Failed To Create Vertex Buffer Error

[AfxTwn]

Hi,

I keep receiving this error and I have checked why on the list of errors page and there it seems to suggest it might be because I don't have enough RAM or I am running Windows 32 bit or my GPU isn't good enough or that DirectX isn't installed correctly (basically it could be anything).

Anyway, I was hoping someone might be able to advise me how to solve this error if I provide my system specs:

OS: Windows 7 HP 64 bit
CPU: AMD Phenom 9850 Quad-Core 2.1GHz
RAM: 8GB DDR2
GPU: GeForce GTX 460 1GB
DirectX: Version 11

I know my computer is quite old now but it should easily meet the game's minmum specs and I am running the game on low quality.

Thanks for any help.

[Stexred]

biggest culprit your gpu
it probably will help a lot if you upgrade your gpu to a 570 670 770 or 970 gtx or higher versions with atleast 2gb or more on it

an 1gb gpu is a bit low for memory hungry ts 2015

[AfxTwn]

In what way? Not good enough? I am planning on getting a new PC this year so eventually I won't have to deal with such issues hopefully but for the time being, surely I should be able to play this game on low settings reasonably well?

Sometimes I can play it fine and then others, it just randomly crashes. To be fair, even at low settings, I'm still just about getting double figures frame rate wise (maybe up to 25 FPS) but that's dependent on the secnario (night/day, amount of scenery to load etc).

[Growler]

No it's not your machine (or most unlikely to be). It's a common problem that many players seem to suffer from regularly even with powerful rigs. I have a fast modern processor, a great MSI AMD Radeon R9 200 Series 2GB (GDDR5) GPU card, and 16GB of fast RAM and still regularly suffer from this error problem. There does seem to be a link, in that is far more likely to happen if switching apps while the game is running, however this is done i.e. be it via Windows key or control panel. Other players have noted similar observations.

One piece of advice I've had offered to reduce the problem is to run the game in windowed mode. This doesn't work for me with my graphics card and monitor set-up but might perhaps for yourself.

But fundamentally it seems to be a flaw/weakness of the current version (TS2015) of the game. You could buy a brand new expensive all singing & dancing PC just to have exactly the same problem occur! Hope that reassures you you're by no means alone, and it's not a known specific problem with your hardware. Rather a problem with the game - which for some reason may be more likely to through up the error with some hardware set-ups as opposed to others. But no-one seems to know.

Hopefully others, may chip-in with suggestions for trying to limit this wretched error occuring. All the best.

[AfxTwn]

Thanks very much Growler! I didn't think it was specifically my machine but it was worth checking to reassure myself. It's good to know that the same problem may occur on a newer, better PC also but it's time for me to get a new computer anyway as I have noticed crashes happening with other games and software I use, plus I want something faster and to be able to play games without low settings for once.

I've changed the game to run in windowed mode now, so I'll see if that's any better. You're right as well about the crash happening more often if I am alt/tabbing out of the game to check on emails etc.

Hopefully they'll optimise TS 2016 better and make it a lot more stable.

[Glenn]

I never had this error until about a week ago, now it seems to be never ending. It gives the D3DERR_OutOfVideoMemory message. So I ran the prog TechPowerUp GPU-Z and monitored the video memory until the next time. At the time of the crash, I was using 827 MB out of a 2 GB card - Hardly out of memory! I suspect there is something more sinister going on here.

For the record: AMD FX-6300 @4.2 GHz. 16 GB sys RAM @ 1800. NVidia GTX 660 2 GB

[Keith]

I've only seen this error when playing full screen and then ALT+TABbing to the desktop mid-scenario. If this is the cause for you, I think the only solutions are to play in a window, or don't ALT+TAB.

[Glenn]

I ALWAYS play in a window ! And it always crashes while loading (scenario or the route I'm building)

[Growler]

Yep, it looks like it's just another 'charming' component of the very dodgy current version of the game TS2015. In all honesty IMHO it would be far better reverting back to the TS2014 core game. I can't think of one single advantage (except the recent inclusion of TrackIR support, post TS2015 release) that the new core game offers over its predecessor, except the new version bringing with it a whole bundle of major snags, that are upsetting many players; and seem to be a real pain for the Developer to put right. Certainly not DTG's finest hour, last September's release of TS2015!

[Phase3]

There is some misleading info in these posts. If you look the OP has only 1 GB of Video Ram and depending on his monitor size (What size is that?) - the failed to create vertex buffer is due the fact that there is not enough VRAM left to display the next set of data. This is NOT THE FAULT OF DTG or TS2015 - please read the recommended specs needed. If you have a monitor over say about 19" you will need a video card of at around 2GB or turn down the in game settings to a lower level. OP you do need to upgrade your card or turn down your settings. The cpu compounds the problem in that it is low end and may not produce the graphical data in time to be rendered by the card. Turning down settings could help.

