Adding GRID Autosport DLC

How to access any GRID Autosport DLC you are missing (plus helmets & suits fix)

Introduction

On 1 July 2020, GRID Autosport and its DLC were retired on the Steam store. If you also game on Xbox 360/One/Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, or on an Android or iOS device, you can still support the devs by buying GRID Autosport for those devices. While not the same game, you can also buy GRID Legends on Steam.

This guide is Windows-centric. If you have the game on macOS or Linux, you already have the necessary files, you just need to unlock them. On Linux (assuming you are using the Linux port and are not using the Windows version through Proton), you might want to try Creamlinux[github.com].

Synopsis

The DLC files are included with the base macOS and Linux ports, whereas with Windows the files are only available in separate DLC depots. If you weren't able to redeem the DLCs through the Steam store in time before they were retired, then you won't be able to access the DLC depots for Windows. However, by virtue of owning GRID Autosport on Steam, you own the game for Windows, macOS, and Linux, which means you can download these files via the macOS and Linux ports. If you have stumbled across this guide but you own the PC version on DVD, see if you can redeem your product key on Steam; otherwise, you would need find a third-party marketplace[www.allkeyshop.com] still selling Steam keys for GRID Autosport.

Adding the DLC files isn't sufficient to access the content in-game (e.g., just adding valve.nefs doesn't make Demoman Derby accessible in-game). That being said, there is a way to unlock them locally so that you can access them in-game. Note: This will not add the DLCs to your Steam account.

For the purposes of this guide, I will be using DepotDownloader[github.com] and Koalageddon[github.com]. There are similar tools, but they won't be covered in this guide.

The Steam store page for GRID Autosport states that Valve Anti-Cheat is enabled. If this is correct, I won't guarantee that Koalageddon couldn't erroneously trigger VAC (I've never seen a verifiable occurrence of this happening, but I won't claim it's impossible), so you might want to disable VAC out of an abundance of caution; it's up to your discretion. Last time I checked, multiplayer worked fine with VAC disabled, but this might be subject to change. To disable VAC, right-click GRID Autosport in your Steam library, select Properties, and in the General section, add -insecure in the box under the text "Advanced users may choose to enter modifications to their launch options." This has no bearing on singleplayer.

The 626 PSSG files and 10 NeFS archives are not OS-specific, so there are no compatibility issues that arise from downloading these files from either the "Linux - GRID Autosport - Content" depot or the "Mac - GRID Autosport - Content" depot and using them with Windows. In this guide, I will be using the "Linux - GRID Autosport - Content" depot to get the DLC files for a Windows installation. These instructions would require alteration if using the "Mac - GRID Autosport - Content" depot instead (you would need to change the depot & manifest IDs, as well as the DLC file paths), and there is no reason to prefer the macOS depot over the Linux depot (the needed files are identical; I've verified this).

DepotDownloader

Check DepotDownloader's README[github.com] to find out the .NET[dotnet.microsoft.com] version you will need (e.g., .NET 8.0). You don't need to install the .NET SDK, just the runtime (you don't need the ASP.NET Core Runtime or the .NET Desktop Runtime either, just the basic .NET Runtime for Windows). Download the appropriate installer for your system (e.g., x64).

Once the .NET Runtime has been installed, download DepotDownloader. Extract the DepotDownloader ZIP archive to a location of your choosing.

The vast majority (11,538) of the files in the "Linux - GRID Autosport - Content" depot are not relevant for the DLCs, and should not be copied to a Windows installation. To save from having to download the entirety of the "Linux - GRID Autosport - Content" depot and then delete the unwanted files, you can specify which files you want to download (this will also save ≈ 9.5 GB worth of downloading). To do this, in the same directory where DepotDownloader.exe is located, create a text file named dlc.txt. For example, if you extracted DepotDownloader to a subdirectory in your Downloads directory named "DepotDownloader-windows-x64", then you would create the dlc.txt file in %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\DepotDownloader-windows-x64\.

