How to Fix Crashing & Not Loading in RoadCraft
Image Credits: Saber Interactive, RoadCraft
If RoadCraft is crashing on startup or getting stuck on the "Loading Complete" screen, you’re not alone. Tons of players are running into crashes, freezes, black screens, or system slowdowns when trying to play.
The good news is there are several real fixes that are working for people depending on their setup.
Try these steps below before giving up or blaming your PC.
Read More: Tips and Tricks | RoadCraft Guide
Disable Steam Overlay
This one’s fixing full crashes and bluescreens for a lot of players.
How to do it:
Open Steam
Right-click RoadCraft
Click Properties
Under General, uncheck Enable the Steam Overlay while in-game
Launch the game again. If it stops crashing at startup, this was likely the cause.
Use an SSD, Not an HDD
RoadCraft requires an SSD. If you’re running it off a hard drive, it might freeze, stutter, or fail to load at all.
If you’re stuck on "Loading Complete," this is probably why. Move the game files to an SSD and try again.
Wait it Out... Seriously
For some users, especially with older or mid-range CPUs, RoadCraft is not loading and sitting on a black screen or "Loading Complete" screen for up to 3–4 minutes before doing anything.
Open Task Manager and check your CPU usage. If RoadCraft is using 70% or more, it’s likely compiling shaders or loading assets in the background.
Just let it simmer a lil bit.
Try Running the EXE Directly
Instead of launching through Steam, run the game directly from its install folder:
Right-click RoadCraft in Steam
Click Manage, then Browse local files
Find roadcraft.exe
Right-click it and choose Run as administrator
This can get around some Steam conflicts and errors tied to the overlay or launch options.
Disable Steam Input
Yes, this one again.
Right-click RoadCraft in your Steam library
Go to Properties, then Controller
Set Override for RoadCraft to Disable Steam Input
Some crashes seem tied to controller settings or conflicts with input devices.
Update (or Downgrade) Your GPU Driver
Newer NVIDIA and AMD drivers are all over the place right now.
If you haven’t updated your GPU driver recently, do it. If you just updated, try rolling back.
A lot of players with RTX 30 and 40 series cards are reporting better results with older stable versions, especially 536.xx or 566.xx range.
Use DDU (Display Driver Uninstaller) to fully wipe and clean install your driver if it’s still crashing.
BIOS Update for Intel 13th/14th Gen CPUs
Some crashes are happening during shader compilation on newer Intel chips like the i7-14700k and i9-14900k. It’s been linked to voltage issues with BIOS settings.
Check your motherboard support page and update your BIOS if you're on a 13th or 14th gen Intel CPU. It might feel extreme, but it's been confirmed to fix crashes for some.
Try Switching GPU Priority in Graphics Settings
Some laptops or dual-GPU setups get stuck loading until you manually switch GPU preference.
How to do it:
Open Windows Settings
Go to System > Display > Graphics
Find RoadCraft (or add it manually)
Set it to use High Performance or manually assign your NVIDIA GPU
Then relaunch the game. You can always switch it back after it loads once.
Try the “Ctrl + Win + Shift + B” Combo
This shortcut resets your graphics driver without rebooting your system.
If you're stuck on a black screen or visual freeze, press Ctrl + Win + Shift + B. Your screen will flash black, but it might unstick the game without needing to close it.
Doesn’t always work, but it’s worth a try before hard quitting.
Final Blurb & FAQ
RoadCraft has a lot going for it, but crashes and loading bugs are putting the brakes on plenty of players right now.
Regardless of if it’s shader compilation, input conflicts, or overlay issues, most of these problems have fixes that don’t involve waiting for a patch.
Try them one at a time, and you’ll probably get in without needing a full refund... or a support ticket that never gets answered.
FAQ
Q: Why does RoadCraft crash on startup?
It’s usually tied to Steam overlay, input conflicts, or shader compilation on newer CPUs.
Q: What’s the fix for being stuck on the 'Loading Complete' screen?
Make sure the game is on an SSD, then wait at least 3 minutes. Shader loading can take time.
Q: Should I update my GPU drivers?
Yes, but if you already have the latest, try downgrading. Older drivers are more stable right now.
Q: Does RoadCraft need to be run as admin?
Sometimes. Running the EXE directly as admin has fixed issues for some users.
Q: Why does my game crash during shader loading with a 14th-gen Intel CPU?
You may need a BIOS update to fix voltage issues during compile. It’s a known problem.
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