[Phase3]

This is what is needed for vvertex buffers, as I have writtenon many previous occasions:

Simply, Vertex buffers are used to optimise or share processing by both the CPU and the GPU. Vertex Buffers provide us with a mechanism of being able to load vertex buffer data into the CPU (and RAM), while at the same time allowing the GPU to process an earlier batch of vertex data. This gives us a good image at reasonable frame rates.

The problem can arise if the gpu bottlenecks the cpu or vice versa, and then you get the error 'failed to map the vertex buffer . . . '.
It can be caused by quite a few things including too high settings in the game, driver issue, weak cpu and strong gpu and vice versa, corrupt file(s), faulty gpu (maybe), not enough RAM, not enough VRAM and of course other hardware issues. RAM is adequate in the OP's case.

Does it occur with settings in TS2014/15 minimised to the left?
Does it occur in all routes/scenarios?
Does it occur with (Dynamic Lighting/Clouds) TSX off?
Does it occur following a "clean boot"

Ensure that the video card is not interfering with settings in TS2014 eg for nvidia cards make sure that all the graphics settings in the nvidia control panel are set to 'application controlled' or 'Let the 3D application decide"..
Monitor size and resolution - crucial for this error?
Graphics Settings in TS 2014 need to be lowered

[Glenn]

All of the above only makes partial sense - I have been running TS in a window and with the same settings for many months without seeing this error, then suddenly it rears its ugly head and keeps doing it. I have made no changes to settings, the monitor is the same 27 inch it's been for a long time, same with the 2 GB VRAM, same 4.2 GHz CPU and the same 16 GB system RAM etc etc.......... So looks to me more like a TS problem rather than my pooter set-up, 'specially considering we had a few patches just before it all started!

[Growler]

I'm confused/perplexed as well. It's only a problem that seems to have reared its ugly head under the TS2015 incarnation of the game. And personally it's happening to me more and more frequently, over the last few weeks virtually every play session of the game. My PC specs are considerably above the recommended for the game. I do not have graphics settings on maximum (far from it) and have the Dynamic Lighting off. It occurs on all routes. It occurs following a clean boot.

I think it a tad unfair to blame everyone's hardware for a regular problem that many players with decent spec PCs are suffering. All I do know is if that if I run TS2014 (which I still have in addition to TS2015) I do not have this error problem/crashing of my PC full stop. Exactly the same hardware! Something appears to have changed in the core game since September, that for whatever reason is causing a regular upset.

And please note the OP did state he was running the game on low quality settings. People have therefore been basing their advice on this information, whilst also taking into account the spec of AfxTwn's machine. On that basis his machine should be able to cope with the game, even whilst not having higher-end specs.

[AfxTwn]

Just to clear up what my monitor size is, it's 24" and I am running at 1920 x 1080. As I said and Growler has mentioned, I am already running the game on low settings, I have tried the lowest settings previously and have still experienced this problem while also having the game look horrible, so I stepped up slightly to just low (I believe it goes Lowest, Low, Medium, High and Ultra).

Anyway, as has also been previously mentioned, the error seems to happen more often when I Alt+Tab out of the game to check on my emails etc. I am now running the game in Windowed mode (1600 x 992 I think) and have so far had no problems although to be fair, I haven't needed to Alt+Tab out so that's probably helped.

I am also willing to accept that my PC isn't great to play this game but should still meet the minimum specs to run the game (which I checked before getting the game and there was no mention of monitor size, just basic PC specs).

I watch some of Squirrel's videos on YT of him playing the game and he has a far better machine than me and even he has experienced frame rate issues with the game (although he hasn't mentioned if he's had the Vertex error), so I think there is a little bit of optimisation issues going on too.

Anyway, by the time TS 2016 is released I should have my new PC and with that game using the Unreal Engine, hopefully I and many others should have a much better experience when playing the game.

[Keith]

By the number of mentions of "inches" above, I'm tempted to point out its the actual resolution you're running your monitor at, not its physical size (or its native resolution that might be unreliably inferred) that has any bearing on this....

[Mark44]

Reading most comments in this thread it sounds like that Train Simulator was never designed for home computers. I believe that computers were in fact NEVER designed for video games. I have the same issue and basically it is about time we all learn that computers were originally designed for office work. These video games will always have problems -hence saying that you need a machine that has a lot more power and memory to run things better, this has to be a total lie. As it seems, no computer is good enough to run games like Train Simulator, be it that they are powerful or not!