Anonymous edits have been disabled on the wiki. If you want to contribute please login or create an account.

Difference between revisions of "Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
m (Removed protection from "Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain": Given vandalism situation has been resolved, restoring prior protection level.)
 
(174 intermediate revisions by 35 users not shown)
Line 3: Line 3:
 
|developers  =  
 
|developers  =  
 
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Silicon Knights}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Silicon Knights}}
{{Infobox game/row/winporter|Semi Logic Entertainment}}
+
{{Infobox game/row/porter|Semi Logic Entertainment|Windows}}
 
|publishers  =  
 
|publishers  =  
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Crystal Dynamics}}
+
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Crystal Dynamics|Retail}}
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Activision|Windows}}
+
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Activision|Windows|Retail}}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/publisher|Square Enix|Digital}}
 
|engines      =  
 
|engines      =  
 
|release dates=  
 
|release dates=  
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|August 31, 1997}}
+
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|August 1997}}
 +
|reception    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/reception|IGDB|blood-omen-legacy-of-kain|}}
 +
|taxonomy    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | One-time game purchase }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes            | Singleplayer }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing            | Real-time }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/perspectives      | Top-down view }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/controls          | Direct control }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres            | Action, Adventure }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/sports            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/vehicles          | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/art styles        | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/themes            | Fantasy }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/series            | Legacy of Kain }}
 
|steam appid  =  
 
|steam appid  =  
|gogcom page  =  
+
|gogcom id    = 1837805079
 +
|hltb        = 1184
 +
|lutris      = blood-omen-legacy-of-kain
 
|strategywiki =  
 
|strategywiki =  
 +
|mobygames    = 2207
 
|wikipedia    = Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
 
|wikipedia    = Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
 
|winehq      = 4035
 
|winehq      = 4035
 +
|license      = commercial
 
}}
 
}}
{{Series|Legacy of Kain}}
 
  
'''Key points'''
+
{{Introduction
{{ii}} Some crashes and other issues on modern operating systems, though [[#Essential improvements|modded exes]] fix this.  
+
|introduction      =
{{++}} Unofficial patches eliminate loading times.
+
 
{{--}} 40 FPS lock (slightly slower animations than PSX), 15 and 18 FPS FMVs.
+
|release history  = The PC version eliminates loading times which exist in the PlayStation version. However, compared to it, animations are slightly slower, and FMVs are of lower quality with mono audio.
 +
 
 +
|current state    = The game suffers from crashes, low sound quality and other issues on modern operating systems; the [[#Essential improvements|OpenGL wrapper]] fixes them.  
 +
}}
  
 
'''General information'''
 
'''General information'''
{{mm}} [http://forums.eu.square-enix.com/forumdisplay.php?f=186 Square Enix Legacy of Kain series forums]
+
{{GOG.com links|1837805079|blood_omen_legacy_of_kain}}
  
 
==Availability==
 
==Availability==
 
{{Availability|
 
{{Availability|
{{Availability/row| Retail | | disc | Physical copy protection: bad sectors. | | Windows }}
+
{{Availability/row| Retail | | disc | North American physical copy protection causes bad sectors. | | Windows }}
 +
{{Availability/row| GOG.com | blood_omen_legacy_of_kain | DRM-free | Uses GOG's custom DirectX wrapper | | Windows }}
 
}}
 
}}
 +
{{ii}} A free demo version is available from [https://archive.org/details/kaindemo Archive.org].
  
{{ii}} New copies and digital distribution unavailable due to legal issues with past developers and publishers.
+
==Essential improvements==
 +
===Verok's GL wrapper & patch===
 +
{{++}} Windowed mode support, FMVs play without interlacing, optional unfiltered scaler, WinXP/7/10 compatibility fix, removed CD check, 60 FPS support like the PS1 version, optional PS1 FMVs support, HQ cutscenes with stereo sound, subtitles and more.
  
