Fixing start-up Crash

[Beans]

I was having problems with the game crashing at launch just like a lot of others. I realized the game was trying to launch in 4k and the settings were just all a mess. I fixed it by going to

C:\Users\(user name)\Saved Games\Arkane Studios\dishonored2

And deleting the config file.

You could try editing as well but I noticed that my launch options said 1080p and it was still launching in 4k until I deleted the file. I dunno, hopefully this helps someone.

[RadRick01]

I'll check that out. Mine crashes at the start or in the settings screen. Never got to the game play yet.

>>>>UPDATE: Fixed! I did not delete the whole file but I edited the dishonored2Config.cfg and changed:

From:
r_renderQualityPresets "6"
r_windowHeight "1080"
r_windowWidth "1920"

To:
r_renderQualityPresets "3"
r_windowHeight "600"
r_windowWidth "800"

Then I was able to enter in and make the settings changes. After that I played for a couple hours without any trouble.

I went back into the config after and the settings now say:
r_renderQualityPresets "3"
r_windowHeight "1080"
r_windowWidth "1920"

So the res settings went back up with my settings, and I think I left the quality settings in the game settings menu at a medium setting.

I think If you have an older vidio card like me you need to set r_renderQualityPresets to "3" or the video will crash the game because it is to much for the older cards. I don't know if the game was starting in the 4k res but I think I would have just got a black screen if it was doing that, but I really don't know. This seems to have taken care if it ether way....

I have a EVGA Nvidia GT 740 sc w/4gb ram. I am waiting a little longer for the GTX 1050 ti. I have to budget you know! :-(

[basket case]

I know this was a long time ago, but I just now bought the game and it won't launch. I went and found the config file, but it just doesn't have the r_renderQualityPresets and whatnot, that you said was the problem. Any other idea on how to get this crap to launch? Else I'm just gonna have to refund

[RadRick01]

I could not help you now other than what I already put before because I now have an Nvidia GTX1070 and play most games at ultra high res. If you copy to the clip board the exactly name of the line I put and do a edit-search for (r_renderQualityPresets), It was in the config file last time I did it.

[basket case]

I just uninstalled and re-downloaded it for the third time, and all of a sudden it just worked flawlessly... I mean... Idek anymore at this point lmao

[Chimera]

It's 2022 and I'm still facing the same problem, can't get past the loading screen.

[Yello]

Sorry for Necroing this post, however a possible solution: https://steamcommunity.com/app/205100/discussions/0/3104564981117813232/

I was troubleshooting today, why it launched on some PC's and some not. Basically it's a security mitigation windows enables by default (Mandatory ASLR), really easy to override for a specific program. The link above should describe how to do it.

Hope this helps someone. :)

[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.]

Originally posted by Beans:

I was having problems with the game crashing at launch just like a lot of others. I realized the game was trying to launch in 4k and the settings were just all a mess. I fixed it by going to

C:\Users\(user name)\Saved Games\Arkane Studios\dishonored2

And deleting the config file.

You could try editing as well but I noticed that my launch options said 1080p and it was still launching in 4k until I deleted the file. I dunno, hopefully this helps someone.

it would help, if I would find that config file

[S.T.A.L.K.E.R.]

Originally posted by RadRick01:

I'll check that out. Mine crashes at the start or in the settings screen. Never got to the game play yet.

>>>>UPDATE: Fixed! I did not delete the whole file but I edited the dishonored2Config.cfg and changed:

From:
r_renderQualityPresets "6"
r_windowHeight "1080"
r_windowWidth "1920"

To:
r_renderQualityPresets "3"
r_windowHeight "600"
r_windowWidth "800"

Then I was able to enter in and make the settings changes. After that I played for a couple hours without any trouble.

I went back into the config after and the settings now say:
r_renderQualityPresets "3"
r_windowHeight "1080"
r_windowWidth "1920"

So the res settings went back up with my settings, and I think I left the quality settings in the game settings menu at a medium setting.

I think If you have an older vidio card like me you need to set r_renderQualityPresets to "3" or the video will crash the game because it is to much for the older cards. I don't know if the game was starting in the 4k res but I think I would have just got a black screen if it was doing that, but I really don't know. This seems to have taken care if it ether way....

I have a EVGA Nvidia GT 740 sc w/4gb ram. I am waiting a little longer for the GTX 1050 ti. I have to budget you know! :-(

WTF where is that config file?!

[cheshirm]

on win 11, my dishonored2Config.cfg is in
C:\Users\(user name)\Saved Games\Arkane Studios\dishonored2\base

[Arda]

bro i don't have a config file under the base folder either, there is a folder named savegame and it has a .vdf file named steam_autocloud.vdf inside it. Game instantly crashes when i press the play button. I don't want to install any .dll files or any other thing from github or other places(as most of the people on steam discussions suggesting), is there any other safe solution to run this game without crashing?

[cheshirm]

if you have an amd cpu, many forum posts about amd issues,

check windows event viewer and also windows reliability history.
might be a game crash event or system related errors.
an error msg would help.

maybe go to the steam game folder and run dishonored2.exe from there.
sometimes an error msg appears like missing library or your AV pops up a msg.