[Corrupted Save] Game crashes when loading areas

Machiavello

Hello guys!

I'm having trouble loading some areas. I'm playing the original Shadows of Amn and Throne of Baal, with patch BGII-ThroneofBhaal_Patch_26498_ENGLISH installed. No EE.

I'm running on an old computer, Windows XP SP2. P4 1.9 GHz, 768 Mb RAM, 32 Mb Trident video accelerator.
The crash occurs when trying to enter the Copper Coronet. It also happened with Waukeen Promenade, and some other areas, but I reinstalled and now I can enter them just fine, only the Copper Coronet crashes. It started after I did the slavers quest. I also have another character and she can go to the CC, so I guess it is a problem with my character, not the installation.
I noticed the thugs who challenge you the first time you enter aren't there, but I'm not sure if they were there at the beginning and I declined their challenge and they left, or they were never there. Also, ToB or the last patch should've added Joluv, and he isn't there either.

I could attach a saved game, if anyone's willing to tell me how.
Thanx!

Gate70

Hi
Area information is stored in saves, so if your save has a corrupted copy of the Copper Coronet that could cause a crash. Removing the corrupt area from the save would reset that area to it's initial setting and that could conflict with game variables, e.g. if you've started or completed quests in that area.

I can think of two possible causes (adding/removing mods mid game, or a disk error when saving the game) but there could be other reasons.

Long & short of it, you may either have to skip that area or abandon that game and start again (or revert to an earlier save without the issue if you have one). I doubt it is something that can be easily fixed.

Machiavello

You're right, it must have been a disk error, I sort of recall the computer warning me of a disk error not long ago. I just did a backup of the last saved game and I'm going to try to fix it. The worst that could happen is that it doesn't work, and even if I mess the file, I still have a copy.
So, is there a program to do it? I've opened the .sav file on notepad and I located the AR0406 text, which is the CC area. Do you by a chance know where exactly does the information for that area begin and end? I'm going to remove the text from AR0406 till the next ARxxxx. I'll keep you informed if it worked, I still might need help with the variables, although the only quest I've started there is the slavers.

Gate70

I would say your best option is to use nearinfinity https://github.com/Argent77/NearInfinity/releases

Once you've pointed to your game library you can open your save
Game > Open File > Open External File/browse

Navigate to your save folder and open the associated baldur.sav, then open in new window. You can then decompress and edit/delete areas. Please note NI overwrites saves so best to start with a copy as you may end up making things worse.

Once you're done, compress and overwrite.

Good luck

Machiavello

Thanx! NearInfinity did the trick.

The first time I tried to enter after I fixed it, it crashed again because Nalia attacked a guard. But I reloaded and entered the other door and everything was fine. Mostly!

There were some issues with some characters, the slavers were still there, as if I had never started the quest, but all guards were hostile. Lethinan and the beastmaster were alive, Hendak was still imprisioned, and even after I freed him, he remained in his cell. And the loot I left in one chest was gone. But at least I can recruit and do the quests of the characters inside. I was also interested in keeping Bernard, as I think he sells the cheapest items after the discount offered. Am I right?