The Witcher 2 (20920)

[CuriousTommy]

Compatibility Report

• Name of the game with compatibility issues: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition
• Steam AppID of the game: 20920

System Information

• GPU: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 530
• Driver/LLVM version: 3.0 Mesa 18.2.8
• Kernel version: 4.20.3-200.fc29.x86_64
• Link to full system information report
• Proton version: Proton 3.16-6 Beta

I confirm:

• [No] that I haven't found an existing compatibility report for this game (I was asked to create a new bug report Witcher 2 #1194 (comment)).
• [Yes] that I have checked whether there are updates for my system available.

steam-20920.log

Symptoms

Game crashes silently (before showing anything on the screen).

Reproduction

Launch the game

[JanGalek]

@CuriousTommy The Witcher 2 has native support.

[CuriousTommy]

@JanGalek I know, but I want to try to Windows version and see how well it performs compared to the native version.

[meequz]

I experience the same issue (the game crashes silently), with all the available Proton versions. Any workaround found?

[Kreyren]

Crashes on startup

pid 8143 != 8142, skipping destruction (fork without exec?)

LOG: http://ix.io/1Q2q
aptli: http://ix.io/1Q2r

Conclusion: Proton is checking for wrong pid -> upstream fix required

EDIT: According to @kisak-valve this is harmless #131 (comment)

EDIT2: as follows

Possible suspect(s)

SEH?

2777.364:0029:002a:trace:seh:__regs_RtlUnwind handler at 0x7bc85ef0 returned 1

Concluding that __regs_RtlUnwind handler at 0x7bc85ef0 returns false

Probably non-fatal

DOTNET?

According to https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=26197 it may be using .NET with which proton seems to have issues providing based on https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/labels/.NET -> Trying to install it manually

Referencing: https://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=26197&iTestingId=92121

Using manually installed dotnet46 breaks rundll32.dll since i can't even access winecfg now.

---

Made new installation

Locally (on wine not proton) i'm getting:

0009:err:module:import_dll Library mfc100u.dll (which is needed by L"Z:\home\kreyren\.steam\debian-installation\steamapps\common\the witcher 2\Launcher.exe") not found

Relevant: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=137423

Installing vcrun2010 fixed issue with missing mfc100u.dll

Can't find anything usefull -> gave up

[Kreyren]

@CuriousTommy The Witcher 2 has native support.

Which is using eON wrapper that is next to unusable (crashes on startup, has performance and stability issues).. -> Using wine is much better.

To justify using wine for "native" game.

[jqadev]

Unfortunately Proton 4.11-1 with the PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command% launch option set hasn't resolved problem with running this game.
@kisak-valve do you know if there are any plans on the developers' side to investigate the logs reported so far?

[logan001]

how do you install windows version when there is a linux version?

[CuriousTommy]

@logan001 Right-click -> Properties -> Check "Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool".

[John-Gee]

I don't know if it helps, but I was unable to start Steam's The Witcher 2 even with a Wine Steam prefix (so no Proton), no matter the wine build, but at a dev's suggestion I tried with GoG's instead and it just worked which makes me wonder if the Steam build is not doing something special compared to GoG's.

[kisak-valve]

The Witcher 2 memory allocation

Issue transferred from #3238.
@kkleinw posted on 2019-11-20T21:07:28:

There seems to be a memory allocation bug that leads to the game crashing on proton. Shortly before the crash there may be a warning that 3.9 of 4.0 gb memory are allocated and that OpenGL is not clearing it's cache. This warning may not always be seen. Easier to reproduce in second act.

[kisak-valve]

Hello @kkleinw, please copy your system information from Steam (Steam -> Help -> System Information) and put it in a gist, then include a link to the gist in this issue report. Also, please add PROTON_LOG=1 %command% to the game's launch options, reproduce the issue, and drag and drop the generated $HOME/steam-$APPID.log into the comment box. In general, proton logs compress well, so if Github isn't happen with the log's size, then try throwing it in an archive.

[DustyCrumpet]

Copying the contents of
/steamapps/common/the witcher 2/bin/config
to
/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My Documents/Witcher 2/Config
allows the launcher and game to load.

With D9VK v0.30 there is a visual issue when in a conversation, fixed when using Joshua-Ashton/d9vk@55cb30c

D9VK v0.30
D9VK 55cb30c

steam-20920.log (WINEDEBUG=warn+all)

System Information

• GPU: Vega 56
• Driver/LLVM version: Mesa 19.2.4/9.0.0
• Kernel version: 5.3.7-arch1-2-fsync
• System Information
• Proton version: 4.11-8

[jqadev]

@kisak-valve I copied config as @DustyCrumpet wrote:

cp -r ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/* ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config/

@aeikum is there an option to automate executing this command when the game is being installed the first time using Proton to not doing this manually?

