Problem Orbiter keeps crashing!?

[STS911]

I bought a new laptop last year with the following specs:

• Windows 11.
• 12th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-12900H, 2500 Mhz, 14 Core(s), 20 Logical Processor(s).
• NVIDIA RTX A1000 Laptop GPU.

I've been trying to get Orbiter to run without success for many months. On the main 'Orbiter' app, it just loads and then immediately exits to Windows? On the 'Orbiter_ng' application, it loads the menu, but whenever I click on the 'Graphics engines', 'D3D9Client' tab it instantly crashes and becomes unresponsive?

I've already looked at most of the forum discussions here and have tried the following without success:

• Accessed 'Graphic settings' and added both the 'Orbiter' & 'Orbiter_ng' apps as well as changed the 'Graphics preferences' on them from; 'Let Windows decide', 'Power saving' to 'High performance'.
• Downloaded and installed 'DirectX Redist (June 2010)' from https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=8109
• I also downloaded 'D3D9 for Orbiter 2016 R4.26' from https://www.orbiter-forum.com/resources/d3d9-for-orbiter-2016.5493/

I have also attached the log below as well. Any help would be most appreciated!?

**** Orbiter.log
000000.000: Build Aug 28 2016 [v.160828]
000000.000: Timer precision: 1e-007 sec
000000.000: Found 0 joystick(s)
000000.000: Devices enumerated: 6
000000.000: Devices accepted: 5
000000.000: [ ] RGB Emulation (SW)
000000.000: [x] Direct3D HAL (HW)
000000.000: [ ] Direct3D T&L HAL (HW)
000000.000: [x] Direct3D HAL (Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics) (HW)
000000.000: [ ] Direct3D T&L HAL (Intel(R) Iris(R) Xe Graphics) (HW)
000000.000: Module AtlantisConfig.dll .... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module AtmConfig.dll ......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module DGConfigurator.dll .... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module DX9ExtMFD.dll ......... [Build 211009, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Framerate.dll ......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000:
000000.000: **** Creating simulation session
000000.000: DirectDraw interface OK
000000.000: Direct3D interface OK
000000.000: Graphics: Viewport: Fullscreen 1024 x 768 x 32
000000.000: Graphics: Hardware T&L capability: No
000000.000: Graphics: Z-buffer depth: 32 bit
000000.000: Graphics: Stencil buffer depth: 8 bit
000000.000: Graphics: Active lights supported: -1
000000.000: Loading 15382 records from star database
000000.000: Module Sun.dll ............... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(E) Sun: Precision 1e-006, Terms 554/6634
000000.000: Module Mercury.dll ........... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Mercury: Precision 1e-005, Terms 167/7123
000000.000: Module Venus.dll ............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module VenusAtm2006.dll ...... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Venus: Precision 1e-005, Terms 79/1710
000000.000: Module Earth.dll ............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module EarthAtmJ71G.dll ...... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Earth: Precision 1e-008, Terms 2564/2564
000000.000: Module Moon.dll .............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
ELP82: Precision 1e-005, Terms 116/829
000000.000: Module Mars.dll .............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module MarsAtm2006.dll ....... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Mars: Precision 1e-005, Terms 405/6400
000000.000: Module Phobos.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Deimos.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Galsat.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Jupiter.dll ........... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Jupiter: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1624/3625
000000.000: Module Io.dll ................ [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Europa.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Ganymede.dll .......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Callisto.dll .......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Satsat.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Saturn.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Saturn: Precision 1e-006, Terms 2904/6365
000000.000: Module Mimas.dll ............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Mimas: Terms 113
000000.000: Module Enceladus.dll ......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Enceladus: Terms 33
000000.000: Module Tethys.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Tethys: Terms 101
000000.000: Module Dione.dll ............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Dione: Terms 59
000000.000: Module Rhea.dll .............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Rhea: Terms 68
000000.000: Module Titan.dll ............. [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Titan: Terms 100
000000.000: Module Iapetus.dll ........... [Build 160828, API 160828]
SATSAT Iapetus: Terms 605
000000.000: Module Uranus.dll ............ [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Uranus: Precision 1e-006, Terms 1827/5269
000000.000: Module Miranda.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Ariel.dll ............. [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Umbriel.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Titania.dll ........... [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Oberon.dll ............ [Build ******, API 060425]
000000.000: Module Neptune.dll ........... [Build 160828, API 160828]
VSOP87(B) Neptune: Precision 1e-006, Terms 391/2024
000000.000: Finished initialising world
000000.000: Module Atlantis_SRB.dll ...... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Atlantis_Tank.dll ..... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: Module Atlantis.dll .......... [Build 160828, API 160828]
000000.000: ---------------------------------------------------------------
000000.000: >>> WARNING: Obsolete API function used: VESSEL::CreateVariableDragElement
000000.000: At least one active module is accessing an obsolete interface function.
000000.000: Addons which rely on obsolete functions may not be compatible with
000000.000: future versions of Orbiter.
000000.000: ---------------------------------------------------------------
000000.000: Finished initialising status
000000.000: Finished initialising camera
000000.000: Finished setting up render state
000000.000: Finished initialising panels

 

[carlosriera]

Look in the start menu in the Video window must be in "Full Screen". "D9D3 Client" must also be activated in Modules.

