Bug fire weapon = crash to desktop

[Grid]

I just started out trying Starmade today and am LOVING it! That being said, I'm running into some serious crashing issues.

The Problem: When I fire my ship's weapons (cannons) OR when I equip/fire the hand held laser gun, I immediately crash to desktop. Upon running the game launcher, I get the message about the JVM error and intel graphics cards, etc. The crash happens every time I fire a weapon (on a side note, I can "mine" stuff just fine. Also to note, the crash happens whether running Starmade through steam or standalone, but for simplicity's sake I'm just focusing on the standalone version of the game.

System Hardware, just in case: ASUS motherboard (can't recall exactly, but I can get model # if need be, but it's newish), i7 CPU, 16GB RAM, GPU is an Nvidia Quadro k4000, running Windows 7 64bit, currently have only the latest 64 bit java software installed.

[side note: I also have/had a 2nd graphics card plugged in (Nvidia GeForce GT 220) as well as the 32 bit Java installed in conjuction with the 64bit, but removed both of them to troubleshoot the crashing, but neither removals made any difference]

What I've tried so far: Aside from searching and not finding any newish posts on this particular type of crash, I've updated Java, my GPU drivers, ran the Starmadechecker (the information confirms everything it should have), and have tried adjusting the game/display options (settings set to mid or rock bottom options). The problem still persists; Any suggestions please? I'm rather surprised I'm not reading posts about other people having the same issue.

In regards to the JVM crash error message, I'm assuming that would NOT apply to me since I have a separate GPU, right? I recall reading Steam has some issue with java and/or games set to run off an integrated graphics card, though as mentioned near the start I'm running the non-Steam version of this game to cut out any unnecessary issues.

 

[0ldSkull]

If you're seeing a message about an Intel GPU, then I think the game is probably seeing an Intel GPU. You may need to use the Nvidia control panel to set javaw.exe to use the Nvidia GPU (if it works similarly to Optimus on a laptop), or configure your BIOS to use the card rather than the integrated GPU.

If that doesn't help, posting your log.txt.0 file may bring some other advice here. Also the game should hopefully prompt to submit a crash report when it crashes; doing so (once) will not bring an immediate solution but may help in the long term.

 

[Grid]

I started with the BIOS; my integrated gpu was already set to DISABLED, but I did make a slight adjustment and set my preferred gpu specifically to my Quadro. (upon save/restart, still Starmade still crashes).

I am able to open the Nvidia control panel and can see where I can adjust the preferences for both global settings as well as specific programs, BUT I am not seeing any option for an all inclusive "use this gpu" setting. To save on back and forth banter, I'll just list out all my options (sorry for the wall of text!): Ambient Occlusion, Antisotropic filtering, Antialiasing options, Buffer-flipping, CUDA - GPUs, Enable overlay, Exported pixel types, Max pre-rendered frames, Multi-display/mixed-GPU acceleration, OpenGL rendering GPU, Optimize for sparse texture, Power Management mode, Shader Cache, Stereo modes, Threaded optimization, Triple buffering, Vsync.

^ I did select my Quadro gpu for the majority of the choices available (both the global setting as well as the javaw.exe program specific settings). Many other [older] forum posts also reference using Nvidia control panel to set javaw.exe under control of the real, non-integrated graphics card, but as I said I am *not* seeing any all inclusive "Use X GPU to run this program" option. Again, despite all the changes to both global and javaw.exe within the Nvidia control panel, Starmaker still crashes when firing a weapon.

As an aside, one post I came across mentioned opening up the windows task manager and selecting javaw.exe and setting the priority and affinity. I tried doing both (while Starmaker [and thus, javaw.exe] was running), and I get an error saying "Access is denied". Setting both the Starmaker launcher and javaw.exe to administrator mode did not change this fact.

So with allllll that being said, I'm up for any other ideas. Can you elaborate a little on what a log.txt.o file is, and how I would create/access one?

 

[SmilingDemon]

It only crashes while fireing a weapon ? Game start and opening of option menu works ?
If yes - deselect the "Draw beams" in options
If no - change "G_DRAW_BEAMS = true" to false in the settings.cfg

and also provide the log.txt.0 file from the logs folder with the time stamp from latest crash please.

