CTD at Arlington Library and/or Rivet City

[JUNKdeLUXE]

I've finally gotten my install up and running and it seems to be running fine now (after some problems with installing the Wasteland patches correct).

 

After I woke up (alternative start) I tried to COC RCHanger but I had CTD each and every time.. instead I tried running there, and I got CTD a few secs after getting the Arlington Library waypoint.

 

So far everything else seems to work dandy, but not this...

 

What can I do to troubleshoot?!?

[Kelmych]

I've seen occasional CTDs near Rivet City and Arlington Library. They did not happen in a repeatable way when I saw then so I was never able to determine whether it was caused by a particular set of mods or by the game engine. I have seen CTDs near Rivet City, especially early in the game, even when only a few mods were used.

 

A few additional comments:

• If you are using MMM or are playing at a fairly challenging difficulty levels, both of these areas are one that require a fair amount of experience before traveling there.
• Using COC and fast travel can cause problems with the not-terribly-stable game engine. These errors seem to accumulate, and as time progresses the game becomes increasingly less stable.
• There is a known engine problem near Rivet City with the adjacent supermutants that shows up sometimes.

[JUNKdeLUXE]

so there is nothing I can do?
 
does Fallout 3 have an error log I can enable to see if something comes up?
 
or any way I can pinpoint what is causing this?
 
I am doing a Clear and Present Danger install with all optionals - no 20th century weapons though - and thus no STEP patch from the Wasteland Patch Collection.
 
 
Here is my loadorder:
 