In the dlc.txt file, copy and paste the file paths (from the "DLC file list" section below) for any DLC you need, then save the text file. Only add the file paths; don't include the subheadings from the "DLC file list" section, I just added those for clarity. For example, if you wanted to download all the DLC, then you would enter the following in the dlc.txt file:

regex:gh_
share/data/download/valve/valve.nefs
share/data/download/black_edition/black_edition.nefs
share/data/download/boost/boost.nefs
share/data/download/garage/garage.nefs
share/data/download/best_of_british/best_of_british.nefs
share/data/download/coupe_style/coupe_style.nefs
share/data/download/sprint/sprint.nefs
share/data/download/car_and_track/car_and_track.nefs
share/data/download/touring/touring.nefs
share/data/download/drag/drag.nefs

Open Command Prompt. In Command Prompt, change to the directory where DepotDownloader is located. For example, if you extracted DepotDownloader to %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\DepotDownloader-windows-x64\, then in Command Prompt enter:

cd /d %userprofile%\downloads\depotdownloader-windows-x64

Exit Steam if it is currently running. Enter the following command in Command Prompt (change steamusername to whatever your Steam username is):

depotdownloader -app 255220 -depot 255238 -manifest 839216417523198144 -filelist dlc.txt -username steamusername -remember-password

The default download location is a subdirectory named "depots" in the DepotDownloader directory. Since the GRID Autosport DLC files will be downloaded from depot 255238 of build 4011980, continuing with the previous example, the default download path for the GRID Autosport DLC would be %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\DepotDownloader-windows-x64\depots\255238\4011980. If you wish to specify a different download location, you will need to add -dir followed by the location of your choosing to the previous command.

You will be prompted for your Steam password. Once you have entered your password, if you have Steam Guard turned on, you will need to approve the sign-in. You might have to retry DepotDownloader several times if it times out when attempting to connect to Steam. You should be able to safely disregard any messages that state, "Encountered unexpected error downloading chunk <chunkID>: An error occurred while sending the request"; DepotDownloader will automatically retry downloading these chunks.

If you downloaded the High Res Texture Pack, you will have a subdirectory named "cars", and if you downloaded any of the other packs, you will have a subdirectory named "download" (using the previous example, these would be located in %USERPROFILE%\Downloads\DepotDownloader-windows-x64\depots\255238\4011980\share\data\). Move the "cars" and "download" directories you downloaded over to your Steam installation of GRID Autosport (e.g., %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Steam\steamapps\common\GRID Autosport\). If Windows prompts you to confirm that you want to merge the directories, select Yes.



If you don't plan on using DepotDownloader again, you can delete it, and you can uninstall the .NET Runtime if you don't have any other applications that require it.

DLC file list

High Res Texture Pack
regex:gh_

Demoman Derby Pack
share/data/download/valve/valve.nefs

Black Edition Pack
share/data/download/black_edition/black_edition.nefs

Boost Pack
share/data/download/boost/boost.nefs

Premium Garage Pack
share/data/download/garage/garage.nefs

Best of British Pack
share/data/download/best_of_british/best_of_british.nefs

Coupé Style Pack
share/data/download/coupe_style/coupe_style.nefs

Sprint Pack
share/data/download/sprint/sprint.nefs

Road & Track Car Pack
share/data/download/car_and_track/car_and_track.nefs

Touring Legends Pack
share/data/download/touring/touring.nefs

Drag Pack
share/data/download/drag/drag.nefs

Koalageddon

In this guide I will be referencing Koalageddon version 1, not version 2.

Download and install Koalageddon. Once installed, run the Koalageddon wizard to install the platform integration for Steam. You can now restart Steam.

If you added the necessary DLC files as per above, then any missing content should now be enabled in-game. For example, to check if Demoman Derby has been enabled, from the Main Menu, go to Custom Cup, change Vehicle Discipline to Party Mode, and Demoman Derby should now be a selectable option for Vehicle Class.

If you ever uninstall GRID Autosport, and thus no longer need access to the DLCs you added, you can later use the Koalageddon wizard to remove the platform integration for Steam.

Alternative (High Res Texture Pack only)

If you only want the High Res Texture Pack and no other DLC packs, and you don't want to use Koalageddon for some reason, you could instead rename the High Res Texture Pack subdirectories and files to their low resolution equivalents, and then replace the existing low resolution car models in the game's installation directory. Note: You would no longer have the low resolution versions if using this method since you would have overwritten them with the high resolution versions. The advantage of using Koalageddon instead is that you will have access to both the high and low resolution car models.