The Quattro series is not realy the way to go for anything gaming. Its a more professional workstation oriented grafics solution.
Thats probably why there are no problem reports with this kind of GPU.

 

[Grid]

At first the game crashed when entering tutorial and some other stuff, but adjusting some display options (maybe specifically turning off shadows?) seemed to stop those crashes. So at the moment, correct, the game only crashes when firing a weapon (specifically the ship's cannons or laser hand gun). Even disabling the Draw Beams options doesn't stop the crashing.

With the log.txt.0 file, am I correct in assuming I need to delete the ".0" from the file name to make it into a normal txt file? It seems to be the case, but if not please let me know.

As for the Quadro being more workstation and not so much gaming, ya. It was a [very nice] gift, and still makes for a hell of a nice graphics card, so I suppose I'll have to make due =P But as for that being the reason not many reports are made about this, that makes a lot of sense.

 

[SmilingDemon]

oO ... that log ends in thin air without any logged error. Sure it is a log from the crash you did experience ? Looks more like the game was terminated in a weird way.

And yes i wouldnt throw away a expensiv card as an Quadro k4000 either Hell of an expensiv piece of hardware.
Are there different drivers for the Quadro and the GT series? maybe the formerly installed GT Card drivers interfere in someway ?

 

[Grid]

While I look into getting the log at right time, would this hs_err_pid6740 file provide any insight? I had to convert it into a txt file, but the formatting and everything seems to be the same.
[DOUBLEPOST=1421185750,1421184629][/DOUBLEPOST]So I messed around with seeing how the log system works, and near as I can figure is this: I delete everything in my log folder, run the game, log in, select #5 (my laser gun) and fire it, upon immediately crashing. No server disconnect/etc., hence why the log shows it stops in mid-air. Upon running the launcher and hitting "start", I do get the intel graphics error message and the log folder gets a shiny new he_err file as well as the server log that it shows my logging in. If I crashed, it just shows log in; if I manually exited the game, it shows shutdown.

I can upload my threaddump file if it would help at all. I can have it with or without a prior crash. Also in case I forget to mention, thanks so much for all the help so far!

 

[CaptainTaz]

I'm no expert, but I believe the problem has something to do with either the game rendering or calculating something from a laser bolt shot, which are both fired from a cannon and a hand pistol.

Maybe something related to rendering them is causing an error in the graphics card.

 

[AndyP]

Oh, thats interesting.

So you crash on firing beams?
and any other actions seem to work?

(to test, fire the normal handgun with the "cannon" style shots)

If those work, and salvage beams and any beams crash your game, use the suggested checkbox beside:
Draw beams and uncheck it.

It is a temporary fix then, but should be related to drivers.
Please state if you have it fixed by that, as it pushes an issue from OSX only to multiplatform and helps a lot in finding the root cause.

- Andy

 

[CaptainTaz]

So at the moment, correct, the game only crashes when firing a weapon (specifically the ship's cannons or laser hand gun). Even disabling the Draw Beams options doesn't stop the crashing.

Oh, thats interesting.

So you crash on firing beams?
and any other actions seem to work?

(to test, fire the normal handgun with the "cannon" style shots)

If those work, and salvage beams and any beams crash your game, use the suggested checkbox beside:
Draw beams and uncheck it.

It is a temporary fix then, but should be related to drivers.
Please state if you have it fixed by that, as it pushes an issue from OSX only to multiplatform and helps a lot in finding the root cause.

- Andy

Just wanted to say that he already tried it.....

 

[AndyP]

Too bad, it maybe a shot in the dark, but did you try to install the 64bit JDK?

Get it here:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk8-downloads-2133151.html

Make sure you remove ALL other versions your system shows before, and let it install the public JRE when asking for it.
In some rare cases this fixed issues with some drivers not being able to start the game.
(Usually on OSX and on some (Arch)-Linux versions, but maybe server drivers have the same issue of being linked to the JDK instead of the JRE)

- Andy

 

[Grid]

I'm not sure if it's a beam issue vs some other graphics or weapon type. The gun labeled "Laser" (10 dmg, 150ms reload time) is the only weapon type gun I can see in my inventory. Trying to fire it 100% crashes me every time. The other repair/heal type hand guns in my starting inventory seem to work fine without crashes. If there is a different cannon type hand gun, I don't have or see it. The starter cannon weapon for the ship does cause me to crash 100% of the time when trying to fire it.

