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Odd CTD

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03:08:57 6 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Odd CTD

Yerp, got another one I can't seem to circumvent, and can't pinpoint what's cuasing it, either.

stack trace:

0023:0040D025 XR_3DA.exe, CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time()
0023:7566206C iertutil.dll
0023:03D21D30 xrGame.dll

As of now, it only occurs in Stancia 1 and Sarcophagus . . . I can't get anymore than 5 minutes into the sarco before hitting this wall - I'm starting to believe this is some sort of timed-out error . . .

Running a minimal setup - SWO3+AAOv1.8

My first thought was that it was related to AAO . . . even though I never encountered this error during playtesting (nor playtesting compatibility with SWO3 or DW) . . . but, double checking all AAO configs and everything is fine. As well, if there was an issue within any of the weather sections, it would casue a CTD upon initial game startup - not at some random point in time after loading a saved game.

I had then thought it was related to the monolith call within the sarcophagus, and had attempted to adjust the timer there, and double check the sound_theme.script - all's well. It wasn't until I started fiddling around in Stancia1 that I noticed this problem there as well, so it couldn't be related to a config script and ph executions.

My only other thought was that it was possibly something corrupt within the saved game itself - so I went back to an earlier save (furthest being 10 in-game days prior to noticing this CTD) . . . then made a rush through AW, RF, Pri . . . only to discover the error is still there, leading me to believe it's probably not an issue with the save. I haven't yet tried a new game and speed through to these areas (which is next on my agenda) . . .

Any thoughts, guys? Only other conclusion I have would be excessive use/abuse of the weather speed-up function (provided via SWO3/DW). This isn't anything critical or requiring immediate attention, as I'm mearly doing some playtesting and taking sound samples. I'm just wanting to make 100% sure it's not an AAO issue - and if it is, get to the root of it so I can get a patch out.

{Frozen Sky mod for Shadow of Chernobyl - WIP}
http://www.moddb.com/mods/frozen-sky

{SoC Ambient Audio Overhaul feedback thread}
https://www.gsc-game.com/index.php?t=community&s=forums&s_game_type=xr&thm_page=1&thm_id=16655&sec_id=16

{CS Ambient Audio Overhaul feedback thread}
https://www.gsc-game.com/index.php?t=community&s=forums&s_game_type=xr2&thm_page=1&thm_id=19653&sec_id=22

{CoP Ambient Audio Overhaul thread}
https://gsc-game.com/index.php?t=community&s=forums&s_game_type=xr3&thm_page=1&thm_id=704&sec_id=18

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09:54:05 6 September 2010

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Vintar
a bit of this and a lot of that
(Resident)

On forum: 08/08/2008
Messages: 6349

Is it possible to revert back to vanilla ambient sounds and retest?

VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse.
The apocalypse starts soon!
[link]http://www.valagame.com/[/link]

15:08:14 6 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
(Resident)

On forum: 03/22/2008
Messages: 2822

---QUOTATION---
Odd CTD

stack trace:

0023:0040D025 XR_3DA.exe, CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time()
0023:7566206C iertutil.dll
0023:03D21D30 xrGame.dll

---END QUOTATION---

Dunno but I'd suspect something in env_ambient.ltx being outside of the range that the game can handle...
Is the problem reproducible?

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

15:55:51 6 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008

Message edited by:
{imperialreign}
09/06/2010 15:59:26
Messages: 3075

---QUOTATION---
Is it possible to revert back to vanilla ambient sounds and retest?
---END QUOTATION---

I'll give it a shot, although I don't believe it'll make too much of a difference in the sounds themselves . . . although the configs might

---QUOTATION---
Dunno but I'd suspect something in env_ambient.ltx being outside of the range that the game can handle...
Is the problem reproducible?
---END QUOTATION---

That was one of my first thoughts, too - but double checking everything seems fine . . . unless the engine loaded them wrong at some point . . .

