[1.1.53] Unexplained Freeze / Lock Up when close to maximum tick value

[wackyeric]

The game just seems to lock up and freeze for no apparent reason on one particular map/save. It first happened inn 1.1.50. I had to open task manager and end task to close it out. When I loaded the game back up, it updated to 1.1.53, but still froze at the exact same point in the map/save.

I tried loading the save file into another fresh instance of the game on the same PC, and it freezes at the exact same point.
I tried loading the save file into a fresh instance of the game on a different PC, and it freezes at the exact same point.
I tried disabling all mods and running the save file, and it still freezes. (I'm guessing at the same point, but can't tell because of mods used not enabled).

What's even more odd, is that while the game appears locked up and frozen, with the only thing seemingly able to fix it is to 'end task' in task manager, task manager is reporting that the game is still running, varying between using between 14% and 16% of the CPU. It will continue to do this for hours even until the task is killed because it will still appear frozen.

I tried using the method to provided by rseding91 in a different post to fix corrupted map files, but it didn't change anything. It still freezes.

I'm at a loss. Is there anything that can be done? Or is all the hours and work just gone?

One additional note, I haven't had any apparent problems with any other save file freezing / locking up.

[Loewchen]

Can you still open/close the map after it froze?
How old is that game playtime wise roughly?

[wackyeric]

While frozen, nothing responds. It won't let you do anything. It won't let you click on anything. No keys work. I've had the rocket GUI open at the time of freeze on several attempts to diagnose issue, and it won't even let you close it. Map view won't open/close

The only thing that can be done is ending task in task manager.

I can open the map/save file after ending task and restarting the game, but it just freezes again.
I've tried opening the save, and then creating a new save file, but the only thing the new save file does it give less time before the instant it freezes.
Even continuing an autosave created a minute or two before it freezes, only results in a freeze at the same instant in time.

That particular game has probably over 1000 hours running time (I started it around the middle of November 2021). I've let it run while I've been doing other things.

[Genhis]

Hello! Unfortunatelly, you hit the limits of Factorio. The save file has impressive 19884 hours of play time.

Here is a fixed version, hopefully nothing got broken: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Bzb3Ah ... sp=sharing

[wackyeric]

Thank you, Genhis!

Out of curiousity, what limits of Factorio was hit?

I'd like to try and avoid this unfortunate event in the future.

Also, everything seems to look OK, except for the map view. For some reason there are a few areas that are covered by radars but are dark (fog of war), but the entire rest of the visible/discovered map is able to be seen even without radars covering the areas.

Is there any way to fix this?
If not, at least I can live with it, and maybe as I work to re-arrange things for better organization and such, and make other changes, it will resolve itself.

Thank you again!

[Genhis]

You were close to the maximum tick value (4,294,967,296 or 2^32) which overflowed and turned into an infinite loop in transport belt merging logic. This occurs very rarely as players usually start a new game long before reaching the maximum value but it may happen to servers which run 24/7. Unless you happen to play for another 19884 hours, it shouldn't happen again.

To fix the radar issue, enter this to the console:

Code: Select all

/c game.player.force.rechart()

[wackyeric]

Ahhh... so max tick value. Makes sense.

So, I noticed when I loaded the fixed save, it looked like a couple commands were issued.

wackye (command): game.print(game.tick)
4294967218
wackye (command): game.print(game.tick)
1865

I'm assuming this was a change in the tick value that resulted in it thinking it was basically starting from scratch in tick values?

How would I cause this to happen myself?
I ask for 2 reasons...
1) In case it does happen again in this save file (hopefully not).
2) I have a couple of other saves whose tick values are probably getting pretty high themselves. (I have been known to run 3 instances at once (crazy I know!))

Thank you again!

[Genhis]

Yeah, I let the game run at speed 20, so it would overflow.

If you have other save files which are close to max tick value, some community members recommended to do the following:

1. Open editor (/editor)
2. Pick a deconstruction planner and add all types of transport belts to its whitelist (undergrounds and spitters too, just to be safe).
3. Deconstruct your base
4. Still in editor, let the game tick value overflow (there is a button to unpause the game).
   You can increase the game speed to make this process quicker.

   Code: Select all

   /c game.speed = 20

   You can check your current tick using

   Code: Select all

   /c game.print(game.tick)

5. When done, reduce speed back to 1

   Code: Select all

   /c game.speed = 1

   and press Ctrl+Z (or whatever key you use as undo) to undo the transport belt deconstruction.
6. Close editor (/editor)
7. Game should continue normally.

[wackyeric]

Ooof!

This process makes me nervous about breaking things and losing materials/products.

But I'm assuming if this process is how you were able to fix it for me, and only the radar coverage ended up being a problem (but easily resolved), then it's a scary but viable option.

Thank you again so much. I greatly appreciate it.

