Unlike a simple log file, a minidump captures the full state of the process memory (depending on the options set internally by Steam). This allows you to inspect the call stack, local variables, and the state of the heap at the exact moment of the crash using Visual Studio or WinDbg.
When the GPU stops responding for more than 2 seconds, Windows resets the driver. The game receives a device-removed error, attempts to write a minidump via SteamAPI, and then fails. SteamAPI WriteMiniDump
Pass your internal version number into uBuildID . This ensures that when you view the crash on the Steamworks website, you know exactly which build triggered it without cross-referencing SVN/Git logs. Unlike a simple log file, a minidump captures
You generally call this function within your game's exception handler (e.g., __try / __except blocks in Windows) or when an assertion fails. The game receives a device-removed error, attempts to
simplifies this by leveraging the Steam client’s existing infrastructure to ensure the report actually makes it to the cloud instead of dying with the game. Microsoft Learn Summary Table: SteamAPI_WriteMiniDump at a Glance Description Primary Goal Capture and upload crash data to the Steamworks dashboard. Data Captured Call stack, registers, and exception codes. Pre-requisite SteamAPI_Init must have succeeded. Customization Add comments via SteamAPI_SetMiniDumpComment Currently supports 32-bit Windows.
The Valve Steamworks SDK provides a built-in, native tool to capture these failures: .
Once a developer has these files, they use debugging tools like Visual Studio