Did I break Skyrim?

[pashbe1]

I've played about 104 hours so far with quite a few mods, and very few issues. In the last two weeks the game has become virtually unplayable because of ctd's. At first I did the usual and ranted about Steam auto-updating, Bethesda's DLC (Which I did not buy) screwing me etc.. Then I got scientific and unloaded all mods, but that didn't fix the problem. Then I uninstalled Skyrim and removed all traces of the game and mods. Still not fixed, so it isn't the mods or the DLc. Then I started experimenting in-game. Now I think I broke the game. I'm on the Blades quest (after "cornered rat") were I've gotten Ebert (or whatever his name is) linked up with Esme( or whatever her name is) and I'm supposed to meet them at the dragon wall. Any time I get close to that area of the map the game ctd's.

So....I broke the game by exploring the map early and wiping out some npc villian or picking up some item right?

Wow, what a wordy post just to ask that question?

 

[frozentundra123456]

I've played about 104 hours so far with quite a few mods, and very few issues. In the last two weeks the game has become virtually unplayable because of ctd's. At first I did the usual and ranted about Steam auto-updating, Bethesda's DLC (Which I did not buy) screwing me etc.. Then I got scientific and unloaded all mods, but that didn't fix the problem. Then I uninstalled Skyrim and removed all traces of the game and mods. Still not fixed, so it isn't the mods or the DLc. Then I started experimenting in-game. Now I think I broke the game. I'm on the Blades quest (after "cornered rat") were I've gotten Ebert (or whatever his name is) linked up with Esme( or whatever her name is) and I'm supposed to meet them at the dragon wall. Any time I get close to that area of the map the game ctd's.

So....I broke the game by exploring the map early and wiping out some npc villian or picking up some item right?

Wow, what a wordy post just to ask that question?

Do all other games and apps run without problems? I doubt you broke the game by doing the main quest. My guess would be that some leftover files from a mod could be causing a problem. Without doing a reformat you can't be sure all of the mod files have been removed. Its possible you uncovered some weird bug, but several friends and myself have played through the main quest with no problem.

 

[Rakewell]

Chances are one of your mods wasn't working and screwed up the game, then you saved that broken game, then after removing the mods, you still have the broken save game. That happened to me with FONV once. As soon as I went back to a game that was saved without the mod, and played through from there, the CTD disappeared.

 

[pashbe1]

Wow again, I got all wordy and forgot the main reason for why I think I broke the quest. I started the game the way I always start these games, by wandering aimlessly about. I think I cleared that location, the dragon wall out early on and created a conflict...

All apps and mods have been working fine. And TESV had been fine up until this quest. From what you guys are saying sounds like I need to start over...getting MAD and erasing all files is rarely the answer...sigh, *drops skyrim in the circular file*....

 

[karder]

Could it be that some of the mod data is stored in the save game file? Or do you remove that as well when you uninstalled?

 

[thespyder]

I think it is far more likely that you either have a virus or a corrupted file(s). If you uninstalled the game and reinstalled and still are having an issue. Clearly the problem is in your rig rather than the game. As a fresh install would restore pristine versions of all relevant game files. If you are still using an old save game, look there. If you are starting again fresh with a brand new game and still having issues, then maybe you didn't remove all files like you thought you did. Failing that the problem is probably much more serious and probably with your computer.

 

[pashbe1]

Hey, pretty much confirmed I broke it by playing the game like a big open sandbox. I created a new character, ran the same mods, and I can enter that area of the map just fine.

Its true I didn't reformat the partition Steam lives on, and there could be a virus. Given the lack of other issues game related or otherwise, fairly robust antivirus, and the fact the problem is specific to one local and one character, and one game I have no other reasonable explanation to it being a"scripting" type error. I'm guessing that because I am on that particular quest, entering that particular area, the game is trying to load some component (item, npc) that cannot be rationally loaded because it has already been moved, removed, killed, etc. .

Thanks for the input.

 

[thespyder]

Hey, pretty much confirmed I broke it by playing the game like a big open sandbox. I created a new character, ran the same mods, and I can enter that area of the map just fine.

Its true I didn't reformat the partition Steam lives on, and there could be a virus. Given the lack of other issues game related or otherwise, fairly robust antivirus, and the fact the problem is specific to one local and one character, and one game I have no other reasonable explanation to it being a"scripting" type error. I'm guessing that because I am on that particular quest, entering that particular area, the game is trying to load some component (item, npc) that cannot be rationally loaded because it has already been moved, removed, killed, etc. .

Thanks for the input.

You have a corrupted save file. Pure and simple.

 

[Qbah]

One of my characters got it even worse (a lvl50 Khajiit) - I can play him 5 minutes tops and then the game locks (need to ctrl+alt+del and kill the TESV process). Got a few lvl 45-ish chars, a few other lower, one like lvl55 -something - and no problem in any of them. Just this poor Khajiit

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Try opening up the console and typing the following:

setstage MQ203 280

That will mark the quest as having been completed and advance you to the next quest. You'll miss out on some dialogue about Alduin's Wall, but it should fix the glitch and allow you to move on with the game.

And it's probably not because of any mods you installed. There's some known bugs about progression through that quest getting stuck if you completed the temple before starting the quest. You should install this mod, which patches a ton of glitches in Skyrim (although I'm not sure if this quest is affected or not).

 

[pashbe1]

Hey Guys:

@Spyder: Could be a corrupt save file pretty far down stream. I've tried from several saves (I am a compulsive saver, 300 plus saves in 100 hours of gaming lol).

@Atomic: I'm going to try that if I still have a relevant save. I got sort of hot about the situation and rampaged through my saves, so that character might be dead to me. But I will definitly install that.

The mods seem to work really well and I applaud all the people who have made so much of their time and talent available to the rest of us. I can't imagine playing this game without them.

Thanks for the input again.

 

[thespyder]

the point at which you said this

the problem is specific to one local and one character, and one game

pretty much makes it conclusive that you have a corrupted save game. If you can start a completely different character and not experience the same issue, the problem isn't with the game itself. it is with the save file.

Now, the code may have CAUSED the corrupt safe file. that is likely. And I would follow Atomic's advice on the fix. But you didn't 'Break Skyrim'. You merely encountered an issue that already existed (and apparently has been noted by others). Sux if you have to lose 100 hours plus of game play to find that out, but it happens.

 

[pashbe1]

Thanks Spyder. I don't actually feel like I lost that time, I enjoyed the hell out of those hours. The game is good enough I actually don't mind starting over and trying out a different build type.