sudden computer shutdown (kernel power manager)

[Crimes of Typing]

Is anyone else having an issue with their system suddenly shutting down while playing Thea 2? I have no issues on my machine otherwise. The game doesn't crash to the desktop, but goes immediately to "windows is shutting down." My log reads: "The kernel power manager has initiated a shutdown transition. Shutdown Reason: Kernel API"

Any thoughts would be appreciated (as I love the game and cannot stop playing!).

[Bimdur]

Only time I got this error was on my old computer and then it was due to my PSU was failing.

[A'vee]

At what point does the shutdown happen? Is it during loading or while playing? What are your quality settings and how big is the CPU/GPU load?

My best guess would be that the game is causing the CPU/GPU to work at high speeds, which requires more power from the PSU. If the PSU for some reason fails to deliver this power, the system decides to perform a shutdown.
Have you tried running any other graphics-intensive games?

If you have not done so already, try enabling vsync or setting a frame limit, disabling SSAO could also help as it should decrease the load on your components. But testing another PSU would still be a good idea.

[Tmajor]

I'm having this issue on my PC(less than a year old). Everythings fine when I play on my laptop.
It happens during gameplay. Sometimes it's during fights and sometimes it happens when ending
your turn for example. It may take as little as 1 minute of gameplay to crash my computer.

My PC completely freezes and after a few seconds I get a fast error screen from Windows and then the computer shuts down. GPU temperature and load stay really low and CPU temperature never went above 67.

I have tried the following solutions:

Enabled vsync, Disabled SSAO, Windowed mode, Fullscreen mode

None of the above made a difference in the end.

[Crimes of Typing]

Originally posted by A'vee:

At what point does the shutdown happen? Is it during loading or while playing? What are your quality settings and how big is the CPU/GPU load?

My best guess would be that the game is causing the CPU/GPU to work at high speeds, which requires more power from the PSU. If the PSU for some reason fails to deliver this power, the system decides to perform a shutdown.
Have you tried running any other graphics-intensive games?

If you have not done so already, try enabling vsync or setting a frame limit, disabling SSAO could also help as it should decrease the load on your components. But testing another PSU would still be a good idea.

Kernel API is happening while I'm playing-- usually right after an extended event dialogue. I'm still trying out various settings, but its persistent. Haven't been able to try out a new PSU yet.

[Crimes of Typing]

I should mention too that I'm able to play other games without trouble: Civ VI with maximum graphics settings, Gloomhaven, etc. No trouble.
Setting a limit to frame rate hasn't helped either... it just shutdown again after playing for 3 or 4 minutes...

[Lorska]

This issue crops up time and time again and I think there has been no fix found yet. It seems to be a unity engine issue that makes you take up way more resources than needed which then causes a crash.

For some reason this only effects high end machines. Apparently unity just uses whatever resources it can get and as A'vee said overloads your PC.

You could try some sneaky stuff like reducing your overall resolution (not just the game's) reducing the game's priority or even actively reducing your available resources like disabling SLI, your core usage or RAM usage...
Again I'm not aware of any real solution to this, the only incidences where this got somehow solved was playing on a lower end machine or tweaking setting that make the game/PC use less. But too anecdotal to give a universal solution...

[Bimdur]

Lorska are correct about Unity engine and resource hogging affecting high end computers. Seen same thing in other games with the unity engine.

But in the end it's a PSU problem and a game engine problem. It's affecting high end systems since they are often configurated with to low power in relation to rest of the system and/or are a component that many try to save some many on and buy a cheap one.