PDX launcher And Steam-PDX launcher

[Darkness Man]

I have no ideaSo, it started as a problem of Stellaris being a wrong version, leading me to not being able to play with friends, but after I dug into it I found something more. Paradox launcher that is from steam launcher sees the game, but the PDX launcher alone doesn't even see the steam as linked to my account. This leads to a strange point where it seems like I have 2 different PDX launchers that have different opinions about my account:
Steam-launch version does recognise the game as installed and launches it as well as it sees connection to steam.

Also the launcher itself states that version of Stellaris that I have is 3.6.1(a6c5) like everyone else, but in-game it shows this.
Manual-launch version, however, states that I own the game but it isn't downloaded and besides that does NOT see steam account linked to Paradox account. It offers me installing the game OR selecting directory that has the game in it

(which doesn't work. When i choose the right file it says that it doesn't have the game. Even if it's steam's "Stellaris" file).

So, what I DO have right now: somehow 2 different versions of one launcher, manually installed from official site; wrong version of the game when launched; steam linking error(?).
I'm sure this isn't the game's problem and I couldn't anything like this, that's why i'm posting this here.

 

[AndrewT]

Actually you only have one launcher, but it can run in two different modes.

When run from a desktop shortcut or Paradox Launcher.exe it is in standalone mode, which is intended for users who don't want to use Steam. It needs a separate installation when run that way, which is why it does not see your Steam installation of the game. Furthermore Stellaris is no longer supported on that platform, so recent patches and DLCs cannot be used in it. You must run the game from the Steam Library PLAY button now.


When run from Steam it is in Steam-compatible mode. Your problem with the changing checksum is nothing whatsoever to do with the launcher; either you are using mods, have edited game files, or have a corrupted game installation. For the latter two cases Please do a full **clean** re-install:

- move any valued save games elsewhere, and user empire designs.txt from /Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris/ if you have made any custom empires or races.
- "uninstall" in Steam-Stellaris
- manually delete both the Steam/SteamApps/common/Stellaris AND Documents/Paradox Interactive/Stellaris folders
- re-install game in Steam, run a Steam Verify when done.
- add stellaris.exe to the exceptions list of your antivirus app; ESPECIALLY if you have Windows Defender, add it to the Ransomware "Apps Allowed Through" list.
- start the game with no mods active and test

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

 

[Darkness Man]

It's so weird. Shouldn't the game from a developer be supported by the same developer's launcher? And why is there different modes of the same launcher, shoudn't there be just one?

About the weird version, it seems like it's somehow made by Mass Effect Theme Pack mod.

Thanks for help even though I still don't understand why doesn't launcher work with third party launchers on it's own.

 

[AndrewT]

Shouldn't the game from a developer be supported by the same developer's launcher?

The game development teams have made their individual decisions on that matter. I can't comment further really.

And why is there different modes of the same launcher, shoudn't there be just one?

I did explain why that was ... ?!?

I still don't understand why doesn't launcher work with third party launchers on it's own.

If you mean, why do (say) Epic games not appear in our launcher in standalone mode, that is because Epic do not provide any way of syncing game ownership to external accounts (ie your Paradox account), unlike Steam who do.