This may not be a Linux specific problem as I had the exact same issue earlier with Windows 7 and it’s one of the reasons I installed Linux in the first place.

The specific game I’m trying to play is DayZ but it may not be issue specific to this game. It worked flawlessly untill this point. I had made no changes to anything. Basically when I try to launch the game it starts loading up normally and then just apparently quits and the “Play” button goes back green. No error, no black screen, no freezing or anything. It just stops launching the game.

I’ve tried checking the integrity of files, deleting downloads catche, disabling steam cloud, removing launch options… nothing. Almost like it gets blocked by firewall or something. However I feel like it may be an issue with steam itself or then it’s a hardware issue (I’ve got really old PC)

Few things I’ve noticed that may or may not be related:

  • When opening up steam it almost always used to download some updates first and check the integrity of them or something. Now it doesn’t. It just opens up Steam. When I click “check for updates” it says everything is up to date.

  • The firmware updater shows available updates for my SSD and HDD but no option to update. I also tried with sudo fwupdmgr get-devices but it says “UEFI firmware can not be updated in legacy BIOS mode See https://github.com/fwupd/fwupd/wiki/PluginFlag:legacy-bios for more information.”

  • In the privacy settings it says “checks failed” and gives me this message:

  • I’ve tried reinstalling Proton BattlEye Runtime but it wont let me uninstall it and says “missing shared content”
  • Guenther_Amanita@feddit.de
    0·
    10 months ago

    First - post upvoted because of the detailled report. Helpful. Thanks!

    I’ve had the same problem a longer while ago.

    Do you really have this few games in your library? I haven’t used the normal Steam mode for a while, but on your game list is a small Penguin. I believe that’s due to the filter “show Linux native only”.
    If you forgot to activate Proton, go into the Steam settings, gameplay and hit the checkbox “Compatibility for other games”. Use that all the time, even for Linux native games. They are usually way buggier than the Windows version, and Proton works great today.

    Second, if you are already using Proton and my first guess is wrong, use another Proton version. Either the most recent one (proton-experimental), an older one or the “proton-GE” versions.

    What distro are you using?

    Did you try using Flatpak instead of the native package? Maybe, there’s something missing in the native app.

    Oh, and I also wouldn’t worry much about the firmware errors and such. This panel is very new and some things are basically impossible to archive. But don’t trust my statement, maybe I’m wrong.

    • Critical_Insight@feddit.ukOP
      0·
      10 months ago

      Do you really have this few games in your library?

      Yes. I don’t play anything else except DayZ currently.

      Second, if you are already using Proton and my first guess is wrong, use another Proton version.

      Yeah I had all this enabled. The game worked perfectly before and then just all of a sudden stopped launching. I tired Proton 8 and 7 aswell but no difference.

      What distro are you using?

      Ubuntu

      Did you try using Flatpak instead of the native package?

      I was using the snap version of Steam that I had installed from Ubuntu App Store. I uninstalled it and installed the native version using terminal. Obviously I had to re-download and re-install the game aswell and it started working again after that. I’m not entirely sure what was causing the issue in the first place but I’m suspecting it was an issue in the steam app itself. What is curious though is that the exactly same issue occured to me previously with Windows 7 aswell and judging by the reports online, I’m not the only one.

      The problem is however solved - atleast for now, and that’s the most important thing. Thanks for the help though! The assistance I got from this community is invaluable. I’d be completely stuck with this on my own.

      • Guenther_Amanita@feddit.de
        0·
        10 months ago

        Yes. I don’t play anything else except DayZ currently.

        Sorry! Just in case this came out rude or judgy. It’s just a bit rare that ones’ library is so empty. It was just a thought because mine looks similar when I don’t activate Proton.

        I was using the snap version of Steam that I had installed from Ubuntu App Store.

        Aaah, yes. Just what I’ve thought. There are reasons why Snaps are hated this much in the Linux community.

        I personally recommend Flatpaks for everything, especially proprietary software like Steam. With the permission management, it has way less access to your device.
        Also, they usually “just work” better, because they provide themselves with all they need and can be improved by everyone, not just the devs of Ubuntu.

        With native apps you can get a few problems. In the best case, they’re just not as spread and bugs may occour more often. Flatpaks are more reproducible and bugs are fixed universally, no matter what distro.
        They’re more up to date too.
        And, they don’t come with dependencies. There was this one case, when a popular YouTuber accidentally deleted his whole user interface because he tried to uninstall Steam. That won’t happen with Flatpaks.

        Thanks for the help though! The assistance I got from this community is invaluable. I’d be completely stuck with this on my own.

        Of course, you’re welcome! Glad to help!

        I think it’s something of a generational contract. I got help a few years ago, when I was a noob, and now I’m more experienced and try to help as many newcomers as I can. And you will do the same in 3 years hopefully! 😁

  • Doods@infosec.pub
    01·
    10 months ago

    You press play and it goes off after a while, you have problems with vulkan, you have an old PC.

    I had this exact issue before, try tuning an older version of proton, as newer versions require more recent vulkan versions, which your PC most likely doesn’t support.

    steam auto updates to the latest proton version usually, that’s probably why.

    • Critical_Insight@feddit.ukOP
      0·
      10 months ago

      I did get the “Processing vulcan shaders” pop-up sometimes when I opened the game (back when it was still working) So I should not be using the Proton experimental? It worked just fine untill now. That’s what’s so strange about it. I do have an old PC but my GPU is brand new though.

      I’m trying to re-install steam right now but it’s been uninstalling it for about an hour and doesn’t seem to be progressing anywhere…

      • Doods@infosec.pub
        01·
        10 months ago

        1 - Proton experimental is a moving target and is rapidly evolving.

        2 - What exactly is your GPU, and maybe tell us your pc specs (even if it’s just through the info tab in the settings menu) (also put it in your post for others)

        3 - that sometimes happens to me when using gnome-software (which Ubuntu uses? or something really similar?), I usually just surrender and use the terminal, not like I install more than 1 thing in a normal month anyway.

        4 - if the issue is with proton, then other games wouldn’t work. (try running a very light, single player game to test proton, many F2P games under 20 mbs exist on Steam)