The launcher works now but the game do not start when I use:
PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command%
The log file is not created when I use:
PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command% PROTON_LOG=1 %command%

The game loads when I do not use PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command% option.
When I set only PROTON_LOG=1 %command% then the log file is created:
steam-20920.log

On both configurations: with PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command% and without it the launcher is hidden under the strange rectangle in the center:

I can move the launcher outside it:

There appears The Witcher logo in place of this rectangle when the game starts:

System Information

• GPU: GeForce 930MX
• Driver version: NVIDIA 435.21
• Kernel version: 5.3.0-24-generic
• System Information
• Proton version: 4.11-9

[aeikum]

How does this work on Windows? If the step is not required on Windows, it should not be required here, either.

[jqadev]

@Joshua-Ashton do you have any idea why the log file is not being created when I set PROTON_LOG=1 %command% PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command%?
When I set only PROTON_LOG=1 %command% then it works.

[Joshua-Ashton]

Use PROTON_LOG=1 PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command%

[jqadev]

@Joshua-Ashton thank you!
Here is the log file
steam-20920.log
The hack

cp -r ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/* ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config/

has been done earlier so that I can run the launcher.

My system information is here #2309 (comment)
The game does not start using PROTON_USE_D9VK=1 %command%.
Without this command it works.

[jqadev]

How does this work on Windows? If the step is not required on Windows, it should not be required here, either.

@aeikum
The steps I did to reproduce the issue with not starting launcher (without using the hack with copying the config described above):

1. uninstalled Steam
2. removed .steam directory
3. installed Steam
4. clicked right button on The Witcher 2 in the Steam Library
5. checked Force the use of a specific Steam Play compatibility tool
6. chose Proton 4.11-9
7. clicked INSTALL button
8. set PROTON_LOG=1 %command%
9. clicked PLAY button

Here is the log file
steam-20920.log

[jqadev]

Help us, @aeikum. You're our only hope.

[jqadev]

@aeikum there left only the issue with running the launcher without the workaround.
Could you please check the log file?
steam-20920.log

[logan001]

@jqadev thanks for the workaround.

i did a quick test with my last saving i have from a few years ago. windows 38fps. linux 29 fps. (on ultra)
i'll have too see how it works with native client. i don't remember if the settings are the same with native client.

[viggy96]

Does not start for me. I tried copying the files as suggested previously.
steam-20920.log

[Newbytee]

How does this work on Windows? If the step is not required on Windows, it should not be required here, either.

It "just works" on Windows. No need to copy directories.

[mozo78]

It "just works" on Linux too if one use the native version.

[jqadev]

@daxcore I saw your great work related to fix of the PES 2020 Lite
Would you like to help us and check what is going on with the need of the workaround?

cp -r ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/* ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config/

[jqadev]

@aeikum, the issue #231, which is still open for over a year, explains the need for making symlink
~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config
to
~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/

As I've read in the mentioned issue, this problem is impossible to solve at the Proton / Wine level and the correct way to solve it is to manually create a symlink this way:

rm -r ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config/
ln -sfn ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/ ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config

instead of copying data (without symlink) as it was suggested here #2309 (comment), i.e.:

cp -r ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/the\ witcher\ 2/bin/config/* ~/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/20920/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/My\ Documents/Witcher\ 2/Config/

@aeikum, please let me know if the only proper solution is to create a symbolic link manually.

[kisak-valve]

Hello @ebesathyr, you have a Sea Islands (CIK) generation video card, and Linux uses the radeon kernel module by default with that generation of video card. The radeon kernel module is not compatible with vulkan. Please give https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Proton/wiki/For-AMD-users-having-issues-with-non-OpenGL-games a read.

[RussianNeuroMancer]

Is anyone tested compatibility with GalliumNine?

[jqadev]

@aeikum @kisak-valve the workaround is no more needed since Proton 5.13-1 in contrast to the version 5.0-10.

[ArtyIF]

On Proton Experimental the game crashes silently (usually a launcher should appear, but it doesn't). Native version performs much worse (seemingly bottlenecked by loading things), so I'd really like for the game to work on Proton.

Installing VC++ Redist 2010 through protontricks didn't help, .NET Framework 4.0 fails to install. .NET 4.5 and 4.8 need --force to be installed due to a bug related to them (fixed in Wine 6.6+, but Proton is still based on Wine 6.3). Using --force didn't work since .NET 4.0 is needed for 4.5 apparently.

wine-mono just won't install for me for some reason.

Using Arch Linux

[Newbytee]

The game works for me using latest Proton Experimental.

