Frequent drop to desktop during multiplayer matches

:arrow_forward: GAME INFORMATION

  • GAME BUILD #: 101.101.50700.0
  • GAME PLATFORM: Microsoft Store
  • OPERATING SYSTEM: Windows 10

:arrow_forward: ISSUE EXPERIENCED

About 15-20 minutes after starting a multiplayer game, the game exits without any error, returning to desktop very quickly – there’s maybe 1-2 seconds between a normal, responsive game, and the desktop.

:arrow_forward: FREQUENCY OF ISSUE

  • 50% of the time / matches I play (FREQUENTLY)

NOTABLE: has happened to myself and my wife on 2 different computers

:arrow_forward: REPRODUCTION STEPS

Here’s the steps to reproduce the issue:

  1. Play a multiplayer game (private lobby, all participants on LAN)
  2. Wonder why you’re suddenly looking at your desktop
  3. There is no step 3

:arrow_forward: EXPECTED RESULT

I would keep playing the game, hopefully

:arrow_forward: IMAGE

Nothing to show, the game looks totally normal, then it’s gone. I do have a log file that might be interesting but I’m not allowed to upload it.

ETA: I’d like to do a debug network log but the instructions in the pinned post seem to only be for Steam users. Am I wrong about that?

Let’s see if I can paste the log file below.


Initializing Time System
Initializing Command Line
Constant Logging is OFF
Verbose Logging is OFF
Startup is being logged
Age of Empires II DE start at 2021-07-27T20:59:59.625Z
Build version: 101.101.50700.0
Build config: Final XBL D3D11, built on WE-BuildBox-02, at 2021-07-09T18:00:54
DirectX Setup is being logged
Initializing Performance Profiler
Gathering System Information
Processor architecture: x64 (AMD or Intel) type 86/x64
Processor level 6, revision 24067
Number of processors = 4
Single core processor #0, efficiency class 0, 1 groups
 Processor group 0, affinity 0x1
 L1 data cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x1, group=0
 L1 instruction cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x1, group=0
 L2 unified cache: line size=64 bytes, size=262144 bytes, affinity=0x1, group=0
 L3 unified cache: line size=64 bytes, size=6291456 bytes, affinity=0xf, group=0
Single core processor #1, efficiency class 0, 1 groups
 Processor group 0, affinity 0x2
 L1 data cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x2, group=0
 L1 instruction cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x2, group=0
 L2 unified cache: line size=64 bytes, size=262144 bytes, affinity=0x2, group=0
Single core processor #2, efficiency class 0, 1 groups
 Processor group 0, affinity 0x4
 L1 data cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x4, group=0
 L1 instruction cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x4, group=0
 L2 unified cache: line size=64 bytes, size=262144 bytes, affinity=0x4, group=0
Single core processor #3, efficiency class 0, 1 groups
 Processor group 0, affinity 0x8
 L1 data cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x8, group=0
 L1 instruction cache: line size=64 bytes, size=32768 bytes, affinity=0x8, group=0
 L2 unified cache: line size=64 bytes, size=262144 bytes, affinity=0x8, group=0
NUMA Node #0
Group max: 1, active groups: 1
 Group #0, 4/4 active processors, affinity mask:0xf
Total physical memory is 8.000 GB
Maximum system memory: 7.955 GB currently available:3.557 GB
Page file size: 11.955 GB currently available:4.633 GB
Maximum virtual memory: 16383.999 GB currently available:16383.999 GB extended currently available:0.000 GB
Primary display resolution is 1920x1080, desktop size is 1942x1102
Graphics Adapter Name: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060
Adapter LUID: 00000000:2dfc76cf
Vendor: 4318 device ID:7944 subsys ID:2257326147 rev:161
Dedicated VRAM: 5980.00 MB
Dedicated system RAM:   0.00 MB
Shared RAM: 4073.05 MB
System has no battery
Battery saver is OFF
Benchmark quad write: 0.856067 milliseconds ==  21026.40 MB/s
Benchmark fast write: 0.854567 milliseconds ==  21063.31 MB/s
Benchmark slow write: 0.844900 milliseconds ==  21304.30 MB/s
CPU rating: 23063.3, GPU rating: 5980.0
Checking graphics driver version
Found graphics driver info:
Driver for:NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 by: NVIDIA
Internal driver version: 30.0.14.7141
User driver version: 471.41
Driver date: 7-12-2021
Initializing Telemetry Manager
Initializing Time System
Setting Up Systems
Initializing Registry Options
Setting Program Defaults
Setting up main window
Initializing Reflect
Register Classes
Initializing Speech Synthesis
Initializing Achievement Manager
Initializing UI Widget Manager
Initializing Campaign File Type
Initializing SP Savegame File Type
Initializing MP Savegame File Type
Initializing Random Map File Type
Initializing Random Map Group Manager
Initializing Scenario File Type
Initializing Wwise Manager
Initializing Civilization
Initializing Error Handler
Initializing File System
Initializing DLC Manager
Initializing XBL System
Initializing Tool Manager
Initializing Mod Manager
Initializing Loggg System
Initializing Time System
Initializing UI System
Initializing Additional Options
Initializing Localization Manager
Initializing Font Manager
Initializing Terrain
Initializing Game Version Manager
Initializing FPS Control
Initializing Difficulty
Initializing Game Mode
Initializing Player Profile Manager
Initializing Update Manager
Initializing Panel System
Initializing Screen Stack
Initializing Sync Logger
Initializing Random Manager
Initializing Network speed Data
Initializing ErrorReportingManager
Active Launch Options: none
Initializing Game
Setting up graphics
Setting up mouse
Setting up screen
Setting up chat
Setting up comm handler
Setting version info: app = 50700 data = 0 mod = 0 version = 56950784
Setup mod manager
Setup post mod manager
Installing modded languages
Opening resource packages
Setting up palettes
Setting up shapes
Setting up save map area
Setting up sound system
Setting up screen resolution
Available resolutions:1920x1080, 1680x1050, 1600x1200, 1600x1024, 1600x900, 1366x768, 1360x768, 1280x1024, 1280x960, 1280x800, 1280x768, 1280x720, 1152x864, 1024x768
Recommended settings:
 resolution: 1920 x 1080
 downscale percentage = 100
 high-resolution assets = YES
 antialiasing = YES
 fog = YES, animatedFogBorder = YES
 edge-blur = YES
 bloom = YES
 vsync = NO
File System Ready
Launching intro video AOEIIDE_TITLEVIDEO
Setting up video system
Opening video
Setting up interface messages
Loading player profile
Creating new default profile due to 




