Game crashes upon loading while compiling shaders

Jellees · Thursday at 10:39 PM

Game Version

v2026.4.18.4206

Operating System

Windows

Hardware

- GPU
AMD Radeon VII, 16GB
Driver version: 22.20.27.09-230330a-390451C
AMD Windows-driver: 31.0.12029.10015

- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Processor
- RAM: 16GB

Install Location

D:\programs\Kitten Space Agency

What's Happening?

The game crashes (just closes without showing anything) after it freezes on "compiling shaders" when loading the game.

Reproduction Rate

This happens at every launch.

Already Tried

I downloaded the latest version at the date of posting this thread.

Logs

23:08:48.197 INFO loaded settings from D:\user\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\settings.toml
23:08:48.833 DEBUG Found dedicated compute queue family at index 1
23:08:48.836 DEBUG Multi view supported: True
23:08:48.837 DEBUG Ray query acceleration structure support:False
23:08:49.073 INFO Swapchain created with 3 images
23:08:49.705 DEBUG Kitten Space Agency (KSA) v2026.4.18.4206 initialized
23:08:49.722 INFO found mod 'Core'
23:08:49.825 DEBUG found system 'Sol'
23:08:49.861 DEBUG found system 'SolDense'
23:08:49.861 DEBUG found system 'SolLite'
23:08:49.862 DEBUG found system 'Test'
23:08:50.206 INFO loaded Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:08:50.208 INFO loaded Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:08:50.208 INFO loaded Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:08:50.208 INFO loaded Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:08:50.208 INFO loaded Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:08:50.453 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:08:50.453 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:08:50.453 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:08:50.453 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:08:50.453 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:08:50.454 DEBUG loaded system 'Sol'
23:08:50.559 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:08:50.559 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:08:50.559 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:08:50.559 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:08:50.559 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:08:50.559 DEBUG loaded system 'SolDense'
23:08:50.560 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:08:50.560 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:08:50.560 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:08:50.560 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:08:50.560 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:08:50.560 DEBUG loaded system 'SolLite'
23:08:50.561 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:08:50.561 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:08:50.561 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:08:50.561 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:08:50.561 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:08:50.561 DEBUG loaded system 'Test'
23:08:50.568 INFO registered language 'Engels (Verenigde Staten)'
23:09:21.180 INFO loaded Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:09:21.181 INFO loaded Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:09:21.181 INFO loaded Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:09:21.181 INFO loaded Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:09:21.181 INFO loaded Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:09:21.190 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'Gemini7StartingSituation'
23:09:21.191 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'RocketStartingSituation'
23:09:21.191 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'HunterStartingSituation'
23:09:21.191 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'BanjoStartingSituation'
23:09:21.191 INFO loaded Instance of Situation Template 'PolarisStartingSituation'
23:09:21.191 DEBUG loaded system 'Test'
23:09:21.224 DEBUG loaded planet mesh collection 'Default'
23:09:21.231 DEBUG loaded planet mesh collection 'EarthScale'
23:09:21.236 DEBUG loaded planet mesh collection 'OceanEarth'
23:09:21.243 DEBUG loaded planet mesh collection 'Asteroid'
23:09:21.248 DEBUG loaded planet mesh collection 'MarsScale'
23:09:21.290 DEBUG loaded planet heightmap collection 'Default'
23:09:31.716 INFO loading star binary 'hip_main.bin'
23:09:31.731 INFO loading star binary 'hip_main.bin'
23:09:31.731 DEBUG loading 106424 star binaries from 'Content/Core\hip_main.bin'
23:09:31.765 INFO instantiated 'Test' system
23:09:32.777 INFO following celestial 'Rocket'
23:09:32.779 INFO set simulation speed to x1
23:09:32.779 INFO set map camera to azimuth 2,88, elevation 0,47, distancePower 3635076,00
23:09:32.781 INFO set camera mode to 'Map'
23:09:32.782 INFO set map camera to azimuth 2,88, elevation 0,47, distancePower 3635076,00
23:09:32.782 INFO set camera mode to 'Map'
23:09:32.782 INFO set orbit camera to azimuth -4,83, elevation -0,41, distancePower 2,85
23:09:32.782 INFO set camera mode to 'Orbit'

Maxi · Thursday at 10:46 PM

Hi, thanks for providing all the details

seems like you are experiencing the same Issue as @JuLLz3 just solved with a similar setup as well

Thread 'SOLVED: Kitten Space Agency freezes and crashes at Planet Renderer - Compiling Shaders'

Thursday at 9:42 PM

Hi,

unfortunately, I can't get KSA to work. I would appreciate every bit of help and ideas you got for a solution.

