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[FIX] Dirt3 Complete Edition on the Steam Deck

By The Dorkside

Having trouble starting Dirt3 Complete Edition on your Steam Deck? This guide is for you.

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Created by

The Dorkside
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Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

27 Nov, 2023 @ 1:57am

26 Jun, 2024 @ 3:13pm

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Guide Index

Overview

Background

How to make the game start!

Final Words

Comments

Background

Dirt 3 Complete Edition doesn't work out-of-the-box on the Steam Deck (or Windows for that matter). The reason being that the game installation doesn't automatically install OpenAL, resulting in an immediate shutdown of the game. The difference is that you can't install OpenAL directly into the Linux environment, like you would in Windows. Instead you need to install it through the "Proton compatibility layer"-instance of Dirt3 (the Dirt3 'wineprefix'). This can easily be done with Protontricks. And this is how you do it:

How to make the game start!

First, Install Dirt3 on the SD card. This is generally much easier since "Windows Explorer" (through Protontricks) doesn't have access to the internal storage by default. You need to add drives and folder access manually within Protontricks to make that happen. So let's just keep it simple with the SD Card instead. :)

Exit into desktop mode
Download Protontricks from the 'Discover' store.
Run Protontricks and make sure you have the privileges required.
(Protontricks will prompt you with the command you need to copy, paste and run in the 'Konsole'... then re-run Protontricks)
Select Dirt3: Complete Edition > Select the default wineprefix > Run Explorer
Navigate to the openAL installation directory on your Steam Deck. Mine was in 'D:\Steam\steamapps\common\Dirt 3 Complete Edition\_CommonRedist\OpenAL\2.0.7.0\'. The location might differ depending on your winecfg-configuration.
Double-click on oalinst.exe and run the installation. Once installed you are done. Close protontricks.
[Optional] you can now move the game to the internal storage.

Final Words

Dirt3 will hopefully work flawlessly on your Steam Deck. REMEMBER, this process can be used for any game that normally require external applications to be installed alongside the game in Windows. Once protontricks is setup the only difference from Windows is that instead of opening "Windows Explorer" (like you would normally do), you open 'protontricks' and then follow step 4. Otherwise, the process is the same as in Windows.

Let me know if this helped you by giving the guide a thumbs up, and comment if you feel like it. :)

15 Comments

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ccotunai 2 Aug @ 12:33pm

This worked! Thanks a lot! This game is grrat for the steamdeck

MedicatedCactus 12 Jan @ 6:49pm

GE9-5 proton layer worked for me, took 2 or 3 mins to let the game set up but no issues so far

PsYcHo 8 Dec, 2024 @ 9:38am

Nvm it was exactly where you described, but I accidentally installed the non-complete-edition

PsYcHo 8 Dec, 2024 @ 8:29am

Can't find openal in the dirt3 folder, any idea where else it could be?

al64inthedark 6 Aug, 2024 @ 10:49am

@ The Dorkside It is the complete edition.

The Dorkside [author] 6 Aug, 2024 @ 7:40am

@al64inthedark That's weird. Are you running the "Complete Edition" or the old one? The thing is I have always had issues with OpenAL not installing, no matter if it was Windows or Linux, and I have installed the game on a bunch of different devices resulting in the same "silent shutdown" as long as openAL is not installed... Also, all games come with their own isolated sandbox, so it doesn't matter if another game has OpenAL installed, because it would only affect that game's sandbox and not Dirt 3's.

@Rusty Shackleford You're welcome! :)

al64inthedark 8 Jul, 2024 @ 8:14pm

I did not need to do anything, the game ran fine the first time. I have the deck for 2 years so maybe it got installed with another game.

Rusty Shackleford 4 Jul, 2024 @ 9:37pm

Worked great for me! Thank you!! :)

The Dorkside [author] 26 Jun, 2024 @ 2:52pm

@Anect That's odd, I have no trouble running at 2160p myself. But that's at 60Hz. The only thing I know is that the Steam Deck only supports HDMI 2.0 and not 2.1. It might be that Dirt3 recognized 120Hz but the only compatible resolution was 720p? (keeping in mind it's a legacy DX9-title) you should be able to output 1440p120Hz at least. Have you checked the game's properties within Steam? You can force a the highest "Game Resolution" there.

@AcidicRegent0 Sorry to hear that. I can only urge you to try again from step 4 (now when you have protontricks installed) I followed the guide on my brother's Steam Deck and it worked. Let me know if I can update the guide in any way to make it easier.

@Paraguayo Awesome! :) Happy to help!

Aenect 2 Jun, 2024 @ 8:44pm

This worked, but I'm stuck with 720p as the highest available resolution when docked using a 4k 120hz TV. Anyone else running into this? 1080p 120hz would be ideal.

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