Slowed-down fabricators and other slowed-down things

System

This discussion was created from comments split from: [BUG] Fabricator Slow-down; version 38227; Log and video available.

EkUl

Hi harrzack

Sorry for hijacking your topic but it seems i can't write my own topics because of the anti spam system.

Have patience, english isn't my mother language. After more than 900 hours and now with the 4th game save (survival), i found lot of bugs. The most of them i reported with F8, but i never got any feedback. One of this bugs is very annoying, the same bug harrzack reports here. I used the console only for testing, not for cheating. So all my 4 games was played "real" from scratch.

My computer

Motherboard: ASUS Maximus VIII Hero (Skylake)
CPU: i5-6600K
GPU: GTX 970
RAM: 16 GB (G Skill, 3200)
SSD: 1 Samsung 850 Pro (256 GB), 1 Samsung 850 EVO (500 GB)
HDD: 2 WD Raptor (1000 GB, 500 GB), 1 Seagate (2000 GB)

Affected features

This bug affect not only the fabricators, it affect several features. Here the complete list of all slowed down features i found:

• Fabricator
• Medi Kit Fabricator
• Day/Night cycle
• Moon movement
• Growbeds
• Population in Alien Containment

Maybe there are more...

In this situation the game is not really playable.

Tries to solve the problem

• Removed all external power and left only one Solar Panel: no difference
• Used the fabricator in Life Pod 5: no difference
• Built the fabricators on several position inside the main base: no difference
• Removed all secondary bases: no difference
• Used "daynightspeed" with values greater than 1: this works, but the scalar will not increased at correct speed

Observations

It have to do with the Day/Night scalar. I am a programmer too, but no UWE-dev so i don't know is this only a symptom or the cause. If the bug is present in the game-save, then this scalar will not increased constantly, only by some actions:

• Press F1/F3
• Make screenshots
• Walk around and do other things
• Sometimes it helps to only go away a bit
• Open/Close inventory (PDA)

Test if the bug is present

Press F1. Look at the Day/Night scalar, if this is increase constantly then all is fine. If this is not increase constantly or is frozen then the bug is present.

More observations

Several days ago i tested again some things and i found a way to make the Day/Night scalar functionally. But this way is NO workaround for us players, it's only meant as hint for the devs and maybe to fix this annoying bug:

If i set the SN executable CPU affinity to only one core, the scalar will immediately start normal operation. If i set back the affinity to 2 or more (all) cores the scalar stops immediately normal operation. It is 100% reproducable and with all my "defected" game-saves.

With only one core SN is not playable but that is irrelevant, because it's not meant as workaround. ^^

Assumption

It seems there is maybe a problem with multi-threading.

Need to be confirmed

Divers, please post here if you can reproduce it.

0x6A7232

If you adjust the day/night time cycle (for longer days) then anything relying on that timer increases length. So, if you have days and night passing 4x more slowly for longer days and longer nights, then your fabricator will take 4x longer to craft as it uses that same timer (unfortunately). Try adjusting the day/night to normal, crafting, then setting day/night to your custom rate.

EkUl

I know this. ^^ But changing the day/night cycle isn't my intention. It was only one of several observations i had. The focus of my posting is to give much as possible informations for that bug.

EkUl

Now my 4th game have also this bug. There seems really problems with multi threading because the "workaround" i found works also with this game save 100% reproducible.

EkUl

I found another hint. It seems the bug have also to do with the file scene-objects.bin. So there are 2 hints for the devs atm:

• Problems with multi-threading. Setting CPU affinity to only one core then the Day/Night scalar and all dependent features works as designated.
• Have maybe to to with scene-objects.bin. Deleting this file or replacing it with an older version from a backup works also.

Nononsch

I have exactly the same bug since yesterday after nearly 20 hours of game.... I reproduce every hints you gave : 'Day/Night Scalar , processor affinity.. It seems like a corrupted same file, I didnt reproduced this on any new save.. So what's your best advice ? Deleting scene-objects ? What is the data involved ?

EkUl

Hi Nononsch

Nononsch wrote: »

I have exactly the same bug since yesterday after nearly 20 hours of game.... I reproduce every hints you gave : 'Day/Night Scalar , processor affinity..

For my understanding and because we need the information precisely as possible: if you set the affinity to 1 core the scalar starts also normal operation on your computer?

It seems like a corrupted same file, I didnt reproduced this on any new save.. So what's your best advice ? Deleting scene-objects ? What is the data involved ?

I don't made a deep analysis of this file yet, but it seems it have to do with the story progress. Currently i can't advise to delete this file.

And please keep in mind that my posts here in this topic have not the goal to find a workaround, the goal is that the devs fix this damn bug. But if we find a workaround for us players, that will also very welcome. The bug exists since i started with subnautica in summer 2016.

0x6A7232

Might want to make your own topic, as the title of this one has an outdated build # so the devs might ignore it. Just mass quote all relevant information into the new OP

EkUl

Good idea, but the simplest way would be to simply split the topic at the position with my first post here.

0x6A7232

EkUl wrote: »

Good idea, but the simplest way would be to simply split the topic at the position with my first post here.

Paging Dr @Foxy , you have a call on thread 145509, Dr Foxy, 145509, please!

EkUl

Thanks and... done.

Nononsch

EkUl wrote: »

Hi Nononsch


For my understanding and because we need the information precisely as possible: if you set the affinity to 1 core the scalar starts also normal operation on your computer?

Yes exactly .. As soon as I set the affinity to only one core , the Day/night Scalar increment like it should... 2 cores seems pretty fine too.. but 3 cores or more and the bug is here.

EkUl

Okay, thanks for clarifiy this. Well, it seems it's reproducable and not limited to my computer. From a developers point of view this is a good finding and i think we are on a good way.

Nononsch

Apparently someone succeeded in reverse engineering the .bin save file. According to him they are serialized with Google Protobuf. Im pretty sure this bug is caused by a bad loop in the data structure of the save file, i get the bug as soon as I managed to optimize power consumption in my base (building WaterFiltrationMachine, then deconstruct solar panels and reactors to get the correct consumption sequence : Solar -> bio -> nuclear). Another thing i do just before the bug occurs : trashing some items, including some empty StorageLockers, some of them were imbricated into each other.

EkUl

@Foxy

Thanks for splitting.

@Nononsch

It seems your situation is really different to mine and our both situations are different to harrzack's. He wrote the bug began after fixing the radiation leaks. I had no problem after fixing the leaks and i played my current game for more than 100 hours before the bug began. And if i remember correct, my last action was to collect some raw materials. And you had the bug after 20 hours and after working on the base power.

And if you read the posts from other player with this problem they had also different situations compared to ours.

Well, not easy to locate the event/trigger who cause the bug. And the problem is also, that we notice the bug not instantly. It's possible that the bug is already active - maybe for hours - at the moment we notice the symptoms.

EkUl

Sorry, forgot:

Nononsch wrote: »

Apparently someone succeeded in reverse engineering the .bin save file. According to him they are serialized with Google Protobuf.

Sounds interesting, have you more informations about this?

Im pretty sure this bug is caused by a bad loop in the data structure of the save file

Hmm, then you assume that the bug is going active only after loading a game save?

Well, this can maybe another hint because yesterday i made a deeper look at scene-objects.bin and... i found maybe a workaround. I was able to modify this file to bring back the day/night scalar to normal operation. It seems you are a power user, are you interessted to test some with me? Honestly, i am not sure if my way working correct and at the moment i test lot of things to ensure that my workaround produces no other bugs.

Nononsch

EkUl wrote: »

Sounds interesting, have you more informations about this?

Not really I just found a post in Steam support forums about someone dealing with base building problems. He managed to delete a multipurpose room in the save file. I find this post too : http://steamcommunity.com/app/264710/discussions/0/135512625254295702/#c135512625254571376. Contains some useful observations.

EkUl wrote: »

Hmm, then you assume that the bug is going active only after loading a game save?