==Essential improvements==
+
*'''[https://1drv.ms/u/s!AjG7dG2K1HcThfBMcZiLv27cGRweEg Full Patch - Larger file, but contains updated cutscenes and audio]'''
===[http://cubanraul.altervista.org/kain/index.htm CubanRaul's modded exe]===
+
*'''[https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/2403-legacy-of-kain-blood-omen-veroks-gl-wrapper-patch/ Minimal Patch - contains only essential updates]'''
{{ii}} Fixes a host of crashes, fixes credits, fixes speed bugs, removes the CD check, and offers its own installation method that allows for modern path characters such as parentheses. Replaces and supersedes [http://www.thelostworlds.net/HowTo/Running_Blood_Omen_on_Windows_XP_and_Vista.html Raistlin633's modded exe].
+
===CubanRaul's Community Patch===
===[http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=53121 Peixoto's patch]===
+
{{ii}} Eliminates the need for a slowdown program for fast CPUs and fixes various crashes.
{{ii}} Fixes the color bug and the artifacts on the mouse cursor on Windows Vista and 7, adds full compatibility with XInput controllers with working triggers and dpad and can force the game to run in 'HD' using a simple unfiltered scaler (the game will be less blurry but more pixelated)
+
{{ii}} 2.0 version requires Windows 2000 at minimum; 2.2 requires Windows 7 at minimum.
 +
{{ii}} By express request of mod co-creator Wrace, PCGamingWiki is, for reasons known only to Wrace, forbidden from providing any direct links to the mod - including to the author's own official mod page. As such, please copy and paste the following search query/queries into any search engine:
 +
<pre>
 +
Wrace Blood Omen Legacy of Kain CubanRaul's Community Patch
 +
</pre>
  
 
==Game data==
 
==Game data==
 
===Configuration file(s) location===
 
===Configuration file(s) location===
 
{{Game data|
 
{{Game data|
{{Game data/row|Windows|{{P|game}}\SAVED\}}
+
{{Game data/config|Windows|{{P|game}}\SAVED\}}
 +
{{Game data/config|GOG.com|{{P|game}}\Saves\}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
 
{{ii}} Config files are not in plain text format.
 
{{ii}} Config files are not in plain text format.
  
 
===Save game data location===
 
===Save game data location===
 
{{Game data|
 
{{Game data|
{{Game data/row|Windows|{{P|game}}\SAVED\}}
+
{{Game data/saves|Windows|{{P|game}}\SAVED\}}
 +
{{Game data/saves|GOG.com|{{P|game}}\Saves\}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Video settings==
+
===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]===
{{Video settings
+
{{Save game cloud syncing
 +
|discord                  =
 +
|discord notes            =
 +
|epic games launcher      =
 +
|epic games launcher notes =
 +
|gog galaxy                = true
 +
|gog galaxy notes          =
 +
|origin                    =
 +
|origin notes              =
 +
|steam cloud              =
 +
|steam cloud notes        =
 +
|ubisoft connect          =
 +
|ubisoft connect notes    =
 +
|xbox cloud                =
 +
|xbox cloud notes          =
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
==Video==
 +
{{Video
 
|wsgf link                  =  
 
|wsgf link                  =  
 
|widescreen wsgf award      =  
 
|widescreen wsgf award      =  
Line 60: Line 109:
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    =  
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    =  
 
|widescreen resolution      = false
 
|widescreen resolution      = false
|widescreen resolution notes= 640x480, 640x480i, and 320x240 pillarboxed only (latter 2 accessible by pressing F12 in-game).
+
|widescreen resolution notes= Only 640x480, 640x480i, and 320x240 pillarboxed.<br> The latter 2 are selectable by pressing {{key|F12}}.
 