Game Version

2026.4.18.4206

Operating System

Windows 10

Hardware

- Mainboard: ASUS Prime X370 Pro
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580 (Sapphire RX 580 Nitro+)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- RAM: 32GB DDR4

Install Location

K:\Program Files\Kitten Space Agency - ahwoo.com

What's Happening?

After installing the game, I open the KSA.exe, leave the configuration settings at default, click start KSA and...

Your logs sadly did not output an error.

Can you maybe check if this provides a better error log?:

check Windows Event Viewer (Win+R > eventvwr > Windows Logs > Application > "Find" (on the right side panel of the window if you are using windows 10) -> KSA") for entries with source ".NET Runtime" or "Application Error" around the time you tried to launch.

If there is no error message there either i would try to do the following:

M

Post in thread 'Loading stuck on Planet Renderer'

Apr 9, 2026

Ground Clutter setting seems to be the issue here.
Go to C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\settings.toml and change:
groundClutter = true
to
groundClutter = false

Solved for me. Issue happened even for Earth Only system.

Maxi · Thursday at 11:29 PM

I also noticed that your GPU driver version

Driver version: 22.20.27.09-230330a-390451C

is from Mrach 2023, so almost 3 years old and it might be worth updating the driver

Kiwi Shark · Thursday at 11:39 PM

We love a good driver update.

Jellees · 2026-05-01T18:34:32+0100

Maxi said:
Hi, thanks for providing all the details

seems like you are experiencing the same Issue as @JuLLz3 just solved with a similar setup as well

Thread 'SOLVED: Kitten Space Agency freezes and crashes at Planet Renderer - Compiling Shaders'

Thursday at 9:42 PM

Hi,

unfortunately, I can't get KSA to work. I would appreciate every bit of help and ideas you got for a solution.

Game Version
2026.4.18.4206

Operating System
Windows 10

Hardware
- Mainboard: ASUS Prime X370 Pro
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 580 (Sapphire RX 580 Nitro+)
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 2600X
- RAM: 32GB DDR4

Install Location
K:\Program Files\Kitten Space Agency - ahwoo.com

What's Happening?
After installing the game, I open the KSA.exe, leave the configuration settings at default, click start KSA and...

JuLLz3

Replies: 9

Forum: Technical Support

Your logs sadly did not output an error.

Can you maybe check if this provides a better error log?:

check Windows Event Viewer (Win+R > eventvwr > Windows Logs > Application > "Find" (on the right side panel of the window if you are using windows 10) -> KSA") for entries with source ".NET Runtime" or "Application Error" around the time you tried to launch.

If there is no error message there either i would try to do the following:

M

Post in thread 'Loading stuck on Planet Renderer'

Apr 9, 2026

Ground Clutter setting seems to be the issue here.
Go to C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\settings.toml and change:
groundClutter = true
to
groundClutter = false

Solved for me. Issue happened even for Earth Only system.

MrAndroPC

I updated the graphics card (good catch haha) but now it just hangs when compiling the shaders, which is what the windows logs confirm:

Het programma KSA.exe, versie 2026.4.18.4206 reageert niet meer op Windows en is afgesloten. Als u wilt zien of er meer informatie over het probleem beschikbaar is, raadpleegt u de probleemgeschiedenis in het onderdeel Beveiliging en onderhoud van het Configuratiescherm.
Proces-id: 4938
Starttijd: 01dcd98daaf96e00
Eindtijd: 5
Toepassingspad: D:\programs\Kitten Space Agency\KSA.exe
Rapport-id: 1c2cd77d-4e8b-4767-b30a-f24b072ed6c1
Volledige pakketnaam met fout:
Relatieve toepassings-id van pakket met fout:
Type vastlopen: Unknown

Sorry for the dutch, it says "the program didn't respond to windows and is closed".

I did find these logs from yesterday though. But as I said it seems to just not respond anymore. Still maybe useful?

Application: KSA.exe
CoreCLR Version: 10.0.25.52411
.NET Version: 10.0.0
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: Brutal.VulkanApi.VkResultError: Vulkan call to vkCreateComputePipelines failed with error: VK_ERROR_OUT_OF_HOST_MEMORY
at KSA.Rendering.ComputePipelineWrapper.BuildPipeline(VkPipelineLayout pipelineLayout, ShaderReference shaderReference, Renderer renderer, Nullable`1 specializationInfo)
at KSA.GroundClutterRenderer.BuildFrameResources()
at KSA.PlanetRenderer..ctor(Renderer renderer, RenderPassState renderPassState, Int32 frameCount, GpuTextureSystem textureSystem, CloudShadowsRenderer cloudShadowsRenderer)
at KSA.Program..ctor(IReadOnlyList`1 inArgs)
at KSA.Program.Main(String[] inArgs)

