[2023] Dev Updates/DLC repeatedly killing Campaigns?

Buying a DLC will never render a save unplayable. However with a new DLC release is always a major game patch, which might have that effect.

Generally the patch notes say whether a patch is save game compatible with previous versions or not. If not, the recommendation is to revert to the previous patch to complete the campaign, which is done in the Steam Betas tab for the game.  

Bouwulf said: Moreover, what is the logic of not making a patch save game compatible?

Sometimes it is unavoidable, the extent of changes between patches can make it impossible to maintain compatibility.

Bouwulf said: Am I supposed to abandon campaigns every time the devs arbitrarily decide to patch further?

Patches are not arbitrary but considered. Many users would complain bitterly if there were no patches!

And, as I said, when the patch makes it incompatible you can always revert to the previous version that worked. The only time that won't work is if there was a bug in the previous version that triggered the crash; the crash cause is probably fixed in the new patch but a new campaign would be necessary. That doesn't happen very often.

Bouwulf said:

Bouwulf said: I have tried your solution of running the game via Steam Betas, in this case returning it to 1.6.1.2. Still, the game crashes every time I try to load up this campaign, and even beyond this, any time I attempt to load up the game at all.

I have tried going even further back, only to have the game crash my computer and force a manual shutdown.

Going back to an older patch from before this campaign was last played can never help. The idea is to revert to the same version you were using before the patch came out, which will work just as well then as it did before. Did you last play this problem campaign under 1.6.1.2 ? Because the current patch when you posted this thread was 1.8.1 .

And when you revert game versions, you should at least delete the Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/cache, shadercache and terraincache folders, so the older patch can write them as it wants to.  

Bouwulf said: Yes I have tried multiple times at 1.6.1.2, which is definitely the game version at the point at which I last saved/played this campaign.

Are you sure? That patch was only the latest from 2022-06-29 to 2022-09-08, 6 months before you started this thread.

Bouwulf said: Maybe it is the cache, shadercache & terraincache issue then? Where can I find them in the game files?

Under Documents/Paradox Interactive/CK3/