[revWhiteShadow] Troubleshooting Predictable C2D and Persistent Post-Crash Driver Impairment in Owlcat’s CRPGs on Linux Mint

As avid fans of Owlcat Games’ intricate CRPGs, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader, we at revWhiteShadow understand the frustration of encountering persistent crashes and driver issues, particularly when transitioning from a stable Windows environment to Linux. This detailed guide addresses the specific problem of predictable crashes linked to cutscenes, coupled with persistent post-crash driver impairments, experienced by our user revWhiteShadow on Linux Mint. We’ll delve into potential causes, diagnostic steps, and solutions tailored to this unique scenario, aiming to provide a comprehensive troubleshooting resource.

Understanding the Problem: Crash on Cutscene Transition with Driver Failure

The core issue revolves around consistent crashes occurring during specific cutscenes in both Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous (WOTR) and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. These crashes are not random occurrences but are triggered predictably at distinct points in the game. The severity of the crash extends beyond the game itself, leading to a system-level lockup and, most critically, a temporary failure of the NVIDIA graphics driver after the initial reboot.

Specific Crash Triggers in WOTR and Rogue Trader

  • Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous: The crash occurs during the transition from gameplay to the cutscene depicting the demonic invasion interrupting the Kenabres festival. The game functions perfectly up to this point, including character creation and the preceding cutscene where Terendelev heals the player.
  • Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader: The crash happens when investigating the Rogue Trader’s quarters and discovering her dead. A sweeping camera shot earlier in the game does not trigger the same issue, indicating that the crash is not solely related to camera movements.

Symptoms Beyond the Game Crash

  • System Lockup: The entire operating system becomes unresponsive, requiring a hard reboot.
  • Graphics Driver Failure: After the initial reboot, the NVIDIA graphics driver malfunctions, preventing applications like Firefox from launching and indicating a driver error.
  • Second Reboot Recovery: The driver issue is resolved after a second reboot, suggesting a temporary state of driver corruption.

Analyzing the System Configuration

A thorough understanding of the system configuration is crucial for identifying potential conflicts and incompatibilities. Here is the key system data:

  • Operating System: Linux Mint 22 “Wilma” (base: Ubuntu 24.04 “Noble”)
  • Kernel: 6.8.0-71-generic
  • Desktop Environment: Cinnamon 6.2.9
  • Laptop Model: Lenovo LOQ 15IRX9
  • CPU: 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13650HX
  • Graphics:
    • Intel Raptor Lake-S UHD Graphics (integrated)
    • NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 6GB Laptop GPU (dedicated)
  • NVIDIA Driver: 550.163.01
  • Proton Version: GE-Proton-9

Key Observations

  • Hybrid Graphics: The system utilizes a hybrid graphics setup with both integrated Intel graphics and a dedicated NVIDIA GPU. This configuration can sometimes introduce complexities in driver management and game rendering.
  • Relatively New Hardware: The 13th Gen Intel CPU and RTX 3050 are relatively recent hardware, potentially encountering compatibility issues with older driver versions or Proton configurations.
  • Advanced Kernel: The 6.8 kernel may have some compatibility issues.
  • Up-to-date NVIDIA Driver: The 550.163.01 driver is a recent release, suggesting that driver age itself is probably not the cause.
  • GE-Proton-9: A custom build of Proton, often used for improved compatibility and performance, but could have unforeseen issues.

Potential Causes and Troubleshooting Steps

Given the symptoms and system configuration, we can explore several potential causes and implement targeted troubleshooting steps.

1. Driver Conflicts and Hybrid Graphics Issues

The presence of both Intel and NVIDIA graphics requires careful management of drivers and rendering preferences. Incorrect configuration can lead to conflicts and instability.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Verify NVIDIA Driver Installation: Ensure the NVIDIA driver is correctly installed and configured. Use the NVIDIA X Server Settings application to confirm the driver version and settings.
  • Prime Render Offload: Utilize NVIDIA Prime to explicitly specify that the games should be run using the dedicated NVIDIA GPU. In the terminal, use the following command:
    __NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia %command%
    Add this line to your Steam launch options.
  • Disable Integrated Graphics (Experimentally): In the BIOS settings, attempt to disable the integrated Intel graphics to force the system to use the NVIDIA GPU exclusively. Note: This is a more drastic measure and may affect system stability if not done correctly.
  • Check for Driver Updates: While the current driver is recent, it’s always worth checking for newer releases, especially beta drivers, which may contain fixes for specific game compatibility issues.

