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Difference between revisions of "Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(Added in DRM note and WineHQ.)
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|gogcom page  =  
 
|gogcom page  =  
 
|wikipedia    = Dark Souls
 
|wikipedia    = Dark Souls
 +
|winehq      = 14458
 
}}
 
}}
 
{{Series|Dark Souls}}
 
{{Series|Dark Souls}}
 +
 
'''Key points'''
 
'''Key points'''
{{ii}} Using a [[#Controller support|controller]] is highly recommended over keyboard and mouse controls.
+
{{ii}} DRM will be switched from [[Games for Windows - LIVE]] to [[Steam]] for digital copies<ref>http://bandainamcous.tumblr.com/post/100546461401/we-are-very-excited-to-announce-that-next-month-it</ref>
{{ii}} If using keyboard and mouse controls, apply the [[#DSMfix|DSMfix]] to improve mouse control issues.
+
{{ii}} Using a [[#Controller support|controller]] is highly recommended over keyboard and mouse controls
{{--}} A poor port of the console versions of the game with few configurable options.<ref>http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/pc/dark-souls/1225854p1.html</ref>
+
{{ii}} If using keyboard and mouse controls, apply the [[#DSMfix|DSMfix]] to improve mouse control issues
{{++}} Use [[#DSfix|DSfix]] to increase rendering resolution along with many other options.
+
{{--}} A poor port of the console versions of the game with few configurable options<ref>http://uk.pc.gamespy.com/pc/dark-souls/1225854p1.html</ref>
 +
{{++}} Use [[#DSfix|DSfix]] to increase rendering resolution along with many other options
  
 
'''General information'''
 
'''General information'''
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==Availability==
 
==Availability==
 
{{Availability|
 
{{Availability|
 +
{{Availability/row| Retail | | GFWL | Completely optional [[Steam]] unlock.<ref>http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2901670</ref> | Steam }}
 
{{Availability/row| Amazon | B00917DBUE | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| Amazon | B00917DBUE | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| GamersGate | DD-DSPDE | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| GamersGate | DD-DSPDE | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| GameStop | 102777 | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| GameStop | 102777 | Steam,GFWL |}}
{{Availability/row| Retail | | GFWL | Completely optional [[Steam]] unlock.<ref>http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2901670</ref> | Steam }}
 
 
{{Availability/row| Steam | 211420 | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
{{Availability/row| Steam | 211420 | Steam,GFWL |}}
 
}}
 
}}
{{ii}} All versions require [[Games for Windows - LIVE]].
+
{{ii}} All versions require [[Games for Windows - LIVE]]
  
 
==Essential improvements==
 
==Essential improvements==
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|minOS    = XP, Vista, 7
 
|minOS    = XP, Vista, 7
|minCPU  = AMD Phenom II X2 545 3.0 GHz - Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0 GHz
+
|minCPU  = AMD Phenom II X2 545 3.0 GHz
 +
|minCPU2  = Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0 GHz
 
|minRAM  = 2 GB
 
|minRAM  = 2 GB
 
|minHD    = 4 GB
 
|minHD    = 4 GB
 
|minGPU  = ATI Radeon HD 4870
 
|minGPU  = ATI Radeon HD 4870
|minGPU2  = GeForce 9800 GTX+
+
|minGPU2  = Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX+
 +
|minDX    = 9.0c
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
{{References}}
 
{{References}}

Revision as of 04:36, 22 October 2014

Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition
Cover image missing, please upload it
Developers
From Software
Publishers
Namco Bandai Games
Release dates
Windows August 23, 2012
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition on Wikipedia

Warnings

For Games for Windows - LIVE on Windows 8 or later, install the latest Games for Windows - LIVE software.
Dark Souls
Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition 2012
Dark Souls II 2014
Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin 2015
Dark Souls III 2016
Dark Souls: Remastered 2018

Key points

DRM will be switched from Games for Windows - LIVE to Steam for digital copies[1]
Using a controller is highly recommended over keyboard and mouse controls
If using keyboard and mouse controls, apply the DSMfix to improve mouse control issues
A poor port of the console versions of the game with few configurable options[2]
Use DSfix to increase rendering resolution along with many other options

General information

Steam Community Discussions
Steam Users' Forums

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Icon overlay.png
Completely optional Steam unlock.[3]
Icon overlay.png
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Amazon.com
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
GamersGate
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Incorrect store name. See here for available options.
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
Steam
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
Error: key type '{{{5}}}' not recognised
Error: OS parameter cannot be empty
All versions require Games for Windows - LIVE

Essential improvements

Using DSfix with in-game anti-aliasing enabled causes the game to only use part of the screen.
HD textures, fonts, and controller button prompts are available to download.