As to being reproducible - yes and no. I mean, it'll happen at some random interval in Stancia1 and Sarcophagus. I haven't had it happen in any other map, yet . . . and, I can't pin it down to any one specific sequence or sound or otherwise. It just happens whenever - especially in Stancia1 . . . I've gone anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes there before it happens. In the sarcophagus, though, it happens within 5 minutes, but it's not consistent.

Either way - I'm assuming by it being a stack trace error that the problem is more than likely going to reside in some kind of error introduced by a script - that is, I get the impression that some kind of infinite loop is being introduced which is what's causing the overflow/out-of-memory issue. But, this could just be me talking out my ass, too. The game doesn't bog down at all (like it typically would by such a loop) before CTD.

16:16:34 6 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
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On forum: 03/22/2008
Messages: 2822

Have you looked at the two weather phases that might be interesting? I assume that it's indoor weather but is the ambient the same for all phases of the cycle or is there a crossover between two different ambient configs at some point?

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

00:28:29 7 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

---QUOTATION---
Have you looked at the two weather phases that might be interesting? I assume that it's indoor weather but is the ambient the same for all phases of the cycle or is there a crossover between two different ambient configs at some point?
---END QUOTATION---

Regarding the indoor cycle - it's the same no matter what the hour . . . but, the sarcophagus has a different ambient setup than agro ungrnd, x18, x16, x19 or monolith.

As well, the ambient is entirelly different than Stancia1 - where it follows a theme specific to stancia1 (which is different than Pripyat's, Red Forest's, Cordon, etc.) throughout any weather cycle.

06:35:28 7 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Sorry for the double post . . .

nandersen - I think I might be on to what has introduced the issue . . .

I scrapped the gamedata folder entirelly, and went back to a full vanilla loadout. No problems at all - the CTD has completely gone away.

So . . . I created a new gamedata folder and installed what I assumed was the most likely culprit: AAO. Only with vanilla compatibility . . . oddly enough, the problem doesn't exist at all . . .

But, if I patch AAO to SWO3 or DW, it resumes . . . the least common denominator here would have to revolve around the DW engine - either the script itself, or possibly an error introduced with the ambient_env extensions and/or the script handling them (which is, IMHO, where the problem probably lies, more-so than within the actual l_w.script).

As of now, still, the only maps that appear to have this problem seem to be Stancia1 and Sarcophagus . . .

Any ideas? I'm wondering if the game engine might be trying to cache too many sounds during a transition . . . but, at the same time, the ambient_env configs for stancia1 and sarcof are actually fairly light - especially when compared against those of Pripyat or Red Forest, or X18 or agro_ugrnd . . .

08:43:11 7 September 2010

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Vintar
a bit of this and a lot of that
(Resident)

On forum: 08/08/2008
Messages: 6349

You mentioned something about the weather cycles being sped up?

Could this be the cause?

VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse.
The apocalypse starts soon!
[link]http://www.valagame.com/[/link]

14:20:47 7 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

---QUOTATION---
You mentioned something about the weather cycles being sped up?

Could this be the cause?
---END QUOTATION---

At this point, doubtful.

I just did a speed-run through from a new game start to NPP, and ran into the problem - it was still May 1st 2012 in-game.

17:55:01 7 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
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On forum: 03/22/2008
Messages: 2822

If I remember correctly the weather script still runs random weather cycle selection in the background but applies the indoor cycle. Have you noticed if the crash happens around one of the times configured for weather transitions? Maybe the weather doesn't like to be set to what it already is (at least with the ambient changes).
Does it still crash if you use a different env_ambient value for the sarcofag?

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

14:35:55 8 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

I'll check that stuff out later this evening. I've noticed (at least in stancia1) that it appears to happen more frequently with the rain configs.

I'll also throw the debug back on, see if that might toss something into the log that can fit a pattern to the whole puzzle. As well, I'll do some further experimenting with the weather/ambient configs. It's a little confusing, though, how AAO:vanilla doesn't seem to be a problem - and it uses the same ambient loadouts that SWO3/DW use . . . partly why I'm currently assuming it's an issue introduced via script . . .

I can't remember if the engine still loads outside weather when inside (I thought it only did with env_mod mapped areas), but I could see where that's causing problems . . . if the issue lies only in stancia1.

