Ren'Py Please help: Problem with a Renpy Game - It won't start, no trace file.

[Capt OA]

Hello all,

I wanted to ask for some guidance. I have a game that I've been playing without issues. I even played it for a while, but then it stopped working. I can see it in the Program Manager for a bit but then it dissapears. There is only the log.txt containing this:

Thu Jul  4 12:47:45 2024
Windows-10-10.0.19041
Ren'Py 7.5.2.22081402
 

Bootstrap to the start of init.init took 0.63s
Early init took 0.01s
Loader init took 0.36s
Loading error handling took 0.66s
Loading script took 6.83s

I tried with both the full and the compiled version. I even transferred it to a USB drive to run it in another laptop, same result.
I can run any other Renpy games, except this one.
I was wondering if there is a way to enable more logging options, to be written to the log file to sort this problem out.
I find it very odd that this problem is only with this game (CultureShock-Chapter3v0.1), and it started happening out of nowhere.
If anyone has any ideas, please share them.

Thanks in advance.

 

[peterppp]

could be your antivirus has been updated and now prevents this game from running

 

[Penfold Mole]

Have you tried to extract the game zip into a new folder (i.e. make a new copy of the game) and run it from there?

You could also try to start the game while holding the SHIFT key and switch the renderer manually to try either of the alternatives. In case the settings window opens at all, that is.

 

[Capt OA]

Have you tried to extract the game zip into a new folder (i.e. make a new copy of the game) and run it from there?

You could also try to start the game while holding the SHIFT key and switch the renderer manually to try either of the alternatives. In case the settings window opens at all, that is.

That's why I downloaded the full (uncompressed) game and extractet both to my HDD and then to the USB drive.
What do you mean with "start the game while holding the SHIFT key" ?
I pressed Shift key then double click on the game, but same result, the "wait" windows cursor, then nothing. No windows. Just the log.txt file updated.
Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[Penfold Mole]

That's why I downloaded the full (uncompressed) game and extractet both to my HDD and then to the USB drive.
What do you mean with "start the game while holding the SHIFT key" ?
I pressed Shift key then double click on the game, but same result, the "wait" windows cursor, then nothing. No windows. Just the log.txt file updated.
Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

Holding SHIFT while starting the game is for resolving graphics card/driver issues, to switch renderers without actually starting the game itself.
In case it still doesn't work, then it could be what peterppp guessed about it. Likely your AV prevents the game from running.
In case you're using Windows Defender (you have no other AV's installed), it won't give you any info about it, either. You could maybe find something in your Event Viewer after you've tried to start the game unsuccessfully again. Start the Event Viewer and look at the
-Windows Logs/Application
-Windows Logs/System
-Applications and Services/Microsoft/Windows/Windows Defender/Operational

Although generally not recommended, you could try to add the game folder to your AV exceptions.

 

[Capt OA]

could be your antivirus has been updated and now prevents this game from running

It was working before. I also checked the history and there is nothing there related to the game's exec file. Thanks.

 

[Capt OA]

This guy had the same problem and shared his solution, you can find it in this post.
I still don't know the actual cause but removing the "persistent" file from all locations (inside the games/saves and the TheBigOne folder under AppData/Roaming) corrected the problem, now it runs.