Frequent CTDs

[Octopuss]

Reader beware. There is a lot of misinformation on this thread, so please read the closing post before continuing.

 

This thread is a great source for instructing novice modders as to how difficult and tedious it can be to create a custom modded setup.

STEP

 

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Even with 4GB card and ENBoost, I am crashing like no tomorrow with this game. Like someone pointed out in other thread, it's probably not related to memory problems (I've just CTDed after fast travelling) but rather mods incompatibility or something like that.

I currently do not use higher ugrids (with all the mods I have, I could run with 9 without any apparent problems in the previous game). I have SKSE 1.7 alpha installed and use the memory patch settings.

Does anyone see anything horribly wrong with my load order (it's 99% done by BOSS, I only switched Realistic Weapons positions after DSR patch as suggested on Nexus)?

[Octopuss]

Right now I instantly (or after like 1 second) CTD when I fast travel from Riverwood to The guardian stones. I don't get it.

[Aiyen]

Does the same happen if you use local coc commands ? 

In general then that path is a strong point in terms of stuff added into the game, so it could be anything really. 

If it does not CTD if you just travel by foot then you might be able to nail it down. 

However in general with fast travel issues then try to remove any mods that add many new meshes like SFO regular, and any high detail LOD textures. 

Also lowering your draw distances might be worth looking into. 

 

That said if coc and just walking works, and fast travel does not, then you might just consider using either of those methods... if you think it takes too long then try to just use speedmult commands while traveling. At the end of the day then it all comes down to how long you want to spend troubleshooting your list. We have all had issues with that path at one point or another, and it can be quite a few things. 

[Octopuss]

I have no idea what coc is.

[MrSvinlesha]

1) coc is a command you can use from the control panel.  To open the control panel, press the key directly under Esc on your keyboard.  

Once the control panel is open you can issue commands.  coc is short for "Center on Cell", which will teleport your charcter to specific spot.  For exampel, "coc riverwood" will teleport your character to riverwood.

 

2) try disabliing AOS and its associated patch in you load and see if your still suffering from CTD.  I'm not sure if the patch for ICS should load before or after AOS, but it's a good bet your having problems with the sound mod.

[Octopuss]

Ok ok, I am lost again :( What's ICS?

 

Btw, I sorted my plugins with LOOT instead of BOSS, and that half-guaranteed CTD when fast travelling to Guardian stones disappeared. I've played pretty much nonstop since, and while I did get a few CTDs again, it seems significantly better.

I will look into AOS, thanks for the tip.

[Somatic]

Have you tried the CTD fix in the optionals of Audio Overhaul for Skyrim? I had a look at the file in a previous mod loadout, it modifies the chickens in an attempt to remove the constant triggered noise they make when you pass a certain threshold into the Riverwood area, IIRC.

Possibly fixes a CTD issue arround the Riverwood area. Load after any AOS related plugins. Don't let NMM think this is a new AOS version. Main AOS installation is still required.

The only other thing I can recommend is seeing if there are any corrupt meshes causing the crashes. In older playthroughs with different mods, I had a lot of crashes on the road up from Riverwood past the Guardian Stones; one time it turned out to be an excessively large amount of Wolf Pups (curiously without normal adult or variant wolves) from Skyrim Immersive Creatures on the other side of the river (by Anise's Cabin). That may have been caused by VRAM or one of the older SIC builds (there were a few comments on the mod page about excessive wolves), I've since had no problems with 10 or so wolf packs and a new graphics card with a lot more VRAM. The only other thing to cause issues around Riverwood for me was LOD mods (Skyrim Distant Detail was a #1 culprit at the time) since it made a lot of the surrounding areas persistently visible, so that probably used up all my VRAM (1GB at the time) too. Apart from that, I can only suggest toggling off mods (go with non-ESP plugins first like meshes/textures, then move on to plugins - disable any merged, bashed or patcher plugins first then work back)

I still get the occasional CTD when cell transitioning (probably hitting 3.1GB since it's after hours of playing) and my game really doesn't like me reloading save games sometimes (guess it wants it hardcore with no quicksave cheesing). Hope any of this helps.

Edited to add: ICS is Improved Combat Sounds.