Anyhow - hopefully we can get to the bottom of this error . . . some googling has turned up other mods with this problem - and they all seem to be using some configuration of AAO with SWO3 or DW.

Damn stack trace errors - such a buggar to pin down.

15:00:03 8 September 2010

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Vintar
a bit of this and a lot of that
(Resident)

On forum: 08/08/2008
Messages: 6349

Dont have the files infront of me, but check if there is a script in SHOC called xr_zones_sound.script, seems like the sort of stuff youre having problems with.

VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse.
The apocalypse starts soon!
[link]http://www.valagame.com/[/link]

15:18:56 8 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
(Resident)

On forum: 03/22/2008

Message edited by:
notanumber
09/08/2010 15:19:15
Messages: 2822

DW script doesn't load outside weather, it just determines the weather cycle that is curently selected. It does, however, issue the level.set_weather() call. I don't know if this can cause problems when ambient is modded and the weather cycle is set to what it already is. To prevent this you could try and change the following piece of code in level_weathers.script:

    if (not olp_mod or amk.load_variable("blowout", 0) == 0)
       and (not blowout or blowout.GetBlowout().is_blowout_on == false)
       and (not ogsm_funcs or ogsm_funcs.load_variable("blt", 0) == 0)
       and (not Psy or (db.Flag2 == 0 and db.Flag3 == 0 and db.Flag4 == 0 and db.Flag5 == 0))
    then
        level.set_weather(self.cur_weather)
    elseif olp_mod and amk_mod.blowout_type() < 1 then
        level.set_weather("pre_blow")
        level.set_weather_fx("amk_surge_day")
    end

to:

    if (not olp_mod or amk.load_variable("blowout", 0) == 0)
       and (not blowout or blowout.GetBlowout().is_blowout_on == false)
       and (not ogsm_funcs or ogsm_funcs.load_variable("blt", 0) == 0)
       and (not Psy or (db.Flag2 == 0 and db.Flag3 == 0 and db.Flag4 == 0 and db.Flag5 == 0))
       and level.get_weather() ~= self.cur_weather
    then
        level.set_weather(self.cur_weather)
    elseif olp_mod and amk_mod.blowout_type() < 1 then
        level.set_weather("pre_blow")
        level.set_weather_fx("amk_surge_day")
    end

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

02:45:45 10 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Little more info -

I tried swapping numerous "known good" ambient sections around for the two problem maps (stancia and sarcophagus) - no change.

Tried the alteration to the DW script - no change.

I was able to get a slightly different error log kick:

stack trace:

0023:0040D025 XR_3DA.exe, CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time()
 
[error][      87]    : The parameter is incorrect.

when attempting to load a save game made in Pripyat. Still, though, it's not much helpful.

I haven't been able to consistently duplicate the problem in Pripyat . . . but, I've noticed that stancia is somewhat reproducible. When running along the train tracks towards the entrance to stancia - usually right around the last set of rail cars just before the entrance to the NPP - is when it will kick. Although, it seems, taking the "long way" around via the TZ doesn't seem to trigger it . . .

Sarcophagus is still easily reproducible - load a save game, and CTD within 10 in-game minutes.

What doesn't make sense to me - if it was being kicked by a bad zone (i.e. radiation, anomaly field, psy, etc. - which is how it seems to be acting at this point), why doesn't it happen with vanilla or only AAO? The problem only seems to crop up with SWO3/DW . . .

. . . IDK, it's got me beating my head against a very hard wall.

08:28:54 10 September 2010

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Vintar
a bit of this and a lot of that
(Resident)

On forum: 08/08/2008
Messages: 6349

OH NO!!

stack trace:

[error][      87]    : The parameter is incorrect.

This was the error I was getting in my "level change CTD"
Turns out this could be a number of things, at least yours point to ambient sound, mine said nothing :\
My error lay in a function in bind_stalker.

