Known Issues & Bug Reporting - Read this first
https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/discussions/1/3828666283445216036/
- official thread by developer

So far the most successful approaches were

fresh install of graphics drivers using Display Driver Uninstaller
(for links check the section below)

and

reducing your graphics settings as described by the developers

Originally posted by TriumphJordi (developer):

Hello!

We're aware that certain graphics drivers are experiencing issues with Age of Wonders 4 that can lead to crashes. Our team is working as quickly as we can to solve this issue and we hope to publish a patch soon, and in the meantime, we're sorry this is interfering with your arcane ambitions.

We'd appreciate it if you can share the data on any crashes you have experienced; this will help us narrow down and fix the problem. To share your crash data with us:
* Read the information in the crash reporter that pops up
* Copy the crash name at the bottom of the screen
* If you agree, click the send button
* Use the crash report name in the bug report you can make on the AoW4 bugs forum

Things you can do to work around the issue are:
* If you are on Steam, please switch to the "hotfix" branch. Right click the game, then "properties > betas".
* Make sure you have the latest graphics drivers for your hardware.
* Toggle the "Settings > Graphics > VSync" setting on, if off, or off, if on.
* Lower the "Settings > Graphics > Shadow Quality" setting.
* Lower the "Settings > Graphics > Quality Mode" setting.

UPDATE:
* The aforementioned "hotfix" branch was updated with a new version where the above work around is enabled/disabled depending on your hardware configuration. That has been converted into a setting, which can be found under Settings>Graphics>Driver Workaround. If you are experiencing crashes again, please toggle this option to ENABLED.

Thank you for your help and for supporting our game!

Last edited by TriumphJordi; 4 May @ 2:20pm

Source: https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/discussions/1/3828666171743788435/

and using the Hotfix branch of the game
(check the section below for details)

Originally posted by DireDave Triumph (developer):

- For any crashes on startup it would be worth trying to change the settings file directly at Documents\Paradox Interactive\Age of Wonders 4\Config\PlatformSettings0.cfg using a text editor.

- Make sure the correct GPU is selected; if not and the game does not adhere to your PC settings, then in the settings file:
Remove Video.DisplayAdapterID
Set Video.DisplayAdapterName to your GPU name, which be found in your Device Manager under Display Adapters (example: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060)

- If you suspect the crash is a driver crash, also change:
Video.DriverWorkaround to true

- If it still crashes, lower the (video) settings directly like this:
Set Video.VSyncRate to 0
Set GraphicsOptions.ShadowQuality to 0
Set GraphicsOptions.TextureQuality 0
Set GraphicsOptions.QualityMode to 0

Source: https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/discussions/1/3828666283445216036/

It can also help to delete the mentioned file when experiencing issues after a patch.

Download your latest graphics cards drivers from official resources

For the latest Nvidia drivers: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
For the latest AMD drivers: hhttp://support.amd.com/en-us/download

Before installing, use the Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) first to ensure that there are no leftover files from a previous installation.

http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

Originally posted by TriumphJordi (developer):

Hey Guys, don't forget that there is a branch available called Hotfix as mentioned in the OP. This has a potential fix for the frequent driver crashes.

You can easily switch branches through the Game Properties > Beta and selecting Hotfix from the Dropdown Menu.

Source: https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/discussions/1/3828666171743788435/#c3828666171743919836

Originally posted by DireDave Triumph (developer):

What are the current fixes on this branch that are not on the main branch?

The Monitor & GPU switch settings were added; this change did not make it into the actual hotfix
No other differences as of now

Source: https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/discussions/1/3828666283441850128/

Right-click on the game in your Steam Library -> select Properties



Switch to the Betas tab and select the Hotfix branch

It has been reported that certain security applications, specifically Norton, prevent save games from being created properly. If you are experiencing this problem, whitelisting Age of Wonders 4 in your security software may help.

