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How to get Max Payne working on Steam Deck

By 5L0TH

Without tweaks Max Payne crashes when loading a level with a jpeg error. This guide shows you how to install a fix for that error and several other fixes created by the community + optional high resolution Textures.

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Created by

5L0TH
Offline

Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

1 Apr, 2023 @ 12:45am

15 Nov, 2024 @ 12:05pm

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Guide Index

Overview

Prerequisites

Steps

Extra info

Thanks

Comments

Prerequisites

A Steam Deck
Max Payne downloaded & launched at least once
The Max Payne 1, Complete FixPack downloaded from: https://cs2bus.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1633394421

Steps

Boot into desktop mode on the Steam Deck
Make sure the Complete FixPack installer is located at:
/home/deck/Downloads/MP1-Fixpack v1.2023.1.exe
If you need to use a different location or the file name is different you will need to edit the command in step 4!
Open the Steam properties for Max Payne
Change launch options to:
"/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton 7.0/proton" run "/home/deck/Downloads/MP1-Fixpack v1.2023.1.exe" ; # %command%
Launch Max Payne and the Complete FixPack installer should launch instead.
IF NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN LAUNCHING YOU PROBABLY HAVE A NEWER VERSION OF PROTON THAN WHAT WAS CURRENT WHEN THIS GUIDE WAS WRITTEN.
To fix change "Proton 7.0" from the previous step to the current version. You can check what version(s) you have by looking in the below folder.
/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/common
Select the below as the install folder:
Z:\home\deck\.steam\steam\steamapps\common\Max Payne
This will be on a different drive letter if you have installed the game to an SD card!
High resolution textures can be unticked if you do not want them.
They will add 1GB to your install size and make loading screens take 10-20s longer. IMO if you're playing on the Deck's screen they're not worth it.
Untick the following under Support files:
- Older DirectX verions support (ms-dxwebsetup)
- Visual C runtime (ms-vcredist)
Complete the installation.
Change launch options to:
-skipstartup
This is to skip the game's intro movie which doesn't work on Steam Deck (no story cutscenes are affected).
Set an appropriate controller binding (you can skip this if using mouse & keyboard)
Launch Max Payne & max out the options because why not

Click the High option at the bottom and then don't forget to change:
- Anisotropic filtering
- Texture Colour Depth
- Antialiasing
IF USING HIGH RESOLUTION TEXTURES CHANGE THE BELOW TO MEDIUM OTHERWISE YOU RISK CRASHING ON SOME LEVELS.
- Level Textures
- Other Textures
- Detail Textures
Test that the game works by loading the tutorial level.
If it works you can delete the Complete FixPack installer in your downloads to save 0.5GB
Set launch options to the below to skip the launcher every time you boot the game.
-skipstartup -nodialog
Done!

Extra info

Save games can be found at
/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/compatdata/12140/pfx/drive_c/users/steamuser/Documents/Max Payne Savegames
To remove these changes you will need to change Max Payne's launch options to the below then launch the game and complete the removal. After that clearing the launch options will leave you with a vanilla game.
"/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Proton 7.0/proton" run "/home/deck/.steam/steam/steamapps/common/Max Payne/unins000.exe" ; # %command%

IF NOTHING HAPPENS WHEN LAUNCHING REFER TO STEP 5 IN THE ABOVE SECTION.

Thanks

darkje for creating & assembling the Complete FixPack.
https://cs2bus.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1633394421
The creators of the numerous fixes included within the Complete FixPack

25 Comments

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Corpo69420 14 Jun @ 8:18pm

This shit doesn't work fix it pls

TiDYJunglist 27 Apr @ 1:34pm

Thanks so much, works like a dream. Can't wait for a slice of nostalgia.

ChieffBoo 26 Apr @ 6:55am

Thank you very much!

WATER_KITEN 15 Mar @ 4:45pm

hmm no, on archlinux launchs normally on proton ge 9-25

Sophie 29 Jan @ 1:12pm

I'm sadly getting an "Exception in startupInit: Archive [path]\X_ENGLISH.RSA not found"

Tried multiple proton versions fixes and all, but can't get it to run :(

5L0TH [author] 15 Nov, 2024 @ 12:04pm

@LTCS Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't bother with the HD textures on my deck so didn't run into that issue. Added a notice to change settings to medium if using the HD textures. I also added a note about using a newer Proton version as 7 is far from current now.

LTCS 15 Nov, 2024 @ 11:02am

Ah, according to the main guide Level Textures, Other Textures and Detail Textures need to be set to medium, otherwise the game will run out of memory

LTCS 15 Nov, 2024 @ 10:49am

Never mind, that only worked for the Tutorial mission. The main story still crashes with the D3D error

LTCS 14 Nov, 2024 @ 1:24pm

@LAZ I experienced the same D3D error when maxing the settings. However turning "Character Variations" to medium and everything else to high works for me.

Laz 10 Sep, 2024 @ 11:41am

Thanks for the guide, but I have an issue. It does in fact run, but ONLY with the lowest graphically settings possible. If I get anywhere near the "high" options, I get a "D3D" memory error. Is this normal? Is this fixable? Thanks in advance.

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