Bamdorf: Have you any other games running at the same time? Have you tried items 2 and 3 in my reply # 13 on this thread?

I find it hard to believe that you are using up all of the 8GB RAM you have if the only game you have running is GC3 unless there is something else wrong. If you still have this problem after trying items 2 and 3 (my reply #13) then I think you should follow the steps in the "GalCiv II Support FAQ" and open a ticket for Stardock to pursue.

I think I proved it is not a  memory issue.   I turned on windowed mode and also started the performance meter and selected available memory to display.  At each stage I waited until the numbers stabilized --- it can take a while for the monitor to catch up.

Max Available Bytes (gb)   Before GC3 starts = 6.4  (Windows in using the rest)  start GC3 to main menu = 4.1    Load Huge Game turn 118 = 1.3   After playing about 20 turns:  2.4  (!)   Why memory was released while playing i don't know.   This 2.4 gb figure proved fairly stable though.   Maybe I had not waited long enough after loading the game file.

Some many turns later the game froze, as I accessed the victory screen to check progress. (That's a new one! lol)    Avail Bytes = 2.4    Freezing caused no change in the available memory.    Processor usage around this time was about 50%.    

Just to check I collected the debug data and then used the task manager to kill GC3.   Available bytes = 6.4

If there is any interest in the debug files, I can add them to a ticket, but I couldn't duplicate the freeze, so I am not sure there is any point.

Have you turned off virus check programs? I found out that was causing my problems. So, until the 2nd or 3rd patch comes out for this version, I have to disable the programs before I start.

I use IObit game booster and set it to turn off Avira, Malawarebytes, and a bunch of other stuff. (And I checked that it is doing it).  It releases about 250mb of memory, which is not a lot but every bit helps.    But note there is not a huge difference if I don't do this.

I noticed recently there was a small update to directx and also to my video card (HD 5700, Dec 9), but updating hasn't chenged my results.   I still get a freeze once in a while.   Today I got a freeze the first turn after I started the program and loaded an old game file.    I killed the program, reloaded the same file, and played about 3 hr without incident on a large map.  Very frustrating that I can't reproduce the freezes, even when a freeze occurs immediately after loading a save file!

I monitor memory and processor use continuously and memory use will got to 80% sometimes briefly but not higher. 

I keep thinking there is some system process that is messing me up, but I can't find anything in the event table that makes any sense to me.  But I don't understand most of the stuff there.

I am running the Steam overlay so I can conveniently get screenshots.   I have tried stopping that but it doesn't seem to have an effect.

I do appreciate any ideas people have.   Sure would like to figure this out.

Well, I can't say I haven't played extensively as Steam is reporting 99 hrs played.  LoL.   So it isn't stopping me.

I doubt its a corrupted system. I had the problem where it would freeze on the first attempt to load, but would run fine on the second attempt. I really believe after SD does a couple of it tweaking patches, the freeze problem will go away until the next major overhaul. That has been the how it has gone for me so far. Although I must admit, this is the first time I deactivated all of my spyware/malware programs and it seems to be doing ok now. They must have some initial controls for the large releases that get scaled back after things seem to be going ok.

Well, There is always the remove the game and reinstall pain option, but that should be your last resort.

I just went through that, which may explain the lack of freezing in the past few days.

It wasn't a voluntary reinstall/repair/etc., though. 

Good luck.

@damonlundy: I think your problem will be the Intel HD graphics 4000 card. Maybe its dedicated memory of 256mb is not enough, as requirements stated on the steamshop is a minimum of 512mb.

Its just a guess, but maybe you could borrow a nvidia or AMD graphics card from a friend to test if the crashes remain?

I have a 1gb Radeon HD 5700 series video card.  Should be ok, I think.

I completed reiinstalling Windows today and was pleased that the file system check now worked.

I have loaded up GalCiv3 and played 2.5 hr on a large map without incident.  Well, we shall see!