PSA: StarMade Linux Troubleshooting with Nvidia GPUs

TheDerpGamerX · May 2, 2025

After I had my own issues with Nvidia and Linux on my gaming laptop, I decided to make a PSA to help people who had the same issue I had.
Note: As of 5/1/2025, there are other known issues with StarMade on Linux such as shader and credential issues. A fix for these is in the works and will be released soon.

StarMade Linux Troubleshooting with Nvidia GPUs

If you have a Linux computer with a Nvidia GPU and StarMade runs poorly, this may be due to your system selecting the wrong GPU (such as an integrated GPU on gaming laptops) rather than a high performance dedicated one.
You can verify if this is happening by looking near the top of the latest log file (StarMade/logs/logstarmade.0.log):

Code:

Adapter: null
Driver Version: null
Vendor: Intel
OpenGL Version: 4.6 (Compatibility Profile) Mesa 23.2.1-1ubuntu3.1~22.04.3
Renderer: Mesa Intel(R) Xe Graphics (TGL GT2)

If you happen to see something like this, rather than your dedicated GPU, this guide may prove useful.

Prerequisites

Before starting, identify your NVIDIA GPU model:

Code:

lspci | grep -i nvidia

Ensure you have administrator (sudo) privileges on your system.

Installing NVIDIA Drivers

Ubuntu/Debian-based distributions:

Code:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-570  # Use the latest version available (570 as of 04/01/2025)

Fedora/RHEL-based distributions:

Code:

sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia

Arch Linux:

Code:

sudo pacman -S nvidia

After installation, reboot your system:

Code:

sudo reboot

Verifying Driver Installation

Check if your NVIDIA GPU is recognized:

Code:

nvidia-smi

This should display information about your GPU, including model, driver version, and usage statistics.

Troubleshooting Driver Issues

Driver Not Communicating

If you see this error:

Code:

NVIDIA-SMI has failed because it couldn't communicate with the NVIDIA driver. Make sure that the latest NVIDIA driver is installed and running.

Follow these steps:

1. Check if NVIDIA drivers are installed:

For Debian/Ubuntu:

Code:

dpkg -l | grep nvidia

For Fedora/RHEL:

Code:

rpm -qa | grep nvidia

2. Reinstall the drivers:

For Ubuntu/Debian:

Code:

sudo apt purge *nvidia*
sudo apt autoremove
sudo apt install nvidia-driver-535  # Use the latest version

For Fedora:

Code:

sudo dnf remove *nvidia*
sudo dnf install akmod-nvidia

For Arch:

Code:

sudo pacman -Rs nvidia
sudo pacman -S nvidia

Dealing with Secure Boot

Secure Boot can prevent NVIDIA drivers from loading:

1. Check Secure Boot status:

Code:

mokutil --sb-state

2. If enabled, you have two options:
- Disable Secure Boot in BIOS/UEFI
- Sign the NVIDIA modules (advanced users)

Blacklisting Nouveau Driver

The open-source Nouveau driver might conflict with NVIDIA's proprietary driver:

1. Check if Nouveau is loaded:

Code:

lsmod | grep nouveau

2. Blacklist it:

Code:

sudo bash -c "echo 'blacklist nouveau' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf"
sudo bash -c "echo 'options nouveau modeset=0' >> /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf"

3. Update initramfs:

For Ubuntu/Debian:

Code:

sudo update-initramfs -u

For Fedora/RHEL:

Code:

sudo dracut --force

4. Reboot your system:

Code:

sudo reboot

Configuring StarMade to use your GPU

1. Via Steam launch options:
- Right-click on StarMade in your Steam library
- Select "Properties"
- Click "SET LAUNCH OPTIONS" and add either:

Code:

prime-run %command%

OR

Code:

__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1 __GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia %command%

Making GPU Selection Permanent

Create a configuration file to always use your NVIDIA GPU:

Code:

sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/10-nvidia.conf

Add these lines:

Code:

Section "OutputClass"
    Identifier "nvidia"
    MatchDriver "nvidia-drm"
    Driver "nvidia"
    Option "AllowEmptyInitialConfiguration"
    Option "PrimaryGPU" "yes"
EndSection

For a system-wide setting to make all OpenGL applications use the NVIDIA GPU by default:

Code:

sudo nano /etc/environment.d/nvidia.conf

Add these lines:

Code:

__NV_PRIME_RENDER_OFFLOAD=1
__GLX_VENDOR_LIBRARY_NAME=nvidia

Then restart your system.

Verifying GPU Usage

While running StarMade check if it's using the NVIDIA GPU by running in a terminal:

Code:

nvidia-smi

You should see your application in the processes list with GPU usage.

You can also check the previously mentioned log file, and look for something like this:

Code:

Adapter: null
Driver Version: null
Vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
OpenGL Version: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 570.133.07
Renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650/PCIe/SSE2

[hr]

If you encounter specific problems not covered here, ask for help in the #support channel in the StarMade Discord or consult your distribution's documentation or the NVIDIA forums for additional assistance.

Valck · May 4, 2025

Not affected (been weaned off Nvidia for well over a decade now), but thank you for the continued and in-depth Linux support, it is much appreciated.

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PSA: StarMade Linux Troubleshooting with Nvidia GPUs

TheDerpGamerX

Lord of Lawnmowers

Valck