BATTLETECH - Steam Overlay Not Launching

[JungleJames]

One line summary of your issue
Steam Overlay Not Launching

What platform are you running the game on?
Steam

What operating system do you use?
Windows 11

Which version of the game are you running?
1.9.1-686R

What DLC do you have installed?
Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, Shadowhawk Pack, Heavy Metal

Please explain your issue is in as much detail as possible.
The "Steam Overlay" does not engage with BATTLETECH. I have
- Certified that the Steam Overlay is enabled for BATTLETECH
- Run Steam, BATTLETECH, and the Launcher in Admin
- Verified the Integrity Cache of BATTLETECH
- Uninstalled and Reinstalled BATTLETECH
- Uninstalled and Reinstalled Steam
- Utilized a VBS script which forces the Overlay to recognize a active window by its AppID and for it to engage.
- Added launch options to prevent BATTLETECH's intro and credits sequence.

Some facts:
- I had a friend who has a clean install of Windows, who has never played BATTLETECH from their library before, investigate if the Steam Overlay launches for them; it did not.
- I had yet ANOTHER friend who had BATTLETECH investigate. No Overlay.
- There are two threads on the Steam Discussion Forums for BATTLETECH which chronicle everything that has been attempted to resolve the issue.

Hypothesis:
- As older installs that have been patched seem to still have the Steam Overlay, the issue likely stems from a fresh install of the current version almost exclusively. I've replicated the issue with new users of BATTLETECH, however those with a previous version which was patched still have the functional launcher. Conclusion: The newest version of BATTLETECH lacks the injection or recall function of the Steam Overlay.exe.

Have you tried verifying your files?
Yes

Steps to reproduce the issue
- Two friends who own BATTLETECH and have never played it before installed their copy and did not have the Steam Overlay activate.
- A fresh install would surely replicate this in a similar scenario.

Attach DxDiag (PC), System Info log (Mac), or run sudo lshw -html > specs.html and uploaded specs.html (Linux)
File(s) attached

Attach Output Log
Windows: \Users\YourUserName\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH\output_log.txt
Mac OS: Users >{name} > Library > Logs > Unity > Player.log
Linux: ~/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/Player.log
File(s) attached

If the game crashed, please attach the crash file with the time stamp closest to the crash.
Windows: [Steam library folder]\steamapps\common\BATTLETECH\DumpBox
For v.17 and beyond try here: C:\Users\[YourUserName]\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BATTLETECH
OSX: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > steamapps > common > BattleTech > DumpBox
Linux: [Steam library folder]/steamapps/common/BATTLETECH/DumpBox
File(s) attached

If a save game was loaded at the start of the game session, upload it. Please make sure to upload the save game with the timestamp closest to when you loaded it.
Windows:
Steam: [Steam installation folder]\userdata[SteamID]\637090\remote\C0\SGS1
GOG: 'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\Local\GOG.com\Galaxy\Applications\50593543263669699\Storage\Shared\Files\C#\SGS#'
Vanilla:'C:\Users\USER_ID\AppData\LocalLow\Harebrained Schemes\BattleTech\C#\SGS#'
OSX:
Steam: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > Steam > userdata > [SteamID] > 637090 > remote > C#> SGS#
GOG: Macintosh HD > Users > [username] > Library > Application Support > GOG.com > Galaxy > Applications > 50593543263669699 > Storage > Shared > Files > C# > SGS#
Vanilla: Macintosh HD > Users > [username]> Library > Application Support > unity.Harebrained Schemes.BattleTech > C# > SGG#
Linux:
Steam: /home/.steam/steam/userdata/[steamID]/637090/remote/C#/SGS#
GOG: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
Vanilla: /home/[username]/.config/unity3d/Harebrained Schemes/BATTLETECH/remote/C#/SGS#/
File(s) attached

Attach screenshot / video
File(s) attached

 

[AndrewT]

I just tested this on Win10 and MacOS, and it worked for me just fine. Is this only happening to Windows 11 users perhaps? I don't have one to try.

 

[JungleJames]

Thanks for testing. I do not think it is Unity and Windows 11 however, many Unity titles from lesser known studios launch the overlay without issue. Tank Mechanic Simulator, etc.

 

[AndrewT]

Do you have access to any Win10 machine to try this on?

 

[DarKnight249]

Same problem on my PC with Windows 11

 

[AndrewT]

Starting to look like an issue on Win11 only them. Whether in Steam or the game I do not know!

As the game will have no more patches, can you good folks report this to Steam as a problem please?

 

[HappyNihilist]

Starting to look like an issue on Win11 only them. Whether in Steam or the game I do not know!

As the game will have no more patches, can you good folks report this to Steam as a problem please?

I am also having this issue on my new Windows 11 machine. My old computer, which is Windows 10, still plays this game fine. On this computer I get no Steam overlay and no recognition of my controller which I assume is because Big Picture/Steam Overlay is not working correctly. I really would like to get this working again, as I miss playing this game. Nobody on Steam seems to be able to help, and since this ONLY is affecting this game, they point to Paradox to fix it.

 

[HappyNihilist]

I am also having this issue on my new Windows 11 machine. My old computer, which is Windows 10, still plays this game fine. On this computer I get no Steam overlay and no recognition of my controller which I assume is because Big Picture/Steam Overlay is not working correctly. I really would like to get this working again, as I miss playing this game. Nobody on Steam seems to be able to help, and since this ONLY is affecting this game, they point to Paradox to fix it.

Paradox support's official answer to this is that it is not their problem. I get that they are not actively developing this game any more and that Windows 11 came out after their development stopped but still. It would likely not take a professional game coder more than a few minutes to fix something like this. The fact that they can not be bothered will certainly influence my willingness to buy Paradox games in the future, especially considering that they want over 100 dollars for some of them with all the DLC.

I guess we have to hope this one catches the attention of the modders who are fixing the bugs Paradox/Harebrained missed to be addressed.