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Colin McRae: DiRT 2

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
Colin McRae: DiRT 2
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 cover
Developers
Codemasters
macOS (OS X) Feral Interactive
Publishers
Codemasters
OS X Feral Interactive
Engines
EGO 1.0
Release dates
Windows December 4, 2009
macOS (OS X) September 9, 2011
Reception
Metacritic 89
IGDB 79
Taxonomy
Monetization One-time game purchase
Modes Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Controls Direct control
Genres Racing, Simulation
Vehicles Automobile, Off-roading
Art styles Realistic
Themes Contemporary
Series Colin McRae Rally
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 on HowLongToBeat
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 on IGDB
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 on MobyGames
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 on Wikipedia
Colin McRae Rally 1998
Colin McRae Rally 2.0 2000
Colin McRae Rally 3 2003
Colin McRae Rally 04 2004
Colin McRae Rally 2005 2004
Colin McRae: DiRT 2007
Colin McRae: DiRT 2 2009
DiRT 3 2011
DiRT Showdown 2012
Colin McRae Rally (2014) 2014
DiRT Rally 2015
DiRT 4 2017
DiRT Rally 2.0 2019
DIRT 5 2020

Warnings

For Games for Windows - LIVE on Windows 8 or later, install the latest Games for Windows - LIVE software.
The macOS (OS X) version of this game does not work on macOS Catalina (version 10.15) or later due to the removal of support for 32-bit-only apps.

Colin McRae: DiRT 2, also known as DiRT 2 in North America, is a singleplayer and multiplayer racing game developed and published by Codemasters. It is part of the Colin McRae Rally series and the first entry in the series to use the EGO engine. The game include a benchmark mode.

The game was released on December 4, 2009 in European countries, followed by the releases in North American countries and Australasia countries on December 8 and December 10 respectively. The MacOS version of the game, ported and published by Feral Interactive, was released on September 9, 2011.

it was delisted from all storefronts on November 25, 2013 due to licensing-related reason.[1]

General information

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
Icon overlay.png
SecuROM DRM disc check.
Windows
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
macOS (OS X)
Games for Windows Marketplace (unavailable)
Icon overlay.png
[2]
Windows
Steam (unavailable)
Icon overlay.png
Icon overlay.png
Install the demo with steam://install/44300
Windows
All Windows versions require Games for Windows - LIVE DRM.[Note 1]

Demo/free trial

Demo is available. The demo will install GFWL which can be uninstalled afterwards and replaced by dropping a replacement xlive.dll in the installation folder. The demo does not require an internet connection or Steam.

Essential improvements

Patches

The latest version is Patch 1.1 (March 2010, ~350 MB).

Skip intro videos

Replace video files

Apply the Colin McRae: DiRT 2 No Intro.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\DiRT2\hardwaresettings\hardware_settings_config.xml
macOS (OS X)
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/12840/pfx/[Note 2]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Games\DiRT2\savegame\
macOS (OS X) $HOME/Library/Application Support/Feral Interactive/DiRT 2/Savegame
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/12840/pfx/[Note 2]
The files in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\XLive\ contain your unique offline profile ID.

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
OneDrive
Requires enabling backup of the Documents folder in OneDrive on all computers.
Steam Cloud

Video

Graphical settings
Graphical settings
Graphical settings (continued)
Graphical settings (continued)
HUD Options
HUD Options

Graphics feature State WSGF Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
See Field of view (FOV).
Windowed
Toggle with Alt+ Enter.
Borderless fullscreen windowed
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anti-aliasing (AA)
2x-8x MSAA, 8x QCSAA.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
Not true Vsync.
If enabled, locks to 60 Hz.
60 FPS and 120+ FPS
Instant replay and flashback are affected by framerate.
See Run the game at screen refresh rate.
High dynamic range display (HDR)
See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Field of view (FOV)

