Maelstrom 2018 – is now Available via Early Access on Steam – As it’s a brand new game in production we’re hoping to support GunPowder Games by delivering an easy fix guide on any issues that players might have with the game which can be easily fixed. However if you’re still having problems then please be sure to reach out to the developers so they can help out.
Maelstrom is now available via STEAM on Windows 10 and possibly some other versions of Windows. We appreciate that you’re super eager to start enjoying Maelstrom but if you’re having issues with the game sometimes freezing, crashing or even suffering from low frames – Maybe you’re having issues with it connecting to the internet or the servers – so we have created this comprehensive fix guide to help you out.
Note : It’s important to say that this guide has been made for Windows 10 in mind so if you’re still running previous versions of Windows you may experience some discrepancies.
Steam was developed by Valve and has been in circulation for PC gamers for near enough 15 years now. Within that time Steam have established some of the best customer support that online gaming has to offer. If you find that your fix is not listed within this guide then be sure to reach out to STEAM for any and all issues – as they may be able to help you.
1: My Maelstrom is not downloading on Steam with Windows 10?
If you’ve recently just purchased Maelstrom on steam then once you have completed the checkout process – steam will ask if you wish to gift this or add it to your library. It will also ask if you would like to install immediately. If you failed to choose this option then to Install Maelstrom simply :
Right click Maelstrom in your Steam Library > Download
Once this has been completed your game will download while in the background as you continue to use your PC. If you’re finding that your Maelstrom is not downloading then it maybe due to various reasons but here’s the fixes below.
You’re Playing games while waiting for the download to complete
Very much overlooked a lot of the time but you will find that if you’re playing most games on Steam while you’re waiting for your download of Maelstrom it will actually cease the download until after you’ve completed your gaming session. It’s imperative that while your waiting for Steam to download that you do not use any online application as you will either encounter a stop to your download or a heavily decreased download speed.
Not Enough Hard Drive Space for Maelstrom on Steam.
More often than not Steam will pre-allocate hard-drive space however if you’re close to the limit of capacity of your Hard Drive then you may find anomalies when attempting to install. This is more common with SSD’s. It’s suggested to ensure you have 20-30GB of free space on top of the Maelstrom free when installing. Not only will this allow for any future updates, DLC or patches to be freely installed but will also ensure that your HD or SSD does not slow down during gameplay.
Your Firewall is blocking is STEAM.
Some users have reported issues with their Firewall from allowing games from downloading. This may-be true for Maelstrom. To help with this issue you can resort to your router manual and open up the necessary gateway ports for STEAM. However this action is usually completed automatically by steam on install.
A quick fix is to disable your Fire wall however this step is generally not recommended for long periods of time as you leave your PC susceptible to online risks which usually would get intercepted or blocked.
If you’re unsure of how to open your firewall ports then simply try to re-install STEAM.
Ensure you’re connected to the Internet
Sometimes wireless connections may not be strong enough to carry the data download required for Steam. When this happens your internet will cut specifically on steam – however you can easily test your internet connection by visiting www.speedtest.com.
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This will test your connection and give you a verdict on how strong and stable your internet connection is. As well as your available download speed and upload speed in your area. If you find that your connection is strong then it may be possible that your installation of STEAM maybe at fault.
Try a Different STEAM Download Server
Sometimes the Download Servers might be the issue when it comes to not being able to download or install Maelstrom. Simply try and change your content provider by :
Steam > Settings > Downloads
From here you can change your download provider. Simply try a different region and then re-download the game files. If you have completed the download and you have no issues running Maelstrom then don’t forget to change it back as you may experience slow download times within the future.
Re-Installing Steam on Windows 10.
Pretty easy to do – Simply Visit “Add or Remove Programs” and click Steam within the list of programmes installed on Windows 10. Then click Un-Install – to be sure to clear any issues complete a full uninstall as to avoid any issues when re-installing steam.
Once this step has been completed then simply re-download the latest version of Steam and install. This should automatically open the ports necessary for running and downloading for Steam.
If you have completed this step and you’re still having problems installing Maelstrom on steam then be sure to reach out to Steam’s Support staff and hopefully they may be able to resolve your issue.
2: Maelstrom is not running or playing with STEAM on Windows 10
It can be the most frustrating of things. After waiting for your download to complete you fire up your game and it does not run. You’re either presented with an error or a completely black screen. Some common issues that may occur is a black screen with audio but no visual display which can indicate various issues or faults. We will try to clear up some easy solutions and solve your problem of the game not playing.
Does your PC Support Maelstrom? If so How can you tell?!
Most games on Windows will have both a Minimum requirements and Recommended Requirements. Most of the time not having the required components within your Gaming rig will give you significant issues and errors when running Maelstrom and other games. So it’s highly encouraged to make sure that your PC is compatible with Maelstrom before purchasing it on steam.
The Minimum Requirements and Recommended Requirements for Maelstrom are listed below.
| Minimum Requirements for Maelstrom |
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If you’re unsure of what your running in your Gaming Rig then we have a great Website which can declare whether or not your PC can support Maelstrom or not. Simply visit System Requirements Lab. This website is incredible for determining what you can or cant do on your rig. It will even suggest upgrades for your PC in order to play what ever game you wish.
