Resolved...Finally. I run ROCCAT devices and software. Stumbled on a post where a player with similar issues uninstalled the ROCCAT drivers and software and loaded the game fine. I did the same and it WORKED! Crazy stuff, some kind of driver conflict, so it wasn't graphics but input related that caused the crash on…
nobyman, this is EXACTLY what I am experiencing on my Alienware 17 R3, though I have Win10. I have tried all of the same things you have, including exactly what the gamepref file reads, banging my head against the wall. I am to the point that I am going to give up on the game entirely, though I regret to do so.