Right-click on the game in your Steam Library -> select Manage -> Browse Local Files



Right-click on AOW4.exe (Age of Wonders 4.executable) -> select Properties



Switch to the Compatibility tab and tick the box in the settings



(Approach might differ for different graphics cards software, this is for Nvidia)

Open the Nvidia Control Panel and click on Add program with the Manage 3D Settings



Select AOW4.exe from the list to add
(the exact location for your PC will most likely differ)



You can now set the framerate cap to your liking e.g. 60 or 100 and eventually tell Nvidia to game in full performance mode





If using a dual Nvidia / Intel GPU, follow these steps:

1. Open Nvidia Control Panel
   
2. Click 'Manage 3D Settings'
   
3. Go to 'Program Settings' and then select the game (if it is not in the list you can add it manually by clicking 'Add')
   
4. Scroll down to 'Power Management Mode'
   
5. Set it to 'Prefer Maximum Performance' / ‘High Performance Processor’ instead of 'Adaptive'
   
6. Close Nvidia Control Panel and launch the game

If using a dual AMD “Switchable Graphics” GPU, follow these steps:

1. Open AMD Catalyst Control Center
   
2. Under “Switchable Graphics”, select the High Performance section and select the game (if it is not in the list you can add it manually by clicking 'Browse')
   
3. Click ‘Apply’
   
4. Close AMD Catalyst Control Center and launch the game

Additionally, double-check your desktop / laptop’s power settings by performing the following:

1. If using a laptop, ensure the charger is connected
   
2. Open Control Panel
   
3. Select Power Options
   
4. Select “Change Plan Settings”
   
5. Select “Change advanced power settings”
   
6. From within the dropdown menu, select “High performance” and click ‘Apply’ then ‘OK’
   
7. Launch the game

Originally posted by TriumphJordi (developer):

Exclusive Fullscreen, as you are referring to here, is a Legacy Windows feature and no longer supported. As such we do not provide a Exclusive Fullscreen option.

Source: https://sp.zhabite.com/app/1669000/eventcomments/3828666283441564679/?ctp=4#c3828666283445939492

Hence the previous recommendation to disable full-screen optimisation, which can improve performance on certain PC setups.

If you find that your mouse pointer is "lost" and not properly locked in the game window, try toggling between screen modes using the ALT+Enter shortcut.

The same applies to the problem of the Windows taskbar overlapping the game window.

If the built-in method does not work, you can fix both problems by using the freeware Borderless Gaming, which can be downloaded here: https://github.com/Codeusa/Borderless-Gaming/releases

There is also a Steam version of Borderless Gaming available, if you wish to support the author:

https://sp.zhabite.com/steamstore/app/388080/Borderless_Gaming/

Right-click on the game in your Steam Library -> select Properties



Switch to the Local Files tab and select Verify integrity of game files...



In doubt, do not forget to give Windows Compatibility Mode a try

In rare cases, simply verifying the integrity your game files will not be enough. Repairing the Steam Library folder is also recommended.

Open Steam Settings from the main menu



Switch to the Downloads tab and select Steam Library Folders



Select the drive on which the Steam Library Folder of your game is located and choose the option Repair Folder

This tip is especially good if you do not have a lot of physical memory to begin with!
If you have less than 24GB of RAM, this is not to be missed. Normally, virtual memory is managed by Windows itself, and that is enough - manually increasing your virtual memory will help your PC cope better when the need arises!

First you call upon the Windows Settings and there select the System category



In the section About we go for Advanced system settings on the right



In the subsection Performance Options we go for the Advanced tab and select change for the Virtual Memory



As you can see in this example, it is pretty low. I recommend a size of at least 8 GB



Once everything is set, restart your PC and enjoy the extra boost for your memory hungry apps!

The approach will vary depending on your graphics software. The screenshot below is for Nvidia.



This approach often helps with games that are very graphics-intensive.

