Game gets too long to load

[ksio89]

Hi guys, my first post here, and unfortunately that will be a request for help. I recently reinstalled GTR 2 (Steam version), but when I launch the game, it gets stuck in a black screen for a long, long time, like a good 90 seconds, before loading the main menu. At first, I thought the game froze in the black screen, but then I waited and the main menu showed up. During the period stuck in the black screen, I cannot Alt+Tab at all or close the game.

I have already reinstalled the game, verified files integrity, installed 1.1 patch, applied noCD patch, applied 4GB patch and even messed with Config.ini, but no success. I asked for help on GTR 2 Steam discussions but got not reply, I really don't know what else to try solve this absurdly long loading issue.

I set up a log file (with -tracer=1000 launch parameter), and I noticed several lines in it with this error: "setup.cpp 1194: Could not find .HDC". The remaining lines are normal, just describing normal game C++ source code being loaded, so that's why I haven't upload the log file.

I also installed Race 07 and the same issue is happening, and most likely other SimBin games will exhibit the same problem as well. This issue has never happened before, I just want to start the game, but I have to wait like a minute and a half, it's very annoying. Thanks in advance.

 

[Jempy]

It's mostly happening when there are many mods and tracks installed .... and the other reason ... GTR2 is natively using only 2 cores. ( Not sure for Race07 even though I think it's the same )

Using a process manager tool is a way to make it work on 4 cores ( or more if you have more ).
It will load quicker ... but it'll remain slow compared to newer sims. ( NB in my case my HD is a SSHD and except the 1st launch ... the next relaunch is much quicker ... but 1st one is really slow.

I also suppose you're starting GTR2 with admin rights and even launch the gtr2config.ini with those admin rights too ?

 

[ksio89]

This was a fresh install of the game, and not even when I had tons of mods installed the game took this long to load. And yes, both GTR2 and GTR2_config executables have admin rights. I'll install the game in my other machine to check if the issue repeats. Thanks for the help anyway.

 

[Jempy]

I just tried my Steam GTR2 install .... and only +-20 seconds to load it.
( Original version with just 1 car mod and of course the 10thAnniversary Patch but a Process Manager adapting the affinity to 4 cores )

 

[GTR233]

yep, the more you have mods/tracks the more it will be long to start.

the must read tutorial with only 3 pages of essential information to make GTR2 run on modern OS :
https://www.racedepartment.com/threads/reinstalling-gtr2-best-approach.163691/

 

[ksio89]

I also face a very long loading time after clicking to leave the track, which takes 5 seconds max, even when the game is installed in a mechanical drive. Most likely it's the same amount of time I wait on launch, which also wasn't happening last time I played GTR2. I'm narrowing the issue down to when the game loads the main menu, for some reason it's taking way longer than necessary.

 

[GTR233]

Important advice for STEAM version : DO NOT USE DEFAULT STEAM LOCATION : because steam will check files integrity and will restore stock files, so you will get issues with mods !

Delete GTR2 folder in "My Documents" and in "\steamapps"
Do a clean GTR2 install with steam
Save the FULL GTR2 folder (without any modification) as an archive (7z/zip/rar/...)
Extract your clean GTR2 game in c:\GTR2
install 10th Anniversary Patch
Set Windows XP compatibility + Administrator rights for ALL EXE files inside c:\GTR2
Install Process Lasso to enable at least 2 cores for GTR2.EXE
run gtr2config.exe : set maximum resolution in 32bits (bottom of the list), set dx9, and do not change other settings because you will tune AntiAliasing/AnisotropicFilter thanks to your graphic driver (nvidia/amd).
If you've got a laptop with both integrated+dedicated graphic card then you must select the dedicated graphic card for GTR2.EXE.
if you use a nvidia preset then choose DIABLO II profile.
Now run GTR2.EXE and check if it is better or not : if it is ok then install new mods one by one (install one then check in game, install another one and check,...) because some old mods which are no more updated can totally break your game and you will be forced to restart a clean install.

 

[Bjarne Hansen]

If you've got a laptop with both integrated+dedicated graphic card then you must select the dedicated graphic card for GTR2.EXE.

And for Gtr2Config.exe, This is real important or Gtr2 will not start on a laptop with dual GPU's.
If you got steam Gtr2. Copy the entire folder to another location like D:\Games\Gtr2.
Use the original Steam folder as you un-modded 'clean' install
Otherwise use Gtr233 instructions above.

 

[Joooohan]

Me too have problem with the same long loading times as ksio89. At startup, 90 seconds of black screen wait, when leaving events, same 90 seconds wait.

I tried the stuf in this thread but no luck. Computer is: r5 3600 rx5700.

Works fine on my other computer, win 7 bootcamp 2007 mbp.

 

[ksio89]

Me too have problem with the same long loading times as ksio89. At startup, 90 seconds of black screen wait, when leaving events, same 90 seconds wait.

I tried the stuf in this thread but no luck. Computer is: r5 3600 rx5700.

Works fine on my other computer, win 7 bootcamp 2007 mbp.

Thanks for replying here, as it makes evident that this issue is not an isolated case, as it's happening on desktop machines as well. I've already set my laptop dedicated GPU to run both the configuration and game executables, like I do for all games, and even if it ran on integrated GPU, the menu is not supposed to take that long to show.

