Playing CK2 Outside of Steam: Lost All My DLC

[JScott991]

A long time ago (2017), I copied all of my CK2 files into a different folder so I didn't have to keep up with all the new Steam patches (it also let me play some very long-term games without the risk of losing compatibility).

All of my DLC worked for the last two years.

Today, on a lark, I opened up the Steam CK that I kept because I read that there was now a law that prevented vassals from waging external wars (by the way, there isn't such a law, sadly).

Now my non-Steam CK2 no longer has access to any DLC.

Is there any way to fix this and get my DLC access back? I feel like it's just a simple file somewhere that got overwritten by accident.

Edit: It looks like the DLC_signature file got overwritten in my documents folder and now my non-steam exe doesn't recognize it. I think I'm probably in bad shape here.

Thanks.

 

[SigurdStormhand]

I suppose theoretically you could restore that file from a backup - assuming you take regular backups.

That Law is only available with Imperial Administration btw, but it does exist.

 

[grommile]

A long time ago (2017), I copied all of my CK2 files into a different folder so I didn't have to keep up with all the new Steam patches (it also let me play some very long-term games without the risk of losing compatibility).

https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...s-how-to-roll-back-your-game-version.1120885/
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-roll-back-your-game-version.1121392/

Also, there certainly is a law that prevents (well, mostly; I dare say there are some quirky edge cases involving plots) vassals from declaring external wars, but getting there is a slog.

Without Conclave: Absolute Crown Authority (requires Majesty V, and takes multiple reigns to reach) prohibits vassals from declaring external wars, though there is the caveat that vassal Kings get to ignore their Emperor's passage of ACA on this point, because they have their own Crown Laws.

With Conclave: Enact Imperial Administration (requires Majesty tech V, Absolute rule, regulated inheritance, and religious title revocation), then pass "Vassal Wars Illegal".

 

[Aardvark Bellay]

Edit: It looks like the DLC_signature file got overwritten in my documents folder and now my non-steam exe doesn't recognize it. I think I'm probably in bad shape here.

As hinted above, you could roll back your Steam version to the one you used before, start it and thus get the compatible dlc_signature file.

To prevent that issue from hapopening again you should then make a seperate 'Documents' folder for either the Game in the Steam folder or/and your out-of-Steam version
by creating a userdir.txt file inside the according game files folder which includes the path to a new directory.
See also ("Different location for save..") :
https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/foru...oost-file-locations-dlc-names-numbers.585701/

 

[JScott991]

Thanks all!

I did get the necessary file back. And I did make a new save location.

I think it's getting time for me to finally move on, though. I didn't realize how much new stuff is available. I just need to learn to create some mod files so I can my Byzantine Emperor called Emperor and not Basileus and other small things that always bothered me to redo every time the patch came out.

 

[faiuwle]

You can play the game in Steam and still roll back to an earlier patch - there's a sticky on how to do that. There's no reason to keep an external copy of the game - if you keep it rolled back it won't automatically install updates.