Cloud: https://sp.zhabite.com/steamstore/account/remotestorageapp/?appid=1669000

Local: ..\Steam\userdata\YOURID\1669000\remote
(replace YOURID with your personal actual Steam ID number)

My Steam folder is located on a special SSD dedicated to games only. If you kept the default settings during installation of Steam, you might find yours at your OS storage drive within

C:\Program Files (x86)\

It would be something like this

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\userdata\YOURID\1669000\remote

In addition to that Game Logs and Global Settings (e.g. video options) can be found here
(the other profile settings you find in the Save Game Location)

Logs
..\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Age of Wonders 4\Logs

Global Settings
..\Documents\Paradox Interactive\Age of Wonders 4\Config

In the event of access errors that require the game and its environment to be given the correct permissions, and possibly a repair of the Steam Library folder, the game may access the TEMP folder instead, as save games are temporarily stored there.

This topic was so difficult, that it got its own guide
https://sp.zhabite.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2975516317

Missing DLCs despite they are properly registered via Steam?
Make sure you check the DLC tab for your game in the Steam Library.

Right-click on the game in your Steam Library -> select Properties



Switch to the DLC tab



Are the DLC boxes checked? If so, try unchecking them and start the game without any DLC enabled. Exit the game and restart your PC. Then try again with the DLCs enabled.

This simple "trick" will usually trigger Steam to enable the DLC for your game on your account. If this still does not help, consider checking your game files and repairing your Steam Library folder.

Answers to frequently asked questions
Obviously, content in the expansion pass that has not yet been released cannot be "unlocked early" in this way, as the content simply does not exist yet.

If you are looking for specific cosmetics, make sure to check the Champion and Wizard King ruler customisation screens in your faction editor, as some cosmetics are exclusive to one type of ruler. For example, the Sign-Up Content Godir Helmet can only be worn by Wizard Kings as Champions are no Godir yet before they ascend to the Pantheon.

Whenever you choose to Resume your ongoing session via the Paradox Launcher, you will not see the video. But it will appear every time you launch the game by normal means. Unfortunately, Steam's Remote Play pop-up tends to be in the way of the skip button.

How about you skip it indefinitely? Does it sound good to you? If yes follow these steps:

Right-click on the game in your Steam Library -> select Manage -> Browse Local Files



Find the video file in the subfolder

..\Age of Wonders 4\Content\Title\Videos\Frontend\IntroVideo.webm

Rename that file to e.g. IntroVideo.off

or (if you have the file extensions hidden)

IntroVideo -> NoIntro

That will disable the intro video from showing up in the future and instead you might spot a faint message of the developers saying You shouldn't be able to see this :D

Originally posted by sikbok (developer):

Yes, we do save the random seed.

However, that's not to prevent save scumming. As doing anything else involving randomness before you try again on the roll that failed will give you another chance.

The main reason is so it's easier to reproduce issues from save games. Which helps us fix problems.

If you like to save scrum, please do. If you don't, that's fine too.

In other words, if an event has, say, a 60% chance of succeeding and results in a failure, reloading the save game will not help, as the game "remembers" what the result should be for that particular event. It will correctly calculate the probability for each event, but it is immune to abuse.

The units for the Rally of Lieges feature are drawn randomly from your recruitment pools for those (Ancient Wonders, Free Cities, cities with special govenors). There is no guarantee for a certain unit to appear all the time (applies especially to high tier units).

A lot of performance issues seem unlikely to occur if the game is run on a fast SSD.

Also Windows 10 Pro / Windows 11 Pro seem to have less issues than their Home counterparts.

Against stutters/lags these launch options are suppose to help



VKD3D_CONFIG=no_upload_hvv

You get there by accessing the game's properties from the Steam Library

https://sp.zhabite.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2977084759

CrystalDiskInfo - Check your Storage for possible issues
https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/crystaldiskinfo_portable
It can always be the case that there are hardware issues you do not know about, and by coincidence a game just reveals them without actually causing them.

CPU-Z - System Profiler
https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/cpu-z-portable
Helpful for people who want to help you so you can share details about your system's specification.