Setting up hotkeys
Total Initialization Time: 30153 ms
Running Game
Total Texture Load Time: 0 ms
Loading player profile
Creating new default profile due to 




Setting up hotkeys
Enabling mod #0 ([LOTW] Main Menu)
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:37.433 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:38.507 (UTC) Achivement not modified

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:38.904 (UTC) Achivement not modified

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:39.053 (UTC) Achivement not modified

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:39.129 (UTC) Achivement not modified

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:39.138 (UTC) Achivement not modified

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:00:39.152 (UTC) Achivement not modified

Loading player profile
Setting up hotkeys
Closing video
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:01:56.711 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:02:07.472 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

Setting up video system
Opening video
Closing video
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:06:15.707 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:06:25.290 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:06:58.528 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

Sync is being logged
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:11:20.557 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

Sync is being logged
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:27:18.651 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:27:28.248 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

Flushing pending telemetry events
Terminating Game normally
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:48.029 (UTC) Unknown presenceID entered

Terminating UI Widget Manager
Terminating Network speed Data
Terminating Random Manager
Terminating Sync Logger
Terminating Screen Stack
Terminating Panel System
Terminating Update Manager
Terminating Player Profile Manager
Terminating Game Mode
Terminating Difficulty
Terminating FPS Control
Terminating Game Version Manager
Terminating Terrain
Terminating Font Manager
Terminating Localization Manager
Terminating Additional Options
Terminating UI System
Terminating Time System
Terminating Loggg System
Terminating Mod Manager
Terminating Tool Manager
Terminating XBL System
Terminating DLC Manager
Terminating File System
Terminating Error Handler
Terminating Scenario File Type
Terminating Random Map Group Manager
Terminating Random Map File Type
Terminating MP Savegame File Type
Terminating SP Savegame File Type
Terminating Campaign File Type
Terminating Civilization
Terminating Wwise Manager
Terminating Speech Synthesis
Terminating Achievement Manager
Terminating Command Line
Terminating Reflect
Terminating Registry Options
[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.717 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.738 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.759 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.779 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.800 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.821 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.843 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.863 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.884 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.905 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.927 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.949 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.970 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:53.991 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.012 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.033 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.054 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.076 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.097 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.118 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.139 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.160 (UTC) Session::SendQueuedMessagesToRelay local peer is missing, not sending

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.170 (UTC) WorldwideItemService failed to load offline profile info because signedInventory profileID is invalid or defaultProfileInfo is invalid

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:54.170 (UTC) WorldwideAccountService failed to load offline profile info after logging out

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:58.673 (UTC) NetworkManagerInternal waited 5002 ms for async jobs to complete without success

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:58.679 (UTC) CallContext::SetComplete - ExtendedError -9 for LogoutAsync. Exception ID .