Im definitly sure the bug comes from the save file loading yeah, with different save file you reproduce the same effect , I experienced same behavior, even without restarting whole game. Im definitly interesting in testing your workaround ^^

EkUl

Nononsch wrote: »

Not really I just found a post in Steam support forums about someone dealing with base building problems. He managed to delete a multipurpose room in the save file. I find this post too : http://steamcommunity.com/app/264710/discussions/0/135512625254295702/#c135512625254571376. Contains some useful observations.

Yeah okay, this is interesting in generally, but not for our specific problem. But thanks.

Im definitly sure the bug comes from the save file loading yeah, with different save file you reproduce the same effect , I experienced same behavior, even without restarting whole game. Im definitly interesting in testing your workaround ^^

Ok, i send you one of my email addresses via PM. I suggest that we talk only here in this topic so the devs and player can see what we are doing and use mail only for file transfer.

Please send me the following files:

gameinfo.json
global-objects.bin
scene-objects.bin
screenshot.jpg

These files are the core files of a game-save. I need it so i can test before i send you the modified scene-objects.bin.

IF my workaround works also on your game-save and after we have done some tests, THEN i will publish here my workaround and the steps i have done.

Edit: since my workaround i played lot of hours, expanding my base, collecting materials, loading/saving several times and made other actions. The day/night cycle still works stable.

Nononsch

Im at work at the moment , I will send you these files ASAP

EkUl

Roger, i am also at work. In the evening (here in germany we have now 16:04) i will modify your game-save and then we can both test with our own games.

Nononsch

Mail sent

EkUl

Got no email from you, only one from forum about your answer in this thread.

Edit: my fault, got it!

EkUl

Should take not long. First of all, the modification works also with your game-save. ^^

EkUl

Okay, now a bit more precisely:

• First i tested if your game-save is working on my computer: yes
• Then i looked at the day/night scalar to ensure the bug is also present on my computer: yes. The scalar was completely frozen.
• Modified your scene-objects.bin and tested if i still can load the game: yes
• Looked at the scalar: it increase constantly at the correct rate.
• Converted the metal-salvage in your inventory to titanium: was produced fast and without problems.
• Grabbed some reginald from your fish tank and some salt to produce cured reginald: was also produced fast and without problems.

I will send you now the file. You should test all to ensure that all is working correct.

Before you test i suggest that you make a full backup of your whole game-save slot0001!

Nononsch

I will test at 12:00 during my lunch hour ^^ Thanks a lot !


EDIT : IT WORKS PERFECTLY !! I just done a quick test (few crafts and checking Scalar values). I will make further testing tonight and give my results here but I think you nailed it !!! Im interested in how you did it ^^

EkUl

That sounds good!

Okay, 2 different computers, 2 different situations and 2 different game-saves and all is reproducible on both computers. Now i really think we are on a good way.

Nononsch wrote: »

EDIT : IT WORKS PERFECTLY !! I just done a quick test (few crafts and checking Scalar values). I will make further testing tonight and give my results here but I think you nailed it !!!

I played now - i think - more than 10 hours with the workaround and still no problems found and the day/night-cycle still works as intended. But i will also make more tests and now with a working day/night-cycle the fun is back, so testing is not really "work" for me. ^^

Im interested in how you did it ^^

I start now with writing my longer post with the steps of my workarounds and the description of the way I went, inclusive trial and error. Then i send you a draft of this post before i publish it here in this topic.

Nononsch

I've played a few hours now, like normal. Made some saves, stuffing my cyclops and the scalar is constant ^^ Well done man !

Edit : odd fact : I cant not sleep anymore ^^ my bed always say that's im not sleepy enough.. even after hours of play

EkUl

Confirmed, i have this problem too. I try to figure it out. But yeah, that can happen if you manipulate data you don't have specs for.

Nononsch

My scalar is messed up again Can you advice me on a quick fix ?

Edit : Just restore previous backup . All fine. Anyway i will need your fixup I think I can reproduce bug for devs.

Edit 2 : This morning the bug occurs again , this time no recent save to restore. I need your fix ^^

EkUl

Okay, i sent you a short description of the fix now. The long description i gave up because of the sleep-bug and because of my work in office.