|multimonitor              = false
 
|multimonitor              = false
 
|multimonitor notes        =  
 
|multimonitor notes        =  
Line 69: Line 118:
 
|fov                        = n/a
 
|fov                        = n/a
 
|fov notes                  =  
 
|fov notes                  =  
|windowed                  = false
+
|windowed                  = hackable
|windowed notes            =  
+
|windowed notes            = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]. <br>In the GOG.com version, the {{file|dxcfg.exe}} application can achieve this.
|borderless windowed        = false
+
|borderless windowed        = hackable
|borderless windowed notes  =  
+
|borderless windowed notes  = In the GOG.com version, the {{file|dxcfg.exe}} application can achieve this.
|anisotropic                = n/a
+
|anisotropic                = hackable
|anisotropic notes          =  
+
|anisotropic notes          = In the GOG.com version, the {{file|dxcfg.exe}} application can achieve this.
|antialiasing              = n/a
+
|antialiasing              = false
 
|antialiasing notes        =  
 
|antialiasing notes        =  
|vsync                      = false
+
|upscaling                  = unknown
|vsync notes                =  
+
|upscaling tech            =
|60 fps                    = false
+
|upscaling notes            =
|60 fps notes              = 40 FPS lock, 15 and 18 FPS FMVs.<ref>Tested by [[User:MetalPlateMage|MetalPlateMage]] using ShadowPlay.</ref>
+
|vsync                      = hackable
 +
|vsync notes                = In the GOG.com version, it can be forced through {{file|dxcfg.exe}}.
 +
|60 fps                    = hackable
 +
|60 fps notes              = Capped at 40 FPS, FMVs at 15 and 18 FPS.<ref>{{Refcheck|user=MetalPlateMage|date=25 July 2015|comment=Tested using ShadowPlay.}}</ref> <br>Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] to increase the FPS.
 
|120 fps                    = false
 
|120 fps                    = false
|120 fps notes              =  
+
|120 fps notes              = Gameplay is tied to the frame rate. Above 60 FPS makes the gameplay too fast.
 +
|hdr                        = unknown
 +
|hdr notes                  =  
 
|color blind                = false
 
|color blind                = false
 
|color blind notes          =  
 
|color blind notes          =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Input settings==
+
==Input==
 
{{Image|Kain1 controls.png|Control options.}}
 
{{Image|Kain1 controls.png|Control options.}}
{{Input settings
+
{{Image|Kainxinput.png|XInput prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.}}
 +
{{Image|Kaindualshock.png|DualShock prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.}}
 +
{{Input
 
|key remap                = true
 
|key remap                = true
 
|key remap notes          =  
 
|key remap notes          =  
 
|acceleration option      = false
 
|acceleration option      = false
 
|acceleration option notes =  
 
|acceleration option notes =  
|mouse sensitivity        = unknown
+
|mouse sensitivity        = false
 
|mouse sensitivity notes  =  
 
|mouse sensitivity notes  =  
 
|mouse menu                = false
 
|mouse menu                = false
Line 100: Line 156:
 
|invert mouse y-axis      = false
 
|invert mouse y-axis      = false
 
|invert mouse y-axis notes =  
 
|invert mouse y-axis notes =  
 +
|touchscreen              = unknown
 +
|touchscreen notes        =
 
|controller support        = true
 
|controller support        = true
|controller support notes  = Use [http://www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=53121 Peixoto's patch] to add proper support for XInput controllers.
+
|controller support notes  =  
 
|full controller          = false
 
|full controller          = false
|full controller notes    = Cannot quit game (hard-coded escape key). Qualifies otherwise.
+
|full controller notes    = Cannot quit game (hard-coded escape key) or skip FMVs (possible with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]). Qualifies otherwise.
 
