So, I’m not really sure where to ask properly. So, let’s try my luck here :)
A couple of weeks ago, a bunch of games I had been playing on Steam through Proton just abruptly stopped working. I got some to work by adding PROTON_USE_WINED3D=1 %command% in each broken game’s launch options. Therefore it has something to do with OpenGL, if I understand correctly.
Some games that were affected were Fallout 3 and Mafia. Now Mafia seems to run without that launch option again, but Fallout 3 still doesn’t even launch without it.
If I set that launch option, I get as far as this menu:
…but clicking on Continue or Loading a save crashes the game immediately.
I’ve been playing Fallout 3 on this machine for over 10 hours just fine, and this problem just appeared one day. Anybody know (or could guess?) what the root cause is and what could be done about it?
You need to pay attention to which Proton version is being engaged at what time for what specific game.
If you’re pegged to the rolling release, it may break. That’s why they keep the backlog of older versions available. One game may work perfectly on Proton9.0, but break on Proton10.0 release.
Check protondb.com and see if others are seeing the same thing, then go and change your compatible Proton versions in the game properties to peg it o a known good version.
Set PROTON_LOG=1 %command% in the launch options and start Fallout New Vegas. Steam will drop a logfile in your home directory. See if it has anything useful. Better than just guessing.
If I were going to guess, since I don’t have a logfile, might be missing 32-bit drivers for Vulkan; 32-bit binaries used them. I remember hitting that for OpenGL. Might explain why old 32-bit 3D games wouldn’t launch unless you force use of OpenGL. I’m not near my computer but I think that for Debian, it’d be something like
sudo apt install mesa-vulkan-drivers:i386 mesa-vulkan-drivers:amd64to get both 64-bit and 32-bit.I’m running Ubuntu, which is basically Debian, so I tried my luck and yes, those packages existed with those names and versions. Installing them as instructed, rebooting the computer (probably restarting Wayland would have been enough, but whatever, this took less brainpower) and launching the game again almost solved the problem for first. It did crash in the same spot again, but then I went to the launch options, removed the line I had there before and replaced it with the debug line. After that, the game launched properly and I was also able to load my save and be back to Megaton where I happened to be the last time I saved (after getting scared of some super mutants).
My apologies for not obeying you completely, as I have already mostly played through Fallout:NV, and Fallout 3 is more interesting to me right now 🤪
So, the game’s working now. Thank you! :) Apparently my Ubuntu had somehow removed some of the drivers in the background. On whose permission did it do that, if I may ask? Grr.
Once again, thanks! <3
My apologies for not obeying you completely, as I have already mostly played through Fallout:NV, and Fallout 3 is more interesting to me right now
:-P Sorry, should have read more closely. Note that, if you’ve never tried it, there is a Tale of Two Wastelands mod for Fallout: New Vegas which will incorporate Fallout 3 into the F:NV engine, and you can play through both games with one character.
I was the same as you, did Fallout: New Vegas and didn’t go back to play Fallout 3 until long after release.