Good luck

VALA: Vicious Attack Llama Apocalypse.
The apocalypse starts soon!
[link]http://www.valagame.com/[/link]

14:12:21 10 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008

Message edited by:
{imperialreign}
09/10/2010 14:17:25
Messages: 3075

You make it sound so thrilling, man!

Anyhow - my next route of testing is to reproduce the issue with only SWO3 and DW . . . no AAO, just vanilla ambients. That'll at least help me narrow down which portions of what mods are stirring the pot.

If it doesn't do it with either of those mod - then I'd bet pretty sure it's in the small area where the two mods are stitched together with AAO . . .

-EDIT-

Also, the only thing that really doesn't make much sense to me is why this would only happen on two (or three) specific levels . . . Haven't seen any issues with any of the other maps yet . . .

16:26:07 10 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
(Resident)

On forum: 03/22/2008
Messages: 2822

imp, if you could make a (small) download with the minimum "mod" needed to reproduce the CTD then I could try and reproduce it on my PC.

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

01:49:23 11 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

---QUOTATION---
imp, if you could make a (small) download with the minimum "mod" needed to reproduce the CTD then I could try and reproduce it on my PC.
---END QUOTATION---

I appreciate the offer, man

I'll do a strip-down and re-test, and try and post something up within the next day or two . . . in the mean time, I'll also continue prodding and testing things out as well.

16:45:04 12 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008

Message edited by:
{imperialreign}
09/12/2010 16:45:44
Messages: 3075

Alright - I've pinned it down further . . .

It ONLY happens with SWO3 + full addons + AAO 1.8 installed.

DW 9.5 + AAO 1.8 (which equates to a gamedata of ~50MB) does not run into this issue at all - I had thought before that it did, but I was mistakenly using a different gamedata folder . . .

Therefore, I have to conclude that this stack trace error is indeed an "out-of-memory" related error . . . for whatever reason. I still don't see why it's more of a problem in the northern maps, but the few other mod threads I've seen this error reported, other players have run into it in areas like Cordon, Agro, etc.

Common denominator - those mods are also running AAO 1.8 + SWO3 + numerous other addons.

Considering sounds are at the bottom of the engine's cache/priority list, I can see where it's kicking this problem.

I'm curious now as to whether this is only an issue with x64 OSes or x86 OSes. I'm running x64 here, so . . .

nandersen - do you want me to go ahead and upload the whole of SWO3 + addons + AAO (which is the smallest I can cough up that duplicates the problem), or do you want to install those yourself and I just post up a couple of saves? The way it's looking right now, there might not exaclty be a "fix" for this problem (based on my deductions).

On a side not - do you want me to start using your current username, or does it matter?

20:37:22 13 September 2010

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notanumber
mod abuser & exploiter
(Resident)

On forum: 03/22/2008
Messages: 2822

---QUOTATION---
nandersen - do you want me to go ahead and upload the whole of SWO3 + addons + AAO (which is the smallest I can cough up that duplicates the problem), or do you want to install those yourself and I just post up a couple of saves? The way it's looking right now, there might not exaclty be a "fix" for this problem (based on my deductions).
---END QUOTATION---

Sorry, I think I'll pass. It seems that you've tracked it down. I doubt that the issue will be readily reproducible on a different system than yours.
Anyway, good job

---QUOTATION---
On a side not - do you want me to start using your current username, or does it matter?

---END QUOTATION---

You can call me anything you like as long as it's something nice

"This is evolution: the monkey, the man, then the gun" - Marilyn Manson

My files for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. http://zhat.dk/stalker/

14:28:15 14 September 2010

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

S'all good - soon as I had removed the addons from the SWO3 install (the mutant/AI/level reskins; installed wpn skins; level details; level musics; etc.) and got it down to "bare-bones" the problem simply disappeared.

I guess simply because of the amount of AI activity in stancia1/sarcophagus, coupled with everything else, the engine just hit a wall.

Kinda amazing, IMHO - we're over 3 years into modding the crap out of SoC, and we're still defining the engine's limitations . . .

. . . then we define how to work around it

Don't get me wrong - my testing isn't stopping . . . now that I've got a solid idea of what's causing the problem, my goal is to figure out some workaround or a means to "patch" the combined mod installs.

