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Aliens: Colonial Marines

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Aliens: Colonial Marines cover
Developers
Gearbox Software
Demiurge Studios
Nerve Software
TimeGate Studios
Publishers
Sega
Russia 1C-SoftClub
Engines
Unreal Engine 3
Release dates
Windows February 12, 2013
Reception
Metacritic 45
IGDB 45
Taxonomy
Monetization One-time game purchase
Modes Multiplayer
Series Alien
Aliens: Colonial Marines on HowLongToBeat
Aliens: Colonial Marines on IGDB
Aliens: Colonial Marines guide on StrategyWiki
Aliens: Colonial Marines on MobyGames
Aliens: Colonial Marines on Wikipedia
Alien
Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure 1995
Alien Trilogy 1996
Aliens Online 1998
Aliens versus Predator (series)
Aliens: Colonial Marines 2013
Alien: Isolation 2014
Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2021
Aliens: Dark Descent 2023

Key points

Use ACM Overhaul to fix various issues with the game, AI, and balancing.

General information

Steam Community Discussions
Gearbox Software Forums - A:CM Technical Support
Forums at AvPGalaxy.net non PC-specific.

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Icon overlay.png
Windows
Humble Store
Icon overlay.png
Windows
Steam
Icon overlay.png
Windows
All versions require Steam DRM.[1]

DLC and expansion packs

Name Notes
Bug Hunt DLC
Windows
Reconnaissanse DLC
Windows
Movie Map Pack
Windows
Stasis Interrupted
Windows
Limited Edition Pack
Windows
Collector's Edition Pack
Windows
SHARP Sticks
Windows
Sawed-off Double Barrel Shotgun
Windows

Essential improvements

ACM Overhaul

Comprehensive overhaul mod that fixes AI, balancing, textures, and more.
ACM Overhaul does not contain all possible graphic corrections and corrections in aliens AI. If you want such fixes, download this file, and combine with TemplarGFX's ACM Overhaul Mod Crash Fix and Patrxgt Ultra Config Fix

Skip intro videos

Edit PecanEngine.ini[2]
  1. Edit %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanEngine.ini
  2. Change each instance of StartupMovies= to //StartupMovies=
  3. Save your changes and close the file.

Another method is to simply edit your shortcut target and add a space at the end of the path, followed by -nomovie. This has the advantage of also bypassing the legal screen as well. Note, however that this method will also skip the in-game intro movies.

Improved Xenomorph AI

This results in improved wall and ceiling climbing for the xenomorphs.
The fix is also included in ACM Overhaul.
Edit two spelling mistakes on a line in DefaultEngine.ini[3]
  1. Edit <path-to-game>\PecanGame\Config\DefaultEngine.ini
  2. Find
    ClassRemapping=PecanGAme.PecanSeqAct_AttachXenoToTether -> PecanGame.PecanSeqAct_AttachPawnToTeather
    and change it to
    ClassRemapping=PecanGame.PecanSeqAct_AttachXenoToTether -> PecanGame.PecanSeqAct_AttachPawnToTether
  3. Save your changes and close the file.

Notes

The config line includes two spelling mistakes that the above fixes:
  • PecanGAme instead of PecanGame
  • AttachPawnToTeather instead of AttachPawnToTether

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/49540/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows <Steam-folder>\userdata\<user-id>\49540\
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/49540/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
Steam Cloud
Save file and key bindings.

Video

Video settings.
Video settings.

Graphics feature State WSGF Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
See the WSGF entry.
Ultra-widescreen
Image is Vert-. FOV can be increased to compensate. For a conversion from 16:9 to 21:9, increasing the FOV slider by 3 notches gives the closest approximation of a 1:1 Hor+ increase. See the WSGF entry.
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Slider in menu. For additional values, see Field of view (FOV).
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed
Is called 'Full Window' in window mode settings.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Referred to as "Texture Detail" in Video settings.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
Only features FXAA. Forcing other AA can lead to problems.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
60 FPS
120+ FPS
Capped at 62 FPS. See High frame rate.
High dynamic range display (HDR)
See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Field of view (FOV)

A slider is included, but no specific values are viewable.
Further manual FOV adjustment by editing FOVOffset[citation needed]
Note: FOVOffset is not the FOV, but the offset from default value. See screenshots for details.
  1. Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanEngine.ini
  2. Locate line FOVOffset=XX in [SystemSettings] section and change XX to your desired value.

High frame rate

Disable frame rate smoothing[citation needed]
  1. Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanEngine.ini
  2. Locate line bSmoothFrameRate in [Engine.Engine] section and change TRUE to FALSE

Input

Controls settings.
Controls settings.

Support for Logitech G15 keyboard display. Shows current objective or challenge.

Audio

Audio settings.
Audio settings.

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
RU version may need a workaround to play in English.
French
German
Hungarian
Fan translation.
Italian
Polish
Russian
Only available in Russia.
Spanish

Network

Multiplayer types

Type Native Players Notes
Local play
4 Use Nucleus Co-op.
LAN play
Multiplayer requires creating an online lobby. If a connection to Steam is lost, players will be disconnected from host.
Online play
10 Versus, Co-op
Co-op supports 4 players.

