Troubleshooting: Total War mod (2023)

This is a troubleshooting guide for mod users on TW: Warhammer 2 and now 3. The generic notes should be valid for all recent TW games.

– Your neighborhood catalog

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WARHAMMER 3 PRELIMINARY HIGHLIGHT (will be updated and merged later)

• Remove all intermediate packaging from the pre-workshop.
• Delete any user scripts you might have tried to use if you were a masochist.
• delete those-dx11replace it that you may have pasted into Steam (Game > Properties > Launch Options in the bottom right corner should be empty).
• Do not launch the game from the system tray or the exe as the mods will not load; Use the play button or steam shortcut or even launch RPFM.
• Go to%appdata%\The Creative Assembly\Launcherand removemoddata.dat🇧🇷 In case the launcher gets stuck.
• Because Steam is Doodoo, the data may be corrupted. Log out and wait for the mod to be removed. If you need to remove it manually, go tosteamapps\workshop\content\1142710\xyz where xyz is the id of the mod in your url. Then download again and wait.
• Check the game cache.

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manage mods

So you signed up for mods at the workshop. Now open CA's current mod manager (named George here) and - damn they don't work or something is wrong.

The first thing to note is that if you have any problems with George, be sure to report it to CA so they know what to look for.

That means you can only use theCommunity-Mod-Manager(commonly known as KMM). Simply put, George has become a heavyweight and responsible for many of his own problems, hated by modders and users alike. Among other things, KMM is more reliable and offers mod profiles.

For WH3 from August: KMM is not updated yet,but PJ created another community mod manager that works perfectly (read the actual link).Best practices still apply, but any issues/advice about copying elements from KMM to data/doesn't apply, why not? Will better update the guide as things evolve.

See Also

Fix: Frosty Mod Manager does not start the game (updated in 2022)

How to load the order

KMM and even George have a feature to manually change how mods load, which is an old habit with many other mod communities, so you'd be tempted to manually change the load order, right?

INCORRECT.

Okay, I'll save some time on that before I get to the really helpful tips, because this is one of the nastier tropes in the community. The truth is that compatibility-conscious modders already handle load order themselves as much as possible. Manually changing the load order may do absolutely nothing, move the problem elsewhere, or break everything.

Some context. There are six main possible categories of folders in a mod pack, and this is how they handle the load order, either via actual pack name or table name:

• database: table name.
• dashes: Package name.
• initial position(the big bad): package name.
• Text: table name.
• NAMELY: Package name.
• variants: Package name.

And that's the case if the modder doesn't redirect the content (eg tells the database to use a different UI icon). KMM can only affect the order of package names, so there are things like submod balancing (db overrides) that are still entirely in the hands of modders, and on purpose.

In other words, there are only two possible cases where you might want to manually change the load order: UI and variants, basically when you want to use a specific new B.pack skin in the middle of a new A skin. larger pack, in which If you push B up.

Finally, you should follow KMM's instructions, give Steam time to download/remove mods, and especially keep your load order alphabetical (e.g. sort by name and save profile), especially after adding new mods.

Which is this by the way:

! # $% & ‘ ( ) + , –; = @ 0-9 a-z [ ] ^ _ ` { } ~

From where "!" wins "a".

Common Troubleshooting

On an efficient mod, at least half of the reported issues are due to user error or something called launcher error. Let's try to reduce this amount for the public good.

Good user practices:

1. Read the description of the mod. Seriously, that alone would stop 80% of the comments on Steam pages. Even if a description seems long, go for it, it's for a reason. Some mods also have FAQs or a list of known issues, incompatibilities, and instructions. Please also read the comments before yours if you need to post one. The question you are about to ask is most likely already answered in the recent descriptions, FAQs, and comments.
2. Do not ignore any necessary elements. The mod can display a popup when subscribing, though that is almost always a sign of disaster. This popup isNoIt shows up when subscribing to a Steam Collection (thank you gifts), so check the mods page.
3. Keep the list of mods in alphanumeric order. We are beyond that. If you have new mods that appeared at the bottom of the list, just click on themfile nameColumn in KMM and save your profile.
4. Solve it yourself! The problem is that we don't have time to help everyone and in most cases the problem is local. We'll get to the best practices, don't worry.
5. When commenting on an issue, please provide context. Okay, you did everything right, but that ugly bug is still there. That is beautiful. The worst thing you can do at this point is comment "mod doesn't work" because that means absolutely nothing. Modders are not telepaths. Steam comments are not the best place for this, so use a discussion or discord server/channel hosted by that modder.
   • Context: when and how it happened. For example. during the turn after X's turn or by clicking this button, either Vortex/ME/Multiplayer, Custom Battle, or Campaign Battle.
   • Mod List: Associate a collection or screenshot with the KMM list. For example, it's important not to be so naive that updating your list doesn't affect other mods. For whatever reason, it sometimes feels like pulling your teeth to see what's left.
   • Screenshot – always helps with clarity and visual context.
   • Save Game – When prompted, find your saved game in (example) C:\Users\%USER%\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Warhammer2\save_games. Please note the mod list as the modder may not be able to load without it.
   • Results of your own troubleshooting: For example, it's nice to know that this only happens with this mod. If you posted about an issue and later discovered the cause, please let us know as well.
6. Don't assume your mod lists work just because they don't fail. An accident is just the most visible symptom, like assuming a miner is okay just because he hasn't dropped dead yet. You can run into all sorts of problems with your 400 mod list, from screwed up models to script breaks. Did I mention that 400 mods are not used? Yeah, probably not.