 

[STS911]

Unsuccessful I'm afraid. The 'orbiter' application menu has a Video window that is already set to fullscreen, but no D9D3 Client option in Modules.

The 'orbiter_ng' application menu on the other hand has no Video tab, and whenever I click 'D393Client' in 'Modules\Graphics engines', it instantly crashes (see screenshot).

 

[jarmonik]

There's been problems running the Orbiter on Laptops having Iris Xe graphics chip. Latest OpenOrbiter should work better. Extract it (x86 package) on a top of Orbiter 2016 or make a new installation. OO package doesn't contain surface textures. https://github.com/orbitersim/orbiter/releases/tag/latest

 

[STS911]

There's been problems running the Orbiter on Laptops having Iris Xe graphics chip. Latest OpenOrbiter should work better. Extract it (x86 package) on a top of Orbiter 2016 or make a new installation. OO package doesn't contain surface textures. https://github.com/orbitersim/orbiter/releases/tag/latest

Success I think?

I downloaded the Orbiter-x86.zip, extracted the files and then copied them on Orbiter 2016.

I tried using 'orbiter.exe', but the game crashed after trying to load a scenario.

In the 'orbiter_ng.exe" menu, the 'Graphics engine' was set to the default option of 'Console mode'. When activated, it only went to the 'Orbiter Server Console'. I could hear the sounds, but that was it?

I then changed the 'Graphics engine' to 'D3D7Client', which kept crashing.

I then changed it to 'D3D9Client'. A popup message came up saying 'DirectX9 Device Failed. Try to EnableDX12Wrapper from D3D9Client.cfg.' So, I went into the D3D9Client.cfg file and changed the digit on 'EnableDX12Wrapper' from 0 to 1, saved it, and Orbiter now appears to work.

Thank you!

 

[jarmonik]

Thanks for the report. That went very much as I expected. You could get much better performance using DXVK (DirectX on Vulkan) driver. You can find it here https://github.com/doitsujin/dxvk/releases/tag/v2.3
Find (x86) binaries, Four (*.dll) files and copy them into /Modules/Server/ inside your orbiter installation. (If a problem arise then delete the files you added)

Sorry about this. I am trying to diagnose the problem and find the best configuration for users to run Orbiter. Could you check the performance (framerate) before and after installation of those dll.

EDIT: It might be worth checking that you have the latest Vulkan drivers installed.

 

[STS911]

To date, it is running but sense it is a bit unstable as it has crashed a few times. Also, when I tried to change 'Full Screen Mode' settings, it strangely transformed the menu font/folders as well as made the cockpit in the XR2 Ravenstar more or less microscopic! Eventually, I found a way to enlarge the cockpit, but the date/time info on the top-right of the screen's still very small?

Happy to provide the info. Before the addition of the dlls, the framerate was averaging around 140, although it was very difficult to read the font. I downloaded dxvk-2.3.tar.gz and copied the x32 dlls into the /Modules/Server folder and reloaded. The framerate was averaging 99. I then copied over the x64 dlls and the framerate was around 145.

In relation to the latest 'Vulkan' driver, I was only able to download the beta version through https://developer.nvidia.com/vulkan-driver
I also updated the current drivers for NVIDIA RTX A1000 Laptop GPU. The framerate in Orbiter_ng is still 145, using the x64 dlls.

In all cases however, the font was still very small and I could barely read it. Any help on this front would be great!

 

[jarmonik]

Thanks for the report. If there is a crash then the Orbiter Log (right after the crash) would be needed. There is x64 build of the Orbiter but it's not in a working condition due to some faulty modules, it does crash from time to time. Looks like the DXVK is causing a performance drop in your case,so, might be good idea to remove it. I get about 25% boost from it. Does the client let you choose the graphics adapter (i.e. RTX A1000 and Iris Xe) ? The Orbiter is configured for 1920x1080 resolution, so, a text can be small if running at 4k. I'll try to add some UI scaling options but it may take a while since there's a lot of work going on.

 

[STS911]

Really sorry for the late reply! In the menu, it doesn't let you choose the graphics adapter. It more or less is working, but crashing occasionally.

The main thing is that it is playable! Thank you for all of your help!