01:10:08 19 January 2013

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Decane
Senior Resident

On forum: 04/04/2007
Messages: 1705

{imperialreign},

Did you ever discover a fix for this crash? I am getting it in exactly the manner described in this thread: in stancia1 and in the sarcophagus, at random intervals, using SWO 3.1.1 and AAO 1.8.2. If I use only one or the other, the problem disappears. I have tried so many diagnostics that I am close to ripping my hair out.

What kind of system memory stats did your log contain with this crash? I ask because the engine should probably be pumping out some dirty statistics if it is running out of memory. Mine look like this (taken from crash log):

* [win32]: free[2683676 K], reserved[149252 K], committed[1361312 K]
* [ D3D ]: textures[730668 K]
* [x-ray]: crt heap[238896 K], process heap[9116 K], game lua[17285 K], engine lua[326 K], render[0 K]
* [x-ray]: economy: strings[5662 K], smem[28221 K]
* MEMORY USAGE: 250553 K
stack trace:

0023:0040BBD5 XR_3DA.exe, CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time()
0023:7566206C msvcrt.dll
0023:06239000 xrGame.dll

• Sky Reclamation Project v1.1.2: http://www.moddb.com/mods/srp/downloads/srp-v112
• Sky Reclamation Project v1.1.3 WIP: https://github.com/Decane/SRP

00:45:24 9 February 2013

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NatVac
Senior Resident

On forum: 06/15/2007
Messages: 4289

The game is crashing during CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time(). It sounds like there is no ambient sound at the time or its parameters are wonky.

03:12:33 18 March 2013

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

NatVac - such was my initial assumption, too... though, I thoroughly scoured all the ambient configs I had written out for AAO/DW/SWO3, and could not pin down anything in particular... my next thought was that perhaps a weather section was being called that conflicted with the declared ambient... but I couldn't find anything there, either...
... so, I preceded to process of elimination - SWO3 by itself, without AAO... no problems... vanilla + AAO, no problems... DW + AAO, no problems... SWO3 + AAO and no other addons, no issues again... if I went back to SWO3 + AAO + addons, the problem re-appeared. More often in stancia1/2, but it would occasionally happen anywhere else. Use of -noprecache did reduce the frequency of the CTD, but didn't eliminate it...

The only thing I could pin it down to was an audio-engine error cause by lacked of memory available... SoC runs the ambient audio a little differently than CS/CoP, and *all* the sounds for ambient weather sections are pre-cached (as best I can tell). Where-as in X-Ray 1.5+, the engine will only load weather sounds when each weather section is pulled into memory/rendering.

Suffice it to say, but, I think in combination of the extensive weather builds of SWO3, along with the extensive ambient audio builds for each individual map and weather pattern with AAO1.8, along with all the additional texturing and particle and post-processing effects introduced... I think it's simply a matter of running into a brick-wall within XR engine itself... another "limitation" we've finally hit, lol.

03:15:56 18 March 2013

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Decane - I simply don't remember, man, and I don't have the old crash logs available... it's been quite a while since I've done any stalker modding myself - life has gotten crazy... move across country, and I'm about to move back again...

But, anyhow, I never did figure out a "fix" for the issue... not without possibly re-writing the engine libraries, or modifying the executable to allow for more than just 4GB MEM access. Even then, I'm not 100% sure that would fix the problem. The only thing I can think of is to lighten the load of the mod comibinations, and remove un-necessary, or non-critical mods...

00:24:49 9 April 2013

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NatVac
Senior Resident

On forum: 06/15/2007
Messages: 4289

Yeah, it could be a memory issue. The specific form of the error could mean a localized limit, like a fixed maximum number of ambient sounds. Exceeding that doesn't report the error until it tries to get attributes like CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time(). Or that's just a percentage happenstance, the way the odds on some secrets are higher than on others so you are more likely to get them.

But that's speculation. For now, maybe you can just "stop [...] sending men into that part of the forest to find out what's killing them! You don't need to go there!"

For now.