|controller remap          = true
 
|controller remap          = true
|controller remap notes    = Uses numbers, not face buttons
+
|controller remap notes    = Uses numbers, not face buttons.
|controller sensitivity    = unknown
+
|controller sensitivity    = false
 
|controller sensitivity notes=  
 
|controller sensitivity notes=  
 
|invert controller y-axis  = false
 
|invert controller y-axis  = false
|invert controller y-axis notes=  
+
|invert controller y-axis notes=
|touchscreen               = unknown
+
|xinput controllers        = hackable
|touchscreen notes        =  
+
|xinput controllers notes  = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] to add support for XInput controllers.
|button prompts            = generic
+
|xbox prompts              = hackable
|button prompts notes      =  
+
|xbox prompts notes        = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] for Xbox face buttons.
|controller hotplug        = unknown
+
|impulse triggers          = false
 +
|impulse triggers notes    =
 +
|dualshock 4               = hackable
 +
|dualshock 4 notes        = Use [https://github.com/Ryochan7/DS4Windows/releases DS4Windows] with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|dualshock prompts        = hackable
 +
|dualshock prompts notes  = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] for DualShock face buttons.
 +
|light bar support        = false
 +
|light bar support notes  =
 +
|dualshock 4 modes        = USB, Bluetooth
 +
|dualshock 4 modes notes  =
 +
|tracked motion controllers= unknown
 +
|tracked motion controllers notes =
 +
|tracked motion prompts    = unknown
 +
|tracked motion prompts notes =
 +
|other controllers         = true
 +
|other controllers notes  =
 +
|other button prompts      = generic
 +
|other button prompts notes=  
 +
|button prompts            = generic, Xbox, DualShock
 +
|button prompts notes      = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] for Xbox and DualShock face buttons.
 +
|controller hotplug        = false
 
|controller hotplug notes  =  
 
|controller hotplug notes  =  
|haptic feedback          = unknown
+
|haptic feedback          = hackable
|haptic feedback notes    =  
+
|haptic feedback notes    = Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] for haptic feedback.
|light bar support        = unknown
+
|simultaneous input        = true
|light bar support notes   =  
+
|simultaneous input notes =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
==Audio settings==
+
==Audio==
 
{{Image|Kain1 audio.png|Audio options.}}
 
{{Image|Kain1 audio.png|Audio options.}}
{{Audio settings
+
{{Audio
 
|separate volume          = true
 
|separate volume          = true
|separate volume notes    = Sound and music.
+
|separate volume notes    = Sound & music
|surround sound          = false
+
|surround sound          = hackable
|surround sound notes    =  
+
|surround sound notes    = Possible via OpenAL with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]
|subtitles                = false
+
|subtitles                = hackable
|subtitles notes          =  
+
|subtitles notes          = Possible with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]
 
|closed captions          = false
 
|closed captions          = false
 
|closed captions notes    =  
 
|closed captions notes    =  
|mute on focus lost      = true
+
|mute on focus lost      = hackable
|mute on focus lost notes = Losing focus causes screen to go black. Transitioning FMV<->Game fixes.
+
|mute on focus lost notes = Losing focus causes black screen. Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
|eax support              =  
+
|eax support              = hackable
|eax support notes        =  
+
|eax support notes         = Possible via OpenAL with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]
 +
|royalty free audio       = unknown
 +
|royalty free audio notes  =  
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
{{Image|Kain subtitles.png|English subtitles.}}
  
 
{{L10n|content=
 
{{L10n|content=
 
{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = English
 
  |language  = English
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
  |audio    = yes
+
  |audio    = true
  |subtitles = no
+
  |subtitles = hackable
  |notes    =
+
  |notes    = Subs possible with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = French
 +
|interface = true
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = n/a
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
  |fan notes =  
+
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = German
 +
|interface = false
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = n/a
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Hungarian
 +
|interface = false
 +
|audio    = false
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Italian
 +
|interface = false
 +
|audio    = false
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
  |fan       = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Japanese
 +
|interface = false
 +
|audio    = true
 +
|subtitles = n/a
 +
|notes     = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      =
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Polish
 +
|interface = false
 +
|audio    = false
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Brazilian Portuguese
 +
|interface = hackable
 +
|audio    = false
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Russian
 +
|interface = hackable
 +
|audio    = hackable
 +
|subtitles = hackable
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      = true
 +
}}
 +
{{L10n/switch
 +
|language  = Spanish
 +
|interface = hackable
 +
|audio    = hackable
 +
|subtitles = n/a
 +
|notes    = Included with [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]].
 +
|fan      = true
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
Line 154: Line 307:
 