To make things a little more complicated, it seems I do crash from something else to do with ship configuration or something... On a separate character, I made my newbie ship with the starter parts and flew around for a few minutes before the game crashed out of the blue. Upon logging in, I would stay logged in for maybe 3-6 seconds before crashing again. Rinse/repeat. At one point I used that 3 seconds to suicide and I respawned at the starter station and was fine, no crash! Walked around (albeit with no ship) just fine for several minutes. Since I couldn't build a new ship I flew *slowly!* back to my ship, some 8 km away. About 20 minutes later, when I get close to my ship I crash. Log back in, keep crashing. So something to do with graphics of the ship (or possibly/doubtfully improper block layout on ship, ie putting the canon computer/barrel in wrong order)?

So on 2 different characters, I have one that seems fine with flying around, mining, buying/selling, but firing laser gun or ship cannon crashes every time. On my other character, simply being near my ship causes a crash within a few seconds. (safe to assume the fire weapon = crash bug also exists for him.

And yes, I have disabled beam graphics, updated java/graphics drivers. If anyone has any suggestions, I'm ready to try anything. If any other logs would shed insight to the errors, please request away.

 

[CaptainTaz]

What this sounds like to me is that generating certain objects creates an error with your hardware and causes Java to say "Nope" and close.

no clue how to fix it though seeing as I have very little actual coding expertise.....

 

[SmilingDemon]

there is a "OptionsRepair" button on the launcher .. you could use that (choose the current release in the drop down) and try to overwrtite maybe corrupted gamefiles (you know hope dies last they say)

GeneralEagleEye normaly those show up in the log files. but his log simply ends without any clue why.

 

[CaptainTaz]

there is a "OptionsRepair" button on the launcher .. you could use that (choose the current release in the drop down) and try to overwrtite maybe corrupted gamefiles (you know hope dies last they say)

GeneralEagleEye normaly those show up in the log files. but his log simply ends without any clue why.

interesting.

It could be just that the files are corrupt for firing cannons(not beams, because he's firing cannons), pistols, and possibly a station or asteroids from what he has stated.

 

[AndyP]

Yeah try the JDK please, if repair does not help.

But make sure you do not select the "oldest version" in the drop down on repair, it seems to select the oldest by default, so double check to be sure.

- Andy

 

[Grid]

*shrugs sadly*
Fully deleted Java and Starmade, restarted the computer, downloaded and installed both (just the 64 bit version of java). Reconfirmed the Quadro gpu is up to date on drivers and restarted for good measure. Still same crashing issues, le sigh. I guess I'll have to either get used to just trading/mining/exploring or simply wait indefinitely for...dunno.

Thank you everyone for the help and input though. I'll update this thread if I ever somehow come across a fix for the issue.

 

[CaptainTaz]

*shrugs sadly*
Fully deleted Java and Starmade, restarted the computer, downloaded and installed both (just the 64 bit version of java). Reconfirmed the Quadro gpu is up to date on drivers and restarted for good measure. Still same crashing issues, le sigh. I guess I'll have to either get used to just trading/mining/exploring or simply wait indefinitely for...dunno.

Thank you everyone for the help and input though. I'll update this thread if I ever somehow come across a fix for the issue.

Wait, you're using a QUADRO!?

There is your problem mate. That's not something you play games with...

 

[Grid]

As mentioned earlier, it was a gift. While I would certainly say it isn't near as cost efficient as a "gaming" GPU, I would hardly say you don't/can't/shouldn't play games with it.

 

[SmilingDemon]

from reading the datasheet i would agree that the card supports openGL up to 4.x and therefore should be able to run Starmade.
did you use the Quadro drivers from Nvidia ? (last update was dec 14 i think) or is it possible to use the general Gforce driver driver package from the nv page?