If you’re a fan of the popular combat flight simulator game DCS World, you’ve probably experienced the frustration of the game crashing or freezing during gameplay. Whether you’re running the game on a high-end gaming PC or a more modest setup, crashes can be a common occurrence, especially after updates or when trying to run the game on less-than-ideal hardware. In this article, we’ll explore some common causes of DCS World crashes and provide tips to help you troubleshoot and fix the issue, ensuring you can enjoy the game without interruption.
Understanding the Minimum and Recommended System Requirements
One of the primary reasons for DCS World crashes is running the game on hardware that doesn’t meet the minimum or recommended system requirements. The game’s developers, Eagle Dynamics, have clearly outlined the system requirements for both low and high graphics settings, as well as for VR gameplay.
For low graphics settings, the minimum requirements include a 64-bit Windows 8/10 operating system, an Intel Core i3 or AMD FX CPU, 8 GB of RAM (16 GB for heavy missions), 120 GB of free hard disk space, and a discrete video card like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 790 or AMD R9 280X or better.
For high graphics settings, the recommended requirements include a 64-bit Windows 10/11 operating system, an Intel Core i5 or AMD FX/Ryzen CPU, 16 GB of RAM (32 GB for heavy missions), 120 GB of free hard disk space on a solid-state drive (SSD) with extra space for paid content, a discrete video card like the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or AMD Radeon RX VEGA 56 with 8GB VRAM or better, and a joystick.
If your system doesn’t meet these requirements, you may experience crashes or poor performance. In such cases, it’s best to lower your graphics settings to medium or low to see if that resolves the issue.
Updating Drivers and Software
Another common cause of DCS World crashes is outdated or incompatible drivers and software. Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers installed for your NVIDIA or AMD video card. You can download these from the official NVIDIA or AMD websites.
Additionally, ensure that you have the latest version of DirectX installed. DCS World requires DirectX 11, so make sure you have the appropriate version installed.
It’s also important to have the correct Visual C Redistributable packages installed. DCS World requires Visual C Redistributable for Visual Studio 2015, 2017, and 2019. You can download these packages from the official Microsoft website.
Deleting Old Shaders and Caches
Sometimes, old shaders and caches can cause DCS World to crash. To fix this, you can delete the old shaders from the following directories:
- Saved Games/DCS/fxo
- Saved Games/DCS/metashaders2
After deleting these files, try loading the game again. If the crashes persist, you can try deleting the entire “DCS” folder in your Saved Games directory and letting the game regenerate the files.
Reducing the Number of Monitors
If you have a multi-monitor setup, it’s possible that DCS World may not be compatible with your configuration. In some cases, reducing the number of monitors or using a single monitor may resolve the crashing issue.
Restoring Default Graphics Settings
If you’ve been tinkering with your graphics settings and the game starts crashing, it may be helpful to restore the default settings. You can do this by going to the DCS World options menu and selecting the “Reset to Defaults” option.
Alternatively, you can try lowering your graphics settings to medium or low and see if that resolves the crashing issue.
Disabling Overclocking
If you’ve overclocked your video card or CPU, it’s possible that the overclock settings may be causing DCS World to crash. Try decreasing the overclock settings or disabling overclocking altogether to see if that resolves the issue.
Checking for Conflicting Software
Sometimes, other software installed on your computer can interfere with DCS World and cause crashes. One example is the HitmanPro.Alert program, which can block the DCS World launcher and simulator executables.
If you have any similar programs installed, try adding the DCS World executable files to the exception list or disabling the program before launching the game.
Verifying Game Files
If you’re playing DCS World through Steam, you can verify the integrity of the game files to ensure that there are no missing or corrupted files causing the crashes. To do this, right-click on DCS World in your Steam library, select “Properties,” and then click on the “Local Files” tab. From there, select “Verify Integrity of Game Files.”
If any files are missing or corrupted, Steam will automatically download and replace them.
Contacting Support
If you’ve tried all of the above troubleshooting steps and are still experiencing crashes, it may be time to contact the DCS World support team. They can help you diagnose the issue and provide further assistance.
You can contact support through the official DCS World website or by posting on the DCS World forums.
In conclusion, DCS World crashes can be frustrating, but with a little troubleshooting and some patience, you can usually resolve the issue. By ensuring that your system meets the minimum requirements, updating drivers and software, deleting old shaders and caches, reducing the number of monitors, restoring default graphics settings, disabling overclocking, checking for conflicting software, verifying game files, and contacting support if needed, you can enjoy a smooth and uninterrupted DCS World experience.