5-2410M @ 2.30 GHz, running Win7 64bit.

Whenever I change the resolution in any way, the game crashes.

Condawg · 03-30-2012, 04:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flingkatu

Maybe you should post your system specs, it may help with troubleshooting.

Installed the latest drivers for your video card?
Run the game at lower settings?

Do you have the new expansion...Modern Times...yes or no?

Right, sorry.

Intel i5 3.3GHz (quad core)
8GB DDR3 RAM
2TB HDD
Nvidia GeForce GTX 560ti 2GB

I'm running the second latest drivers for my video card -- the latest drivers make my screen rapidly change resolutions for some reason, so I downgraded. This is the only thing that's not working.

No expansions or DLC.

IAmTheRad · 03-30-2012, 06:53 AM

Well, I have the same issue. However, I found a workaround.

Go into your %appdata% and remove everything from the Tropico 4 folder EXCEPT for user1, unless you don't mind losing your saved data. When you load up the game, it shouldn't start in safe mode. Do NOT touch the resolution or vsync settings, or it'll crash again. Everything else you can touch.

You won't be able to alt-tab, or it'll crash again, and you'll need to reset the settings. You also won't be able to bring up the steam overlay.

I have the expansion and all DLC. I notice it only crashes when it needs to reopen the window for the game for some reason, either if it's a resolution change or turning vsync on in game, or alt-tabbing.

My system is
nVidia GeForce GT 540M, 6GB RAM, Intel i5-2410M, Win 7 64bit.

Seems to mostly be an issue with people with the Optimus video technology for their computer, and I only noticed the issue arrive with the Quick Drying Cement DLC update. With just that before 1.05, the game was unplayable. If you were on an older version it worked fine.

Condawg · 03-30-2012, 07:34 AM

That fixed it perfectly, thanks! Can't wait to play some tomorrow, this game seems awesome.

IAmTheRad · 03-30-2012, 08:49 AM

No problem. It's a great game, I've played it about 8.4 hours since patch 1.05 came out.

Now, if you want to use vsync, just force it on in the nVidia control panel for Tropico 4.

And now I found a better solution. Disable the steam community for Tropico 4. Then the graphical settings work properly. Alt-tabbing also works.

Condawg · 03-31-2012, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmTheRad

And now I found a better solution. Disable the steam community for Tropico 4. Then the graphical settings work properly. Alt-tabbing also works.

Awesome. I definitely need either the Steam overlay or the ability to alt-tab, so this is perfect. Thanks again, man. You are the rad.

cjkeller · 04-04-2012, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmTheRad

No problem. It's a great game, I've played it about 8.4 hours since patch 1.05 came out.

Now, if you want to use vsync, just force it on in the nVidia control panel for Tropico 4.

And now I found a better solution. Disable the steam community for Tropico 4. Then the graphical settings work properly. Alt-tabbing also works.

Where do you disable this? I'm having the same issue and tried clearing the App Data folder as mentioned above. My specs are as follows:

AMD Radeon HD 6800 1GB (drivers up to date)
Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit
16 GB DDR3 RAM
Intel i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz

Celestial_nl · 04-12-2012, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmTheRad

And now I found a better solution. Disable the steam community for Tropico 4. Then the graphical settings work properly. Alt-tabbing also works.

Worked like a charm. Thanks a million.

IAmTheRad · 04-12-2012, 05:00 PM

Right click on the shortcut in your steam library, and chose properties. Then disable the steam community in-game.

JimV · 05-11-2012, 12:54 PM

Had the same exact issue - alt tabbed out the game, and now can't change any graphic settings or it crashes.

Has nothing to do with anyone's hardware, it's a Steam Overlay + T4's code issue. Look in your system logs and you'll see an error entry for Tropico 4, with the faulting module being the Steam Overlay dll.

Hope they fix this so I can use the overlay in-game. And I also hope they remove that stupid safe mode reset of options... having to reset everything on a crash is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

Swixel · 05-11-2012, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimV

Hope they fix this so I can use the overlay in-game. And I also hope they remove that stupid safe mode reset of options... having to reset everything on a crash is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

This is a problem in other DX based games ... I'd hazard a guess it's Steam overlay playing silly games. There's nothing particularly weird about T4/HGE2's rendering system.

As for the reset to safe mode: http://forum.kalypsomedia.com/showth...1143#pid121143

Feasting · 05-11-2012, 02:29 PM

I had the same problems. The following solved mine:

-Install latest video drivers (After this, the game would actually boot)
-Rightclick Tropico 4 in the games library > Select Properties > Uncheck: "Enable Steam Community In-game" (no more crashes after changeing resolution or alt-tabbing)

Hope this helps!

