Steam Deck Solution (I think)

[Genghis Pawn]

Like other folks, I installed the game on Deck and initially found that it would freeze/crash whenever I tried starting a new city. (I had no save files to try loading an existing city, but others also reported a crash there.)

I seem to have found a workaround to get the game working on steam deck. The starting point was realizing that (I think) Steam had installed the Windows version of the game to run through Proton, rather than installing the Linux version of the game to run (natively) on Deck. I believe the Linux version runs properly on Deck.

There may be some simpler way to do this, but here's what I did.

1. (At some point when the game is installed) Force compatibility with Linux runtime:
   • Go the CS in your library,
   • click the gear
   • click Properties,
   • click Compatibility,
   • check the box to force compatibility,
   • from the dropdown select Steam Linux Runtime.
   
   
2. Enable Steam Console on Deck when launching from Desktop mode:
   
   • This is the simplest method I have seen described, but it did not work for me.
     
   • I had to follow the slightly more complicated steps in this reddit thread. I will record the steps below for posterity, thanks to u/LennethW:
     
     • In Desktop mode right click on the link that start steam on the desktop.
       
     • Right click on it open with Kate
       
     • From Kate, save as, save it as something like steam2.desktop [and save it to your desktop]
       
     • A new steam icon will popup with an orange exclamation mark on the lower right (until you run it once).
       
     • Right click on it, properties, in the Application tab change the name to something like Steam Console, and in the Arguments box add a space and - console after %U
       
     • Click okay, close steam completely, and start it from that new shortcut.
       
     • It will ask you only once if you are sure to run that app, then the orange checkmark will vanish.
   
   
3. Use Steam Console (in Desktop mode) to download the installation files for the Linux native version of the game:
   
   • enter the command: download_depot 255710 255713 6025825167241829143
     
   • You can confirm the App ID here[steamdb.info], and the Depot ID and Manifest ID here[steamdb.info].
     
   • This is a 5GB file. You will not see any indication that the download is proceeding until it is complete: at that time the Console reports to you the location where it was downloaded.
   
   
4. Install the game not through Steam, and with a desktop shortcut (At this point you should not have any other copy of the game installed):
   
   • Navigate (in Desktop mode) to the installer and run it:
     
     • In my case, this was: /home/deck/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steamapps/content/app_255710/depot_255713/Cities.x64
       
     • You may need to change the settings in Dolphin (the file manager) to show Hidden Files.
       
     • When running the installer, do not click to open Steam, but do check the box to install a desktop icon.
   
   
5. Run the game for the first time by double-clicking the CS icon on your Desktop, and let Steam verify the files.

From here, in my experience, the core game will properly load new and saved cities without crashing no matter how you run it. I make no claims about mod compatibility.

Edits for formatting and clarification

[Genghis Pawn]

By your own account the base game works fine and a third party mod that you chose to install is giving you problems. What are you reporting is not working?

edit: also it doesn't sound like you tried doing the thing that I said worked for me in the initial post. You instead installed another third party app, ProtonUp-Qt, to try to force compatibility.

[Dobby420]

I think using the proton up/steam tinker launcher/luxtropedia MIGHT be a easier workaround. I use luxtropedia for my Morrowind and rollercoaster tycoon which enables Linux native made versions of game engine (ie. Open Morrowind, open rts, tec.) which auto configures to your desktop enviro, so if it works that way on cities (I don't have the game so can't try and won't buy it unless a breakthrough is found) it should download and install the native Linux engine....maybe I'm wrong but worth a mention.

[Genghis Pawn]

Originally posted by Dobby420:

(I don't have the game so can't try and won't buy it unless a breakthrough is found)

You got a little mouse icon next to your screenname in this forum indicating that Steam thinks you own the game?

[Dobby420]

I actually just bought it at the end of the last sale.😁 Runs GREAT for me I stay in the 30+ fps and upscale with fsr, only trouble I'm having is mod related.