# This file was automatically generated by Mod Organizer.
Fallout3.esm
Anchorage.esm
ThePitt.esm
StreetLights.esm
BrokenSteel.esm
PointLookout.esm
Zeta.esm
Unofficial Fallout 3 Patch.esm
CALIBR.esm
Advanced Recon Tech.esm
Inventory Access.esm
aHUD.esm
iHUD.esm
Mart's Mutant Mod.esm
ArefuExpandedByAzar.esm
Project Beauty.esm
EVE.esm
Mothership Crew.esm
AWorldOfPainFO3.esm
Vault 101 Revisited.esm
RiversideCafe.esm
WastelandGuards01.esm
CRAFT.esm
FO3 Wanderers Edition - Main File.esm
Detect Traps.esm
GeorgetownExpansion.esm
tubrrCompound.esm
Enhanced Weather - Rain and Snow.esm
RH_IRONSIGHTS.esm
Xepha's Dynamic Weather.esm
Crowded Cities Redux.esm
UF3P - Exotic Caravans (Project Beauty).esm
DarNifiedUIF3.esp
MetroCars.esp
FortIndependenceRedesigned.esp
The Mantis Imperative - Mantis.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - Main File.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Broken Steel.esp
WeaponModKits.esp
WeaponModKits - FWE Master Release.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Anchorage.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Mothership Zeta.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC The Pitt.esp
UUF3P - FWE Patch.esp
Realistic Interior Lighting.esp
Advanced Recon Tech - Detect Traps.esp
Detect Traps - DLC.esp
Detect Traps - Perk.esp
Advanced Recon Tech FWE.esp
Advanced Recon Tech.esp
Advanced Recon Range Finder.esp
Flashlight-LOS.esp
DynamicCrosshair.esp
Stimpak Counter.esp
PPA - The Pitt.esp
JIP Realistic Weapon Overheating.esp
JIP Selective-Fire.esp
JIP Companions Command & Control.esp
CASM.esp
YearlingBooks.esp
FWEAlienWorkBenchFix.esp
Confessor Cromwell has a Break_EV.esp
The Mantis Imperative - Nasty Zeta No Scaling.esp
RubblePilesFix.esp
Enhanced Weather - Weather Sounds in Interiors.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Dynamic Sneak Bonus.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Green Tint Remover.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Rain.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Sandstorms.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Weather Machine (Start Game Added).esp
UrgeWashingtonBoS.esp
Flora Overhaul.esp
K9BreedsPatchDLCPitt.esp
FeralGhoulTest.esp
GlowingGhouls-MMM.esp
RagdollOverhaulFo3.esp
bzFatigues.esp
Merc Adventurer Armor - eng.esp
Tribal_DX.esp
Paradise Lost - Unique Texture and Icon.esp
schematics2.esp
GNR Enhanced.esp
DelayAnchorage.esp
Zeta Turret Drone Karma Fix - MMM Merged.esp
PPA - FWE Tougher NPC Power Armour.esp
IMPACT.esp
Blackened FWE + MMM + EVE + Project Beauty.esp
WeaponModKits - BrokenSteel.esp
WeaponModKits - OperationAnchorage.esp
WeaponModKits - ThePitt.esp
WeaponModKits - Zeta.esp
WeaponModKits - PointLookout.esp
WMK Uniques for FWE_EVE Addon.esp
RH_WMK_Bridge.esp
DIFF WMK.esp
DIFF.esp
ArlingtonRestoration.esp
tubRRCompound.esp
Rivet City Realignment.esp
Temple of the Union Overhaul.esp
The Mantis Imperative - Jello.esp
WeaponModKits - FWE Talon Loot Crash Fix.esp
HeirApparent.esp
Laurens_Bathroom_poetry_V1.esp
K9Breeds.esp
T3_leather armors.esp
Chems and Meds Re-Textures Pack.esp
majormodder's Junk Food to Barbeque Crisps.esp
CALIBRv14 Ammunition Schematics for FWE-WMK-CRAFT-V1_3-18639.esp
HKG3.esp
Blackened RH + FWE + EVE.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - DLC Point Lookout.esp
BornAgain Outcast v3.esp
FO3 Wanderers Edition - More Gore.esp
UniqueWeaponsRetextured.esp
UniqueWeaponsRetextured_FWE.esp
RH_FWE_Bridge.esp
lexx_brahmin-variant-Fo3.esp
PLweightadjust.esp
NotSoFast.esp
MoreMapMarkers.esp
BBBackpacks-v1-1.esp
K9BreedsMoreDogs.esp
Dragonskin Tactical Outfit.esp
Advanced Recon Gear.esp
Detect Traps - The Traponator 4000.esp
Powered Power Armor.esp
PPA - Broken Steel.esp
PPA - FWE.esp
PPA - Mothership Zeta.esp
PPA - Operation Anchorage.esp
BauPetSupplies.esp
Museum.esp
Kentbury Way.esp
PotomacSteamworks.esp
Dree Perks.esp
PLFewerItems.esp
CanterburyCommonsInteriors.esp
AutoGates.esp
IntoTheDeepWoods.esp
Existence 2.0.esp
ArefuExpandedByAzar-Radio.esp
Exeter-Type3-armor.esp
Scout Outfits.esp
RockopolisRebuilt.esp
Lookout Outfits.esp
delayzeta.esp
MTCBigTownRobotFix.esp
Better RC Church.esp
Tattered_suits.esp
Freebooter_Armor.esp
WinterizedT51bDX.esp
DragonskinBonusPack.esp
PlasmaRifleAwesomefiedWMK.esp
UniqueWeaponsRetexturedPITT.esp
UniqueWeaponsRetexturedPITT_FWE.esp
Assaultrifle_replacers_WMK+RH+FWE.esp
Millenia_AK47_replacer.esp
GilbertToys.esp
Conelrad 640-1240.esp
DelaySteel.esp
PAL - MERGED.esp
FO3NeckChains.esp
delaypl.esp
Brahmin Dairy Products.esp
megalight.esp
PPA - FWE 2.esp
Dragonskin_for_FWE_2014.esp
Xepha's Dynamic Weather - Main + DLC Merged.esp
Bashed Patch, 0.esp
(TWPC) BBB-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) BFO-MMM-EVE-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) BRCC-PB Patch.esp
(TWPC) BVR-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) CMRP-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) DIFF3-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) GE-UUF3P Patch.esp
(TWPC) K9B-MMM-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) MMM-EBTMGFWE-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) RIL-UUF3P-DM Patch.esp
(TWPC) RRE-PB-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) TMI-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) WD-DIFF3-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp
(TWPC) WMK-UUF3P-FWE Patch.esp

Please use spoiler tags for large blocks of text:

 

[spoiler]...[/spoiler]

Edited June 10, 2016 by Greg
Added spoiler tag

[Kelmych]

I found that by waiting until a little later in the game to go to those places I didn't get a CTD.