Default chase (close) camera and FOV.
Default chase (close) camera and FOV.
Chase (far) camera with a vertical FOV of 60. A background texture is temporarily missing at this FOV.
Chase (far) camera with a vertical FOV of 60. A background texture is temporarily missing at this FOV.
Higher FOVs can expose occasional texture pop-in glitches.
Use Dirt3FovChange[3]
  1. Perform a search in the installation folder for the cameras.xml files.
  2. Select them all (fifty in total) and open their properties.
  3. Uncheck the read-only box and click OK.
  4. Download Dirt3FovChange.
  5. Extract the files from the archive into any folder.
  6. Run Dirt3FovChange.exe as administrator.
  7. Manually point Dirt3FovChange to your DiRT 2 installation folder.
  8. See the Notes section below for what the settings do, adjust their values to your liking and click Start.
  9. If it asks if you're sure you want to run binXml.exe, uncheck the box for Always ask before opening this file and click Run.
  10. Launch the game and test your settings in a race. If you want to further adjust the settings:
    1. Exit the race and Alt+Tab to Dirt3FovChange.
    2. Click Restore to restore the default settings. Tweak the values you previously entered and click Start.
    3. In DiRT 2, start a new race to test your settings. Repeat until you're happy with the result.

Notes

  • Vertical FOV: a larger number will translate into a wider field of view.
  • Adjust FOV for: selects the in-game camera or cameras you want to edit.
  • Head Offset: affects the position of the head-cam (cockpit view). A modification of 0.1 will yield a noticeable change. It is to be noted that the point of view can be placed outside of the car.
    • X: affects the lateral position. A positive value will move the point of view to the left.
    • Y: affects the vertical position. A positive value will move the point of view upward.
    • Z: affects the front/back position. A positive value will move the point of view closer to the dashboard.
  • Head Tilt Change: affects the vertical angle of the camera. Compared to the position values, the tilt value works on a different scale: a modification of 1 will yield a barely noticeable change.
    • A positive value will tilt the camera up.

Disable bloom

Modify persistentdatarender.xml[citation needed]
  1. Go to <path-to-game>\frontend\ and open persistentdatarender.xml in any text editor.
  2. Search for <Param name="bloomAmount">*.*</Param> and change *.* to 0.0.
  3. Save persistentdatarender.xml file and play the game.
Download Ben Rogue's no bloom mod.[citation needed]
  1. Install DiRT 2 Remove Bloom and Color Filter
  2. Extract postprocess folder to <path-to-game>
  3. Rename postprocess BACKUP to postprocess and copy to <path-to-game> to get bloom back.

Input

The game can send telemetry data to supported software like SimHub and devices like motion platforms, bass shakers and telemetry displays through the UDP protocol. Also support D-Box haptic/motion platforms through a proprietary protocol.[4] Requires editing the hardware_settings_config.xml file to enable them. (See Enable telemetry)

Controller support

Supported devices are based on what was found in the devicesetup.xml file and the xml files located in <path-to-game>\actionmap\ folder.
Compatible steering wheels Notes
Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo/Turbo S/Carrera/GT2/GT3 RS
Logitech Driving Force Pro
Logitech MOMO
Logitech MOMO Racing
Logitech Driving Force GT
Logitech G25
Logitech G27
Thrustmaster Ferrari GT Experience Steering Wheel 3-in-1
Thrustmaster Rally GT Force Feedback Pro
Thrustmaster Ferrari F430 Force Feedback

Enable telemetry

Enable telemetry[5]
  1. Open the hardware_settings_config.xml file located in <user>\Documents\My Games\Dirt2\hardwaresettings\ with a text editior.
  2. Search for a line of text with the word "motion enabled".
  3. Set the "motion enabled" parameter to "true" and change the "ip" and "port" fields to match that of what was set on the supported telemetry software. For example, <motion enabled="true" ip="127.0.0.1" port="20777" delay="1" extradata="3" />
  4. Save the file.

Audio

Audio Options
Audio Options

Audio feature State Notes
Separate volume controls
Speech, Music, Effects and Engine
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
See Mute on focus lost.
EAX support
[6]
Royalty free audio
In the game menus and when transitioning between different race courses, copyrighted music is played, such as "Wannabe in L.A", "This Is the One", etc.