===System Locale/Language Check Failed===
 
===System Locale/Language Check Failed===
 
{{Image|Kain1_localeerror.png|Error message for an "invalid locale".}}
 
{{Image|Kain1_localeerror.png|Error message for an "invalid locale".}}
{{ii}} This error occurs on game startup with modern Windows when your language for non-Unicode programs is set to something the game doesn't "support" (note that in practice the vast majority of games run fine on different locales from their own).
+
{{ii}} On modern versions of Windows, this error occurs at game startup when the language for non-Unicode programs is set to something the game does not support.
 +
 
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Change language for non-Unicode programs|fix=
 +
# Open the Control Panel and set {{key|View by:}} to {{code|Category}}.
 +
# Click {{key|Clock, Language, and Region}} and then {{key|Region}}.
 +
# Under the '''Administrative''' tab, click {{key|Change system locale...}}.
 +
# Set the system locale to one the game supports, such as ''English (United States)'' for the US release.
 +
'''Notes'''
 +
{{ii}} Exact steps vary slightly depending on your Windows version. The above refers to Windows 8.1.
 +
}}
  
{{Fixbox|1=
+
{{Fixbox|description=Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]}}
{{Fixbox/fix|Change the language for non-Unicode programs|ref={{cn|date=July 2016}}}}
 
# Go to the "Region" Control Panel.
 
# Go to the "Administrative" tab, then press "Change system locale..." under "Language for non-Unicode programs".
 
# Set the system locale to one the game supports, such as "English (United States)" for the US release.
 
  
 +
===Crashes When Loading a Save or After Playing the Introduction Cutscene===
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Disable Data Execution Prevention for KAIN.exe|fix=
 +
# Open the Control Panel and set {{key|View by:}} to {{code|Large icons}}.
 +
# Click {{key|System}} and then {{key|Advanced system settings}}.
 +
# Click {{key|Settings...}} under '''Performance'''.
 +
# Under the '''Data Execution Prevention''' tab, set {{key|Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:}}.
 +
# Click {{key|Add...}}, then go to the game directory and add {{file|Kain.exe}} to the list.
 
'''Notes'''
 
'''Notes'''
{{ii}} Exact steps vary slightly depending on your Windows version. The above is for Windows 8.1.
+
{{ii}} Exact steps vary slightly depending on your Windows version. The above refers to Windows 7.
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Use [[#Essential improvements|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]]}}
 +
 +
===Freezes after Kain's speech in the tavern or mausoleum===
 +
{{ii}} if the PC specs exceed the game requirements, this will trigger a freeze after Kain's speech in the tavern or mausoleum.<br> To avoid this issue, the FSB (Front Side Bus) frequency must be decreased to a value that does not cause problems with the game; usually 100Mhz or 66Mhz.<br> For all those who do not have the possibility to configure this option, it's necessary to rely on 3rd party solutions such as "''CPUKILLER''" or "''Verok's GL wrapper & patch''".
 +
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Use [[#Verok's GL wrapper & patch|Verok's GL wrapper & patch]] (Windows 7 and later)}}
 +
{{Fixbox|description=Use [[#CubanRaul's Community Patch|CubanRaul's Community Patch]] (Windows 2000, XP, and Vista)}}
  