[JUNKdeLUXE]

I decided that I didn't need sleep this night, so I spend it disabling a mod at a time and see if I could enter Rivet City Marketplace (coc rchangar).. and lo' and behold, I found the culprit!!!

 

 

Acoraito HD Textures Pack

 

 

Finnally!!! It has been my thorn in my side.. don't ask me why, but now, with that removed all other 240ish mods work.. I don't get how a small mod with only textures and meshes can screw up a game :S

 

I am a bit tired now though...

[JUNKdeLUXE]

okay.. more testing.

 

I've tried various settings etc and everything still works as long as I leave the Acoraito mod out (for some reason)... now all mods work. UNLESS I make a bash patch.. then coc rchangar = CTD.

 

What can I do?!?

[Kelmych]

There are other retexture packs in the guide that include the 11 textures that Acoraito retextured, so it can be left out. Do other users have similar problems? I haven't seen this myself.

 

Have you looked in FO3Edit at the differences between having a bashed patch vs. not having it?

 

By the way, any transfer into the Rivet City shop area before using the dialogues in the game to allow access will cause significant problems. I've tried it before. For example, when choosing the science lab at Rivet City as the starting point (as I did in one playthrough) the shops area is not available. If this start point is used you need to go away from the rivet city area for a while and then come back later. Teleporting into that area before it was properly opened in the game caused CTDs for me. As mentioned previously, using COCs can cause significant game problems unless they are used temporarily and the game isn't saved after doing this. Even then there can be problems. I ended up choosing the Robot HQ start site in my recent playthrough which I found more stable and more interesting.

 

I've been looking at a recent small fix mod on Nexus which eliminates one of the Supermutants near Rivet City. The mod claims to fix a CTD problem. I've have seen this CTD if I get too close to these Supermutants.

[JUNKdeLUXE]

wait.. so are you saying that Rivet City Market is usually time and/or quest constrained? I havn't played Fallout 3 before (well an hour or so) and that might be why it's DC'ing me? (as I'm not allowed in there before doing a quest, attain a faction etc) ?!?

In that case.. I might just have spend a day troubleshooting when there were no trouble :S

Edited June 10, 2016 by JUNKdeLUXE

[Kelmych]

Yes. There are always places in Bethesda RPG games, including FO3, that are "locked" until some sequence of events happens. If you COC into these areas it breaks the associated game scripts that create/open the lock.

 

Fast travel is a little safer, but once in a while it can also sometimes break game scripts.

 

I know users like to use COC to test a game, but it isn't recommended since it can cause problems. It doesn't always cause problems but it's hard to know. However, it's always a bad idea to COC to an area that is "locked".

[JUNKdeLUXE]

I don't intend to use center on cell (COC) when I finally got a game that works.. I only used it to test if various locations worked... but that is news to me. Maybe all this testing has been for nothing :( well, atleast I'm learning stuff, so that's always good.

[Kelmych]

Using COC is dangerous in any Bethesda game. That doesn't mean it isn't useful but a lot of care is needed if it is used because it can break game scripts and potentially cause CTDs. Before going to a particular cell you need to make sure it is one of the ones that is "safe" for using with COC. I don't know why you picked Arlington Library or Rivet City, but those wouldn't be places I would use for COC and maybe even fast travel, at least until the player had been to these areas legitimately. Even then there are possible CTDs in these areas. Arlington Library is at the edge of a Talon Company group, a bunch of raiders, and some Supermutants. The game engine can be fairly challenged there because of this. I had to get to it by going to south of the library and then carefully going north while avoiding Talon Company.

 

You might look at Jefferson - Rivet city crash fix to see if it fixes the bug when you are in the outdoor Rivet City cell; I haven't been able to check this. If I walked too close to the the Supermutie camp early in the game I often got CTDs. In my game I avoided the Supermutant camp near Rivet City until I was at high enough level to survive them; by then some of them were already dead.

 

By the way, those are two of the worst areas in the game for stability. I managed to go to them without a CTD, but I had to be careful. I didn't find many areas with stability problems in the game, by the way.

[Kelmych]

In the game I started after the initial version of the guide I didn't have any CTDs until I was roughly level 15, by the way. Even then I haven't had many. I had a few earlier, but in each case I realized I was going places I shouldn't, and I reverted to a slightly earlier save game.