DSfix

A GUI for DSfix is available for inexperienced users
DSfix increases the rendering resolution for better visual quality; without it the game outputs anamorphic 1024x720. It also allows the 30fps lock to be lifted, HD or other alternate textures to be used, as well as giving options for anti-aliasing (AA), Screen space ambient occlusion (SSAO), Depth of Field (DOF) blurring, anisotropic filtering (AF) and many other features.
Raising the FPS cap may introduce clipping problems such as occasionally falling through elevators. You can avoid most of these issues by capping the FPS at 59.
Instructions

Skip intro videos

Instructions

DS Connectivity fix by M0tah

Main Thread

Download

DSCfix is an interception DLL intended to be used with DSfix and functions by adding any online GFWL friends to your P2P connection pool before searching for random peers. This means direct connections to friends are established right away, whereas in vanilla Dark Souls this only happens after the first successful summon or invasion. This greatly reduces the time required to summon a friend, with typical wait times of about a few seconds.
Disclaimer: Due to the nature of DSCfix, it must make changes to the internal functionality of Dark Soul's multiplayer networking code. M0tah cannot be held responsible for any potential malfunctioning of the code or GFWL bans. Use DSCfix at your own risk.
Instructions
Instructions

DS PVP Watchdog by eur0pa

BitBucket

Main thread

Download

Dark Souls PVP Watchdog is a tool designed to prevent some common forms of cheating and tampering in online sessions, and gives the player the ability to ban offenders from their worlds.
Disclaimer: read the overview in the first link.
Instructions

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

Template:Game data/row
System Location
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/211420/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game data location

Template:Game data/row
System Location
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/211420/pfx/[Note 1]
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\XLive must also be backed up.

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Steam Cloud

Video settings

Template:Video settings

Borderless fullscreen windowed

Instructions

3D support

The game suffers from poor 3D support.
Instructions

High frame rate

Instructions

Input settings

Control scheme tips from Tru3Magic.

Template:Input settings

Keyboard

Unintuitive default keyboard scheme, for example, 'End' brings up menu (and 'Escape' does nothing).

Mouse

Mouse controls feel very jittery, with very unintuitive results when the camera collides with a wall or the floor.
Instructions

Controller support

'Hot swap' between keyboard and mouse controls and controller is available.[4]
Use of controller is highly recommended.[5]
Works well with the DualShock 3 using XInput Wrapper. PS button textures can be found here

Audio settings

Template:Audio settings

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Traditional Chinese
French
German
Italian
Korean
Polish
Russian
Spanish

Network

Online features require a Microsoft account (optional for offline play).

Multiplayer types

Type Native Notes
LAN play
Online play

Ports

Protocol Port(s) and/or port range(s)
TCP 53,80,443,3074
UDP 53,88,3074
This game supports Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) for automatic port configuration.
UPnP is working if the Games for Windows - LIVE Network Settings says "UPnP is available, in use"; if not, refer to this guide.

Issues fixed

Performances issues

General fixes

Instructions
Instructions

Lower-spec machine fixes

Instructions
Instructions
Certain areas of the game are more demanding on your hardware causing slowdown in-game. It seems that the engine, when faced with an area where it struggles to render 30 FPS, will cut down to 15FPS. The most famous is Blighttown, but large animated characters can also produce this slowdown.
Unlock the FPS cap with DSfix (unlockFPS 1), set the frame cap at 30 (FPSlimit 30) and enable Vsync (enableVsync 1) For the most part you will have the same experience, but where the game would usually dip to 15FPS it will only drop as far as it needs to (results depend on your machine).

ATI/AMD-specific fixes

Appears that ATI/AMD graphics cards are underutilised.
Instructions
Instructions

Nvidia Optimus-specific fixes

Instructions

Crashes

Lifting FPS-cap using DSFix

Instructions

VSFilter.dll

Crash occurs after start screen.[6]
Instructions

Windows 7

Crash on startup
Instructions

Windows 8

Instructions
Instructions

Controller

Controller not working

Instructions

DirectInput controllers have wrong mapping

Instructions

Miscellaneous

Black Screen on startup

Instructions

Minimize with multiple monitors

When playing with two screens, the game seems to minimize.
Instructions

Progress bar stuck during installation

Problem may be caused by setup utility getting stuck whilst installing DirectX and Games for Windows - LIVE.
Instructions

1.02 Patch (2013-09-17) breaks compatibility of many mods

The main executable was patched so any mod reliant on locations in the executable/RAM need to be updated.
Affected mods
  • DSfix - needs update to version 2.2
  • DSVfix - no longer required as all its fixes have been implemented into the game.
  • DSMfix - needs fan-created update.[7]
Unaffected mods
  • DSCfix

System requirements

Windows
Minimum
Operating system (OS) XP, Vista, 7
Processor (CPU) AMD Phenom II X2 545 3.0 GHz
Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 3.0 GHz
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 4 GB
Video card (GPU) ATI Radeon HD 4870
Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTX+
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>/211420/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (211420) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References