 
==Other information==
 
==Other information==
 
===API===
 
===API===
 
{{API
 
{{API
|direct3d versions      =  
+
|direct3d versions      = true
|direct3d notes        =  
+
|direct3d notes        = GOG.com version uses custom DirectX wrapper
 
|directdraw versions    =  
 
|directdraw versions    =  
 
|directdraw notes      =  
 
|directdraw notes      =  
Line 183: Line 356:
 
|metal support          =  
 
|metal support          =  
 
|metal support notes    =  
 
|metal support notes    =  
|vulkan support        =  
+
|vulkan versions        =  
|vulkan support notes   =  
+
|vulkan notes           =  
 
|dos modes              =  
 
|dos modes              =  
 
|dos modes notes        =  
 
|dos modes notes        =  
 
|shader model versions  =  
 
|shader model versions  =  
 
|shader model notes    =  
 
|shader model notes    =  
|64-bit executable     = false
+
|windows 32-bit exe    = true
|64-bit executable notes=  
+
|windows 64-bit exe    = false
 +
|windows arm app        = unknown
 +
|windows exe notes      =
 +
|macos intel 32-bit app =
 +
|macos intel 64-bit app =
 +
|macos arm app          = unknown
 +
|macos app notes        =
 +
|linux 32-bit executable=  
 +
|linux 64-bit executable=
 +
|linux arm app          = unknown
 +
|linux executable notes =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
Line 198: Line 381:
  
 
|minOS    = 95
 
|minOS    = 95
|minCPU  = Pentium 100 Mhz
+
|minCPU  = Intel Pentium 100 MHz
 
|minRAM  = 16 MB
 
|minRAM  = 16 MB
 
|minHD    = 12 MB
 
|minHD    = 12 MB
Line 206: Line 389:
 
|minother = 4x CD-ROM
 
|minother = 4x CD-ROM
  
|recCPU  = Pentium 166 Mhz
+
|recCPU  = Intel Pentium 166 MHz
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}

Latest revision as of 15:24, 19 February 2024

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain cover
Developers
Silicon Knights
Windows Semi Logic Entertainment
Publishers
Retail Crystal Dynamics
Windows Activision
Digital Square Enix
Release dates
Windows August 1997
Taxonomy
Monetization One-time game purchase
Modes Singleplayer
Pacing Real-time
Perspectives Top-down view
Controls Direct control
Genres Action, Adventure
Themes Fantasy
Series Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain on HowLongToBeat
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain on IGDB
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain on MobyGames
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain on Wikipedia
Legacy of Kain
Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain 1997
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1999
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 2 2001
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2 2002
Legacy of Kain: Defiance 2003
Nosgoth Cancelled

Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain is a singleplayer top-down view action and adventure game in the Legacy of Kain series.

The PC version eliminates loading times which exist in the PlayStation version. However, compared to it, animations are slightly slower, and FMVs are of lower quality with mono audio.

The game suffers from crashes, low sound quality and other issues on modern operating systems; the OpenGL wrapper fixes them.

General information

GOG.com Community Discussions
GOG.com Support Page

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
North American physical copy protection causes bad sectors.
Windows
GOG.com
DRM-free
Uses GOG's custom DirectX wrapper
Windows
A free demo version is available from Archive.org.

Essential improvements

Verok's GL wrapper & patch

Windowed mode support, FMVs play without interlacing, optional unfiltered scaler, WinXP/7/10 compatibility fix, removed CD check, 60 FPS support like the PS1 version, optional PS1 FMVs support, HQ cutscenes with stereo sound, subtitles and more.

CubanRaul's Community Patch

Eliminates the need for a slowdown program for fast CPUs and fixes various crashes.
2.0 version requires Windows 2000 at minimum; 2.2 requires Windows 7 at minimum.
By express request of mod co-creator Wrace, PCGamingWiki is, for reasons known only to Wrace, forbidden from providing any direct links to the mod - including to the author's own official mod page. As such, please copy and paste the following search query/queries into any search engine:
Wrace Blood Omen Legacy of Kain CubanRaul's Community Patch

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\SAVED\[Note 1]
GOG.com <path-to-game>\Saves\
Config files are not in plain text format.

