01

Start with build and platform

Record retail build, operating system, GPU driver, and whether the issue appeared after a patch. A Beta fix may be irrelevant to the retail app.

02

Safe checks first

Verify files, change one graphics setting at a time, disable overlays one at a time, and copy saves before manual file changes. Separate reversible checks from destructive advice.

03

Known issues need a status

Each card will show reported, reproduced, workaround, or resolved. A date is more useful than a list of forum suggestions with no context.

04

PC triage that does not risk the save

Write the exact symptom first: crash at launch, stutter in a specific area, input loss, or a save-load failure. Add build, OS, GPU driver, and whether it began after a patch.

Use reversible checks in order. Verify files, change one setting, disable one overlay, and restart between attempts. If the symptom is unchanged, restore the setting before trying the next test.

Only after a backup should you inspect a save or config file. A forum workaround with no retail build and no reproduction note belongs in the lead queue, not in the verified fix box.