End of support fixes & improvements starter guides (ALL IN 1)

common issue fixes and latest improvements that are easy to follow!

WoT

In 2018, Atari stated that they will no longer support and fix Test Drive Unlimited 2, take the online server down and abandon it forever, the game then became a mess not long after that with some players said the game is an "unfinished, unsupported garbage" due to so many freezes and crashes.

well, my goal is to make a brief and easy to follow guide that covers some of the common and hard to fix issues all in 1 place, so new (and existing) players can hopefully enjoy the game to the fullest!

If i missed or if you want to suggest something, please let me know!

Lags, low fps & SecuROM mess (issues)

TDU2 is equipped with a security service called SecuROM, it prevents things like piracy.
now that it may sounds good and beneficial, SecuROM can also cause performance issue, as well as some inconveniences.

here are the cases you might get yourself into:

1. Sometimes after a while, the game became a performance hog for absolute no reason (PC meets the performance requirements and normally the game runs fine), some of the issues are, lag, low fps (like 15 fps average) etc.. then the culprit may be SecuROM. quit the game, restart your PC, it should fix it.

2. for whatever reason SecuROM tend to forget that your game has already activated by a key, when you launch the game and you won't be able to hit play, because there's a SecuROM prompt saying something like "this game hasn't been activated" and asks you to enter the CD key.

*find your digital steam key: steam game's option → manage → CD key, copy the code.
enter the code in the SecuROM prompt and you should be good to go.

3. If you ever wanted to uninstall TDU2 or moving the game into other folder/disc, you will be prompted by SecuROM to revoke the activation key. find your CD key (refer to *) and enter the code, you will have to reactivate the key again if you ever wanted to replay the game.

In-game map freezes and/ turns black (issue)

source

1. go to this site → github[github.com]

2. download the .gz file (doesn't matter which version but choose the latest if possible),
dont get mistaken by the zip option











3. unzip and extract the file somewhere convenient

4. find d3d9.dll in x32 folder

5. copy it into the game's folder (blablabla\steamapps\common\Test Drive Unlimited 2)

done!

note: you will not be able to take screenshots only with this fix (the game will crash if you press f12) so keep that in mind. the fix of it is in the next section.

Game crashes when taking a screenshot (issue)

source

(normally this issue occurs after you did the dxvk.dll fix)

1. go to this site → ntcore[ntcore.com]

2. download the 4 gb patch

3. extract the file to somewhere convenient

4. run the 4gb_patch.exe

5. you will be prompted to select an executable, go to the game's folder (blablabla\steamapps\common\Test Drive Unlimited 2) and find the TestDrive2.exe and hit open


done!

Game randomly freezes (issue)

source

If your game suffers randomly crashes (at cutscenes, free roam, loading screen etc), you might want to follow these steps:

1. use the 4 gb patcher (on how to use, please refer to previous section)

2. set the FX setting in the game's video option no higher than medium. (not high or ultra high)

3. if you have followed those steps and still getting frequent freezes, you might want to lower your game's resolution a notch.

Launch the game faster (improvement)

The game's original launcher takes forever to launch the game, here's an alternative:

1. go to this site[tdu2.knyazev-tools.ru]



2. download the universal launcher

3. extract the file to somewhere convenient

4. launch TDU2_Universal_Launcher.exe

5. go to tool → settings → find the TDU2.exe in the root folder (blablabla\steamapps\common\Test Drive Unlimited 2)

you can run the game with the launcher now

The latest and the last content update (improvement)

source

the exploration and bike update, the last official update by Atari.



1. download it here[drive.google.com]

2. unzip and extract to somewhere convenient

3. copy and paste the files into the game's folder, when asked to replace the file, click yes to all

done!
more contents like "scrap finds and bikes will be added into the game"

TDU World/TDU2 Online (improvement)

you can now experience TDU2 back in its former glory with online multiplayer!



more of it, here[turboduck.net]

[Nax_o]

Pretty messed up that the universal launched from that russian site got malware inside it and just basic defender finds it in the ZIP

[Memory]

update link seems to not be working on my end :c

[danny19901]

@theindiearmy TDU world discord server has a lot of the stuff to make the game run at it's best also this guide isn't bad but isn't the best dxvk oddly for me i've always had issues only way for me to get the game to run well with TDU World and DGvoodoo honestly no map crashes or anything however yeah i get random crashes after playing for a long time and it ain't my PC but the game itself since I have a i9 10850k, rtx3090, 32gb ram

[theindiearmy]

The official content file page says the file is in the owner's trash and can't be downloaded. Where else can I get the content update?

[Maskerader]

Glad to hear that!

[Spheredala!]

@Maskerader i tried what you said and it works! thanks! i will add it here and give you credit thx :)

[Maskerader]

I found out you can also rename it to UpLauncher.exe and you get everything you need:
1) overlay;
2) proper screenshots location;
3) proper game name.

I used the default launcher for the same reasons you described. But seeing how I get it all and also skip waiting before launching the game, this is what I'm going to use from now on.

I have nothing against your choice, I only noticed some incorrect info in your guide and that's it.

[Spheredala!]

how about you do me a favor and look at my profile, go to the screenshots section and filter the game to test drive unlimited 2.

now, if you like me, i would prefer the game's original launcher because:

1. i get steam overlay.

2. i can take screenshots AND when i do want to share them, the shared pictures WILL be in the proper shared screenshots section and not "artwork" or in "non steam game" section!

3. if i play the game, all of my friends would see me play "test drive unlimited 2", if i use the russian launcher, then my friends would see me playing a non steam game thus they would think i play a pirated game!

now these are my pet peeves of course, if you prefer the Russian launcher go ahead it's you. i know the launcher will launch the game faster but i would rather wait for like 3 minutes every time i launch the game using the original launcher..

[Maskerader]

You can use Steam overlay and take screenshots with the alternative launcher if you use "Add Non-steam game" function in your library and add this launcher.

[Spheredala!]

inb4: my only gaming rig is a laptop, that has a tiny gtx 1650 graphics on it. so please reconsider if you want to ask something technical with me XP