Of course, this list is not meant to offend anyone's intelligence, but you might be surprised at how much trouble and huge waste of time ignoring these simple rules will cause. Following it is in the user's interest to find a solution sooner and gives the modder more time to improve instead of wasting it on unnecessary troubleshooting.

Common steam problems:

1. Corrupted and poorly done download: This is relatively common and causes "random" crashes with mods thatNootherwise crash. Delete locally and download again until it works. If you use KMM, use the Cancel sub+delete and resubscribe option.
2. Mod not updated: Steam is also unable to get the latest version of a random TW mod. For the slightest problem, always check the last local file and the date modified in the workshop (top right, Last Updated).

Common Launcher/Game Issues:

1. Could not download/delete the mod. This happens quite often and when in doubt you should always check your mod download folder (Example: Z:\Steamsteamapps\workshop\content\594570\??????) to see if this mod was downloaded or deleted successfully. Reopen George/Steam until it does. The final folder ID is the same as the mod's Steam URL, and you can sort the last poke folder by date.
   • More on this when using KMM: Kaedrin's Manager copies these content packs into the game's data/ folder. If mods are updated, you may also need to update/reset KMM.
2. ghost modes. Definitely scary. You disabled this mod, but somehow it still loaded and crashed your game. Or a mod will update and activate automatically. Using KMM seems to be enough to avoid this kind of poltergeist.
3. Random Bugs – Sometimes things just break and you need to check your game cache: Steam Library > right click on the game > Properties > Local Files > Check Yadda Yadda. Or check with game support.
4. Failed to activate mods or wrong load order: Sometimes George just doesn't fire what you want, or you accidentally touched the load order and now it doesn't revert. Use the KMM.
5. Soft Cap – As of the King's Shilling update, this has been fully fixed and the cap is undefined. You can stop fusing things or believe in conspiracies about intentional AC capping mods.

Some KMM-specific issues:

1. It doesn't work: KMM can be installed anywhere BUT on toys. Do not install it on the data or anywhere near it. Damn, put it on the desk.
2. It doesn't work because I'm stealing the game: KMM can smell hacking. Buy the game.
3. KMM freezes on startup: restart it.
4. Game crashes on loading – If you get this or it crashes suddenly for no good reason, just update/launch KMM first. If it persists, it's time to fix the problem. KMM doesn't usually suffer from corrupted downloads, but in theory it still can.
5. Movie Packs: Still Crashing? Even without packages activated? Okay, remember that once movie packs are in the data/ folder, they're always enabled, whether you have them enabled or not. The KMM shows whether a mod is a regular pack file or a movie pack (Type column) and tells you in the bottom right corner how many movie packs you are currently running. To effectively disable a movie pack, use the right click optionLog out (Steam) and delete🇧🇷 This should remove this mod in one go, instead of doing a hodgepodge of things that will likely cause KMM to recopy the package. Movie packs are used primarily for visual effects, but sometimes they come with baggage that you don't want to have with you all the time. Moderators: yousameyou only want harmless visual effects in the movie package, not db and scripts.

APPENDIX: Cut to mods list.

Here, too, there is virtually no soft upper bound for WH2 anymore. So it's up to you to keep your mod list functional, and having more than 100 mods activated increases your risks and maintenance time. Getting the job done depends on how careful you are, and even if a list of mods doesn't cause an instant crash, you can't be sure there aren't less visible problems, like: script breaks.