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
French
German
Hungarian
Fan translation, download.
Italian
Polish
Polish retail release only. For digital versions download this.
Russian
Russian retail release only. For digital versions download this.
Spanish
Brazilian Portuguese
Fan translation, Tribo Gamer

Mute on focus lost

Set mute in background[citation needed]
  1. Install Special K by following the Special K Unofficial Guide.
  2. Start the game and press Ctrl+ Shift+← Backspace to toggle Special K's Control Panel.
  3. Expand "Window Management" and "Input/Output Behavior"
  4. Enable "Mute Game" under "Background Behavior" and close the Control Panel.
  5. Press Ctrl+ Shift+O to toggle Special K's On-Screen Display.

Network

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

Multiplayer types

Type Native Players Notes
Local play
LAN play
8
Online play
8 DirtNET service has been discontinued, making Ghosts in Time Trials and Tournaments unavailable, discontinuing the achievements attached to these.

VR support

3D modes State GG3D Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision
Broken
iZ3D
vorpX
G3D
Officially supported game, see official vorpx game list.
Devices
TrackIR
Supports: Yaw, Pitch, Roll, X, Y, Z.

Issues fixed

Run the game at screen refresh rate

Fullscreen mode only runs at 60 Hz, even if the in-game option is set higher than that.
Set screen refresh rate[citation needed]
The flashback uses frames to calculate time. With a shorter amount of time available as the framerate goes higher, the feature becomes less useful. Around 120 FPS this makes it impossible to rewind out of a terminal damage crash.
  1. Install Special K by following the Special K Unofficial Guide.
  2. Start the game once and close it to allow the configuration file of Special K to be created.
  3. Open <path-to-game>\dxgi.ini or %USERPROFILE%\Documents\My Mods\SpecialK\Profiles\dirt2_game.exe\SpecialK.ini depending on the installation method you used.
  4. Change RefreshRate=-1 to RefreshRate=0 under [Render.FrameRate].
Set screen refresh rate[citation needed]

For Nvidia owners with G-Sync display

  1. Turn on Vsync in game options and turn off Vsync in Nvidia driver
  2. Turn on G-Sync for DIRT 2

Other information

Play without Games for Windows - LIVE

Play without GFWL[citation needed]
  1. Download the replacement xlive.dll.
  2. Extract into <path-to-game>

Notes

This cuts most online content.
This works for almost all GFWL games.
Previous made saves can not be read and are treated by the game as corrupt saves (the prompted creation of a new save may overwrite the player's progress).
This disables connection in LAN multiplayer.

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9.0c, 11
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
This 32-bit-only macOS game does not work on macOS Catalina (10.15) or later.

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Audio OpenAL, Rapture3D
Cutscenes Bink Video
Multiplayer Games for Windows - LIVE, Quazal

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) XP, Vista, 7
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium D 3.0 GHz
AMD Athlon 64 X2
System memory (RAM) 1 GB
2 GB (Vista)
Hard disk drive (HDD) 12.5 GB
Video card (GPU) Nvidia GeForce 6800
ATI Radeon X1500
DirectX 9.0c compatible
Sound (audio device) DirectX compatible
macOS (OS X)
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 10.6.7
Processor (CPU) Intel 2.0 GHz
System memory (RAM) 2 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 8 GB
Video card (GPU) 128 MB of VRAM


Notes

  1. Games for Windows - LIVE DRM features: SSA activation, supports local profiles.
  2. 2.0 2.1 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>/12840/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (12840) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References

  1. Verified by User:Mars icecream on 2016-11-25
    Email received from Codemasters customer service.
  2. DiRT 2 - Games for Windows (archived) - last accessed on 19 August 2022
  3. NoGripRacing Forums - View Single Post - Changing FOV - last accessed on May 2023
  4. DiRT 2 - D-Box Catalogue - last accessed on November 5, 2023
  5. Verified by User:Yuuyatails on November 5, 2023
  6. Overclockers UK Forums - last accessed on May 2023