Crashes at splash screen on Steam Deck (desktop mode) [fixed - use Proton Experimental]

[Oh The Folly]

Edit: For some reason forcing the game to use Proton Experimental makes it run in desktop mode. This also appears to work for other games in general which run fine in game mode but fail in desktop mode.

See last post for details.

Original post

I wanted to play this in desktop mode so I could use the higher res of my monitor while using the Steam Deck Docking Station.

Trying to run it in desktop mode, it's crashing at the splash screen with no message (it doesn't get farther than 10% on the splash screen). Tried verifying the installation. Tried the playfab version too with the same result. Except I don't think playfab even said 10% before it crashed.

The game was working in game mode when I had previously played it last (some time before that last patch). I haven't tried it in game mode after that last patch, because I was planning on playing it higher res in desktop mode from now on. (Game mode only lets you select up to Steam Deck's native res for most games even when docked, so game mode is not very useful when you have a monitor connected.)

Is there some setting I should change in the configs to get it working in desktop mode? I have no idea how to find those files on a Steam Deck.

[Oh The Folly]

I found a way to get it to launch (for the playfab version only). In Steam's launch options for the game, I put my monitor's native width and height. After that it launched in desktop mode.

When I switched back to the main branch, it would not get past the splash screen in desktop mode even defining the width and height.

But now I have a different problem. And it's a big one. In the playfab version, the only one that's working in desktop mode, I can't load my saves!

There was a warning before trying to load a save that the save was made using a slightly older version and may have problems. Well, loading a save crashes the game instantly. I can't continue playing. I would have to restart from the beginning.

Is there any fix (or will there be a fix) for making saves from before the prefab version work with the prefab version? I really don't want to start over from the beginning of the game.

[Oh The Folly]

After switching back to the prefab version, it isn't getting past the splash screen again. I don't know why that worked exactly one time. This doesn't even make any sense anymore.

[Oh The Folly]

I finally found a way to get it to run in Steam Deck's desktop mode. In properties for the game, compatibility, use Proton Experimental. Now Turok 2 will launch and run properly in desktop mode.

I have found that this is a fix that tends to work in general for any game which runs in Steam Deck's game mode fine, but fails in desktop mode. The first Stalker being another prime example.

[Y_B_A_FOOL]

Every proton update it only gets better.

Note you can search for proton in your library and change it to 'bleeding edge' under the betas option. Might be useful in future troubleshooting.

The same applies for the runtimes now (soldier, sniper, scout).

[Oh The Folly]

I had no idea you could search Proton in the library.

Originally posted by Y_B_A_FOOL:

Every proton update it only gets better.

Yeah, GE used to be my go to if stable didn't work for a game. But experimental has become what I try first now when stable fails. I haven't had to use GE for anything new for a while now.

Thanks for the tip about bleeding edge too, although because that can destroy prefixes and saves I'd only use it as a last resort.

I see you can bring up soldier, sniper, and scout at the same time by searching for runtime. I don't know what the advantage would be using beta for those however.