If your PC matches the requirements for Maelstrom but it is still not running then you may have another fault on your hands. Simply follow the below steps of trail and error resolve the issue.
Have you got the latest Graphics Driver for your Graphics Card for Maelstrom?
Whether or not your running Radeon or Nvidia it is heavily suggested that you run the latest Graphics Drivers for your Graphics Card. More often than not Windows 10 will install the latest drivers for your unit. However you can force this action by visiting your graphics card provider and downloading the drivers from the support section.
Be sure to un-install any previous graphics drivers before completing this step as running dual drivers may create more problems than solving.
If you’re Running the correct drivers then move on.
Are you running the Latest Update for Steam or Maelstrom?
It’s imperative that if you’re having any problems with Maelstrom running check to make sure that you’re rig is running the latest update. Sometimes but not always developers can release software which is incompatible with certain foundations of Windows 10. Usually to fix this the developers will release patches or quick fix updates.
Steam will automatically detect any updates which are required for the game and its Highly recommended for you to download the update before attempting to play.
If you’re Game has the latest update then it maybe possible that your Steam needs to update. In order to do this – simply restart STEAM and it will attempt to download the latest update available in order to run Maelstrom.
Maelstrom doing nothing after “Preparing To Launch”
Sometimes games on Steam can get hung up during playing. If your Maelstrom shows a preparing to launch error which simply goes no where – then luckily enough Steam have a pretty strong guide on what to do if your gaming rig hangs at this point.
Be sure to do the following :
- Update your Windows install
- Update drivers for your computer
- Verify your game cache files
- Disable non-essential software
- Check the game’s system requirements
Maelstrom installation maybe corrupt or damaged.
Sometimes downloads or installs can go wrong. This is especially the case if your Rig is shut off or disconnected while downloading or while the installation file is being complete. To quickly try and fix the issue of Maelstrom not loading then simply delete all your core Maelstrom files by right clicking the game in your Steam Library.
Once the files have been deleted simply download the game files once again and attempt to re-install. Not always but this fix has been proven to work on more than occasion so be sure to attempt this before you reach out to STEAM support for more suggestions or advice on how to solve Maelstrom not playing.
3: STEAM Crashing and Freezing while Playing Maelstrom.
An issue which sometimes happens to the majority of us PC Gamers is our game freezing while playing or simply showing a black screen and crashing to desktop. This is incredibly annoying especially while your mid gameplay. Sadly there are a variety of reasons why your PC may crash while playing Maelstrom. So prepare yourself for an extensive trial and error endeavour while you get to the root of your problem.
Are you running the latest Motherboard BIOS Update?!
Sometimes inconsistencies within the Firmware of your Motherboard may conflict with the foundation of Maelstrom so it’s important that if you are having random crashes, blue screens or freezing while playing that you ensure that your motherboard is up to date.
To do this simply visit your motherboard provider and download the latest drivers available. Ensure that you make a backup of your Windows 10 while completing this task as if you’re unskilled in dealing with PC equipment you may make matters worse so be careful. Fear not though any permanent damage is very unlikely when dealing with BIOS updates.
Close all unnecessary Windows 10 Systems while Maelstrom is running
This is a pretty important step when it comes to debugging whether or not your game is struggling due to system responsibilities. Disable any and all software which you’re simply not using. Yes this includes third party apps such as spotify, web browsers, broadcasting software and much more.
Benchmark your PC Rig to determine whether or not you can run Maelstrom.
Like we discussed above, if your PC does not feature the components that is required for Maelstrom to run then you may find problems with it crashing. Sometimes not running a powerful enough Graphics card may lead to Maelstrom stuttering or completely freezing up.
Problems with your Memory modules may also present blue screens which will feature various error codes. So there’s a heap of issues that could come from running the wrong equipment.
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We highly recommend that you ensure that you running the Recommended settings required for Maelstrom. You can sometimes download Benchmarks available for the game your playing.
| Minimum Specifications for Maelstrom |
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Reach out to Steam Forums to identify if anyone else is having problems with Maelstrom
The Steam Community are incredibly strong and if you’re having problems more than likely so are others within the Steam Community. Simply post your Specs and your update version on the Steam Forums for Maelstrom and browse to see if any others are having similar problems to yourself.
Alternatively you can also reach out to Steam Support to deal with the issue however despite how strong they are at customer relations they may take a few hours to days to reply to your query so be sure to be patient while waiting.
Complete a Fresh Install of Maelstrom to stop Crashing
Something you can do while waiting for Steam support to reply is to simply uninstall and re-install again. This may clear up any significant software errors or corrupt data within your hard drive.
It’s also important to ensure that if you have recently changed processor or motherboard lately that you complete a fresh install of Windows 10 as new motherboard firmware may present various bugs and issues with older installations of Windows 10 while trying to Play Maelstrom.
4: Maelstrom disconnecting While playing on Steam.
The Majority of games available on Steam and Windows 10 also have support for a lot of online features. This may be true for Maelstrom as more often than not games of this generation come with multiplayer support, online leader boards, online co-op, achievements and much more.