Fedora 34
GNOME 40 (Wayland and X11)
NVIDIA 470.57.02
Steam from RPM Fusion

Witcher 2 is modded with this mod though: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher2/mods/934

[ArtyIF]

The game works for me using latest Proton Experimental.

Fedora 34
GNOME 40 (Wayland and X11)
NVIDIA 470.57.02
Steam from RPM Fusion

Witcher 2 is modded with this mod though: https://www.nexusmods.com/witcher2/mods/934

I've seen it working for others on Arch out of box. I'm using KDE Plasma 5.22.3 (X11) with nvidia 470.57.02-5 drivers. Steam is installed through the multilib repository. Also here's the log after attempting to install vcrun2010 and wine-mono, maybe they'll help https://hastebin.com/kihusaqaza.rb

[ArtyIF]

Installed an earlier Proton version (4.x), .NET 4 installed successfully, but the launcher still doesn't launch. No unknown exception in the logs though. New logs: https://hastebin.com/xotuhitali.sql

[ArtyIF]

Progress! Decided to play Deus Ex Revision instead (which has no native Linux version), and noticed that it downloaded Steamworks Common Redistributables (which it didn't for Witcher 2). Launched W2 after that, and it automatically installed the prerequisites! Launcher works.

[ArtyIF]

Holy cow. It works! I spent hours trying to fix this and all I had to do is try to run a game that's Windows-exclusive!

Loading times are so much better than the native port, on the level of Windows. Performance is worse though, probably because I was using 4.x. Gonna test on Proton Experimental.

[ArtyIF]

Doesn't work on experimental. It does work on 4.11-3 though, but .NET 4 will probably need to be manually installed.

[Newbytee]

I didn't need to set up anything manually to make it work. It is possible I ran some other game that installed the common redistributables though.

[ArtyIF]

Reinstalled the game. On the first launch the performance was much worse, even the FMVs ran at like 15 FPS. But then I restarted the game (and closed a YouTube tab and a Discord window) and it ran much better, with levels close to native Windows!

[ArtyIF]

To #5027 - the first time setup mentioned DirectX Runtime and VC++ Redist 2010, so these are needed to be downloaded through Steamworks Common Redistributables. Also I saw people mention .NET Framework 4, but I'm not sure about that since it's broken under Wine/Proton.

[smbkr]

I seem to be experiencing similar problems. Here's a log from trying to launch the game: https://pastebin.com/XVEaHwty

It seems to be failing to load some DLLs:

6094.077:00cc:00d0:err:module:import_dll Library mfc100u.dll (which is needed by L"Z:\\home\\stuart\\.steam\\debian-installation\\steamapps\\common\\the witcher 2\\Launcher.exe") not found

I've tried Proton Experimental, 6.3-6, and 5.13-6, same result with all.

I did try running another Windows game in case that prompted the installation of the Steamworks Common Redistributables, but no luck (the other game - Arx Fatalis, if it matters - ran fine).

[rihardsk]

I have a different issue – the launcher starts, but after i click on "Launch game" the game gets stuck on the splash screen (the wolf medallion logo).

Logs: steam-20920.log

I've tried Proton Experimental, 6.3-7, 5.13-6, 5.0-10.

The game ran fine previously (might have been using Proton 5.13-6 or 5.0-10). One day it stopped working, I don't know what changed.

[rihardsk]

I've resolved the issue in my previous post. Some web searching revealed that the issue isn't exclusive to Linux+Proton but also happens on Windows. Some workaround suggested disabling hyperthreading, which pointed me to the actual culprit – having too many CPU cores. This seems to be a bug in Witcher 2.

To work around the bug, you can manually restrict the game to a subset of the cores with taskset – add, e.g., taskset -c 0-3 %command% to game's launch options in Steam to restrict it to 4 cores.

EDIT: i should probably mention that the problem manifested when i switched to a 16-core/32-thread CPU, but there were no issues with a 6-core/12-thread CPU.

[IBNobody]

Progress! Decided to play Deus Ex Revision instead (which has no native Linux version), and noticed that it downloaded Steamworks Common Redistributables (which it didn't for Witcher 2). Launched W2 after that, and it automatically installed the prerequisites! Launcher works.

I can confirm that this fixed the issue for me on my Steam Deck where the launcher wouldn't even start. It was so weird. I was able to get far on my own by installing vcredist_x86.exe via protontricks, but couldn't get past the DirectX thing, Not sure how Wine/Proton keep things common between different games like this.

[oakad]

This game has plenty of crashes on all versions of Proton, though Proton 8 is relatively stable (as expressed in crashes per hour terms :-).

However, it also exhibits a peculiar behavior, whereupon the game appears to ignore key presses, to the tune: "press key -> no action -> reload/restart -> key works". I wonder if this arises from the general bugginess of the game or may there be an underlying issue with Proton/Linux input events/whatever else?