Some games will not launch via steam but will open from file directory

[Chuckleton]

Hello,

I am requesting today some potential help steam.

For many years I have used Steam to play my PC games and haven't had much issue.

However I have recently noticed an issue with launching from Steam with 2 games.

What will happen is that I click the green play button.

Once it's done it will load for a couple seconds with the blue "stop" as an option. Then once those couple seconds pass it will turn back into the green play button.

If I go to the games properties > Browse local files > open game file, I click on the EXE file and the game opens just fine, but even after that still won't open via steam itself.

I have for both games:

-Verifying integrity of game files
-Uninstall and reinstall on 2 different drives
-reinstalled steam
-ensuring steam is launched via administrator.

My graphics card driver is up to date as well.

The 2 games that I have noticed so far with this issue is Terraria and VRChat.

I'm not really sure what else to try and while this isn't the worst issue since I can still play the games, it's just frustrating hopping into again say VRchat while in VR and having to do a bunch of background stuff just to launch it.

Any tips, tricks, link to other posts with a similar issue, anything would be a great help.

[Iceira]

SteamVR, might help you. ? ( maybe )
https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/

the other is a game. ( Terraria )


RECOMMENDED
OS: Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10
Processor: Dual Core 3.0 Ghz
Memory: 4GB
Hard Disk Space: 200MB
Video Card: 256mb Video Memory, capable of Shader Model 2.0+
DirectX®: 9.0c or Greater


How the hell can you have a problem with that old piece of ancient release.
maybe you have a old VC++ corrupted file game might need, i dont have the game askk or browse into that game folder and take a peek to see if im right, what thirdpart app do it need if they do such thing here.

Try the all inone old vc++ install as admin, ( sense i did that all my old games issue was gone )
https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/

Do watchout for validate game files and reinstal then old script might force double version with diffrent version nrt. try avoid that.


All this still require you have a pc that update at board product support page, ( windows update dont count as then my pc is updated ) ( MS dont know jack and crap about your board, they are given drivers from support page )

AQnd ( MS do not update your BIOS either ) or chipset driver if board never gave it to MS.
they are seen as cornerstone, sure they can do a gpu or netcard,

PC update on older pc its much more demanding then new pc today, most have auto update my pc app. still actual require they work, do check own support page just to be sure.

[Iceira]

Still dont ruleout other pc issue ( google them cmd ) in what and how to do, )

DISM.exe /Online /Cleanup-Image /Restorehealth
SFC /Scannow


VC++ is not part of MS checkup afaik, they are thirdpart app, not need by OS if you are a none gaming pc. ( thats could change someday ) why its not is odd then it is installed.

[Iceira]

Terraria release date
16 May, 2011

My point is ( a good clue in this is my pc that has a issue ) test with old other spare pc, and most of the time they work on other, unless you have same mistake on both, such can happend.

Thats how i discover the VC++ issue backthen work on my crappy laptop not my new main pc.
other game ofc.

[Chuckleton]

Originally posted by Iceira:

SteamVR, might help you. ? ( maybe )
https://steamcommunity.com/app/250820/discussions/

the other is a game. ( Terraria )


RECOMMENDED
OS: Windows 7, 8/8.1, 10
Processor: Dual Core 3.0 Ghz
Memory: 4GB
Hard Disk Space: 200MB
Video Card: 256mb Video Memory, capable of Shader Model 2.0+
DirectX®: 9.0c or Greater


How the hell can you have a problem with that old piece of ancient release.
maybe you have a old VC++ corrupted file game might need, i dont have the game askk or browse into that game folder and take a peek to see if im right, what thirdpart app do it need if they do such thing here.

Try the all inone old vc++ install as admin, ( sense i did that all my old games issue was gone )
https://www.techpowerup.com/download/visual-c-redistributable-runtime-package-all-in-one/

Do watchout for validate game files and reinstal then old script might force double version with diffrent version nrt. try avoid that.