Save game data location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\SAVED\[Note 1]
GOG.com <path-to-game>\Saves\

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
GOG Galaxy

Video

Graphics feature State Notes
Widescreen resolution
Only 640x480, 640x480i, and 320x240 pillarboxed.
The latter 2 are selectable by pressing F12.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Windowed
Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
In the GOG.com version, the dxcfg.exe application can achieve this.
Borderless fullscreen windowed
In the GOG.com version, the dxcfg.exe application can achieve this.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
In the GOG.com version, the dxcfg.exe application can achieve this.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
In the GOG.com version, it can be forced through dxcfg.exe.
60 FPS
Capped at 40 FPS, FMVs at 15 and 18 FPS.[1]
Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch to increase the FPS.
120+ FPS
Gameplay is tied to the frame rate. Above 60 FPS makes the gameplay too fast.

Input

Control options.
Control options.
XInput prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
XInput prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
DualShock prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
DualShock prompts - Verok's GL wrapper & patch.

Audio

Audio options.
Audio options.

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Sound & music
Surround sound
Possible via OpenAL with Verok's GL wrapper & patch
Subtitles
Possible with Verok's GL wrapper & patch
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Losing focus causes black screen. Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
EAX support
Possible via OpenAL with Verok's GL wrapper & patch
Royalty free audio
English subtitles.
English subtitles.

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Subs possible with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
French
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
German
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Hungarian
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Italian
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Japanese
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Polish
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Brazilian Portuguese
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Russian
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.
Spanish
Included with Verok's GL wrapper & patch.

Issues fixed

System Locale/Language Check Failed

Error message for an "invalid locale".
Error message for an "invalid locale".
On modern versions of Windows, this error occurs at game startup when the language for non-Unicode programs is set to something the game does not support.
Change language for non-Unicode programs
  1. Open the Control Panel and set View by: to Category.
  2. Click Clock, Language, and Region and then Region.
  3. Under the Administrative tab, click Change system locale....
  4. Set the system locale to one the game supports, such as English (United States) for the US release.

Notes

Exact steps vary slightly depending on your Windows version. The above refers to Windows 8.1.
Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch

Crashes When Loading a Save or After Playing the Introduction Cutscene

Disable Data Execution Prevention for KAIN.exe
  1. Open the Control Panel and set View by: to Large icons.
  2. Click System and then Advanced system settings.
  3. Click Settings... under Performance.
  4. Under the Data Execution Prevention tab, set Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select:.
  5. Click Add..., then go to the game directory and add Kain.exe to the list.

Notes

Exact steps vary slightly depending on your Windows version. The above refers to Windows 7.
Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch

Freezes after Kain's speech in the tavern or mausoleum

if the PC specs exceed the game requirements, this will trigger a freeze after Kain's speech in the tavern or mausoleum.
To avoid this issue, the FSB (Front Side Bus) frequency must be decreased to a value that does not cause problems with the game; usually 100Mhz or 66Mhz.
For all those who do not have the possibility to configure this option, it's necessary to rely on 3rd party solutions such as "CPUKILLER" or "Verok's GL wrapper & patch".
Use Verok's GL wrapper & patch (Windows 7 and later)
Use CubanRaul's Community Patch (Windows 2000, XP, and Vista)

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D
GOG.com version uses custom DirectX wrapper
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 95
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium 100 MHz
System memory (RAM) 16 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 12 MB
Video card (GPU) SVGA
1 MB of VRAM
Sound (audio device) Sound Blaster compatible
Other 4x CD-ROM


Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 When running this game without elevated privileges (Run as administrator option), write operations against a location below %PROGRAMFILES%, %PROGRAMDATA%, or %WINDIR% might be redirected to %LOCALAPPDATA%\VirtualStore on Windows Vista and later (more details).

References

  1. Verified by User:MetalPlateMage on 25 July 2015
    Tested using ShadowPlay.