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Difference between revisions of "Black Shades"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(→‎Video settings: added Black Shades Enhanced mod)
m (→‎API: Preparing for relatively likely changes to Template:API.)
 
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{{Infobox game
 
{{Infobox game
−
|cover        =  
+
|cover        = Black Shades - cover.png
 
|developers  =  
 
|developers  =  
 
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Wolfire Games}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Wolfire Games}}
Line 15: Line 15:
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|2002}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|OS X|2002}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Linux|2003}}
 
{{Infobox game/row/date|Linux|2003}}
 +
|taxonomy    =
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization      | Freeware }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/perspectives      | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/controls          | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/sports            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/vehicles          | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/art styles        | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/themes            | }}
 +
{{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/series            | }}
 
|steam appid  =  
 
|steam appid  =  
 
|steam appid side  =  
 
|steam appid side  =  
−
|gogcom page  =  
+
|gogcom id    =
 +
|mobygames    =  
 
|strategywiki =  
 
|strategywiki =  
 
|wikipedia    = Black Shades
 
|wikipedia    = Black Shades
 
|winehq      =  
 
|winehq      =  
−
|license      = commercial
+
|license      = Freeware
 +
|official site= https://www.wolfire.com/black-shades
 
}}
 
}}
  
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{{++}} Extremely lightweight. Can virtually run on any computer.
 
{{++}} Extremely lightweight. Can virtually run on any computer.
 
{{--}} There is no menu option. Everything is set from the configuration file.
 
{{--}} There is no menu option. Everything is set from the configuration file.
−
{{--}} Power PC applications are no longer supported since OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). macOS release is therefore unplayable.
 
  
 
'''General information'''
 
'''General information'''
−
{{mm}} [http://www.wolfire.com/black-shades Official website]
 
 
{{mm}} [http://forums.wolfire.com/ Developers' forums]
 
{{mm}} [http://forums.wolfire.com/ Developers' forums]
 
{{mm}} [https://icculus.org/blackshades/ Linux port page]
 
{{mm}} [https://icculus.org/blackshades/ Linux port page]
Line 37: Line 50:
 
==Availability==
 
==Availability==
 
{{Availability|
 
{{Availability|
−
{{Availability/row| Official | http://www.wolfire.com/black-shades | DRM-free |  |  | Windows,Mac OS,OS X }}
+
{{Availability/row| Official | https://www.wolfire.com/black-shades | DRM-free |  |  | Windows,Mac OS, OS X }}
 
{{Availability/row| Developer| https://icculus.org/blackshades/ | DRM-free |  |  | Linux }}
 
{{Availability/row| Developer| https://icculus.org/blackshades/ | DRM-free |  |  | Linux }}
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
==Essential improvements==
 +
===Black Shades Enhanced===
 +
{{ii}} [https://github.com/Bitl/Black-Shades-Enhanced Black Shades Enhanced] is a fan-made mod for Black Shades that adds in options to the config.txt that allow you to change the FPS limit, the Field of View, and whether you want the game to run in windowed mode. The FPS limit has also been set to 300 by default.
  
 
==Game data==
 
==Game data==
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{{ii}} Highscore file is in plain text format with two lines, the first one being the high score value and the second a binary value indicating wether or not the player beat the game.
 
{{ii}} Highscore file is in plain text format with two lines, the first one being the high score value and the second a binary value indicating wether or not the player beat the game.
  
−
==Video settings==
+
==Video==
−
 
+
{{Video
−
{{Video settings
 
 
|wsgf link                  =  
 
|wsgf link                  =  
 
|widescreen wsgf award      =  
 
|widescreen wsgf award      =  
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|ultrawidescreen wsgf award =  
 
|ultrawidescreen wsgf award =  
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    =  
 
|4k ultra hd wsgf award    =  
−
|widescreen resolution      = true
+
|widescreen resolution      = hackable
 
|widescreen resolution notes= Resolution has to be set in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>Screenwidth</code> and <code>Screenheight</code> values.
 
|widescreen resolution notes= Resolution has to be set in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>Screenwidth</code> and <code>Screenheight</code> values.
 
|multimonitor              = unknown
 
|multimonitor              = unknown
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|antialiasing              = false
 
|antialiasing              = false
 
|antialiasing notes        =  
 
|antialiasing notes        =  
−
|vsync                      = true
+
|upscaling                  = unknown
 +
|upscaling tech            =
 +
|upscaling notes            =
 +
|vsync                      = hackable
 
|vsync notes                = Has to be set in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>VBL sync</code> binary value.
 
|vsync notes                = Has to be set in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>VBL sync</code> binary value.
 
|60 fps                    = true
 
|60 fps                    = true
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}}
 
}}
  
−
==Input settings==
+
==Input==
 
{{--}} It seems like setting <code>azerty keyboard</code> to <code>1</code> in <code>config.txt</code> actually switches the game to QWERTY layout. It is best leaving this value untouched.<ref name="refcheck Azatoth">{{Refcheck|user=Azatoth|date=November 30, 2017}}</ref>
 
{{--}} It seems like setting <code>azerty keyboard</code> to <code>1</code> in <code>config.txt</code> actually switches the game to QWERTY layout. It is best leaving this value untouched.<ref name="refcheck Azatoth">{{Refcheck|user=Azatoth|date=November 30, 2017}}</ref>
−
{{Input settings
+
{{Input
 
|key remap                = false
 
|key remap                = false
 
|key remap notes          =  
 
|key remap notes          =  
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}}
 
}}
  
−
==Audio settings==
+
==Audio==
 
{{--}} Game volume can only be set via the OS sound mixer.
 