2. Proton Compatibility and Configuration

Proton acts as a compatibility layer, enabling Windows games to run on Linux. Incorrect Proton versions or launch options can lead to crashes.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Experiment with Different Proton Versions: Test different versions of Proton, including the official Proton releases and other GE-Proton builds. Sometimes, an older or newer version may resolve compatibility issues.
  • Verify Launch Options: Review the Steam launch options specified in the previous guide and ensure they are still relevant and correctly configured. Remove any potentially conflicting options.
  • Proton Log Analysis: Enable Proton logging to capture detailed information about the game’s execution. Add the following launch option:
    PROTON_LOG=1 %command%
    The log file will be created in the game’s directory. Analyze the log for error messages or warnings that might indicate the cause of the crash.
  • Disable DXVK/VKD3D: DXVK and VKD3D are translation layers that convert DirectX calls to Vulkan. Sometimes, disabling them can improve compatibility, especially with older games or specific hardware configurations. Add the following launch options:
    PROTON_USE_DXVK=0 PROTON_USE_VKD3D=0 %command%

3. Kernel Issues and System Libraries

The Linux kernel and underlying system libraries play a crucial role in game execution. Incompatibilities or bugs in these components can lead to crashes.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Consider a Different Kernel (Experimentally): While the 6.8 kernel is relatively recent, it’s possible that it contains bugs or incompatibilities with the NVIDIA driver or Proton. Consider trying a different kernel version, such as a 6.5 or 6.6 kernel, to see if it resolves the issue.
  • Check for System Updates: Ensure the system is fully updated with the latest security patches and library updates. Use the following commands:
    sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
  • Reinstall Vulkan Packages: Vulkan is a graphics API used by DXVK and VKD3D. Reinstalling the Vulkan packages can sometimes resolve driver-related issues.
    sudo apt install --reinstall mesa-vulkan-drivers vulkan-utils

4. Hardware Issues and Overheating

Although less likely, hardware issues such as overheating or memory problems can also cause crashes, especially during demanding cutscenes.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Monitor Temperatures: Use monitoring tools like lm-sensors to monitor the CPU and GPU temperatures during gameplay. Ensure that the temperatures are within acceptable limits. Clean the laptop’s cooling vents and consider using a cooling pad to improve airflow.
  • Run Memory Tests: Use memory testing tools like memtest86+ to check for errors in the system memory.
  • Check Disk Health: Use smartctl to check the health of the SSD. Faulty storage can cause unpredictable system behavior.

5. Specific Game Configuration Files

  • Wipe configuration files: Sometimes configuration files can become corrupted. You can find these files in the root folder of the game, or in $HOME/.config or $HOME/.local/share, or similar directories. If you wipe them, and start a new game it might resolve the issue.

Addressing the Persistent Driver Impairment

The most unusual aspect of this problem is the persistent NVIDIA driver failure after the initial crash. This suggests that the crash is causing some form of temporary corruption or misconfiguration within the driver’s state.

Potential Causes

  • Driver Bug: A bug in the NVIDIA driver itself might be triggered by the specific crash scenario, leading to a temporary failure state.
  • Vulkan State Corruption: The crash might be corrupting the Vulkan driver state, causing subsequent applications to fail to initialize the driver correctly.
  • Systemd Issue: It is very likely systemd has an issue when cleaning up on the graphics driver after a crash.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Check System Logs: Examine the system logs (/var/log/syslog or using journalctl) for error messages related to the NVIDIA driver or Vulkan during the crash and subsequent reboot.
  • Reinstall the NVIDIA driver: This is best accomplished using apt on ubuntu-based systems such as linux mint.
  • Consider a Different Desktop Environment: To exclude systemd as being the culprit, consider testing a different desktop environment. For example, XFCE is typically faster, uses older versions of common libraries, and is less resource intensive and may not have the bugs and problems currently experienced with Cinnamon.
  • Report the Issue to NVIDIA: If the troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue, consider reporting the problem to NVIDIA through their developer forums or bug reporting channels. Provide detailed information about the system configuration, crash symptoms, and steps to reproduce the problem.

Workarounds and Temporary Solutions

While a permanent fix is being investigated, consider the following workarounds to mitigate the impact of the crashes:

  • Create a System Restore Point: Before attempting any major configuration changes, create a system restore point to easily revert to a previous state if necessary.
  • Avoid the Trigger Cutscenes (Temporarily): If possible, avoid the specific cutscenes that trigger the crashes until a solution is found. This may involve skipping certain quests or delaying progress in the game.
  • Automate the Second Reboot: Create a script that automatically reboots the system after a crash. This can help minimize the downtime caused by the driver failure.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting complex issues like this requires a systematic approach, combining careful analysis of the system configuration, targeted troubleshooting steps, and a willingness to experiment. By following the steps outlined in this guide, we hope that revWhiteShadow, and other users facing similar problems, can identify the root cause of the crashes and find a solution that restores stable gameplay in Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader on Linux Mint. We will continue to update this guide as new information and solutions become available on revWhiteShadow, kts personal blog site.

We’ve tried our best to provide a resource that could resolve the outlined issue. We wish you good luck!