Error on boot, game doesn't start

Published on Sunday, February 16, 2025 By galessandro8681 In Sins of a Solar Empire II

Hello and good morning

since last update once I start the game, from Steam launcher, it stop immediately with this dialog box error:

json read errors in 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\last_used_single_player_options.lobby_options'.

json parsing failed!

The document is empty.

line=0

offset=0

version=1.32.2 (205)

log=C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\logs\sins2_log_5804.txt

I've already re-installed and verified the existing installation; also disabled VPN and Antivirus program.

I'm running this system:

SO: Microsoft Windows 11 Home

Version: 10.0.26100 build 26100

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-14400F, 2500 Mhz, 10 core, 16 processori logici

(RAM): 16,0 GB

GeForce RTX 4060

[10:01:50.9404652][ 5864][ log_file] Opened log file. path='C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\logs\sins2_log_5804.txt'. Will be 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\logs\sins2_log_205_[2025-02-16][10-01-50]_5804.txt' on exit.

[10:01:50.9404972][ 5864][ log_file] Version = 1.32.2 (205)

[10:01:50.9405041][ 5864][ main] Running with command line 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sins2\sins2.exe'

[10:01:50.9406430][ 5864][ app] found crash guard 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\crash_guard' already exists!

[10:01:50.9410889][ 5864][ setting_repository] Loading settings from 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\settings.json

[10:01:50.9413808][ 5864][d3d11_rendering_system_buffers] shadow_sub_map_width_setting_changed. Shadow Map Buffers will be recreated...

[10:01:50.9457561][ 5864][ setting_repository] Loading setting-versions from 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\settings.versions.json

[10:01:50.9464743][ 5864][ app] cloud_server_build_alias_id = 4554e1a9-307f-4f38-87b6-55ad89723867

[10:01:50.9464911][ 5864][ app] cloud_server_sandbox = release_32_00.AMD64

[10:01:50.9831232][ 5864][ d3d11_rendering_system] WM_SIZE. wparam=SIZE_RESTORED

[10:01:50.9889648][ 5864][ fmod_sound_system] on_app_activated. FMOD_OUTPUTTYPE_AUTODETECT

[10:01:51.0011438][ 5864][ user_state] Setting default_user_name : PC-ALE

[10:01:51.0013148][ 5864][ modding_system] Setup modding. base_resource_provider=[C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sins2] , user_path=C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2 , user_name=PC-ALE , language_code=en , startup_crash_detected=true

[10:01:51.0013377][ 5864][ local_filesystem_mods] Setup local filesystem mods. root_path='C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\mods'

[10:01:51.0021680][ 5864][ modding_system] Refresh available mods found 0 mods...

[10:01:51.0038605][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][Core] Initializing mod.io services

[10:01:51.0038882][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][File] Initialized File Service

[10:01:51.0242476][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][File] Overriding RootLocalStoragePath to C:/Users/Public/mod.io/

[10:01:51.0242742][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][Http] Initialized Http Service

[10:01:51.0242803][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][User] User data file not found. Initializing to default state

[10:01:51.0242855][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][User] Initialized User Data service

[10:01:51.0493628][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [modio] on_initialize_complete : Operazione completata.

[10:01:51.0495621][ 5864][modio_modding_service_provider] [Info][Core] mod.io service initialization complete

[10:01:51.0641299][ 5864][ modding_system] startup crash detected so overwriting enabled mods with empty

[10:01:51.0648615][ 5864][ modding_system] Saving enabled mods to 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\.enabled_mods'

[10:01:51.0656162][ 5864][ modding_system] Syncing resource providers to enabled mods...

[10:01:51.0658035][ 5864][ modding_system] Base = [C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sins2]

[10:01:51.0658227][ 5864][ resource_system] Set resource providers : [C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sins2]

[10:01:51.0676599][ 5864][ localized_text_factory] Loading localized_text 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Sins2\localized_text\it.localized_text'

[10:01:51.1036324][ 5864][steam_online_service_provider] steam_online_service_provider.setup. user_path=C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2

[10:01:51.1038596][ 5864][ user_state] Setting user_state account_id : STEAM{76561199037783650}

[10:01:51.1081039][ 5864][ user_state] Setting user_name : guiducci.alessandro

[10:01:51.1082865][ 5864][steam_online_service_provider] Requested Steam stats.

[10:01:51.3653872][ 5864][ d3d11_rendering_system] D3D11CreateDevice succeeded. feature_level=D3D_FEATURE_LEVEL_11_1 , adapter=NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060

[10:01:51.3768975][ 5864][ d3d11_rendering_system] Create swap chain succeeded. width=1920 height=1080

[10:01:51.3814191][ 5864][d3d11_rendering_system_buffers] Creating Shadow Map Buffers : 8192, 8192

[10:01:51.3889365][ 5864][ steam_networking] Initialized low level socket/threading support.

[10:01:51.4779439][ 5864][ fmod_sound_system] FMOD Initialized. Version=131073 Driver=2D FHD LG TV (NVIDIA High Definition Audio) : systemrate=48000 , speakermode=stereo (2)

[10:01:51.4780170][ 5864][ dpi_manager] Using Min DPI (display_size.width <= min_width): { 72 (75%) }

[10:01:51.4780256][ 5864][ dpi_manager] DPI initialized. desired={ 72 (75%) } , actual={ 72 (75%) }

[10:01:51.4780340][ 5864][ window] Refreshing window areas (dpi changed) : root

[10:01:51.5525151][ 5864][d3d11_rendering_system_buffers] Creating Shadow Map Buffers : 8192, 8192

[10:01:51.5600091][ 5864][game_input_action_manager] Reset all input mappings to default!

[10:01:53.3456507][ 5864][ lobby_options_manager] Loading lobby options from 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\last_used_single_player_options.lobby_options'

[10:01:53.3457840][ 5864][ lobby_options_manager] Ignoring lobby options from 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\last_used_single_player_options.lobby_options' as version does not match. 0 != 1

[10:01:53.3458029][ 5864][ json_reader] json read errors in 'C:\Users\PC-ALE\AppData\Local\sins2\settings\last_used_single_player_options.lobby_options'.

json parsing failed!

The document is empty.

line=0

offset=0

[10:01:53.3784921][ 5864][ fmod_sound_system] on_app_deactivated. FMOD_OUTPUTTYPE_NOSOUND

[10:02:00.1054154][ 5864][ fmod_sound_system] on_app_activated. FMOD_OUTPUTTYPE_AUTODETECT