Can't play saved games

[Urban Ranger]

After some testing, about 20 - 30 games, I am quite certain that, for some reason, I can't play saved games.

If I start a new game, I can keep playing for hours if the game doesn't crash, and it crashed only once in this situation.

OTOH, if I load a saved game, Civ 4 will crash within 5 turns, usually no more than 2 to 3 turns. Most often it will freeze my computer solid. On occasion it will CtD, and it rebooted the box once.

Anybody had or is having a similar problem? Is there a fix/workaround?

I can't just start a new game every time I play.

[Wittlich]

Hmmm, I myself have only played LAN games so far and the game saves work fine...

[DRoseDARs]

I've had this problem too on occasion, though I haven't experimented and tested to see what conditions increase/decrease the frequency of it happening.

[Urban Ranger]

Oh, I forgot to mention that applying the patch doesn't seem to help.

[Rogerdude]

Did you emptied the cache, reinstalled your drivers?

[nixen]

Actually, I have a problem of an opposite nature - often when I build a wonder or talk to a leader of a different culture the game slows down to a crawl. If I restart it, it runs fine again.

[AoA]

All the time I have this problem and it only hangs while the AI is taking its turn. The screen ususally fills with gobbledlygood terrain-looking squares. It has gotten better with 1.09, but maybe upping my memory from 512 to 1024 helped too.
Emptying the cache did not help me at all, but I try anyway.
This is the bug I'd like fixed the most now as I get tired of playing Quicks all in one sitting.

[Cordelayne]

For a problem that serious, I think I'd try a complete reinstall, after doing everything possible to clean up my machine, dumping unnecessary automatic services, etc. But it might even be a hardware problem. Do you have any saving/reloading problems with any other programs?

[Skeeve]

I've had a similar problem with one of my saved game files. It rendered the save game (and all the autosaves) completely useless.

The message I got, however, was similar to the Microsoft Blue Screen of Death in the sense that it was a Windows Message that pops up occasionally with other software telling me that there was a problem and Windows had to shut the application down.

I was then given the choice to (Debug) (SEND) (DON'T SEND) to Microsoft. Yeah, like any of that is really going to help.

No matter what I tried, that save game was lost.

So far this has only happened once.
It also happened after the patch 1.09.

I deleted the saved game in frustration, but I guess I should have kept it in case someone knows of a fix.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Cordelayne
For a problem that serious, I think I'd try a complete reinstall, after doing everything possible to clean up my machine, dumping unnecessary automatic services, etc. But it might even be a hardware problem. Do you have any saving/reloading problems with any other programs?

It also almost doesn't matter when game turn it is for the saved games, except when they are like 10 turns or less (haven't tested the cut-off point).

The game has been reinstalled clean several times. Once is to get rid of patch 1.09.

I ran memtest86 for almost 24 hours and there were no errors.

I have no problem with other programs I use, including some games such as Alpha Centauri.

What really gets me is there should be no difference between a saved game and a freshly started game, unless the saved game files are somehow corrupted.

[vmxa1]

Sorry you are having issues UR. I don't see how it helps, but just to put it out there:

Saves made with build 1.00 (unpatched or patch 1.08) can be loaded with any version. Once you save it with patch 1.09 the save is now 1.01 and they cannot be played with any build other than patch 1.09.

I had problems with late games regarless of patch, until I replaced by video card. I went to Radeon X700 PRO and patch 1.09 and no longer have any crashes.

[Cordelayne]

vmxa1, but how could inability to save/reload possibly be connected to the video hardware?

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Cordelayne
vmxa1, but how could inability to save/reload possibly be connected to the video hardware?

I don't think he's having issues with saved games, just late games in general.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by vmxa1
I had problems with late games regarless of patch, until I replaced by video card. I went to Radeon X700 PRO and patch 1.09 and no longer have any crashes.

I don't mind upgrading the video card, as long as doing so will stop Civ 4 from crashing. My concern is this isn't guaranteed, so I could well be spending a pretty penny for nothing.

I have seen Polytubbies playing the game merrily along with less powerful video cards. I will be happy if the game doesn't crash.

[vmxa1]

Originally posted by Cordelayne
vmxa1, but how could inability to save/reload possibly be connected to the video hardware?

I did not say it would. In fact I said "I don't see how it helps". I merely wanted to get it out there in case it may help.

Primarily I was thinking that if you are considering an upgrade, he is what I did and it seems to have solved my problems.

I have not had a crash since.