I seriously don't have the slightest idea of what might be causing this issue, specially after a frest install. Even if there were mods installed, it still doesn't justify the menu taking too long to load.

 

[Joooohan]

Thanks for replying here, as it makes evident that this issue is not an isolated case, as it's happening on desktop machines as well. I've already set my laptop dedicated GPU to run both the configuration and game executables, like I do for all games, and even if it ran on integrated GPU, the menu is not supposed to take that long to show.

I seriously don't have the slightest idea of what might be causing this issue, specially after a frest install. Even if there were mods installed, it still doesn't justify the menu taking too long to load.

Yep not totally isolated but probable some fluke stuf. What machine do you have?

Some more details: The 90 seconds wait can also be triggered by changing any force feedback setting while being at an event (both when a wheel is connected and not). While in the main menu it is okay to change the ffb settings.

Also, my install of gtr2 is a steam vanilla one, no add ons.

Side note, as my new computer can handle gtr2 by some margin, i tried amd's virtual super resolution feature to make gtr2 think that my 1920*1200 monitor has 3840*2400 pixels. And it works and looks very nice.

 

[Jempy]

What I noticed ( but only with a rather heavily modded install and not with a pure original Steam version ) and GTR2 is not the only one acting like that .....
the 1st launch needs +- 80 to 90 seconds .... closing and restarting +- 20 seconds
( I just changed PC and no difference between I5 4670k - GTX 1060 6GB - RAM 8 GB and now I7 9700k - RTX 2070 Super Trio - RAM 16 GB .... nothing changed )

( Another example is ... RF2: loading a track for the 1st time may last a rather long time .... finishing the event, leaving and restarting another event ... the same track with the same cars and same conditions will load very quickly. )

Is it due to the fact I have a SSHD and not a pure HDD ? ... maybe !? but not sure.
Maybe just the fact this GTR2 game is old and cannot take profit of the new systems ? .... this has surely its importance in this fact of long loading time.

Process managers and 4GB Patch are surely helping when GTR2 is started ... but does it help for loading ? that's another question.

 

[ksio89]

Yep not totally isolated but probable some fluke stuf. What machine do you have?

Some more details: The 90 seconds wait can also be triggered by changing any force feedback setting while being at an event (both when a wheel is connected and not). While in the main menu it is okay to change the ffb settings.

Also, my install of gtr2 is a steam vanilla one, no add ons.

Side note, as my new computer can handle gtr2 by some margin, i tried amd's virtual super resolution feature to make gtr2 think that my 1920*1200 monitor has 3840*2400 pixels. And it works and looks very nice.

Laptop specs: Intel core i7-4500U@2.7GHz, AMD Radeon 8870M GDDR5, 8GB DDR3L@1600MHz, 750GB HDD, 240GB SSD. Not exactly a powerhouse, but more than enough to run a 2006 DX9 game on high settings. However, specs are not the cause of this issue, since even users with high-end desktop rigs are experiencing the same problem.

 

[Durge Driven]

There is 3 solutions I see

1. As mentioned make more GTR2 folders to spread out the load of mods and tracks

Problem here is you end up having to update many folders with the same mods, edits
over and over

2. Use a Generic mod enabler ( JSGME, OVGME )
It is very simple to pack any content into a mod you then activate
This way you can enable which mod you wish to use in session

With OVGME you can use a single mods folder to service as many installs as you wish
Then you are only doing updates once and activating them as you use various installs

3. Use PnG Track Linker
This will store all tracks you wish in a single folder or more and archived anywhere
So a single copy of tracks can be used across all installs
Again you only update one copy of each track
Only activate the tracks you want in session would have to be less then 15 ( GTR2 )

Using both tools you can do anything like 1 set of HQ tracks being used
by 6 folders and each having different updates/"mods" applied
You know which start lights you have at what track in what install
How could you ever remember otherwise

In short open GME and PnG, select what you want and any of your folders will boot like fresh installs every time guaranteed

Oh and auto backup \ restore

 

[ksio89]

Don't like necroposting, but it's worth saying that I've reinstalled the game and the issue didn't happen this time, go figure out why. Most likely the issue has been fixed for Race 07 as well.

 

[Durge Driven]

Well I gave you best advice possible

In short open GME and PnG, select what you want and any of your folders will boot like fresh installs every time guaranteed

 

[ksio89]

Well I gave you best advice possible

And it didn't help me because it happened even after a fresh install of GTR2, without any mods installed, same thing with Race 07. The cause of this problem is still unknown, and so is the fix.

 

[Durge Driven]

Oh okay, can't think what else you have visual C++ 2010 and DirectX installed ?

 

[chrisracer]

I only started having this problem with GTR2/GTL when I updated to Win10. Don't know if it is related. Never had this on my old machine with Win7.

 

[ksio89]

Oh okay, can't think what else you have visual C++ 2010 and DirectX installed ?

Yes, all Visual C++ redistributables from 2005 to 2017, both x86 and x64, and also DirectX 9.0c. Supposedly this issues seems to be random and only happens under Windows 10, as I don't recall ever experiencing it back when I used 7 or 8/8.1.