game won't start

[Sillyflower]

Bought it today and I would rather have it working than a refund. I did the Steam test to verify the files and that was OK. Whenever I tried to start the game i get a brief message about connecting to steam cloud, then that goes and nothing happens. My other games all open fine so I don't think it's my PC. I'm useless with computers so any advice need to be in words of 1 syllable please, but I do want to play this...
Thanks in advance

[Goldi_Toplitz]

Hey there!

Usually when the game does not start up after clicking on the button the reason for it is an issue with the runtimes. Those are DirectX and Visual C++. Usually Steam automatically installs what is needed, but sometimes that does not work as intended.

That said, if your system meets the requirements to run the game, this is not too difficult to fix.

DirectX should be on your PC already as part of your Windows installation. Should the issue be there, it can be repaired.

Visual C++ comes in different versions. Different games and programs use different versions. However, they do not conflict and they don't take up much space. You can simply install the whole bundle from the Windows website or a tech website you trust.

If you already have Visual C++ installed and you wish to uninstall one or several versions, always make sure to restart your PC after every single uninstallation. It may be a little annoying, but this is important.


Another possible reason could be your antivirus blocking Steam or the game. They can mean a little too well sometimes. Using Steam in admin mode and/or whitelisting it for your antivirus can help here.

[TheMole]

First we would need a run down of your PC's spec's, easiest way to do this is via a DxDiag uploadedto a file sharing website with the link posted here

This video might help with how to create a DxDiag: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-49zmQgK70

This video shows how to use WeTransfer which is a free file sharing website
https://youtu.be/mZs57o8wdnw

Hi Goldi <3

[Goldi_Toplitz]

Teamwork! :D Hi, Mole! <3

[Sillyflower]

Thanks for the extremely rapid responses above. I have direct X 11. I checked and I have a working game that requires it, and others requiring v. 10. Again, all my other steam games have started normally so I'm guessing that my anti-virus doesn't object to steam.
I fear that TheMole's advice is beyond my comfort zone/competence.

Is it worth asking for a refund then re-purchasing it? I guess Einstein would say no......
I will try deleting + reloading tho' that is probably a waste of electricity

[Sillyflower]

reloading did indeed fail

[Goldi_Toplitz]

Refunding and repurchasing won't change anything.

You can try to uninstall and reinstall it, but I would suggest checking Visual C++ first.

You can see which versions are installed in your regular app installer. Their name is "Microsoft Visual C++" followed by a year.

You can download and install the full bundle via the Windows website.

If this does not help, please share a dxdiag log with us. This way we can see your hardware and driver versions, as well as potential system errors. It does not share any personal information with us but it helps us understand what kind of PC we are looking at.

If you look above, Mole has linked some helpful videos. They teach you how it's done step by step.

Instead of WeTransfer you can also use our support tickets to send the dxdiag log.

Here: https://support.toplitz-productions.com/

Dxdiag is a Windows program that helps you gather information about your PC and diagnose errors.

Here is the explanation on the Windows website: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/open-and-run-dxdiag-exe-dad7792c-2ad5-f6cd-5a37-bf92228dfd85

[TheMole]

Try the video's, they are explained very simply and use layman's terms whenever possible. If uploading the file is what worries you, I know Goldi can direct you to the Toplitz support tickets to share the file more privately, though the file doesn't contain any personal info. It is purely a list of hardware and software that your PC uses to run, including any issues that your PC is facing

[Goldi_Toplitz]

Originally posted by TheMole:

Try the video's, they are explained very simply and use layman's terms whenever possible. If uploading the file is what worries you, I know Goldi can direct you to the Toplitz support tickets to share the file more privately, though the file doesn't contain any personal info. It is purely a list of hardware and software that your PC uses to run, including any issues that your PC is facing

Just did. ;)

I appreciate the reluctance to do anything on a PC you're not familiar with btw. Too many people just jump into things they don't understand head first and cause a lot of damage or get tricked.

Perhaps there is somebody you know, trust, who is a little more experienced in those kinds of things and who you can ask for help?

[Sillyflower]

I found the app list to my surprise. The 2 latest versions listed were 2015 redistribuable (x86) and 2015-2019 redistributable (64). 'Repaired' both in sequence and restarted PC each time. Result - still can't start the game. Couldn't find any sign of any later versions.

Sorry to be taking up so much of your time............

[Goldi_Toplitz]

We are here to help, please don't worry. :)

Repairing is not so much the problem here, but Steam may not have installed the version you need.

Does it say 2015 or also 2015-2019 for the first one?

Just in case, here you can find the full Visual C++ package on the Microsoft website: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

X64 and X86 are the ones you will likely need.


If you do not want to generate a dxdiag log and share it, could you let us know your basic system specifications? So, your GPU, CPU, RAM and VRAM. If you are unsure about it, you can click on "Help" in the upper left corner here on Steam. Next click on "System Information". It opens a window with all your system information.

[Sillyflower]

1st one was 2015 only

I went to the website and dowmloaded and then installed (I'm getting a bit better)both vcredist 64 +86 and arm64. Restarted PC. Still game won't load. Repeating made no difference

[Sillyflower]

If it helps:
Driver: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
DirectX Driver Name: aticfx32.dll
Driver Version: 31.0.14033.1012
DirectX Driver Version: 31.0.14033.1012
Driver Date: 2 17 2023

[Sillyflower]

RAM: 16334 MB
no sign of vram detected

[TheMole]

VRAM is the RAM memory that is attached directly within your GPU, stands for Video Random Access Memory.

If you used the Steam>help>system information to get the info, VRAM is is listed second from bottom of the Video Card section

[Sillyflower]

It said I didn't have any vram
Video Card:
Driver: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT
DirectX Driver Name: aticfx32.dll
Driver Version: 31.0.14033.1012
DirectX Driver Version: 31.0.14033.1012
Driver Date: 2 17 2023
OpenGL Version: 4.6
Desktop Color Depth: 32 bits per pixel
Monitor Refresh Rate: 59 Hz
DirectX Card: AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT