Difference between revisions of "Blade of Darkness"
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− | {{ | + | {{Disambig|the original game|the 2021 re-release|[[Blade of Darkness (2021)]]}} |
{{Infobox game | {{Infobox game | ||
− | |cover = Blade | + | |cover = Blade of Darkness cover.jpg |
|developers = | |developers = | ||
{{Infobox game/row/developer|Rebel Act Studios}} | {{Infobox game/row/developer|Rebel Act Studios}} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/developer|Fire Falcom|2021-present}} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/developer|General Arcade|2021-present}} | ||
|publishers = | |publishers = | ||
− | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|Codemasters}} | + | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|Codemasters|2001-2015}} |
+ | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|SNEG|2021-present}} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/publisher|Sold Out Software|Retail re-release}} | ||
|engines = | |engines = | ||
{{Infobox game/row/engine|Blade}} | {{Infobox game/row/engine|Blade}} | ||
|release dates= | |release dates= | ||
{{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|February 21, 2001}} | {{Infobox game/row/date|Windows|February 21, 2001}} | ||
− | |steam appid = | + | |reception = |
+ | {{Infobox game/row/reception|Metacritic|blade-of-darkness|75}} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/reception|IGDB|severance-blade-of-darkness-39b9fd63-b987-42d4-849c-7ea35fd69682|}} | ||
+ | |taxonomy = | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/monetization | One-time game purchase }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/microtransactions | }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/modes | Singleplayer, Multiplayer }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/pacing | Real-time }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/perspectives | Third-person }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/controls | Direct control }} | ||
+ | {{Infobox game/row/taxonomy/genres | Action, Hack and slash }} | ||
+ | {{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 | Blade of Darkness }} | ||
+ | |steam appid = 1710170 | ||
|gogcom id = 1207659184 | |gogcom id = 1207659184 | ||
+ | |hltb = 11742 | ||
|strategywiki = | |strategywiki = | ||
+ | |mobygames = 3371 | ||
|wikipedia = Severance: Blade of Darkness | |wikipedia = Severance: Blade of Darkness | ||
|winehq = 4347 | |winehq = 4347 | ||
|license = commercial | |license = commercial | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{Introduction | ||
+ | |introduction = | ||
+ | |||
+ | |release history = | ||
+ | |||
+ | |current state = | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Key points''' | '''Key points''' | ||
− | {{ii}} Released as '''Severance: Blade of Darkness''' in Europe and as '''Blade of Darkness '''in North America. | + | {{ii}} Released as '''Blade: The Edge of Darkness''' in Spain, '''Severance: Blade of Darkness''' in Europe and as '''Blade of Darkness '''in North America. |
+ | |||
'''General information''' | '''General information''' | ||
{{GOG.com links|1207659184|blade_of_darkness}} | {{GOG.com links|1207659184|blade_of_darkness}} | ||
+ | {{mm}} [https://steamcommunity.com/app/1710170/discussions/ Steam Community Discussions] | ||
==Availability== | ==Availability== | ||
{{Availability| | {{Availability| | ||
− | {{Availability/row| Retail | | | + | {{Availability/row| Retail | | Disc | {{DRM|SecuROM}} - European release | | Windows }} |
+ | {{Availability/row| Retail | | DRM-free | American and Spanish releases | | Windows }} | ||
+ | {{Availability/row| GOG.com | blade_of_darkness | DRM-free | Included as an extra with the [[Blade of Darkness (2021)|2021 remaster]]. | | Windows }} | ||
+ | {{Availability/row| Steam | 1710170 | Steam | Included as an extra with the [[Blade of Darkness (2021)|2021 remaster]]. | | Windows }} | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | |||
==Essential improvements== | ==Essential improvements== | ||
+ | ===Patches=== | ||
+ | [https://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/3646/7 1.001] is the only patch. It is highly recommended. Already included in the GOG version. | ||
+ | |||
===Skip intro videos=== | ===Skip intro videos=== | ||
− | {{Fixbox|description= | + | {{Fixbox|description=Instructions|ref=<ref>{{Refcheck|user=Drat|date=2019-09-05}}</ref>|fix= |
− | # Go to <code>\Data</code> | + | # Go to <code>{{p|game}}\Data</code> |
+ | # Rename, move or delete the following folder: | ||
+ | <pre> | ||
+ | video | ||
+ | </pre> | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Improve D3d and Glide (3DFX) compatibility === | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=The game has known issues on modern systems, such as random crashes and problems with the font, but with [[DgVoodoo 2]] most problems can be fixed and compatibility with Glide can be restored. (Using nGlide instead is less stable and might cause the game to crash)|fix= | ||
+ | # Install the game. | ||
+ | # Install DgVoodoo 2. | ||
+ | # Optionally use the [[Windows Compatibility Mode|Windows Vista Compatibility Mode]]. | ||
}} | }} | ||
Line 48: | Line 96: | ||
===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]=== | ===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]=== | ||
{{Save game cloud syncing | {{Save game cloud syncing | ||
− | |discord | + | |discord = |
− | |discord notes | + | |discord notes = |
− | |epic games | + | |epic games launcher = |
− | |epic games | + | |epic games launcher notes = |
− | |gog galaxy | + | |gog galaxy = true |
− | |gog galaxy notes | + | |gog galaxy notes = |
− | |origin | + | |origin = |
− | |origin notes | + | |origin notes = |
− | |steam cloud | + | |steam cloud = true |
− | |steam cloud notes | + | |steam cloud notes = |
− | | | + | |ubisoft connect = |
− | | | + | |ubisoft connect notes = |
− | |xbox cloud | + | |xbox cloud = |
− | |xbox cloud notes | + | |xbox cloud notes = |
}} | }} | ||
− | ==Video | + | ==Video== |
− | {{Video | + | {{Video |
− | |wsgf link = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/severance-blade-darkness | + | |wsgf link = https://www.wsgf.org/dr/severance-blade-darkness/en |
− | |widescreen wsgf award = | + | |widescreen wsgf award = limited |
− | |multimonitor wsgf award = | + | |multimonitor wsgf award = limited |
− | |ultrawidescreen wsgf award = | + | |ultrawidescreen wsgf award = limited |
− | |4k ultra hd wsgf award = | + | |4k ultra hd wsgf award = limited |
− | |widescreen resolution = | + | |widescreen resolution = hackable |
− | |widescreen resolution notes= Stretched | + | |widescreen resolution notes= {{term|Stretched}}. See the [https://www.wsgf.org/dr/severance-blade-darkness/en WSGF report] for a solution. |
− | |multimonitor = | + | |multimonitor = hackable |
− | |multimonitor notes = | + | |multimonitor notes = See the [https://www.wsgf.org/dr/severance-blade-darkness/en WSGF report] for a solution. |
− | |ultrawidescreen = | + | |ultrawidescreen = hackable |
− | |ultrawidescreen notes = | + | |ultrawidescreen notes = See the [https://www.wsgf.org/dr/severance-blade-darkness/en WSGF report] for a solution. |
|4k ultra hd = false | |4k ultra hd = false | ||
|4k ultra hd notes = 2048x1536 is the highest supported resolution | |4k ultra hd notes = 2048x1536 is the highest supported resolution | ||
|fov = true | |fov = true | ||
− | |fov notes = Camera can be zoomed in/out in 3 presets | + | |fov notes = Camera can be zoomed in/out in 3 presets. |
|windowed = true | |windowed = true | ||
− | |windowed notes = Available only for some renderers | + | |windowed notes = Available only for some renderers. |
− | |borderless windowed = | + | |borderless windowed = false |
|borderless windowed notes = | |borderless windowed notes = | ||
− | |anisotropic = | + | |anisotropic = false |
− | |anisotropic notes = | + | |anisotropic notes = |
− | |antialiasing = | + | |antialiasing = false |
− | |antialiasing notes = | + | |antialiasing notes = |
|vsync = true | |vsync = true | ||
− | |vsync notes = | + | |vsync notes = Enabled by default in D3D Mode. |
|60 fps = true | |60 fps = true | ||
|60 fps notes = | |60 fps notes = | ||
− | |120 fps = | + | |120 fps = limited |
− | |120 fps notes = | + | |120 fps notes = See [[#Mouse_behaves_erratically_or_Camera.2Fview_moves_choppily_and_unpredictably_and_Cutscenes_get_out_of_sync.|Mouse behaves erratically or Camera/view moves choppily and unpredictably and Cutscenes get out of sync.]] |
|hdr = unknown | |hdr = unknown | ||
|hdr notes = | |hdr notes = | ||
Line 101: | Line 149: | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | ==Input | + | ==Input== |
− | {{Input | + | {{Input |
|key remap = true | |key remap = true | ||
|key remap notes = Up to 3 possible binds per action | |key remap notes = Up to 3 possible binds per action | ||
Line 165: | Line 213: | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | ==Audio | + | ==Audio== |
− | {{Audio | + | {{Audio |
|separate volume = true | |separate volume = true | ||
|separate volume notes = Music and sound effects | |separate volume notes = Music and sound effects | ||
|surround sound = true | |surround sound = true | ||
|surround sound notes = Up to 7.0 with [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/68-creative-alchemy/ Creative ALchemy]. | |surround sound notes = Up to 7.0 with [https://community.pcgamingwiki.com/files/file/68-creative-alchemy/ Creative ALchemy]. | ||
− | |subtitles = | + | |subtitles = always on |
− | |subtitles notes = | + | |subtitles notes = |
|closed captions = false | |closed captions = false | ||
|closed captions notes = | |closed captions notes = | ||
Line 178: | Line 226: | ||
|mute on focus lost notes = | |mute on focus lost notes = | ||
|eax support = true | |eax support = true | ||
− | |eax support notes = A3D 1.0<ref> | + | |eax support notes = A3D 1.0<ref>{{Refurl|url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990828164536/http://www.aureal.com/cgi-bin/pub/display.pl?template=press_aur_detail.htm&serial=1026|title=Hot New Gremlin Games to Support Aureal A3D - Aureal.com (retrieved)|date=May 2023}}</ref> and EAX 2<ref>{{Refurl|url=http://www.actiontrip.com/previews/severance-the-blade-of-darkness.phtml|title=Severance: The Blade of Darkness Preview - ActionTrip.com|date=May 2023}}</ref> |
}} | }} | ||
Line 198: | Line 246: | ||
|notes = | |notes = | ||
|fan = | |fan = | ||
+ | |ref = | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{L10n/switch | ||
+ | |language = German | ||
+ | |interface = true | ||
+ | |audio = true | ||
+ | |subtitles = true | ||
+ | |notes = | ||
+ | |fan = | ||
+ | |ref = | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | {{L10n/switch | ||
+ | |language = Hungarian | ||
+ | |interface = hackable | ||
+ | |audio = false | ||
+ | |subtitles = hackable | ||
+ | |notes = [https://magyaritasok.hu/download/3324/blade-of-darkness Fan translation at Magyarítások Portál] | ||
+ | |fan = true | ||
|ref = | |ref = | ||
}} | }} | ||
Line 210: | Line 276: | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{L10n/switch | {{L10n/switch | ||
− | |language = | + | |language = Russian |
|interface = true | |interface = true | ||
|audio = true | |audio = true | ||
Line 229: | Line 295: | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | == | + | ==Network== |
− | === | + | {{Network/Multiplayer |
− | {{ | + | |local play = unknown |
+ | |local play players = | ||
+ | |local play modes = | ||
+ | |local play notes = | ||
+ | |lan play = unknown | ||
+ | |lan play players = | ||
+ | |lan play modes = | ||
+ | |lan play notes = | ||
+ | |online play = unknown | ||
+ | |online play players = | ||
+ | |online play modes = | ||
+ | |online play notes = | ||
+ | |asynchronous = unknown | ||
+ | |asynchronous notes = | ||
+ | }}{{Network/Connections | ||
+ | |matchmaking = unknown | ||
+ | |matchmaking notes = | ||
+ | |p2p = unknown | ||
+ | |p2p notes = | ||
+ | |dedicated = unknown | ||
+ | |dedicated notes = | ||
+ | |self-hosting = unknown | ||
+ | |self-hosting notes = | ||
+ | |direct ip = unknown | ||
+ | |direct ip notes = | ||
+ | }}{{Network/Ports | ||
+ | |tcp = | ||
+ | |udp = | ||
+ | |upnp = | ||
+ | }} | ||
− | {{Fixbox|description= | + | ==Issues fixed == |
− | {{Fixbox|description= | + | |
+ | {{ii}} Note that this game uses very problematic rendering methods. | ||
+ | {{ii}} To bypass most common issues it is highly advised to use [[dgVoodoo 2]]. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Instructions|fix= | ||
+ | # Install dgVoodoo (for Direct3D). | ||
+ | # Choose '''D3d''' in the game's configuration setup. | ||
+ | # Optionally choose '''Miles Fast 2D Positional Audio''' if other audio options cause issues. | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Cursor is missing/Black text=== | ||
+ | {{ii}} Generally caused by using Direct3D for output with modern graphics hardware. | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Use [[dgVoodoo 2]].}} | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Alternatively use rOpenGL or 3dfx for video output.}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Crash on launch=== | ||
+ | {{ii}} This is usually caused by video codec issues such as installed third party codec packs and the error for this is often '''MEM_RESIZE_FAILED'''. | ||
+ | |||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Prevent the intro from playing. See [[#Skip intro videos|Skip Intro Movies]].}} | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Alternatively convert the .mpg videos in the "video" directory and subdirectories to raw .avi while retaining the name to retain playback capability.|ref={{CN|date=September 2015}}}} | ||
===Crash after introduction video=== | ===Crash after introduction video=== | ||
Line 244: | Line 358: | ||
{{Fixbox|description=Alt-Tab out of the application then go back to it|ref={{cn|date=September 2016}}}} | {{Fixbox|description=Alt-Tab out of the application then go back to it|ref={{cn|date=September 2016}}}} | ||
− | ===Mouse behaves erratically=== | + | ===Mouse behaves erratically or Camera/view moves choppily and unpredictably and Cutscenes get out of sync.=== |
− | {{ii}} This generally happens using | + | {{ii}} This generally happens using rOpenGL for video output. |
+ | {{ii}}The mouse-camera control granularity is linked somehow to the framerate. Higher framerates lead to smoother and slower mouse-camera control. Lower framerates lead to choppy control that is "quantized", too fast and jumpy. I've encountered such problems on both old and new hardware. Besides framerate, part of the problem seems to be related to the audio renderer, of all things. | ||
+ | {{ii}} At high FPS some cutscenes may not play properly, which can be a problem if they are ones that cannot be skipped. | ||
− | {{Fixbox|description= | + | {{Fixbox|description=Use D3D or Glide (3DFX)and set refresh rate on 60hz.See [[#Improve D3d and Glide(3DFX) compatibility|Improve D3d and Glide(3DFX) compatibility]].|ref={{cn|date=August 2021}}|fix= |
− | + | }} | |
− | |||
− | |||
− | |||
===Game runs too fast=== | ===Game runs too fast=== | ||
Line 267: | Line 380: | ||
}} | }} | ||
− | === | + | ===Saving Game Causes CTD (Crash to Desktop)=== |
− | {{ii}} | + | {{ii}} Upon selecting "yes" to save a game the screenshot is taken for the load/save menu and the game can crash. Loading the game again loads an old game that was saved in that slot previously, not the new save. |
+ | |||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=When saving wait about 10 seconds before hitting the final "yes" to confirm. (allow the reverberating menu selection sound to stop playing completely). Alternatively use [https://www.moddb.com/games/severance-blade-of-darkness/downloads/blade-of-darkness-quicksave Quicksave mod]}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Fog is too dense using rOpenGL=== | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Use modified [https://www.moddb.com/games/severance-blade-of-darkness/downloads/newer-opengl-raster OpenGL raster].}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Game doesn't lauch on modern systems=== | ||