19:28:56 19 April 2013

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Thanks for the further input NatVac, and I agree, too, regarding *avoiding the CNPP for obvious reasons* - which is partly why this "bug" has taken a back-seat... it tends to only occur in the regions of the "end-game," (though with SWO3 installed, I have occasionally run into this on other maps, though rare).

I've given thought to getting back in touch with nandersen regarding the dynamic weather engine, and seeing if there's any way to reduce the amount of pre-loading that goes on with his script; but, I get the feeling this is more a limitation of the engine and it's mechanics, which means there's no "real" fix aside from cutting back (drastically) the number of ambient sound calls used.

04:49:52 27 April 2013

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NatVac
Senior Resident

On forum: 06/15/2007
Messages: 4289

Well, I didn't really mean to avoid the CNPP (although that sounds like a good idea in general!), but rather what you indicated with your statement, 'there's no "real" fix aside from cutting back (drastically) the number of ambient sound calls used'.

There's seemingly some maximum exceeded with the current number of sounds. Rather than playing with the current setup and waiting for a crash ("going there" into a known crash risk area), I was thinking more along the lines of reducing the number of ambient sounds to that found in the combination of mods that do work, and slowly increasing from there until you get the crash again.

Then lower the ambient sound count and try again. If it is the likely memory limit rather than a configuration situation, the crashes should stop.

One thought I had: Does the user.ltx sound-related buffers (snd_cache_size, snd_targets) have any influence on this limit?

16:52:09 5 May 2013

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

Not that I'm aware of. If I've deduced the audio engine properly, those user accessible values should affect the OAL calls used by the engine - which are actually few and far between, to the best of my knowledge. As well, those shouldn't be too much of a problem with modern hardware, even onboard audio solutions (built into the motherboard). 32 voices (targets, per X-Ray terminology) is standard hardware implementation... cache_size might have some sway on things, but increasing or decreasing this number has never seemed to make any difference in terms of loading time or audio handling by the engine. The engine still attempts to cache sounds at load up (which is why we can run into a CTD if a sound path in any .ltx does not match the actual sound file path in the directory).

From my testing off and on, it's a frustrating CTD to trace down as, aside from a few select locations (i.e. Stancia 1/2), the crash is random and could happen at any time - more often with SWO3 + AAO1.8 as compared to DW + AAO 1.8 or vanilla + AAO ... I've often wondered if the number of NPCs involved on those maps, plus the system playback sounds called per script/config, plus the static level sounds, plus the addition of the weather ambient per the dynamic weather engine is what causes the overload.

I'm still continuing to look further into it, though. If other modders will continue to use my work, along with addition of more scripts calls, larger numbers of NPCs, etc. we'll start seeing the crash more often. It's a shame I can't get into the engine libraries and re-write the OAL calls used to make better use of the open source library. There's a lot available within OAL and EAX that can curb such nonsense and produce a more efficient audio stream through the engine. Besides, if the engine could actually make use of more than just 3-4GB of system memory, we wouldn't have as many out-of-memory errors as we do.

Basically, this is a CTD that just takes some time to readily, consistently reproduce and find a "fix" for. I would personally prefer a real fix instead of a hack&slash work-around. Though, if anyone else runs across a readily reproducible means of encountering this CTD, by all means please inform!!!

10:17:42 7 October 2013

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Storm Shadow
A machine, a Shadow Machine.
(Resident)

On forum: 11/14/2007

Message edited by:
Storm Shadow
10/07/2013 10:22:29
Messages: 1430

Imp, buddy, pretty much the same thing is happening to me in Reb, which as you know uses both AAO18 and SWO311.

0023:0040D025 XR_3DA.exe, CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time()
0023:7566206C urlmon.dll
0023:078C1D30 xrGame.dll

I get this error, or errors like it in Stancia, once the blowout timer starts, usaully between 10sec - 2min approx once it starts. Also, I get it after 18sec into the Sarcofag too. I havn't got as far as testing Stancia2.