All this still require you have a pc that update at board product support page, ( windows update dont count as then my pc is updated ) ( MS dont know jack and crap about your board, they are given drivers from support page )

AQnd ( MS do not update your BIOS either ) or chipset driver if board never gave it to MS.
they are seen as cornerstone, sure they can do a gpu or netcard,

PC update on older pc its much more demanding then new pc today, most have auto update my pc app. still actual require they work, do check own support page just to be sure.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I did do the VC++ all and i'm still having the issue. It's super strange, like the games work but I just can't launch them through steam itself. Also to your point about SteamVR I also tried launching VRChat via that and same thing where after clicking play it just doesn't open and goes right back to telling me to open the game. It's a very strange issue honestly

[Iceira]

Could you have a antivirus app that block that old game. ?
make exception rule to steam.exe and game name itself.

or you need to check windows log view why Terraria crash if there even is a log entry.


google how to use windows event viewer and why a app crash ( name .exe )
and you hope for it can throw you a bone to chew on.

[CyanCatMan]

Has this issue been resolved at all?

[Chuckleton]

Originally posted by CyanCatMan:

Has this issue been resolved at all?

Yes! So what my issue turned out to be, it didn't have anything to do with antivirus or anything, what it turned out to be was that when I went to steam in my C drive > Right click > Properties > Compatibility > under Compatibility mode it was turned on and somehow running compatibility mode for Windows 8. I turned compatibility mode off and clicked apply and restarted my computer. This was done around December 2023 or January 2024 and I haven't had an issue since!

[Iceira]

Originally posted by Chuckleton:

Originally posted by CyanCatMan:

Has this issue been resolved at all?

Yes! So what my issue turned out to be, it didn't have anything to do with antivirus or anything, what it turned out to be was that when I went to steam in my C drive > Right click > Properties > Compatibility > under Compatibility mode it was turned on and somehow running compatibility mode for Windows 8. I turned compatibility mode off and clicked apply and restarted my computer. This was done around December 2023 or January 2024 and I haven't had an issue since!

No you dont get credit for own mistake, you set the option, and you can find many post where i have warn ppl about it, this is not me fishing for reward, its fact of knowing and get other steam user, i dont think so. the other helper here know i have done it many times.

but gz anyway, and welcome to the club, with past settings aient working and can cause issue with games even on steam.exe.

[Iceira]

You need to understand you once did it, and later forgot it. ( its here it becomes users own mistake. )

[CyanCatMan]

Originally posted by Iceira:

You need to understand you once did it, and later forgot it. ( its here it becomes users own mistake. )

Mmm nope.
This is a product on a well known platform and so people will assume it follows those same standards.
Unless your EXTREMELY paranoid you wouldn't look up “is this game legit” on steam unless it was very shady looking.
Which granted it would be if not for the fact several other games do this type of system.

[Iceira]

Originally posted by CyanCatMan:

Originally posted by Iceira:

You need to understand you once did it, and later forgot it. ( its here it becomes users own mistake. )

Mmm nope.
This is a product on a well known platform and so people will assume it follows those same standards.
Unless your EXTREMELY paranoid you wouldn't look up “is this game legit” on steam unless it was very shady looking.
Which granted it would be if not for the fact several other games do this type of system.

nope its win 10 rdy., many old games from past system work with no special setting , i dont need to look up game past settings.

steam has so many user like you thats dont get it, ms even fix past games work under win10. ( this is fact you did not know. )

[CyanCatMan]

Originally posted by Iceira:

nope its win 10 rdy., many old games from past system work with no special setting , i dont need to look up game past settings.

What exactly have you looked up?

[Iceira]

Originally posted by CyanCatMan:

Originally posted by Iceira:

nope its win 10 rdy., many old games from past system work with no special setting , i dont need to look up game past settings.

What exactly have you looked up?

maybe you should look yourself up.

[CyanCatMan]

Originally posted by Iceira:

maybe you should look yourself up.

How am i supposed to know the issues you've experienced?
Games ran fine with me. And the only issues i’ve seen are server connections and the anti-cheat grinding your HDD to dust.

[CyanCatMan]

Originally posted by Iceira:

because you have no clue what is going on we cant help you in what you dont undserstand here.

you look more like a bait bait bot here., no one ask you to comment on what you did not read and we cant help you with things you dont want to understand.

I’m just stating my experience with games?
Like the solutions already been posted.
And issues like this can be resolved by running steam as an admin or as mentioned is just a “compatibility tick a box” issue with whatever the game is.

You have a good one now ok?
Good luck with your gaming.