Edited March 15, 2014 by Somatic

[Octopuss]

That's a good idea, but the CTDs are unfortunately not exclusive to Riverwood and its surroundings :(

But I'll see about all the sound stuff in general.

[rootsrat]

Octopuss, just a quick question. Do you use PURE installation of STEP (Core or XT?) or did you add other mods to your installation?

[Octopuss]

Good question. No, not by far. I used STEP extended as a base and added lots of mods to it.

I know what will you tell me though :D

It's interesting how sorting plugins with LOOT probably (I am not aware of any other significant changes) helped, even though I still CTD randomly (mostly when quickloading, after fast travel, but not just that).

Edited March 19, 2014 by Octopuss

[DoubleYou]

Well, you do seem to have two weather mods installed: Climates of Tamriel and RLO Weathers. I thought they didn't play well together, but I may be wrong.

[CJ2311]

I'm not sure Better Town Textures is compatible with the latest version of No snow under the Roof either.

[rootsrat]

Good question. No, not by far. I used STEP extended as a base and added lots of mods to it.

I know what will you tell me though :D

It's interesting how sorting plugins with LOOT probably (I am not aware of any other significant changes) helped, even though I still CTD randomly (mostly when quickloading, after fast travel, but not just that).

Well, you 're a good example of "I've installed a thousand random mods from Nexus and now my game CTD's, HELP!" :D

 

My suggestion: ditch your game, install STEP extended and stick to it. If you really want to add other mods, add one at a time, and if you can't be bothered testing them, make a back up save and play with it. If no problems arise, add another mod (if you must!), rince repeat.

[Octopuss]

Well, you do seem to have two weather mods installed: Climates of Tamriel and RLO Weathers. I thought they didn't play well together, but I may be wrong.

Oh, I never thought about it that way. I thought RLO simply changes lighting, but you got me thinking...

But I found this on Nexus:

RLO - Adaptive Interiors Vanilla Weathers Patch. This is a compulsory file for people who use Vanilla weathers or mods that alter vanilla weathers (such as Legacy Weathers, URWL etc). If you do not use this, lighting will not work correctly indoors during day/night transitions and will have inconsistent brightness levels especially between clear and rainy weather. This feature should be directly implemented into COT.

Actually you are right. Bad idea. No idea if it could cause CTDs, but at the very least it's pointless.

 

I'm not sure Better Town Textures is compatible with the latest version of No snow under the Roof either.

No snow is installed, but deactivated. At least it was last time I checked.

Edited March 19, 2014 by Octopuss

[DoubleYou]

I can't really see anything else wrong, but a lot of the mods you have installed I have no experience with. You would have to probably load up your entire load order in TES5Edit specifically targeting the areas you are having the CTDs to find the problems, provided that it isn't a scripting conflict causing the CTD.

[Octopuss]

I have to say it really improved a lot since I switched to LOOT, but it currently has its own problems - bugged metadata, resulting in mods being placed where they shouldn't be even with specific conditions defined in masterfile.

Skyrim.esmUpdate.esmUnofficial Skyrim Patch.espDawnguard.esmClimatesOfTamriel.esmUnofficial Dawnguard Patch.espHearthFires.esmUnofficial Hearthfire Patch.espDragonborn.esmETaC - RESOURCES.esmUnofficial Dragonborn Patch.espLanterns Of Skyrim - All In One - Main.esmSkyrim Project Optimization - Full Version.esmWinterholdDestruction.esmNight Eye Overhaul.esmUnofficial High Resolution Patch.esp

 I am also almost certain it has nothing to do with graphics, so I will not try to use lower resolution textures for the main mods. I did however switched to normal resolution Beards and Brows, and will look for more minor mods like these which have non-super hires rextures available, where it probably won't be noticeable.

 

So I will wait until next LOOT beta (which might be the last before official release btw) and meanwhile dig into the mods and try to find some possible conflicts. Thus far I:- Removed the weathers plugins from RLO (which shouldn't be used after all).- Removed interior fog v2 (which 1) isn't needed and 2) author specifically says it shouldn't be used with RLO anyway).- Edited metadata in LOOT so GDO loads in proper order.No apparent results from that, but that doesn't mean it didn't help a tiny little bit.

There are also new versions of a few significant mods going to be relased before the end of the month, which might or might not help.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Octopuss