Dirt 4 native linux does not launch in Steam

evorster · 2024-01-05 07:31:39

Hi there!

Dirt 4, when configured for its native client, downloads and installs the windows version, and does not run, because it is configured for the native version.

I have reached out to both Steam and Feral entertainment on this issue, and they tell me that Arch is not a supported distro, and to install Ubuntu.
The chances of that happening are vanishingly small.

I am aware of this post, and the issue is not the same:
https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=274605

Here is a quick description of the issue:
When running Dirt 4 with any proton compatibility enforced, the following directory contains a dirt4.exe file:
/home/evert/.local/share/Steam/steamapps/common/DiRT 4
This works, but the native linux version of Dirt 4 is better, because it supports selecting my monitor before the game starts, and also the higher resolution and frame rates that my secondary monitor offers. In a racing game these things are important.

When I turn off the forced compatibility, there is a 1.2Gb download, and then that directory contains a dirt4.sh file. I can then play Dirt 4 on this computer without worries, I get the native linux version, with its higher refresh rates and all.

This should be the end of it, right?

However, when I re-start my machine, and launch steam again, it downloads 2.4Gb "Update" file, and once that is installed, there is no more dirt4.sh, and in its place there is a dirt4.exe file. Now the game does not launch, as I suspect it is looking for the dirt4.sh file because the configuration has not been changed from native linux.

Annoyingly enough, up until last year around August, I was playing with the native version without any issue, until one day when it did the 2.4Gb download of the windows executable on its own and then Dirt 4 stopped launching.

Now I am left with two questions:

1. Why would Steam download windows executables for a game when it is configured for native linux?
1.5 Why would this not be a problem on Ubuntu, what is different?

2. How can I get a console output of the game launching so that I can troubleshoot this issue?

Here is a little more info on my hardware, just in case that has something to do with anything:

Operating System: Arch Linux
KDE Plasma Version: 5.27.10
KDE Frameworks Version: 5.113.0
Qt Version: 5.15.11
Kernel Version: 6.6.9-arch1-1 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 32 × 13th Gen Intel® Core™ i9-13900HX
Memory: 62.5 GiB of RAM
Graphics Processor: Mesa Intel® Graphics
Manufacturer: TUXEDO
Product Name: PD5x_7xSNC_SND_SNE
System Version: Not Applicable

This laptop has Advanced Optimus and it's dGPU is an nVidia 4070.
The manufacturer is not TUXEDO, I had to update the DMI tables with that to get the drivers from Tuxedo to work, as their laptops have identical hardware.

Any insights on this issue would be highly appreciated, even if it is just a pointer to where I should be looking for more info on this issue.

Head_on_a_Stick · 2024-01-05 08:53:57

If Steam Play is enabled for all titles disable that option and just use Proton for the "supported" games.

Have you considered lying to the support people? Or run Steam from an Ubuntu chroot.

Does this problem also occur with the flatpak?

d.ALT · 2024-01-05 14:22:33

evorster wrote:

I have reached out to both Steam and Feral entertainment on this issue, and they tell me that Arch is not a supported distro, and to install Ubuntu.

Don't listen to them, sadly they couldn't help thounsands of thousands of different distros out there. But don't be afraid, summing-up: every mainstream Linux distro - under the hood - is (almost)equal to each others, fundamentally. You'll see only differencies on libraries' versions... I bet the issue you're facing right now won't ever be resolved even if you run Steam on Ubuntu 18.04!

Anyway...

evorster wrote:

When I turn off the forced compatibility, there is a 1.2Gb download, and then that directory contains a dirt4.sh file. I can then play Dirt 4 on this computer without worries, I get the native linux version, with its higher refresh rates and all.
This should be the end of it, right?
However, when I re-start my machine, and launch steam again, it downloads 2.4Gb "Update" file, and once that is installed, there is no more dirt4.sh

Does Steam sneakily re-enable Proton for Dirt4?
Also, search online for reasons why Steam (on Linux) always re-download games updates for its library: it's a somewhat common problem.

evorster wrote:

2. How can I get a console output of the game launching so that I can troubleshoot this issue?

$ steam

Last edited by d.ALT (2024-01-05 14:26:19)

evorster · 2024-01-22 02:55:45

Thanks for the replies, guys. Its been a while since I looked at this issue.
I have taken to just running the windows version through proton.

Proton was not enabled for the tests in this report, and even when the windows version of the game was downloaded it still was not enabled.

Last edited by evorster (2024-01-22 02:58:22)

Arch Linux

#1 2024-01-05 07:31:39

Dirt 4 native linux does not launch in Steam

#2 2024-01-05 08:53:57

Re: Dirt 4 native linux does not launch in Steam

#3 2024-01-05 14:22:33

Re: Dirt 4 native linux does not launch in Steam

#4 2024-01-22 02:55:45

Re: Dirt 4 native linux does not launch in Steam

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