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Although the problem with online capability is that you may discover issues with disconnecting from games or lagging while you play games like Maelstrom. There are a variety of reasons why you would have these issues. Below are some simple fixes for you if you are disconnecting from Maelstrom or are experiencing delay or Lag.
Ensure All outside software is disabled while you play Maelstrom.
Sometimes third party software, other applications or downloads while you play can be real bandwidth hogs on your internet connection. So be sure to disable and close any third party applications that might be the cause of your lag or disconnections.
Windows 10 has a real nasty habit of updating while your gaming which can really cause problems so if you are having issues check your windows update tab to see if there is any activity and either delay it or simply complete it until you return to Maelstrom.
Ensure that your Internet connection is stable.
The Majority of online games these days benefit from running broadband and fibre from various companies available within the UK and all other the world. A way to check if your internet connection is strong enough for Maelstrom and other games is to check www.speedtest.com.
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If you have detected that your download speed is slow or below the recommend 5MB/s then it maybe time for you to upgrade your internet through your internet provider.
Maelstrom servers maybe offline for various reasons.
Some developers schedule downtime for their games and multiplayer servers to patch, update and repair for a better gaming experience. More often than not if you check the developers website you will identify any downtime that they maybe suffering.
Something you can also do is simply visit Maelstrom’s Community forums provided by Steam – this will show you if other players are having similar problems to you. This will also identify if the problem maybe server side and something which is not associated with your copy of Maelstrom or your gaming PC.
Ensure STEAM is still running while you play.
Often overlooked – its imperative that you run STEAM while you play Maelstrom. The reason for this is sometimes games may rely upon the foundations of STEAM in order to deliver their online service. This is more often found in peer to peer games which do not rely on dedicated servers.
Sometimes if you cut your access to steam while you play, you may experience problems with your game saving, achievements not unlocking and much more.
Still having problems? Contact Maelstrom and discuss the issue.
If You have tried the above fixes however your still having significant issues with disconnecting from the game then we highly recommend that you report the fault to the developers – either to their support team or by the Steam Forums.
It’s generally really appreciated by most developers and once they have recorded your fault they may be able to release a patch update or fixes which will solve the problems for you and others.
5: Maelstrom is not displaying in 4K on Steam.
Although not brand new technology – 4K is slowly becoming the norm for most PC Gamers. As the majority of graphics cards which are able to pump out 4K are becoming increasingly more expensive due to BitCoin trends which is creating a lot of frustration and gripes with the current PC market.
4K Looks incredible on the right hardware and screen size however can sometimes be a bit of a pain to get working. If you’re not getting a 4K display when playing Maelstrom then there may be some obvious fixes that you have over looked. We’re here to help!
Does Maelstrom support 4K?
An obvious issue which is overlooked by the majority of gamers. Does Maelstrom actually support 4K. The problem with 4K is its heavily demanding on most PC Rigs – especially delivering 60FPS and above so it may not be in the interest of some developers to output to 4K initially.
This is something they may fix overtime. To ensure if Maelstrom supports 4K please be sure to reach out to the developers website and press releases. You can also check online for any youtube footage or other videos regarding 4K Output.
Sadly if the developer has not programmed any 4K Support within Maelstrom then it’s simply not possible until they release a compatibility patch.
Does your Hardware Support 4K?
The second question you need to ask yourself – does your PC rig actually support 4K. It’s all well and good wanting to output to your monitors or large screen TV with 4K but if your graphics card is not up to the job may create an enormous amount of frame drops and crashes.
We highly recommend that if you’re interested in playing Maelstrom in a 4K Resolution then you need to ensure that your graphics card has 6 GB of built in Memory and above.
| Recommended Processor for 4K Playing Maelstrom |
| Intel Core i5-6700K and Above |
| Recommended Graphics Card for 4K Playing Maelstrom |
| NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB and Above |
But remember depending of your In game settings you may still experience frame drops or complete PC freezing while running at 4K. If this is true to you then simply lower the resolution or lower the texture qualities and more within the Game Settings.
Does your Monitor Support 4K with Maelstrom?
Not all LCD Monitors will have the compatibility to support a True 4K Output. The majority of mainstream monitors will only support up to 1920×1080. Some users also declare that you will not experience the difference between 4K to 1080P on anything lower than a 24″ Monitor.
However if Maelstrom is not working with your Monitor once you configure it to 4K It may be due to the fact that your Monitor does not innately support 4K. Sadly if this is the case there’s no hardware updates that can be applied and it’s recommended that you should use this opportunity to upgrade.
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If this is the case you need to ensure that your HDMI cable that your using or method of display from your Graphics Card to Monitor also is compatible to carry a 4K Data signal.
Conclusion
We will continue to update this Maelstrom Troubleshooting guide overtime with any new issues, errors or fixes that we come across. However if you have followed the above steps but you’re still having issues then remember be sure to reach out to the support of the Developers.
If this is a no go then simply try to contact Steam Support or alternatively post within the Steam Community forums and we’re sure that the community will be able to help with your specific issue. Until then.
Happy Gaming.
