Game checksum displays "Modified" even with no mods.

[TheIronRelic]

I tried verifying game cache on steam, re-installing, deleting the common file and documents folder and restarting, lots of things but i can never get the default Checksum. Is there anyway I can like, clean reset the game and all of its files to make it work?

I'm on Mac OSX.

 

[AndrewT]

First check that you have not enabled Debug mode, as that changes the checksum.

If that doesn't help, Please do a full clean re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-Vic3
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Vic3 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/Vic3 folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- start the game with no mods active and test

In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Vic3 or Documents Vic3 locations, before installing again.

**File Locations on Mac OS X**
The executable and DLC folder are in Users/USER/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/common/Victoria3/
To see it go to the Finder, hit command-shift-G (ie Go To) and type in ~/Library/ .
The user files (settings files, error logs, saved games, mods) are in /Users/USER/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria3/ .

 

[TheIronRelic]

This worked! Thank you!!

 

[VectorMS]

First check that you have not enabled Debug mode, as that changes the checksum.

If that doesn't help, Please do a full clean re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere
- "uninstall" in Steam-Vic3
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Vic3 AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/Vic3 folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- start the game with no mods active and test

In particular make sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Vic3 or Documents Vic3 locations, before installing again.

**File Locations on Mac OS X**
The executable and DLC folder are in Users/USER/Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/common/Victoria3/
To see it go to the Finder, hit command-shift-G (ie Go To) and type in ~/Library/ .
The user files (settings files, error logs, saved games, mods) are in /Users/USER/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria3/ .

But I still have modified version, Chimarrão. I can't play multi in licension version. My system is Windows 11. I'm not sure, but I assume it happened after buying Down of Wonder. Anyway, I don't have any mod, debug, and I can't post the mod I made. I don't know what to do, they either tell me to reinstall (I did it twice, with the documents folder) or they don't say anything.

 

[AndrewT]

The only reasons for the checksum being wrong are using debug mode, using mods, or a corrupted installation. One of those must be the case here!

When you did your reinstall, did you make 100% sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Vic3 or Documents Vic3 locations, before installing again?

 

[yurcick]

Encountered the same problem on Mac. Checking the game files or even reinstalling didn't help.
I use no mods (or debug mode). The displayed checksum is:
Victoria 3 1.7.1 Kahwah - release/1.7.1 1f4e843e4 2024-06-26 17:56:53 +0000
c2a0 (modified)

(Upd: completely wiping '~/Documents/Paradox Interactive/Victoria 3' didn't help either
UPD2: completely wiping game folder did help)

 

[CaesarVincens]

The only reasons for the checksum being wrong are using debug mode, using mods, or a corrupted installation. One of those must be the case here!

When you did your reinstall, did you make 100% sure there are no files or folders left under either the Steam Vic3 or Documents Vic3 locations, before installing again?

I've had files change line endings (crlf>lf or vice-versa) or similar whitespace changes that caused a modified checksum. I suppose that would be a "corrupted install".

I forget if verifying the files found that line end difference or not.

 

[AndrewT]

Victoria 3 1.7.1 Kahwah - release/1.7.1 1f4e843e4 2024-06-26 17:56:53 +0000

None of that is a checksum. What do you see on the main game menu, down the lower right?

 

[yurcick]

None of that is a checksum. What do you see on the main game menu, down the lower right?

Oh, my bad. It copied automatically, and I assumed it got everything, but it didn't.
The checksum said c2a0 (modified).

However, I noticed that after the uninstall I still had some folders in the game folder. Wiping it after the uninstall and then reinstalling the game helped me get the correct checksum b087.
I think this should still qualify as a bug, as
1) the Steam game repair (integrity check) system didn't flag anything as problematic
2) I hadn't manipulated anything the install folder previously, never even been there

I'll also update my previous post.

P.S.: while I have never interacted with the install folder, there were mods that I deleted through Steam without unsubscribing from them in the Steam Workshop, and the launcher behaved slightly weirdly after that. While they probably should only manifest in the ~/Documents, and not in the game folder itself, I thought it's worth mentioning

 

[AndrewT]

The Steam Verify only checks files Steam puts there. If for instance a mod places files in the game's Steam folder, Steam will not touch them (quite rightly). That said, any mod that puts files in there needs to be fixed as that's not acceptable IMO.

And of course if you mean the game's documents folder, Steam has no idea that even exists so cannot check it.

 

[yurcick]

The Steam Verify only checks files Steam puts there. If for instance a mod places files in the game's Steam folder, Steam will not touch them (quite rightly).

Well, I guess the problem is that somehow a game that considers to be unmodded has unauthorized files in its directory, despite no manipulation with the directory taking place in the past.