Connection types

VR support

3D modes State Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision
Use Helix Mod: Aliens Colonial Marines - 3D Vision fix.
vorpX
G3D, DirectVR
Officially supported game, see official vorpx game list

Issues fixed

Failed to start game (app already running) error

There is no universal fix, however these are confirmed to work for some users.
Delete appcache folder[4]
  1. Go to the Steam installation folder.
  2. Delete the appcache folder.
  3. Restart Steam, game should update itself.
Set Steam language to the same language as the game[5]
If that does not work, try changing also operating system language[6]

Failed to start game (RU release doesn't work when English language is selected)

This solution is probably applicable to other non-English releases.
The game crashes to desktop after trademark screen, shows one of the error messages from previous issues.
Copy INT folders from Russian version[7]
  1. Set game language to Russian (within Steam select game Properties -> Language -> Русский(Russian))
  2. Wait until the game download localization files.
  3. Locate <path-to-game>\PecanGame\Localization and <path-to-game>\Engine\Localization folders and copy their contents somewhere safe (You need only INT subfolders, they contain different files, don't mix them up!).
  4. Set game language to English.
  5. Wait until the game chop it's legs off (it removes said INT folders needed for game to function).
  6. Copy both INT subfolders you saved earlier back to <path-to-game>\PecanGame\Localization and <path-to-game>\Engine\Localization accordingly.

Blue screen on AMD CPU

There seems to be problem with game running on AMD FX processors where game crashes to BSOD or freezes system. Issue is similar to Borderlands 2 BSOD and fix also works with Aliens: Colonial Marines.
Update BIOS[8]
Addition information and links to motherboards websites can be found at AMD knowledge base library.
Update procedure varies and can cause motherboard to malfunction when update is interrupted or applied incorrectly. Read carefully manual to your motherboard and instructions on screen when updating.
Information about Borderlands 2 BSOD issue can be found at Gearbox Software Support page.

No textures

Forcing anti-aliasing via drivers on Nvidia GeForce cards will result in missing textures and black game scene.
Disable anti-aliasing in graphics adapter[9]

Game Freezes / Crashes during Session

Due a memory restriction (x86 build), the game is limited to work with a maximum of 2GB of VRAM. Try either:
Lower V-ram intensive graphics settings such as Resolution[10]
Play in Full Window mode instead of Fullscreen[10]

GPU detection fix

Game has problems with detecting some graphic adapters - mainly mobile GPUs and new graphics. Because of this, game can select wrong settings profile for your system.
1. Checking GPU detection[11]
  1. Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Logs\Launch.log.
  2. Locate line [000X.XX] Log: Machine detected compatibility level: Composite: X. CPU: Y. GPU: Z. where X,Y and Z values are assigned grade of your system. Value of 5 is the highest grade for high end hardware.
  • If you've got powerful hardware and you're not getting high enough grades, follow the guide in the next fixbox. Otherwise you don't need to change anything.
2. Adding your GPU to the hardware list[11]
  1. In file Launch.log locate these lines:
    [000X.XX] Log: GPU stats:
    [000X.XX] Log: 	VendorID: 0000YYYY
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DeviceID: 0000XXXX
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DriverVersion: <numbers>
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DeviceName: <GPU name>
    
  2. Edit %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanCompat.ini
  3. Locate section for your vendor - search for VendorName= value.
  4. Add line into your vendor section for your graphics adapter. Use information from Launch.log file like so: 0xYYYY=G,<GPU name>
    where:
    YYYY        -  last four digits from VendorID
    G           -  your desired hardware grade - 1 lowest, 5 highest
    <GPU name>  -  string from DeviceName
    • Example 1:
    [000X.XX] Log: GPU stats:
    [000X.XX] Log: DeviceID: 00001244 
    [000X.XX] Log: DeviceName: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti

    will result in 0x1244=5,NVIDIA GeForce GTX 550 Ti

    • Example 2:
    [000X.XX] Log: GPU stats:
    [000X.XX] Log: 	VendorID: 00001002
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DeviceID: 00006738
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DriverVersion: 8.17.10.1169
    [000X.XX] Log: 	DeviceName: AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
    will result in 0x6738=5,AMD Radeon HD 6800 Series
3. Additional graphic enhancement for high-end hardware[11]
This step is optional. It will force maximum quality level of detail for grade 5 hardware.
  1. Edit %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanCompat.ini
  2. In section [AppCompatBucket5] search for these lines:
    TEXTUREGROUP_World=(LODBias=1)
    TEXTUREGROUP_WorldNormalMap=(LODBias=1)
    TEXTUREGROUP_WorldSpecular=(LODBias=1)
  3. Change ones to zeros and save the file. Additionally you can tweak some other options in this section.

No weapon

Switch between weapons[12]

Unresponsive controls

Problem with controls where in-game camera is always rotating and in menu cursor is always moving down. Demonstrated here.
Unplug all USB game controllers, alternatively disable them in Device manager[13]
.ini edit[13]
  1. Open %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\Aliens Colonial Marines\PecanGame\Config\PecanEngine.ini
  2. Locate line AllowJoystickInput=1 in [WinDrv.WindowsClient] section and change 1 to 0.

Crash upon starting the "Stasis Interrupted" DLC

The game can freeze during the first cutscene on some systems.
Disable SSAO and lower the graphics settings[14]
After the cutscene has finished playing, you can return the graphics settings to their original values.

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Physics PhysX 2.8.4.6
Audio OpenAL, XAudio2
Cutscenes Bink Video 1.99p

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) XP SP3
Processor (CPU) Intel Dual Core 2 GHz
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 20 GB
Video card (GPU) ATI Radeon HD 2600
Nvidia GeForce 8500
256 MB of VRAM
Although developer recommends 20 GB of free space, download size is around 6 GB. With all DLC available the download size is 14 GB.


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>/49540/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (49540) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References