[azesmbog]

1. Open editor (/editor)
2. Pick a deconstruction planner and add all types of transport belts to its whitelist (undergrounds and spitters too, just to be safe).
3. Deconstruct your base

Are there less destructive ways to do this than to remove ALL! *transport and underground belts?
My base is so huge that I'm afraid this process will take days/weeks/months
And recovery, no less .
Now my deconstruction mark are already gone, and the "hour X" is hours away (

[Loewchen]

Are there less destructive ways to do this

You can import the existing map into a new game to reset the tick, see 72288.

[xeode]

Hi there,

I too recently got my long running save through the game tick rollover, using the instructions above, and also worried that it would take ages to reconstruct the belts/splitters/undergrounds. I hadn't spotted the fact that you're doing this in the editor and can just hit the undo key to instantly (well, as fast as your computer can work instantly anyway) replace the objects after the tick rollover has happened.

It took my computer a good minute of chugging, and getting the selection rectangle to cover all corners of base while it was on the verge of crashing was also a challenge, but it wasn't very time consuming, certainly not on the scale of weeks etc.

I wonder how many other covid megabase builders will be running into this unhandled error around this time lol. Wasn't all that hard to work around in the end but a bit frustrating something so foreseeable and unavoidable can't have a message box pop up to tell you what's going on. Would certainly be a lot easier to code a message box and graceful close when tick limit reached than fix the belt logic I would imagine. But maybe we irrationally long sandbox factory builders like the thrill of problem solving too lol.

[azesmbog]

It took my computer a good minute of chugging, and getting the selection rectangle to cover all corners of base while it was on the verge of crashing was also a challenge, but it wasn't very time consuming, certainly not on the scale of weeks etc.

)
Gentlemen are not to be taken at their word?)
It's not very difficult for me to provide the current base (just a few hours of uploading it to google disk)

You can import the existing map into a new game to reset the tick, see 72288.

tried this method.
After some time import crashed (I can provide a log)
Re-run from another version - it is even worse, not even loaded map, did not reach the import (it is possible that the map is still loaded, only 20 minutes have passed)

[xeode]

Hi there,

No not disputing what you say just presuming you might have made the same mistake because it was more likely than you've got a base so big it would take weeks to drag a box around it lol.

[azesmbog]

How can I explain it in a simpler way on my fingers?
The entire map in this game is 2000000 x 2000000 cells.
How do you expect to select an area with the mouse
1000000 x 2000000 cells? It's not realistic at all.

[FuryoftheStars]

How can I explain it in a simpler way on my fingers?
The entire map in this game is 2000000 x 2000000 cells.
How do you expect to select an area with the mouse
1000000 x 2000000 cells? It's not realistic at all.

What's the actual size of your base? Because 1 million x 2 million tiles, assuming everything is explored in between, would require 1.8 terabytes of ram for just the tile IDs alone.

When in /editor, time is paused by default. You can potentially select your base and use the deconstructor one section at a time (and you don't need to unpause and wait for bots... it will instantly deconstruct by default).

Similarly, CTRL+Z (undo) will reconstruct instantly without requiring you to have then in storage.

[azesmbog]

I'm telling you - even if you do it in parts, without stopping - well, maybe it will take a month.
Of course, I don't have everything open.
But 8 million chunks - does that mean anything to you? And they are not evenly squared open, but all around the perimeter of the world. And how do you expect to isolate them? 2 million cells long and 200-300 wide at a time?
The map is still loading at the second attempt, and it's not even imported yet. Has it been three hours or more? Waiting for the crash.

[Rseding91]

It took my computer a good minute of chugging, and getting the selection rectangle to cover all corners of base while it was on the verge of crashing was also a challenge, but it wasn't very time consuming, certainly not on the scale of weeks etc.

)
Gentlemen are not to be taken at their word?)
It's not very difficult for me to provide the current base (just a few hours of uploading it to google disk)

You can import the existing map into a new game to reset the tick, see 72288.

tried this method.
After some time import crashed (I can provide a log)
Re-run from another version - it is even worse, not even loaded map, did not reach the import (it is possible that the map is still loaded, only 20 minutes have passed)

Can you provide the save and the log? I can try to do it myself.

Although if it does work I recommend you enable auto pause and only run the game while you’re playing rather than leave it running at all time. Otherwise you will just run into it again.

[FuryoftheStars]

I'm telling you - even if you do it in parts, without stopping - well, maybe it will take a month.
Of course, I don't have everything open.
But 8 million chunks - does that mean anything to you? And they are not evenly squared open, but all around the perimeter of the world. And how do you expect to isolate them? 2 million cells long and 200-300 wide at a time?
The map is still loading at the second attempt, and it's not even imported yet. Has it been three hours or more? Waiting for the crash.

Ok. Why do you have to write your posts like you're angry and being snarky? Maybe it's not your intention, but that's how it's coming across to me.

The devs did not design their game to be run indefinitely. We're trying to come up with different ways to help you in your case. Sorry to have bothered.

[azesmbog]

I apologize if my words seemed too sarcastic.