Rollback to a Previous Game Version

A Special Troubleshooting Guide for Baldur's Gate 3

Foreword

This manual serves as a troubleshooting guide exclusively.

Consider the rollback to a previous version only as last resort.

Please note that it is not applicable for multiplayer functionality.

To maintain compatibility with your savegames, refrain from creating any new saves using the latest version of the game before using this guide.

I recommend you make backups of your savegame files.

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Savegame Files Location

Steam Cloud

https://store.steampowered.com/account/remotestorageapp/?appid=1086940

Local

%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\Public\Savegames\Story

For your convenience, you can copy & paste the link into the address bar of your Windows Explorer, as shown in this screenshot



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Related Guides

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3022254866
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3022256045
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3018203217

Download Previous Version

1. Login with SteamDB

Allow your Steam account to be linked with SteamDB[steamdb.info] ( https://steamdb.info ) for this process. That way you do not need to enter your credentials separately and your account stays safe. You can also unlink afterwards.



The link is needed to allow yourself downloading the so called "depot" files - archived Steam files on the Steam servers. You logging in is equal to you telling Steam you own the game so you are allowed to download those files. Consider it a legal confirmation of ownership of your license.

2. Find on SteamDB the version you are looking for

Look for Depot - App ID 1086940 (from Steam Store link)





Identify the correct packages - here 1086941 and 1419652
we want the game files and the executables, the launcher is not required



At the time this guide was written, the latest version got released at 16.08.2023 v4.1.1.3648072 - so our previous version is from 11.08.2023 v4.1.1.3636828

You can easily lookup the release date of the versions on the Baldur's Gate 3 News page within the Steam Community Hub: https://steamcommunity.com/app/1086940/allnews/



with that information we know we need
ManifestID 7737665803684070003 for package 1086941

https://steamdb.info/depot/1086941/manifests/





Manifest ID 1700697061887386011 for package 1419652
https://steamdb.info/depot/1419652/manifests/

3. Access the Steam Console

You either put this line of code in your Steam's client's browser's address bar, or in your standard browser's address bar and it will redirect you correctly to the special Steam Console tab.

steam://nav/console

4. Download previous version of the game

We start with downloading the game files

Enter this command into the console

download_depot 1086940 1086941 7737665803684070003

That will download the version 4.1.1.3636828 from 11.08.2023



Important Notes
The download will not be shown in the download bar. Once finished there will be a console message. The download cannot be paused by normal means, but it will continue when you lose your internet connection. However, it will be aborted if you close your Steam client. You would have to restart the download from the beginning in such case.

What do the numbers mean?

The command means loosely translated "download files from game 1086940 (Baldur's Gate 3) from files storage 1086941 in the version saved as 7737665803684070003.

We continue with downloading the executables

AFTER the first download has finished.

Anytime sooner than that might interrupt the first download.

Enter this command into the console

download_depot 1086940 1419652 1700697061887386011

5. The finished download is to be found in

..\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1086940\depot_1086941

and

..\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1086940\depot_1419652

Merge the contents of both folders into a single folder, which you name at your convenience - suggestion: BG3RollBackVersion

So it looks like this



My Steam folder is located on a special SSD dedicated to games only. If you kept the default settings during installation of Steam, you might find yours on your OS' storage drive within

C:\Program Files (x86)\

It would be something like this

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1086940\depot_1086941

and

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\content\app_1086940\depot_1419652

6. Prepare your game's cache

This step is necessary to avoid any file incompatibilities caused by the cache created with the latest version of the game

Make sure to restart your PC before you continue, as we will also address the OS's TEMP folder

Go to

%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios

and delete the Launcher folder.




Go to

%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\

and delete there everything except PlayerProfiles folder




Go to

%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\

and delete there all files except for the folders.




Go to

%LocalAppData%\Larian Studios\Baldur's Gate 3\PlayerProfiles\Public

and delete there everything except for the Savegames folder




Go to

%temp%

and delete there everything what can be deleted

7. Restart your PC

We are now very close to the finish line.
This step is necessary to outrule any missed background activity of the game which could cause the previous game version to start in debug profile mode.

8. Exit Steam and Launch the Game via the executable

The reason we exit Steam first is to prevent an accidental auto-update of the game.
Though this is just a precaution and might not be necessary.
But I still recommend strongly to disable Steam Cloud Services amd Larian Studios' Cross-Saves for Baldur's Gate 3 to prevent any unwanted mixups while troubleshooting the game.

Right-click on the game's entry in your Library -> Properties -> disable Steam Cloud for the game





For Larian Studios Cross-Save feature's deactivation process, access the in-game settings and navigate to the first page, where you should locate the Cross-Save option within the Save Options section.
Ensure that you unselect the corresponding checkbox.



This option becomes visible exclusively when you are logged into your Larian Studios account. As I have not registered for a Larian Studios account myself, the option does not appear for me to begin with as you can play the game without the need for Larian Launcher or Larian Studios account.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3015166965
Once everything is ready to go - time to start the game via the executable!


bg3.exe for Vulkan bg3_dx11.exe for DirectX 11

If you did everything correctly, the game will start in the version you desired. Enjoy!

Additional Language Files

To enjoy the RollBackVersion of Baldur's Gate 3 in a different language than English, you might also need to download the previous language files which are delivered via an additional depot download.

That means you do as instructed before, and add one download in addition.

For example with Japanese you lookup the depot and the fitting manifest as described before





In this very specific example for Japanese it would be

download_depot 1086940 1419668 3810959385918386279

Then merge the downloaded files as described before with the other files.
Make sure to overwrite language.lsx when prompted to do so.

Note for macOS

The Baldur's Gate 3 version for macOS is bundled in a single depot which is 1419660.
Therefore, unlike with the Windows version, you just need to download that depot.
There is no need for a merger of two folders.

Once the rollback version is downloaded, make sure to prepare your macOS accordingly, so it accepts the rollback version by having it whitelisted in your Security & Privacy settings.

1. Go to System Settings
   
   
2. Search for "Allow application to access user files" (Security & Privacy)
   
   
3. Select Baldur's Gate 3 on the right pane and check Documents folder in the Files and Folders selection (depending on specific personal settings you might need to give Full Disk Access)
   
   
4. Restart your Mac

If you use additional security apps, make sure to whitelist Baldur's Gate 3 accordingly.

Baldur's Gate 3.app/Contents/MacOS/Baldur's Gate 3 <--- the executable under macOS

If you do not do it before attempting to launch the app, the verification process might take a while. For one user it took circa six (!) hours - but afterwards they were able to continue their modded playthrough with the rollback version.

Use the Prefer External GPU option

Additionally you might need to set the correct GPU for the rollback version.

1. Quit the app if it's open.
   
   
2. Select the app in the Finder. Most apps are in your Applications folder. If you open the app from an alias or launcher, Control-click the app's icon and choose Show Original from the pop-up menu. Then select the original app.
   
   
3. Press Command-I to show the app's info window.
   
   
4. Select the checkbox next to Prefer External GPU.
   
   
5. Open the app to use it with the eGPU.

You won't see this option if an eGPU isn't connected, if your Mac isn't running macOS Mojave or later, or if the app self-manages its GPU selection.

Last but not least: do not forget removing the cache as described above.
That is still an essential step regardless if playing on Windows or on macOS.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Adventuring!