If you wish to proceed with this method, download the High Res Texture Pack as per the instructions in the "DepotDownloader" and "DLC file list" sections above, but don't move the "cars" directory yet.

Once the High Res Texture Pack has been downloaded, open Windows PowerShell and navigate to the the "cars" directory. Following the previous example:

cd $home\downloads\depotdownloader-windows-x64\depots\255238\4011980\share\data\cars

Once you have navigated to the "cars" directory, enter the following command:

get-childitem *high* -recurse | rename-item -newname {$_.name -replace "high", "low"}; get-childitem -file -recurse | rename-item -newname {$_.name -replace "high", "low"}

You can verify that the "textures_high" subdirectories have been renamed to "textures_low", and the *tex_high* and *tex_tm_high* PSSG files have been renamed to *tex_low* and *tex_tm_low* respectively.

Move the "cars" directory you downloaded to your Steam installation of GRID Autosport (e.g., %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Steam\steamapps\common\GRID Autosport\). When prompted, select Yes to merge the directories, and then select "Replace the files in the destination" for the 626 PSSG files.

Helmets & suits fix (3 options)

An update to the game in late July 2014 implemented a driver model change which caused the logo textures not to render properly on helmets and suits.

1. The two download options (OverTake & DepotDownloader) discussed in 2 & 3 below provide an unaltered, previous version of driver_model.pssg. The current version of the file as provided on Steam adds some values not included in the previous version, and updates some values. Unfortunately, two of the alterations made by Codemasters caused the textures issue with helmets & suits. If you would prefer to download the current version of driver_model.pssg, but without the textures issue, I patched the current release of the file and uploaded it to PCGamingWiki[community.pcgamingwiki.com].
   
   
2. baallzebub provided the prior version of the file for download on OverTake[www.overtake.gg]. Downloading the file from OverTake requires an account (a free basic account will suffice).
   
   
3. If you don't wish to create an OverTake account, you can download the previous version of the file via Steam using DepotDownloader. Create a new text file named fix.txt (or a name of your choosing) in the same directory where DepotDownloader.exe is located, and add the following line to that text file:
   

   characters/models/driver_model.pssg

   
   In Command Prompt, change to the directory where DepotDownloader is located, then enter the following command in Command Prompt (change steamusername to whatever your Steam username is):
   

   depotdownloader -app 255220 -depot 255221 -manifest 5369390711022891341 -filelist fix.txt -username steamusername -remember-password

Move the driver_model.pssg file you downloaded over to the characters models subdirectory of your Steam installation of GRID Autosport (e.g., %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\Steam\steamapps\common\GRID Autosport\characters\models). When prompted, select "Replace the file in the destination".

Bugged helmet example (K&N Motorsport) - front view:


Restored helmet example (K&N Motorsport) - front view:


Bugged helmet example (K&N Motorsport) - side view:


Restored helmet example (K&N Motorsport) - side view:


Bugged suit example (Liqui Moly Racing Team):


Restored suit example (Liqui Moly Racing Team):

[Tony]

Thank you. What they did, deny a part of purchased items, should be illegal.

[Cantiras]

@PurXion This guide is applicable if you own the base game on Steam (regardless of when you added it to your library).

[PurXion]

it only works if you bought the dlcs before they were removed? maybe there's a way if you got steam key after for autosport?

[And-War]

I'll give it a go all I need is the Black edition dlc

[Cantiras]

@And-War Have you tried Creamlinux (link in the introduction section of this guide)? I haven't tested this myself, but if you are encountering a problem, I could test on a Linux distro and report back. I don't have access to a Steam Deck though, so I can't test on that device. The helmets & suits fix doesn't require unlocking, and should work across Windows, macOS, and Linux. Missing DLC does require unlocking, unless you are only interested in the High Res Texture Pack, in which case there is another option (i.e., batch rename of the relevant files and subdirectories).

[And-War]

Can this be done on Linux?

[Severus]

Wow, tysm man

[Hason_br]

@Cantiras Thank you very much!

[Cantiras]

@Hason_br No, that will not trigger a VAC ban.

[Hason_br]

Thanks for the guide! Using the High Res Texture Pack only, with the method changing the high to low and merging in game files. This can trigger VAC ban?