{{--}} Game volume can only be set via the OS sound mixer.
 
{{ii}} It is possible to disable the music in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>Music</code> binary value.
 
{{ii}} It is possible to disable the music in <code>config.txt</code> with the <code>Music</code> binary value.
−
{{Audio settings
+
{{Audio
 
|separate volume          = false
 
|separate volume          = false
 
|separate volume notes    =  
 
|separate volume notes    =  
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|mute on focus lost notes =  
 
|mute on focus lost notes =  
 
|eax support              =  
 
|eax support              =  
−
|eax support notes        =  
+
|eax support notes         =
 +
|royalty free audio       = unknown
 +
|royalty free audio notes  =  
 
}}
 
}}
  
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{{L10n/switch
 
{{L10n/switch
 
  |language  = English
 
  |language  = English
−
  |interface = yes
+
  |interface = true
 
  |audio    = n/a
 
  |audio    = n/a
 
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |subtitles = n/a
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |notes    =  
 
  |fan      =  
 
  |fan      =  
−
|fan notes =
 
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
 
}}
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==Issues fixed==
 
==Issues fixed==
 
===Game doesn't launch===
 
===Game doesn't launch===
−
{{Fixbox|description=Enable compatibility mode|ref=<ref name="refcheck Azatoth">{{Refcheck|user=Azatoth|date=November 30, 2017}}</ref>|fix=
+
{{Fixbox|description=[[Windows Compatibility Mode|Set Windows compatibility mode on "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)"]]|ref=<ref name="refcheck Azatoth">{{Refcheck|user=Azatoth|date=November 30, 2017}}</ref>}}
−
# Right-click <code>blackshades.exe</code> and select "Properties".
 
−
# Tick "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)".
 
−
# Click OK.
 
−
}}
 
  
 
===Black screen on launch===
 
===Black screen on launch===
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|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     =
 +
|mac os x powerpc app  = true
 +
|macos intel 32-bit app = unknown
 +
|macos intel 64-bit app = false
 +
|macos arm app          = false
 +
|macos app notes        =
 +
|linux powerpc app      = unknown
 +
|linux 32-bit executable= unknown
 +
|linux 64-bit executable= unknown
 +
|linux arm app          = unknown
 +
|linux 68k app          = unknown
 +
|linux executable notes =
 +
|mac os powerpc app    = unknown
 +
|mac os 68k app        = unknown
 +
|mac os executable notes=  
 
}}
 
}}
  

Latest revision as of 07:22, 18 March 2023

Black Shades
Black Shades cover
Developers
Wolfire Games
Windows Henry Kropf
macOS (OS X) Derek S. Arndt
macOS (OS X) Zachary Slater
Linux Zachary Slater
Publishers
Wolfire Games
Release dates
Windows 2002
Mac OS (Classic) 2002
macOS (OS X) 2002
Linux 2003
Taxonomy
Monetization Freeware
Icon overlay.png
Black Shades on Wikipedia

Key points

Free.
Extremely lightweight. Can virtually run on any computer.
There is no menu option. Everything is set from the configuration file.

General information

Developers' forums
Linux port page

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Official website
DRM-free
Windows
Mac OS
macOS (OS X)
Developer website
DRM-free
Linux

Essential improvements

Black Shades Enhanced

Black Shades Enhanced is a fan-made mod for Black Shades that adds in options to the config.txt that allow you to change the FPS limit, the Field of View, and whether you want the game to run in windowed mode. The FPS limit has also been set to 300 by default.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\config.txt[Note 1]
Mac OS (Classic)
macOS (OS X) <path-to-game>\config.txt
Linux
It's unknown whether this game follows the XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux. Please fill in this information.

Save game data location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\Data\Highscore[Note 1]
Mac OS (Classic)
macOS (OS X) <path-to-game>\Data\Highscore
Linux
Highscore file is in plain text format with two lines, the first one being the high score value and the second a binary value indicating wether or not the player beat the game.

Video

Graphics feature State Notes
Widescreen resolution
Resolution has to be set in config.txt with the Screenwidth and Screenheight values.
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Use Black Shades Enhanced.
Windowed
Use Black Shades Enhanced.
Borderless fullscreen windowed
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
Has to be set in config.txt with the VBL sync binary value.
60 FPS
120+ FPS
Capped at 90 FPS. Use Black Shades Enhanced.

Input

It seems like setting azerty keyboard to 1 in config.txt actually switches the game to QWERTY layout. It is best leaving this value untouched.[1]

Keyboard and mouse State Notes
Remapping
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Has to be set in config.txt with the Mouse sensitivity value.
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Has to be set in config.txt with the invert mouse binary value.
Controller
Controller support

Audio

Game volume can only be set via the OS sound mixer.
It is possible to disable the music in config.txt with the Music binary value.

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Subtitles
No spoken dialogue.
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English

Issues fixed

Game doesn't launch

Set Windows compatibility mode on "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)"[1]

Black screen on launch

The above fix is also necessary.
Set game resolution[1]
  1. Edit config.txt.
  2. Change Screenwidth and Screenheight's values respectively to the desktop resolution width and height.
  3. Save and close.

Other information

API

ExecutablePPC16-bit 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Linux
Mac OS (Classic)

System requirements

Windows
Minimum
Operating system (OS)
Processor (CPU)
System memory (RAM)
Hard disk drive (HDD) 3 MB


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. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Verified by User:Azatoth on November 30, 2017