GPU-Z - Graphics Cards Specific
https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/gpu-z-portable
As above with CPU-Z but for graphics cards

Revo Uninstaller - Mostly you do not need this...
https://portableapps.com/apps/utilities/revo_uninstaller_portable
... but it is great for reinstalls to be sure that a game leaves no leftovers you do not know about.

Display Driver Uninstaller
https://www.guru3d.com/files-details/display-driver-uninstaller-download.html

I am also using MSI Afterburner to keep check of my graphics card temperature. But that is not something I can recommend to beginners.

https://www.msi.com/Landing/afterburner/graphics-cards

At your own risk.

And Check Disk Utility!
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/windows-10-how-do-i-start-chkdsk-and-defragment/c1f2fb49-7b71-409d-b713-6c10a28c9e51

Free cosmetic for subscribing to the Paradox Age of Wonders 4 newsletter!
https://www.paradoxinteractive.com/games/age-of-wonders-4/about
After subscribing and confirming your subscription, you get a Steam code via email which unlocks the item as free content add-on.

The newsletter subscription can be cancelled at any time and is of course free!



A simple non-gameplay-affecting cosmetic for your Wizard King* to pick as decoration.

* Champions cannot use it as they are technically no Godir yet before they ascend to the Pantheon -> hence for Wizard Kings only

This is what it looks like in the welcome email once you have confirmed your subscription:





Redeem the code either via your Steam client or via this page on the Steam website:
https://sp.zhabite.com/steamstore/account/registerkey?key=

In case you have not received the code by email:

Originally posted by Paradox:

It seems that due to a backend issue we've had some keys end up in a bit of a "magic" state meaning they won't be sent out via mail nor show up on your account page ><. We can fix this manually but you need to reach out to our helpdesk ( support.paradoxplaza.com ). It uses your Paradox account so sign in with the same account that placed the order, tell my team you're missing your pre order key and we'll get back to you as fast as we humanly can!

This workaround is not for beginners. It is only recommended for experienced and advanced PC users who know what they are doing. That is why I will keep it short to prevent beginners from running into issues due to misunderstandings in the implementation of the workaround. For more information, please lookup the tool yourself. Thanks for your understanding.

At launch, the game seems to have some issues with writing to SSDs, causing performance spikes especially late in the game due to the amount of calculation and data being written to the storage.

A useful workaround that has proven to be very effective is to use the "Ancient Wonder", commonly known as RAMDrive. Assigning your OS's TEMP folder on such a RAMDrive not only solves the problem, but also provides a general performance boost for this and any other game that uses the same architecture for calculation processes.

UPDATE
Due to high demand and reliability of the workaround, a manual on how to use it can now be found here
https://sp.zhabite.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2976653693

For experienced users and those who have problems getting a stable multiplayer connection.

TCP: 27015, 27036
UDP: 27015, 27031-27036

Users who have problems getting a stable multiplayer connection should consider changing their DNS as it has proven to be a very successful method to increase performance.
Especially on gaming consoles.

Since Parallels Desktop does not support Dirext12 the game will not work with that on Macs.

Some players have reported that adding the launch option can help if their game crashes on startup. This is not an official workaround and should not work.
As in you cannot force the game to use DirectX 11 as it only supports DirectX 12.

If it miraculously works for you, it may be an indication that your DirectX installation is corrupt. A fresh installation after a proper removal is strongly recommended.

A more reliable and official approach would be attempting to troubleshoot using Windows' compatibility mode.

For reinstalling DirectX
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35

For reinstalling Visual C++ Redistributables
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=53840

For experienced users only - a full removal of DirectX is successful if these files and registry entires are gone

"ddhelp.exe", "ddraw.dll", "dsound.dll", "dinput.dll", "d3d.dll", "dplayx.dll", "dpmodemx.dll", "dpwsockx.dll", "directx.cpl", "vjoyd.vxd", "joy.cpl", "dplaysvr.exe", "dpwsock.dll", "dpserial.dll", "dplay.dll"

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft -> all subfolders with Direct*