BioShock 2 Forum

I've been trying to get Bioshock 2 (Steam version) to start up. Install (via Steam) was easy enough. Initial launch popped up a SecuROM request for a CD key. I found (right click on Bioshock 2 in Steam menu and select View game CD key) and entered it. Steam did the usual pre-launch check for things like DirectX... and then nothing. Has anyone managed to get anywhere with the Steam version? Any tweaks that could be tried?

Hi,

Quite possibly 'games for windows -live' at play...(or not play actually),
and I have a number of titles so disposed in Steam as GFW_live tries to update
itself and/or relies on .NET 3.5 (which is currently known not to work). There's
some hack about that can workaround this issue, that disables GFW and allows some
apps to start...but it doesn't work for all apps...

....now...if only I could find that link.....ahh!...

http://www.fallout3nexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1086

You could try that and see if it helps any...

Cheers!

The Windows Live thing is a likely culprit. ☹️ It's not something I've ever used... even when gaming in Windows. I wish there was a choice to install or not install that bit. The games do not "need" Windows Live to work properly.

I tried out the installer on the link provided, but that only works for Fallout 3 (which I don't have). It errors out and complains that I don't have Fallout 3 installed, and says I should install that game first and then try again.

I poked around in my Steam install and found two installs of Windows Live. I attempted to remove them using CXGames tools... but they wouldn't budge.

Interestingly... once this issue popped up with Bioshock 2 (at least I think it was with Bioshock 2) none of my other games would launch anymore - even ones that are known to work and were working previously. I ended up wiping out my Steam install and rebuilding the whole thing (and dummy me... I didn't think to make backups before deleting the Steam bottle...). No to do backups, and try again.

And... it's a no-go. It's definitely Windows Live (I paid attention this time). Once the Steam launcher installs Windows Live, it messes up all other games that are installed - ie they won't launch anymore. Bioshock attempts to launch, but returns an error that it cannot be launched using Bioshock2.exe, and that the game must be started using Bioshock2Launcher.exe. Force-feeding the Launcher executable generates the same error.

Removing Windows Live, exiting Steam, and simulating a reboot seems to clear out the Windows Live mess, and other games return to useable state.

So.. solution seems to be to find some way to permanently disable Windows Live... which isn't looking likely. Makes me wonder how other people managed to install and play Bioshock 2 in CXG (ie the Silver rating).

Hi,

Hmmm...I didn't actually know that workaround was fallout3 specific, sorry
'bout that...(they should name the hack better ;)...this whole GFW thang is
a right PITA btw....loosely speaking, GFW live closely tracks .NET revisions.
Or at least has been - the situation that presents itself in Steam, is one
of GFW trying to install .NET 3.5+ as part of installation process, and that's
of course where the wheels fall off, because crossover/wine do not currently
support those versions of .NET (and I believe .NET 2.0 SP2 has to work before
higher 3.x versions can work or such'n'similar)...but don't worry, you're not
alone -- many folks are really hanging out for .NET 3.x supports ; none of
them hold their breath ;) I have about a dozen titles snookered by this...

Cheers!

No worries about the Fallout 3 specific thing. It was def worth a try. 😊

GFWL is a pain even on Windows. I did some digging and came across loads of posts from Windows users that wanted to disable it, and remove it completely.

Yeah, so I've seen -- from what I read, it started life in ConsoleLand
(xbox) and was foisted upon PC/windows users as part of some more or less
useless M$ plan...I wish it would go away. Still, I suppose the observation
to make, is if it can be done for fallout3 (a GFW hack), then perhaps the
same can be done for other titles...perhaps that's an angle worth exploring...

Cheers!

There is now bioshock2 version of games for windows live fake xlive.dll, claimed to work with plain wine, see:

http://appdb.winehq.org/objectManager.php?sClass=version&iId=19342

Haven't tried it yet myself, with cxgames, but will do when I find the time... If someone beats me on it, please report...

I've getting this error:
http://img683.imageshack.us/i/screenshotbioshock2.png/

Craig wrote:

I've getting this error:
http://img683.imageshack.us/i/screenshotbioshock2.png/

And what is your (emulated) windows version then? You can change that with winecfg.

Tigger wrote:

Craig wrote:

I've getting this error:
http://img683.imageshack.us/i/screenshotbioshock2.png/

And what is your (emulated) windows version then? You can change
that with winecfg.

Hi,

That there is Securom ... obvious statement (d'oh) ... is that the
disc based release of BioShock 2 you have there? Are you using Mac OSX?

I had a look around, and found this reference so related ;

http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?55176-Scaling-Back-BioShock-2-s-DRM

Read the top post - that is an official response. The most important
words there, are 'scaling back' the Securom DRM - not removing it
altogether. I came across this once or twice before, wherein the effect
was that an official patch to scale back disc DRM checks does actually
work in linux, but doesn't work in OSX...

If it's not a disc based release, then we probably need to know which
release you have (Steam, Direct2Drive, other..) before anyone can help
(and which version of Crossover you are using)...

Cheers!

I'm running the latest patches and all for Codeweavers, still no luck. Any ideas?