Suddenly crashing on startup out of nowhere

[Iridescent Pixels]

I recently got back into Sacred 2 and it's been running perfectly for ages - literally played it 3 days ago. Now all of a sudden, it crashes on startup every time I try and run it. Sometimes it just stays a black screen, other times the Sacred cursor shows up before going to black. I've tried every single compatibility fix and nothing has worked so far.
Any ideas?

[HiFive]

I'm sorry there's so much to wade through here, but this is what's in my files on this topic:

See the August comments for 2020 on this thread:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/2282708683261377807/?ctp=2

-------------------------------------------------

This is from an April 2021 thread:

Originally posted by Reaper_430:

I was able to get the game to run with cut-scenes just fine after using the following

Download game – in library right click Sacred 2 Gold, Manage, Browse Local Files – then click the system folder, then right click on Sacred2.exe and click properties.

Note – the below is copied from a user named Waltc on the GOG general discussion board in 2019.

1) Select the "Compatibility" tab
2) Put a check in the Run the program in compatibility mode for "Windows Vista (Service Pack 1)"
3) Put a Check in the "reduced color mode" box and select "16-bit color"
4) Put a check in the "Disable fullscreen optimizations" box (this one may be optional)
5) Left-click the "Change high DPI settings" and select "Override high DPI scaling behavior" and select "Application" from the drop down menu
6) Left-Click "OK," which closes the DPI settings box
7) Back to the main properties tab for "Launch Sacred 2 Gold Properties" box
8) Left click "Apply"
9) Left-click "OK"
10) Run the game from Steam or the desktop icon.

----------------------------------------------------------------

The following is from a January 2021 thread:

Originally posted by greatsmilesd:

I tried all of the suggestions above was still getting a black screen after the initial load of the game which would never change. I had to reboot each time. The I found this on another site which lets me run the game. Now the only issue is that the overlays at the bottom of the screen (left, middle and right) occasionally disappear. using Esc to bring up the options menu seems to dispaly them again, but if someone has a fix for this let me know.

Ok, guys, I finally found the solution that actually worked on another forum (World of Players, thx to Khaosmind there, who suggested it).

Copy
- d3d9.dll
- d3d9on12.dll
From
"C:\Windows\SysWOW64"
To
"...\Sacred 2 Gold\system"

After that you can start Sacred 2 via the exe without compability mode or launch options.

-----------------------------------------------

10/17/2020
What worked for someone on this thread:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/2951503378101778388/?ctp=2

Originally posted by miraspedct:
OK, decide to try a different approach to Compatability mode, going 640x800 and disabling some fullscreen option and it appears to work, with some stutter on the intro scene dialogue, but the game play seems fine.

----------------------------------------------

Older threads:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/3247565033772693802/

https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/3247565033773324355/

https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/135508662495900236/

https://steamcommunity.com/app/225640/discussions/0/1836811737987794446/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/e34y4r/til_beethoven_was_such_a_massive_star_that/


One person's comment:

go to your steam folder. start the game there. the .exe rightclick run as admin. have fun ;)


Another person's comment:

Originally posted by Gui:
Make yourself a favor and download the Community Patch, it works like a charm on my Win10
http://darkmatters.org/forums/index.php?/files/file/91-community-patch/

You need to register to the forum first


Added to this comment by someone else:

Idk if you took this advice but this games is seriously one of the best ARPG out there IF and i mean IF you download the community patch.

Seriously, do yourself the biggest favor and DL it. Restores cut content, More items and mounts, Fixes bugs and game breaking, quest breaking bugs. It does it all.

And if youre feeling EXTRA extra then you can download the Diablo II conversion mod which is insane. I thought it would interfere with the lore and make things "Too odd" but it really didn't it just made it feel like "wolds collided". I suggest beating the game once, then download the Diablo II mod and play through it again with that on.

Im telling you, this game has an insane amount of content.

Another person's (named Snaily) solution:

You can add to that thread. Here's what worked for me.
1) Exit Steam Completely
2) Go to Sacred 2 folder in steamapps
3) Go to Redist in the Sacred 2 Folder
4) Download PhysX in the folder provided and/or Legacy PhysX
5) Download "VC" In the folder will be vcredist, download that
6) Download Direct X in the folder but if it fails to download, don't worry mine did too and it still worked
7) ALSO run Sacred 2 in Compatibility mode with XP on Service Pack 3

Another step is to.
8) Disable windows 10 overlays (pop-ups when games start over top of the game) which usually are enabled by default, disable all program overlays other than steam.

9) create a short cut for sacred2.exe to desktop and in the shortcut settings, go to target and add a space then add -skipopenal -nocpubinding

Originally posted by JJ:

Spent hours trying to get this game to launch. Would consistently get the startup error message about nvldumd.dll after the pre-load screen.

Finally able to launch, I scoured quite a bit and hadn't seen this fix as an option. Go into your Nvidia Control Panel and then to Program Settings. Find the Sacred2.exe (Game Client) settings and I set the OpenGL renderer to my GTX 1060 as well as forced vsync OFF instead of Auto-decide I think. Along with the command parameters, the legacy PhysX drivers, compatibilty mode settings (these are are found all over the place on other links, if you found this you probably found them already) I'm finally able to launch into the Main Menu. Hope this helps someone at least

Originally posted by Star-X:

Mildly interesting note: the game runs near perfectly with Steam Proton on Linux, and only needs a single wine trick applied to work (namely physx, of course). No compatibility mode mucking required, no need for finding legacy physx libraries, and no mucking with command parameters.

Only two issues I've seen thus far are that the Elite texture pack causes artifacts (might just be my video card, but it's the only time I've seen artifacts on my PC, so probably a bug), and enabling Physx in the menu drives the camera crazy. Other than that, perfect!

[Iridescent Pixels]

Thank you so much for all this - super helpful! The last option worked for me :D

[HiFive]

Originally posted by Pixie Poison:

Thank you so much for all this - super helpful! The last option worked for me :D

Good to hear.

[Wrynn.CZ]

This helped me when game crashed on start:
Copy
- d3d9.dll
- d3d9on12.dll
From
"C:\Windows\SysWOW64"
To
"...\Sacred 2 Gold\system"

Thanks dude. ;-)

[HiFive]

Originally posted by Wrynn.CZ:

This helped me when game crashed on start:
Copy
- d3d9.dll
- d3d9on12.dll
From
"C:\Windows\SysWOW64"
To
"...\Sacred 2 Gold\system"

Thanks dude. ;-)

I'm glad to hear that this thread is still relevant for people.