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:58.679 (UTC) LogoutAsync - response was failure: -9 We are not connected

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:58.679 (UTC) WorldwideItemService failed to load offline profile info because signedInventory profileID is invalid or defaultProfileInfo is invalid

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:29:58.679 (UTC) WorldwideAccountService failed to load offline profile info after logging out

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:30:03.677 (UTC) NetworkManagerInternal waited 5004 ms for async jobs to complete without success

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:30:03.701 (UTC) SockClose: socket 0/980 failed to set linger (on,0); errno=10042 errstr='WSAENOPROTOOPT: The option is unknown or unsupported for the specified provider or socket (see SO_GROUP_PRIORITY limitations).'

[rlink - error] 2021/07/27 21:30:03.720 (UTC) user clean up called

Exiting with code 0

Got another one just now. Maybe this time I can attach the log file?
crash log 2021.08.08-14.35.39.txt (33.7 KB)

Do you have a MDMP file of that incident? (should be in the same folder as the other log file)

Is MDMP the file extension? In the directory My_User/Games/Age of Empires 2 DE/logs, I have a bunch of files similar to the one I attached above ({date}.txt), then folders with similar names (closest is 2021.08.08-1435.47) which only contain one file, Main.txt.

As I said in the OP, I haven’t changed any options to e.g. generate debug dumps because the only ones I can find involve opting into a Steam beta, and I’m playing the Game Pass version.

Yes, MDMP is the file extension. The file name should be something like this: AoE2DESteam-50700-2021.07.08-15.18.28.mdmp

Actually, it should always create such a file when it’s crashing. (at least on my computer)

Im facing the same problem since the last patch but there doesn’t seem to be a one and only solution for that problem. But maybe I can help you. Worth a try. :slight_smile:

OK, thanks, that’s correct that it did not make a dump-file. I wouldn’t be surprised if the crash reporting process either didn’t kick in, or somehow also crashed. The return to desktop was so abrupt, it felt like somebody had just terminated the AoE2 process in Task Manager or something – no dialogs, no warning, nothing.

It might be nothing, but it’s interesting that I played a large number of games (probably at least a dozen) with just my wife and I vs probably 4 AIs per game, without encountering this, then I tried to include my son (3 humans vs 6 AIs, I think?) and experienced this type of crash about 15-20 minutes into the first game we tried. I only bring it up because we used to play a lot of CnC:Generals together, and had a similar experience – 2-human games were much more stable than 3-human games. (In that series, the game also got more unstable with a larger number of, or more advanced, AI players.)

Yeah, my crashs also happen like this. Its also working while playing only against the AI. Really strange.

The mdmp would be really helpful as it contains more informations which file caused the crash.

Otherwise, it could also be helpful to take a look into the Event Manager of Windows: What Is the Windows Event Viewer, and How Can I Use It? (howtogeek.com)

If you scroll to the time of the crash (compare the time to the crash .txt file), you might see a red error symbol. The information there might tell you more about the source of the crash.

I read about a lot of things that might help. Updating drivers - maybe with a special program as Windows doesn’t always find the newest drivers (at least for me) - might be a good idea.
But regarding the fact that the crashs are always happening after 15-20 minutes: every 15 min game crashes get an unknow problem has caused the trilogy to stop working :: The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Technical Support (steamcommunity.com)

" The Windows process tabtip32.exe appears to be involved. After killing that process, I was finally able to break the 15-minute barrier and play for as long as I liked. A little more research revealed that this is part of the Touch Keyboard and Handwriting Panel Service . Disabling that service will prevent tabtip32.exe from loading after a reboot"

The thread was opened for another game but maybe its worth a try (as it seems to happen in other games also).

If you find more logs (e.g. in the Event Manger), we could look further into detail.

This is a desktop with no pen input, so I’m happy to try disabling the tablet/touch/handwriting service if it helps. I can’t get to the system at the moment but last time it happened, I did look through Event Viewer without any interesting results. I’ll try to make sure to check next time.

