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BioShock 2

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
Revision as of 08:26, 19 July 2015 by Garrbot (talk | contribs) (→‎Video settings: updated template usage)
Template:Infobox game/row/osxporterTemplate:Infobox game/row/osxporter
BioShock 2
Cover image missing, please upload it
Developers
2K Marin
2K China
DLC Iron Galaxy Studios
Multiplayer Digital Extremes
Publishers
2K Games
OS X Feral Interactive
Engines
Unreal Engine 2.5
Release dates
Windows February 9, 2010
macOS (OS X) March 29, 2012
BioShock 2 on Wikipedia

Warnings

For Games for Windows - LIVE on Windows 8 or later, install the latest Games for Windows - LIVE software.
BioShock
BioShock 2007
BioShock 2 2010
BioShock Infinite 2013
BioShock Remastered 2016
BioShock 2 Remastered 2016

Key points

Steam version DRM switched from Games for Windows - LIVE and SecuROM to Steam.[1]
Ragdoll physics and animations are locked at 30 FPS.

General information

2K Games Forum
Steam Community Discussions
Steam Users' Forums for BioShock and BioShock 2

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
DRM details are not known
Optional Steam unlock.[1]
Icon overlay.png
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Amazon.com
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
GamersGate
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
GamersGate
DRM details are not known
OS X only.
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Incorrect store name. See here for available options.
Requires online activation
OS X only.
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Green Man Gaming
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Green Man Gaming
DRM details are not known
OS X only.
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Humble Store
Icon overlay.png
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Steam
Icon overlay.png
Windows only.
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
All non-Steam Windows versions require Games for Windows - LIVE.
All Windows retail and digital versions of BioShock 2 activate on Steam.[1] Activation unlocks all DLC, including Minerva's Den.
Achievements and saves are separate from Games for Windows - LIVE meaning that a new game is required when switching from Games for Windows - LIVE to Steam.

DLC and expansion packs

Name Notes
Minerva's Den
Windows

Essential improvements

Patches

A Title Update is available for the Games for Windows - LIVE version. The game should automatically prompt for the update when using a LIVE profile; the updates can also be downloaded manually (update 1, update 2).

Skip intro videos

Template:Fixbox/fix Use -nointro command line argument.

Game data

In-game general settings.
In-game general settings.

Save game data location

Template:Game data/rowTemplate:Game data/row
System Location
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/8850/pfx/[Note 1]

Configuration file(s) location

Template:Game data/rowTemplate:Game data/row
System Location
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/8850/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Steam Cloud

Video settings

In-game video settings.
In-game video settings.

Template:Video settings

Field of view (FOV)

Any custom FOV settings will be reset automatically at various times during gameplay when control is taken away from the player; i.e. for cutscenes. Zooming down iron sights will also yield this effect. Custom FOV settings will not work in multiplayer.
Instructions

Anisotropic filtering (AF)

Instructions

Anti-aliasing (AA)

There is no native AA support in BioShock 2. AA can be forcibly enabled, however, through your graphics driver's control panel. Please consult the user guide for your particular graphics driver on how this is performed. For Nvidia cards you can force SGSSAA (2x-8x) in DX9 Mode via Nvidia inspector with the AA bit - 0x000010C1 - [2] Example what inspector should look like

Ambient Occlusion (AO)

There is no native AO support in BioShock 2. AO can be forcibly enabled, however, through your graphics driver's control panel. Please consult the user guide for your particular graphics driver on how this is performed. For Nvidia cards you can force HDAO+ (denominated High quality) in DX9 Mode via Nvidia inspector with the AO bit - 0x0002002D - [3] Example what inspector should look like

Input settings

In-game control settings.
In-game control settings.
In-game key map settings.
In-game key map settings.

Template:Input settings

Audio settings

In-game audio settings.
In-game audio settings.

Template:Audio settings

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
French
German
Italian
Spanish

Network

Online features in non-Steam versions require a Microsoft account (optional for offline play).

Multiplayer types

Type Native Notes
LAN play
Online play

VR support

3D modes State Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision
Use Helix Mod: Bioshock 2 (DirectX 9 only)

Issues unresolved

Audio Cutting Out in Combat Sequences

On some computers, user audio will cut out during combat sequences.

Mouse sensitivity not correctly adjusting

On some computers, the game's mouse sensitivity will be extremely low, and raising the values makes mouse movements imprecise.
Instructions

Issues fixed

Crash on startup

Instructions

Menu flickering

Instructions

Game brightness is extremely high in DirectX 9 mode

This behavior is triggered by notification popups from the Steam overlay
Instructions
Instructions

Left Plasmid hand disappears

This glitch is especially likely when using the Scout-Plasmid.[4] Therefore it is advisable to quick save before using it.
Instructions

Game cannot load or save

There are damaged save files bugging up the games' ability to load or save
Instructions

Game crashes in DirectX 10 mode

Instructions
Instructions

No little sister voice acting

Bug causes little sisters to become mute.
Instructions

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9, 10
OpenGL 2.0 OS X only.
Shader Model support 3, 4
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Physics Havok
Audio FMOD
Cutscenes Bink Video, Flash
Multiplayer Games for Windows - LIVE, Steamworks

Hold to duck/aim down sights

Instructions
Instructions

Disable auto-aim

Instructions

Inject EVE Hypo

Instructions

Pick individual items from containers

Instructions

Performance tweak (Havok)

Instructions

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) XP SP2
Processor (CPU) AMD Athlon 64 3800+ 2.4 GHz
Intel Pentium IV 530 3.0 GHz
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 11 GB
Video card (GPU) Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT
ATI Radeon X1900
256 MB of VRAM
DirectX 9.0c compatible

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data (use Wine regedit to access Windows registry paths). Games with Steam Cloud support may store data in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/8850/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (8850) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References