I made Ground Control 2 work after did several fixes

[Atelann]

What I've done so far:

=> Uninstalled the game and installed it on C:// (try to install it on C://Games/Ground Control II if you can. I could'nt find the option in Steam)
=> Dowloaded and installed an old vide player "Bink video" : http://www.radgametools.com/bnkdown.htm
=> Downloaded the K-Lite Codec mega pack and installed it: https://www.codecguide.com/download_k-lite_codec_pack_mega.htm
(careful, they will try to install another apps if you don't unselect them during the install)
=> Installed DirectX 2010 runtime package
=> Installed-reinstalled both Visual C++ 2019 Redistribution packages
=> Get the last graphics drivers
=> Directplay for windows 10 (find the video on YouTUbe)
=> Right click on the game inside Steam => Proprieties => Launch options => 3d_device 0
=> Go to the game folder => Right click on gcII.exe => Proprieties => Compatibilty => Win XP SP2 compatibility mode AND click on "Run as administrator"
=> Finally, before running it, close ALL the other softwares
=> Unplug all the unecessary USB stuff and headsets
=> Restart the computer

Use gcII.exe in the game folder to start the game
Now it's the Russian Roulette time since the game will either:

- Do nothing
- Black screen or freeze
- Black screen during 2 secs and then nothing
- Get an error message "BOOM ACCESS VIOLATION"

Everytime you encounter one of those, just restart the game until it works
Sometimes it takes me 7 starts to actually launch the game

The steps are long but it's the end it's worth it since the game is still impressive after all these years and the graphics are still good enough. Campaign is great also

Good luck

[QWEEDDY2]

unplug usb is only really needed thing. Well, Legacy DX install + enable of course too.
Game did not "do nothing". It is Windows do. And its a common issue that games silently close immediatly after start with no error or game window appear.
Happened for many users on very differ Windows and for very random games.

Never happened for me, except ofc SaceDisc DRM games blocked by Windows. Never see any solutions or suggestion why.

Except one. Never ever use system drive for games. And gaming clients.
D/Games/Steam for Steam.
X/Games/SteamApps/common/
for games in Steam (you must create additional libraries folder to chose where to install game, X/Games/ must be empty before that).
X/Games/Game-name-2/ for games eg X:/Games/Ground-Control-2/ .

[QWEEDDY2]

steam screw that option to custom libraries folder. as well as default downloading folder. Many unnecessary requirements/limitations and bugs bring year ago after first implemented.

Better make it by editing libraryfolders.vdf file manually. No limitations there, no emtry folder required.
Still Steam forcely will use own folder as default even if you change it to newly created one. No fix for that.

Make sure there is much enough free space on both D/X/etc drives including where Steam installed.
And still on C/ as well, ofc. Much extra free space.

Still with x/games/ folders sometimes you must start steam.exe as admin (games launched directly get it as well).
To install and FIRST launch.
After you can restart Steam without admin.

Never use desktop links from Steam. They never work for entire 20 years of Steam. One but not only reason - launch argument ignored. And there is launch argument set by publisher for this game.

If you dont want time to time relaunch with/without admin - set and keep Admin run on steam.exe. Without desktop links all games get it too. Not mandatory required but easier way.

[QWEEDDY2]

http://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/Series:Ground_Control
since its a wiki it is not 100% accurate. Especially for highly popular games (many wrong or extra not needed solutions). Still first step to troubleshoot the issues with game.
There is also general Troubleshooting guide on this Wiki.

Check additional links there (Steam forum (this one)/GOG forum/GOG Support/etc).