Application: Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.exe
CoreCLR Version: 10.0.25.52411
.NET Version: 10.0.0
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.AggregateException: One or more errors occurred. (An error occurred trying to start process 'dotnet-dump.exe' with working directory 'D:\user\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\crashdumps\LastChance'. Het systeem kan het opgegeven bestand niet vinden.)
---> System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception (2): An error occurred trying to start process 'dotnet-dump.exe' with working directory 'D:\user\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\crashdumps\LastChance'. Het systeem kan het opgegeven bestand niet vinden.
at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithCreateProcess(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Collector.CollectSync(String folder, DumpType dumpType, CancellationTokenSource cancellationToken)
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Collector.<>c__DisplayClass12_0.<Collect>b__0()
at System.Threading.Tasks.Task`1.InnerInvoke()
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunFromThreadPoolDispatchLoop(Thread threadPoolThread, ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
--- End of stack trace from previous location ---
at System.Threading.ExecutionContext.RunFromThreadPoolDispatchLoop(Thread threadPoolThread, ExecutionContext executionContext, ContextCallback callback, Object state)
at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.ExecuteWithThreadLocal(Task& currentTaskSlot, Thread threadPoolThread)
--- End of inner exception stack trace ---
at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.ThrowIfExceptional(Boolean includeTaskCanceledExceptions)
at System.Threading.Tasks.Task.Wait(Int32 millisecondsTimeout, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Collector.Collect(String folder, DumpType type)
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Collector.CollectLastChance()
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Subprocess.Run()
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Subprocess..ctor(Process parentProcess)
at Brutal.Monitor.Subprocess.Program.Main(String[] args)

Maxi · 2026-05-01T18:47:06+0100

Jellees said:
I updated the graphics card (good catch haha) but now it just hangs when compiling the shaders, which is what the windows logs confirm:

Sorry for the dutch, it says "the program didn't respond to windows and is closed".

I did find these logs from yesterday though. But as I said it seems to just not respond anymore. Still maybe useful?

Hi, thanks for the update.

The new error is the same error that @JuLLz3 experienced yesterday in the Thread i mentioned above.

It is an issue with the AMD driver. The devs are already in touch with someone from AMD to resolve this.

In the meantime there seems to be an easy fix for this. It did at least work for JuLLz3 yesterday who had the same error description and message.

The good news is that the workaround from the other thread should fix this for you. You wont have GroundClutter enabled (the fancy rocks and boulders that Linx has been working on), but at least the game will work.

Edit C:\Users\YourName\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\settings.toml, find groundClutter = true in the [Graphics]
section, change it to groundClutter = false, save and relaunch the game.

Please let me know if it worked

Jellees · 2026-05-01T18:53:42+0100

Maxi said:
Hi, thanks for the update.

The new error is the same error that @JuLLz3 experienced yesterday in the Thread i mentioned above.

It is an issue with the AMD driver. The devs are already in touch with someone from AMD to resolve this.

In the meantime there seems to be an easy fix for this. It did at least work for JuLLz3 yesterday who had the same error description and message.

The good news is that the workaround from the other thread should fix this for you. You wont have GroundClutter enabled (the fancy rocks and boulders that Linx has been working on), but at least the game will work.

Edit C:\Users\YourName\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\settings.toml, find groundClutter = true in the [Graphics]
section, change it to groundClutter = false, save and relaunch the game.

Please let me know if it worked

Hey thank you for the quick reply. It worked! Thank you for you help!

Maxi · 2026-05-01T19:06:24+0100

ok perfect

Have fun playing the game!

Shaquille Maloney · 2026-05-02T08:30:33+0100

Maxi said:
ok perfect

Have fun playing the game!

ive been having the same problems still despite updating my drivers and windows, and changing ground clutter to false, would you know the solution?

Maxi · 2026-05-02T09:53:41+0100

Shaquille Maloney said:
ive been having the same problems still despite updating my drivers and windows, and changing ground clutter to false, would you know the solution?

Hi, It would help best if you could provide more details such as
1. What's your hardware and Operating System? (GPU, CPU, RAM, Windows/Linux)
2. Where is the game installed? (e.g. C:\Program Files\... or somewhere else)
3. Check for logs in C:\Users\YourName\Documents\My Games\Kitten Space Agency\Logs\ . Does the directory exist? If yes: what are the contents of the log file?
4. If the logs file is empty: check Windows Event Viewer (Win+R > eventvwr > Windows Logs > Application > "Find" (on the right side panel of the window if you are using windows 10) -> KSA") for entries with source ".NET Runtime" or "Application Error" around the time you tried to launch

That way we can know for sure if you are experiencing an similar or separate issue.

It would probably be best to create an new Thread with those details https://forums.ahwoo.com/forums/technical-support.6/post-thread just incase you are experiencing an separate issue

Game crashes upon loading while compiling shaders

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