As a general rule of thumb, don't be cocky with your 250 mod list because it's all fun and games until everything works perfectly (and with those numbers it probably still won't work, you just can't see it). At this point there are many things to review.

If you're new to this (and don't assume it's just because you've played Skyrim, that's different), use someone's mod list, which has been very carefully curated, and make sure with the help of the modders themselves that she It is okay. For example, start with a modder's own collection on Steam, they usually have one.

find the culprit

The general problem with large modlists is this: bad, I had an accident; Worse yet, which of the N mods I have is to blame?

General indicators:

• Plain text, variants and UI mods basically NEVER crash the game for the user. If they do, it's a bad download.
• Briefly sort by date in KMM to find the latest updates if you haven't added any additional modsI couldTo be responsible.
• If you experienced the issue during a campaign, do not remove mods with custom items, units, or buildings, as they will only crash if they are on the campaign map.
• As mentioned above, be careful with movie bundles. If you are inexplicably crashing, even without mods enabled, you may have a movie crash data pack.

Halve and Conquer:

Especially with large lists of mods, enabling half of them is the fastest. If you crash, that's the annoying half. Halve again to tighten the loop.

Please note the mod requirements.

If you want to test a specific mod, uncheck everything and load what you need for that mod to work, in other words mod + any required mods that come with it. And from there, add mods one at a time, or small groups, until you can reproduce the issue.

It's patient work, but the modder will appreciate it and it takes less than hours to panic in a comment section. Let's say a modder won't fix your 150 pack mod list because you say it's his mod that does it, unless he has proof because you haven't tested it with anything other than the requirements.

Remember: a happy modder is a happy user.

APPENDIX: Scripts

Mods are increasingly using scripts. While most scripters are getting smarter every day to maintain compatibility, some require a framework or some mods will simply struggle to work if there are too many mods.

You may encounter symptoms of broken scripts, due to failed downloads, poor compatibility, or just unforeseen issues because sometimes we mess things up. Script errors tend to be quite difficult to fix.

Some examples of broken scripts:

• Starting lords that should be adjusted are not adjusted or do not spawn or do not have the correct army or settlement.
• Khaine's Sword button activates instantly.
• Chaos and all rebel armies can appear instantly.
• The campaign camera in a new campaign starts out small and does not zoom in.
• Cavalry starts at 0.
• One of the worst is that characters don't get any XP at all (this can sometimes happen in full vanilla as well, it requires fixing).

Broken scrap, what to do?

In some cases, it's just a failed download (see Launcher Error 3). Otherwise, it becomes more complicated and requires you to pare down the mod list to find the culprit. If/if you report the issue to modders, please remember to provide as much information as possible, as finding a script break can be ugly and difficult.

Especially useful to help with scripting issues: enablethis debugger, reproduce the bug and send the resulting log, which will be a long .txt file generated inSteam\steamapps\common\Total War WARHAMMER II🇧🇷 Certain script modifications may have additional instructions in their descriptions/FAQs.

Don't keep the script logger there unless you need it, as it will slow down your game noticeably.

One of the most common issues right now is a performance-related crash at the start of a campaign. Basically this means that a lot of scripts are trying to fit into that time frame to do their thing (legendary lords, rotating armies, stuff like that) and it's causing some of them to not work. This is where mod list size relative to any mod with a top-tier script gets serious.

Quick note on the Communiy Modding Framework: An outdated scripting system that currently (Sept 2020) basically only uses Crynsos-Unlocker and most often causes problems when activated and not needed.

Basically turn it off unless you're using CFU.

I repeat, he often breaks things. When in doubt, she shoots in the face.

APPENDIX:UI-Modifikations-Framework

This framework is not technically required for UI modification, but some script mods can use it as a framework. There's no reason not to have it, unless it has broken features after a patch in case one of your mods actually uses it or starts using it.

APPENDIX:mod configuration tool

This other framework is used to provide settings for compatible mods, i.e. to tweak some details to your heart's content. Overall, it's good to stick around as there are a few mods that do or might support it in the future. For example, you can use it to set some scripts to fire in a performance mode to reduce impact at the beginning of the campaign.

APPENDIX: WH3 Skirmish click crash

The most likely cause for this now is that you saved a character (that nifty new feature in WH3 for playing campaign characters in skirmishes) but it came from or was influenced by a mod you've since removed. kabum.

In betweenC:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Warhammer3\saved_characters(or do a Windows search for %appdata% and continue in those folders) and delete them.