Strange UI 2016

[MisterClean]

From what I have read so far, Graphic card drivers can cause this issue.

Some people recommend to either upgrade it or, in some cases, downgrade your drivers.

Honestly I'm no pro when it comes to SweetFX, however, using Reshade (newer version of sweet FX) and reshade mediator (Tutorial) could fix the issue.

[Dewulf]

From what I have read so far, Graphic card drivers can cause this issue.

Some people recommend to either upgrade it or, in some cases, downgrade your drivers.

Honestly I'm no pro when it comes to SweetFX, however, using Reshade (newer version of sweet FX) and reshade mediator (Tutorial) could fix the issue.

Yeah I reinstalled the UI without sweetfx and then I downloaded reshade 2.0 and just copied the preset settings from Strange 2.4 rar and now it works without problem.

[stege99]

Anyone using Strange UI that has problem with the game freezing around 30-60 sec between loading zones?
Started happen to me yesterday. I installed Strange UI two days ago and then it was fine.
After getting the problem I tested to uninstall and ran the default UI again, and didn't get any freezing.
Perhaps I tested to short a time on the default UI to reproduce the freezing, but it's a pain to use. :-)
Really hoping this issue is on FC:s side, since I really want to continue using Strange.

Btw, wanna give credit to MisterClean for a really great UI and continuous support!
Hats off to you!

[MisterClean]

Aloha! Thank you very much.

Could you delete SweetFX and check again?

[stege99]

Deleted SweetFX folder from Customized folder (if that was correct)?

Then the first 3-4 loading screens went by in a couple of seconds, as it should be.
But unfortunately the long load and freeze were back soon.

Trying out a few UIs now to so if it makes any difference.

[MisterClean]

If you had chosen to install SweetFX, then delete all those files from your game directory.

Let me know if changing UI solves the problem. Honestly I don't know what could cause crashes except from SweetFX

[xyphas]

Aoc.exe -which is the program that must run permanently to activate a lot of features of Strange UI- is identified as containing a Trojan virus by Windows Defender. (Windows 10)

I can totally understand that a program like aoc.exe can be considered "suspicious" by an anti-virus without being malware.

On the other hand, this time, it's not just generic "suspicious behavior" that is detected but a specific, named, Trojan, Rundas plock, which is a recent, "modern" and annoying Trojan. ( https://encrypted.google.com/#q=Rundas+plock )

Same on 2 computers.

Could you look into this, possibly get in touch with Microsoft. And inform us ?

The report is as follows:

Definitions last updated: 9/30/16/14:47 (GMT)
(The preceding definitions, updated sometimes last night gave already the same result, I forced a new update to see if there was any change.)

Detected item: Win32/Rundas!plock

Category: Trojan

Description: This program is dangerous and executes commands from an attacker.

Recommended action: Remove this software immediately.

Items:
file: D:\Program Files (x86)\Age of Conan\Data\Gui\Aoc.exe (note AoC is on disk D)
imagefileexecoptions:HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDO WS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconan.exe
imagefileexecoptions:HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDO WS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconandx10.exe
imagefileexecoptions:HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\MIC ROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconan.exe
imagefileexecoptions:HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\MIC ROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconandx10.exe
regkey:HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconan.exe
regkey:HKLM\SOFTWARE\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconandx10.exe
regkey:HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconan.exe
regkey:HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\MICROSOFT\WINDOWS NT\CURRENTVERSION\IMAGE FILE EXECUTION OPTIONS\ageofconandx10.exe

Thank you


Edit: a scan of the file aoc.exe itself doesn't seem to return any positive alert, but the alert pops as soon as the game is started. So it would be a suspicious behavior false positive.... except WHY Rundas plock ? ! The odds that the behaviors of aoc.exe and Rundas plock are similar should be quite low.

[MisterClean]

Well...I've just analyzed it with Windows Defender, Malwarebytes and SuperantiSpyware, and found nothing (With Age of Conan turned off)

I'll ask the creator. Thanks for the report

[xyphas]

Well...I've just analyzed it with Windows Defender, Malwarebytes and SuperantiSpyware, and found nothing (With Age of Conan turned off)

I'll ask the creator. Thanks for the report

Thanks for the reactivity

I can confirm the scanning of the file aoc.exe itself gives NO alert at all.

If you launch it (with admin rights), you get the "activated" splash screen, and, after maybe 15-30s, Windows defender reacts and display the message your saw above with the mention "severe" (threat).

Same happens if you launch the game as soon as you have the "activated" splash screen.

Yesterday, aoc.exe and (indirectly) Strange UI did NOT cause any alert. Since then, one auto update of Win defender was performed, plus one I forced after seeing the first alarm.

So it might come from an update of Win Defender with new rules or signatures. (?)

Note: if you don't use aoc exe, launching the game with Strange UI only doesn't seem to cause any alert of any kind. But, of course, you have lost several nifty features.



Precisions:
- this is a relatively new install of Win 10, like 10 days on one computer, like 3 weeks on the other one
- the two computers don't communicate at all or share anything
- the computers always have a firewall and AV up, up-to-date, and working
- they contain no software of "uncertain" origin and are not used to surf on unsafe sites
- a full scan of both reveals no threat at all (once again, the detection occurs only when the aoc.exe or the game are working)

[MisterClean]

Weird thing is that I get nothing from windows defender, even with last update. Like I said I've emailed the creator of the mod, in case he knew something about it.

However, while waiting, I understand you can be reticent to use aoc.exe.
Don't worry, Uncle Clean has a workaround thanks to AOC quick start.

-turn off your game
-copy all the files from Age of conan/data/gui/Aoc/.../
-paste them into the into the related folder in: Age of conan/data/gui/default/.../
-"Allow direct start without patcher" in AOCQS
-Launch the game


Example: Age of conan/data/gui/Aoc/Buttons/gfx/ goes to Age of conan/data/gui/default/gfx/

Doing so, if there is any update, or if you turn off AoCQS, AoCs patcher will replace those files with the original ones.