Broken game, can't function as-is?

from Sins Forums

I just don't get this.  How is it that a game that has the options for high graphic settings, large maps, the potential for huge battles...can't actually SUPPORT all of that?  I mean, isn't that sort of a 'duh' thing?  I mean, just looking at the in-game settings and options, I should be able to run a huge map with at least 50+ planets, battles involving 100+ ships from several different players all at once.  My computer can easily handle that sort of thing, but Sins can't?  Then why even give us the option?

I'm not running any mods what so ever.  I stopped using Distant Stars because it hasn't really been updated properly.  So I'm running just the vanilla game.  I have my video settings set to 'high', I haven't changed anything besides whatever it defaults to.  I have yet to be able to play the game for more than 30 minutes or so before it gives me a minidump if I'm lucky, but mostly just freezes up and requires killing it from the task manager.

I have seen this issue since the very first time I started playing the original sins - the game just can't handle what it should.  It makes absolutely zero sense at all.  That was on a computer that could run the original Crysis at release at 60FPS on max settings.  My current setup blows that one out of the water, and I have 32 GB of RAM in this sucker.  I'm getting so sick and tired of game developers NOT making x64 versions of their games, ESPECIALLY games like this that quite obviously require more than 2 GB of RAM!

I can't even imagine trying to play this on absolute max settings with DS installed.  I'd be lucky to last more than 5 minutes without a minidump or freeze.  Like I said, I've been with this game since the beginning, buying the expansions as they come out.  I want so much to sit down and enjoy a game of Sins, but to this day I have never successfully been able to complete even one map.  I just started up a Random - Small map, made it about 30 minutes in, was just colonizing my 4th planet, and boom, freeze.  On a small freaking map.  I should not have to rely on hitting the quicksave every few seconds so that after it crashes I can start it back up and continue...especially considering, nine times out of ten, that doesn't even work - the game will minidump or freeze shortly after reloading.

This isn't a 'someone fix this for me so I can play!' post.  Just a rant.  I seriously can't believe that, in all this time, they STILL haven't been able to get this game up to par.

13,326 views 13 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

the iron engine DUMPS at 2gb total ram use (both the program AND the data)even on 64 bit windows WITH 32GB RAM,btw the original sins was released in jan 2008 and apparently the iron engine(that the game uses) was written back in 2005.

if you do not want the dumps the choices are

1 lower the graphics settings

2 choose smaller maps

3 give up and play FPS games (this is a joke suggestion but might suit you or not)

harpo

 

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

If you're running the un-modded game, you shouldn't be running out of memory even on the highest settings. Please contact support@stardock.com for assistance.

Start11 - Customize the Start Menu and Taskbar in Windows 10/11.
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

I still don't entirely buy the 32-bit thing... SC2 runs on 32-bit fine and can easily have hundreds of units running around with no impact at all...  I'm no programmer, but it just seems weird to me!  I LOVE the game, but desperately want it to run smooth as butter, on ANY system.  The GPU should be the bottleneck (for low-spec comps) like most games, not anything else.

And, I'm talking about no mods.... when the fleets starting getting big, it crashes...  I want a smooth epic battle and I want it now!! :grin:

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting slowreflex, reply 3
I still don't entirely buy the 32-bit thing... SC2 runs on 32-bit fine and can easily have hundreds of units running around with no impact at all...  I'm no programmer, but it just seems weird to me!
End of slowreflex's quote

I haven't kept up with SC, but I was under the impression the unit caps didn't really jump with the sequel. I suspect one of the big differences with Sins is the little auxiliary ships like trade ships, constructor frigates and especially strikecraft give Sins and effective unit count way above what uses fleet supply.

That said, for me Rebellion has fixed the main problem caused by a 32bit architecture  that is the 2GB RAM limit. Unmodded I never have to worry about it, as even on huge maps it tends to stabilize around 1.7GB. The big problem is now the CPU, since most CPUs today are multicore yet Sins mostly uses a single core. The CPU generally won't crash your game but it will lag it to being unplayable.

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 4
The big problem is now the CPU, since most CPUs today are multicore yet Sins mostly uses a single core. The CPU generally won't crash your game but it will lag it to being unplayable.
End of GoaFan77's quote

Yes, my game has only crashed once, but towards the end of a multi-player game it lags and becomes unplayable, then others start crashing.

I also wondered if the little ships that are going around a planet when you zoom in on one are counting towards the issue or not.

Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting slowreflex, reply 5
I also wondered if the little ships that are going around a planet when you zoom in on one are counting towards the issue or not.
End of slowreflex's quote

Those are sprites, not 3D models (you'll notice they are actually the unit icons for various ships if you zoom in close enough ;) ) so I doubt they're a big contributor.

Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top

dust, roids, elevators, debris -uncheck for slight boost. 

Yarlen, please say a multi-cpu, 64 bit engine is in development for sins II for 2017.

Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top

I shouldn't have to gimp the graphics just to have a half-chance at enjoying the game.  If the game can't support epic battles at hi-res, then hi-res shouldn't be an option, because this game is MEANT for huge freaking battles.  It's just ridiculous that there has to be all of these work-arounds just to get this game to work.

Originally, I had Distant Stars installed.  I was having the same issue I had in my original post.  So this time around, when I installed it, I just fired up the game mod-free.  Same exact thing happened at the same exact time.  I've tried playing on smaller maps, with the graphic settings turned all the way down, almost all graphics options turned off (which, by the way, makes the game almost unplayable because it looks so goddamn hideous), and I can eek out a few more minutes before it happens again.

If Sins 2 doesn't have 64 bit support, or can work with a hell of a lot more than 2 gigs of RAM, count me out.  It's just ridiculous that gaming companies don't support 64 bit frameworks, seeing as most gamers now are running them.

I'm dead serious about this stuff.  I honestly, truly love this game, and it frustrates me to no end that I can't enjoy it!  That's why I'm so vehement with this stuff.  I WANT to be able to play out a huge map with 5+ AIs and hundreds of ships in a massive, all-in battle!  That's the entire reason I got this game in the first place.  I guess I'm going to have to go elsewhere, 4X space games are becoming popular enough.  Hell, I could always go back to Sword of the Stars I guess.

Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting endersblade, reply 8
I shouldn't have to gimp the graphics just to have a half-chance at enjoying the game.
End of endersblade's quote

Did you try it, and does it work?

It might be possible something like drivers or a hardware compatibility issue is causing the problem, and not the RAM limit.

Quoting endersblade, reply 8
If the game can't support epic battles at hi-res, then hi-res shouldn't be an option, because this game is MEANT for huge freaking battles.
End of endersblade's quote

Some people can run huge games at max settings, its just things modern top of the line PCs have like multicore processors really don't help Sins at all. So what lets you run crisis so well might not translate into performance in Sins.

Reply #10 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 9
Some people can run huge games at max settings, its just things modern top of the line PCs have like multicore processors really don't help Sins at all. So what lets you run crisis so well might not translate into performance in Sins.
End of GoaFan77's quote

 

... I'm able to run this game at max settings on these 'huge' maps you're discussing with full AI player slots taken up without any issue.

 

3.2ghz Quad Core (single core GHz = 3.2) and I have a GeForce 560Ti 1GB card. 1920x1080 resolution.

 

Normal speed settings, run games 14-18 hours without issue.

 

If you bump the speed up faster than normal, in effect your are doubling the calculations per second the game normally has to make which impacts performance.

Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top

I have tried turning all of the graphics settings down, setting the resolution as low as it'll go, setting it to a higher priority, changing it to an unused core, I've even tried using that 'performance' mod, since DS seems to be broken at the moment.  I've tried playing 1v1 on small maps, I've tried playing max maps, max AI, max planets, etc.  They both hit this freezing issue at the same time.

i5 3570K

32 GB RAM

Asrock Z77 Extreme 4 Mobo

GTX 460 SE

Nothing on my system is OC'd.  I didn't have this particular issue before Rebellion.  Guess I'm just going to uninstall this and wait for Sins 2, hopefully they'll get smarter with this one.

Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting endersblade, reply 11
Guess I'm just going to uninstall this and wait for Sins 2, hopefully they'll get smarter with this one.
End of endersblade's quote

 

While I understand the sentiment, there was nothing inherently wrong with how they designed SoaSE back in the year of 2005 as the market share for 64-bit was fairly low.

 

I'm fairly confident that if a Sins2 is developed that it will be 64-bit capable simply because so many games out on the market are starting to go this route (let alone the consoles going this route which will drive PC development as well).

Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top

Hmm fairly odd issue you are having there. I haven't had any issues at all like the ones you are having, game runs amazingly well even with 10 players and huge fleets. (Win8 64 Pro, i7, 16gb, 7970)

 

There may be something in your system configuration that is causing this problem, be it hardware drivers, 3rd party software or possibly even a very minor hardware issue.

 

My old PC for example would run everything without issue, except C&C Tiberium Wars which crashed consistently. For no reason I thought! All other games were running fine, no problems at all no crashes, dumps, wiered graphic anomolies...

Updated drivers etc and still C&C didn't work.

 

Swapped my card for my friends (exactly the same model) and game worked perfectly. As soon as I put mine back in, game crashed but again everything else was fine. Conclusion: minor fault in gfx card. Once it was replaced all was smooth.