I have managed to eliminate it from Sarcofag with the following (in weather_indoor.ltx):

[npp_weather_00]:indoor_weather_00
;env_ambient    = ambient_env_NPP
env_ambient    = ambient_env_monolith

You can see that this is not a fix, as such, but it is a working workaround. the Sarcofag looses it's unique sound theme in favour of the Monolith Control Room's sound theme.

I have managed to reduce (but not eliminate) it in Stancia with the following (in stancia_env_ambient.ltx):

[ambient_env_pre_storm_st1]:ambient_env_pre_storm		;pre storm ambient
sound_period			= 5, 10 
sound_dist			= 40, 55
sounds				= ambient\tuman\fog_ambient_gunfire_1;,ambient\tuman\fog_ambient_gunfire_2
effect_period			= 10, 25
effects				= ae0_effect_0;,ae0_effect_1,ae0_effect_6,ae0_effect_7,ae0_effect_9,ae0_effect_11

in this fashion for all ambient_env sections. This severally chokes the sound theme, and still dosn't eliminate the problem.*

Neither of these are ideal solutions, but it's the best I've got so far. I've tried all manor of upgraded binaries, trying to alloc more addressable RAM to the engine, thinking this might be the problem, but no success. I've updated to v1.0006, which initially reduced the problem, but that may've been a fluke, as it's not repeatable.

What else have you come up with bro?

Shad

* for the sake of berivity, I cut off the end of this code after the 1st example of the comment. It effectively reduces it from 83 avail sounds down to 1, and from 6 effects down to 1.

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STALKER Rebalanced v1.2
An Evolution in Stalker Gameplay

http://www.moddb.com/mods/rebalanced

05:18:34 8 October 2013

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{imperialreign}
Звуковой Шаман
(Resident)

On forum: 10/29/2008
Messages: 3075

I never did manage to get much further with it - and the error could occur whenever. I had it happen even in Cordon, but the stancia maps seem to be the most common place for it to occur.

Aside from drastically cutting back on the ambient sounds involved - I think the biggest issue, with using the DW script, is that all ambient sounds are essentially cached and pre-loaded at startup. Perhaps, if nandersen isn't around anymore, someone else could look at the script, and see if there's anyway to forcibly "unload" cached items that are not currently in use? That's just conjecture, though, not even sure if that's possible.

13:05:26 8 October 2013

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Storm Shadow
A machine, a Shadow Machine.
(Resident)

On forum: 11/14/2007
Messages: 1430

that makes sense. can you release a cut down version of the AAO ambient files as a short term work around?

Can you recruit a scripter to optimise the DW weathers script as a full solution?

_________________________________________________________________

STALKER Rebalanced v1.2
An Evolution in Stalker Gameplay

http://www.moddb.com/mods/rebalanced

04:24:47 2 August 2015

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Storm Shadow
A machine, a Shadow Machine.
(Resident)

On forum: 11/14/2007

Message edited by:
Storm Shadow
08/02/2015 4:35:06
Messages: 1430

Fix for CEnvAmbient::get_rnd_sound_time() CTD.

So good news guys, I have found and tested a fix for this error.

First take a look at my post at the bottom of the previous page. That is an optional step that you may or may not require to do.

The actual fix is with the use of the xrGame.dll file from the Dream Reader - Dangerous Area v. 1.5 mod. Note that this file is for SHOC v1.0006. Sorry but I haven't found a fix for v1.0005 or others.

http://www.mediafire.com/download/ryiy2a4jxzg68on/Dream+Reader+-+Dangerous+Area+v.+1.5+xrGame.dll+for+SHOC+v1.0006.zip

This isn't my file, I just found that it also fixes this error, full credit is to the Dream Reader team, and their readme is included in the d/l.

note, i've also posted this fix in the Ambient Audio Overhaul feedback thread here:
https://www.gsc-game.com/index.php?t=community&s=forums&s_game_type=xr&thm_id=16655&sec_id=16&page=17

Regards,

Storm Shadow

_________________________________________________________________

STALKER Rebalanced v1.2
An Evolution in Stalker Gameplay

http://www.moddb.com/mods/rebalanced

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