Ok, cool. Maybe it helps.

Otherwise, I would suggest to the check again the Event Viewer and also look for the MDMP files. Maybe a dev can give a hint if they aren’t saved in the logs folder. As far as i can see, they offer the most informations about failures.

All the best!

in steam you can verify game files, maybe something similar on pass version? sounds simple but if u use any mods or just after the game updates a few times seems to randomly crash.

perhaps a re install could also help. this and a clean install of new video driver fixed my crashing issue.

I have the game installed on 4 PCs. I initially filed this report after the last install – the very first time I played a game, I experienced this kind of crash.

I’d be happy to have a “verify install” button, but I’m pretty sure that’s not what happened to me.

(ETA: I do not use any mods.)

well maybe you should hahah

After mostly playing 2-vs-AI matches, yesterday I tried to play 3-vs-AI and experienced a lot of these crashes. It’s really ruining my enjoyment of the game. I hosted the game from my desktop, played for about 25 minutes, then crashed. This time I had the foresight to save about 10 minutes before, so I restored the match, only to have my son crash out after 5 minutes, exact same symptoms. Restored again, he crashed during the save-transfer process. Finally got everybody in, played for most of the rest of the game, and I crashed again while we were finishing off the last AI.

I’ve taken to saving every 10-15 minutes, but that’s no way to spend an evening, especially when it takes more than 5 minutes to get everybody back in after a crash. Is there any way to get official support looking into this?

Bump?

I’m still having this issue. Just dropped out about 35 minutes into a two-player game. It could be pertinent that I’ve mostly experienced these drops while playing online. I set up LAN hosting for a bunch of games and was able to play most (maybe all?) of those the whole way through, then the first time I tried a non-LAN game today, it dropped to desktop.

I still haven’t seen anybody answer how to enable network debug logging in the MS Store (Game Pass) version of the game…

Hey @Thw0rted, sorry for the late reply. Did you find the MDMD file? Could you upload it, it would help us investigate the issue. Also if you have more logs, upload those as well.
And yes, sadly the enhanced logs build is accessible only from steam.

The dump files (MDMD/MDMP?) are not being created. All of the files in all folders under the log directory are TXT. To reiterate, I’ve never seen an “oh no it crashed” screen or anything like that, I’ve only ever been dropped to desktop with no warning or anything – one frame I’m playing a game, the very next frame it’s my desktop.

I’ve had a few more crashes since my original post. I’ll try to find the relevant log files, but they look very similar to the ones I’ve posted above. Re: the enhanced logging version… um, aren’t y’all actually owned by Microsoft at this point? I know the MS Store has its problems, but it’s pretty damning when their own devs can put features in the Steam version that don’t make it to Game Pass / MS Store. (I’m sure you don’t personally have any control over it, but ouch.)

Ok, i will submit the log to our team to investigate the issue. Thanks for the report again, and yeah i dont have any control over it. :slight_smile:

Hi @Thw0rted.

According to the logs you’ve posted, it looks like the game thinks it has been told to shut down normally. This is why the game is not creating any of those dump files - it doesn’t think that it has crashed.

This makes us wonder whether something else on your PCs could be interfering with Age of Empires. Could you please check if you have anything else running which might want to shut down the game? I’d be particularly suspicious of any antivirus software - it could be seeing something in the network traffic during a multiplayer game which it does not like, which could lead it to try and close the application.

Thanks, @WWJamesC , that does clarify things, but I’m pretty mystified what it could be. It’s happened on at least 3 separate computers under different user accounts. There’s no third-party AV or firewall, they only use Windows Defender and the built-in firewall – all with latest definitions and patches. Looking through the system tray, I don’t see much else in common in the background: Steam, TeamViewer, Xbox (Game Pass), GeForce Experience – pretty ordinary stuff, I think.

I don’t think Defender is closing the game, if it was I’d expect to see some kind of notification, and hopefully a relevant entry in the security logs. I suppose it’s possible that all my Windows systems have some kind of trojan that slipped through Defender, shows no other outward signs, and has decided that AoE is a threat, but it seems a bit far-fetched.

Is there any way to see exactly what issued the “close gracefully” command? Like, somehow log “xyz.dll called the function” or “keyboard sent ALT-F4” or whatever? Set a breakpoint in the function that’s logging about cleanup and look down the stack? (The worst part is I can’t reproduce it reliably, and it always happens like 10-60 minutes into a game.)