Ottochops · 11-19-2012, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IAmTheRad

Right click on the shortcut in your steam library, and chose properties. Then disable the steam community in-game.

Brilliant, Thanks so much, that was a frusterating issue.

03-30-2012, 03:17 AM	#1
Condawg Join Date: May 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 29	Stuck in safe mode, constant crashes I bought Tropico 4 today, and when I was playing, I got a message on Steam. Overlay didn't work for some reason, so I alt-tabbed out to reply. As soon as I alt-tabbed back into the game, it decided to crash on me. This made it boot into safe mode, with all of my settings lowered. I went through, changed them back, and it crashed again. Next time I tried changing just the resolution and got another crash. I reinstalled, verified game cache, deleted a file in %appdata%/Tropico 4 that a Google search told me to delete, and nothing has worked. It sucks, I got the first crash right after getting to the last tutorial. I had really enjoyed it all so far and was really excited to play. Now I've spent the last five hours trying to fix it. Any help appreciated

03-30-2012, 08:49 AM	#7
IAmTheRad Join Date: Nov 2008 Reputation: 9 Posts: 21	No problem. It's a great game, I've played it about 8.4 hours since patch 1.05 came out. Now, if you want to use vsync, just force it on in the nVidia control panel for Tropico 4. And now I found a better solution. Disable the steam community for Tropico 4. Then the graphical settings work properly. Alt-tabbing also works. Last edited by IAmTheRad: 03-30-2012 at 10:38 PM.

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03-30-2012, 04:05 AM	#2
flingkatu Join Date: Oct 2009 Reputation: 10 Posts: 110	Maybe you should post your system specs, it may help with troubleshooting. Installed the latest drivers for your video card? Run the game at lower settings? Do you have the new expansion...Modern Times...yes or no?

03-30-2012, 04:16 AM	#3
TheMcD Join Date: Jan 2011 Reputation: 75 Posts: 754	Same problem here. Have the newest expansion, latest drivers installed. GPU is a Nvidia Geforce GT 540M, processor an Intel i5-2410M @ 2.30 GHz, running Win7 64bit. Whenever I change the resolution in any way, the game crashes.

03-30-2012, 06:53 AM	#5
IAmTheRad Join Date: Nov 2008 Reputation: 9 Posts: 21	Well, I have the same issue. However, I found a workaround. Go into your %appdata% and remove everything from the Tropico 4 folder EXCEPT for user1, unless you don't mind losing your saved data. When you load up the game, it shouldn't start in safe mode. Do NOT touch the resolution or vsync settings, or it'll crash again. Everything else you can touch. You won't be able to alt-tab, or it'll crash again, and you'll need to reset the settings. You also won't be able to bring up the steam overlay. I have the expansion and all DLC. I notice it only crashes when it needs to reopen the window for the game for some reason, either if it's a resolution change or turning vsync on in game, or alt-tabbing. My system is nVidia GeForce GT 540M, 6GB RAM, Intel i5-2410M, Win 7 64bit. Seems to mostly be an issue with people with the Optimus video technology for their computer, and I only noticed the issue arrive with the Quick Drying Cement DLC update. With just that before 1.05, the game was unplayable. If you were on an older version it worked fine.

03-30-2012, 07:34 AM	#6
Condawg Join Date: May 2010 Reputation: 0 Posts: 29	That fixed it perfectly, thanks! Can't wait to play some tomorrow, this game seems awesome.

04-12-2012, 05:00 PM	#11
IAmTheRad Join Date: Nov 2008 Reputation: 9 Posts: 21	Right click on the shortcut in your steam library, and chose properties. Then disable the steam community in-game.

05-11-2012, 12:54 PM	#12
JimV Join Date: Aug 2011 Reputation: 11 Posts: 133	Had the same exact issue - alt tabbed out the game, and now can't change any graphic settings or it crashes. Has nothing to do with anyone's hardware, it's a Steam Overlay + T4's code issue. Look in your system logs and you'll see an error entry for Tropico 4, with the faulting module being the Steam Overlay dll. Hope they fix this so I can use the overlay in-game. And I also hope they remove that stupid safe mode reset of options... having to reset everything on a crash is ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥.

05-11-2012, 02:29 PM	#14
Feasting Join Date: Dec 2009 Reputation: 5 Posts: 12	I had the same problems. The following solved mine: -Install latest video drivers (After this, the game would actually boot) -Rightclick Tropico 4 in the games library > Select Properties > Uncheck: "Enable Steam Community In-game" (no more crashes after changeing resolution or alt-tabbing) Hope this helps!