+ | {{Fixbox|description=Run in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (no Service Pack)}} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Game crashes during level loading screens (3DFX)=== | ||
+ | {{ii}} This typically happens with 3dfx video renderer and user Nglide wrapper. | ||
− | {{Fixbox|description=Use | + | {{Fixbox|description=Use [[#Improve D3d and Glide(3DFX) compatibility|Dgvoodoo2]].|ref={{cn|date=August 2021}}|fix= |
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==VR support== | ||
+ | {{VR support | ||
+ | |gg3d name = | ||
+ | |native 3d gg3d award = | ||
+ | |nvidia 3d vision gg3d award = | ||
+ | |tridef 3d gg3d award = | ||
+ | |iz3d gg3d award = | ||
+ | |native 3d = | ||
+ | |native 3d notes = | ||
+ | |nvidia 3d vision = | ||
+ | |nvidia 3d vision notes = | ||
+ | |tridef 3d = | ||
+ | |tridef 3d notes = | ||
+ | |iz3d = | ||
+ | |iz3d notes = | ||
+ | |vr only = | ||
+ | |vorpx = hackable | ||
+ | |vorpx modes = Z3D | ||
+ | |vorpx notes = User created profile, requires [[DgVoodoo 2|DGVoodoo2 v 2.6]], see [https://www.vorpx.com/forums/topic/severanceblade-of-darkness/ profile introdution]. <br><code>Note:</code> Profile may not work with the latest wrapper, in case of issues please report to the [https://www.vorpx.com/forums/topic/severanceblade-of-darkness/ vorpx forum]. | ||
+ | |htc vive = | ||
+ | |htc vive notes = | ||
+ | |oculus rift = | ||
+ | |oculus rift notes = | ||
+ | |osvr = | ||
+ | |osvr notes = | ||
+ | |windows mixed reality = | ||
+ | |windows mixed reality notes = | ||
+ | |keyboard-mouse = | ||
+ | |keyboard-mouse notes = | ||
+ | |3rd space gaming vest = | ||
+ | |3rd space gaming vest notes = | ||
+ | |novint falcon = | ||
+ | |novint falcon notes = | ||
+ | |trackir = | ||
+ | |trackir notes = | ||
+ | |tobii eye tracking = | ||
+ | |tobii eye tracking notes = | ||
+ | |play area seated = | ||
+ | |play area seated notes = | ||
+ | |play area standing = | ||
+ | |play area standing notes = | ||
+ | |play area room-scale = | ||
+ | |play area room-scale notes = | ||
+ | }} | ||
==Other information== | ==Other information== | ||
===API=== | ===API=== | ||
{{API | {{API | ||
− | |direct3d versions = | + | |direct3d versions = 7 |
− | |direct3d notes = | + | |direct3d notes = Although it claims to require DirectX 8.0 to be installed, it actually uses Direct3D 7 for rendering. |
|directdraw versions = | |directdraw versions = | ||
|directdraw notes = | |directdraw notes = | ||
− | |opengl versions = | + | |opengl versions = true |
|opengl notes = | |opengl notes = | ||
− | |glide versions = | + | |glide versions = true |
− | |glide notes = | + | |glide notes = Added with patch 1.001 |
|software mode = | |software mode = | ||
|software mode notes = | |software mode notes = | ||
Line 297: | Line 467: | ||
|windows 32-bit exe = true | |windows 32-bit exe = true | ||
|windows 64-bit exe = false | |windows 64-bit exe = false | ||
+ | |windows arm app = false | ||
|windows exe notes = | |windows exe notes = | ||
− | |macos 32-bit app | + | |macos intel 32-bit app = |
− | |macos 64-bit app | + | |macos intel 64-bit app = |
|macos app notes = | |macos app notes = | ||
|linux 32-bit executable= | |linux 32-bit executable= | ||
Line 305: | Line 476: | ||
|linux executable notes = | |linux executable notes = | ||
}} | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Middleware=== | ||
+ | {{Middleware | ||
+ | |physics = | ||
+ | |physics notes = | ||
+ | |audio = Miles Sound System | ||
+ | |audio notes = 6.0i<ref>{{Refcheck|user=Nessy|date=2020-06-19|comment=Version number found in Mss32.dll in the game installation folder.}}</ref> | ||
+ | |interface = | ||
+ | |interface notes = | ||
+ | |input = | ||
+ | |input notes = | ||
+ | |cutscenes = | ||
+ | |cutscenes notes = | ||
+ | |multiplayer = | ||
+ | |multiplayer notes= | ||
+ | |anticheat = | ||
+ | |anticheat notes = | ||
+ | }} | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===Mods=== | ||
+ | ====[https://www.moddb.com/mods/gorentity-mod-2015 Gorenity]==== | ||
+ | Gorenity mod improves the gore system, among other things. | ||
==System requirements== | ==System requirements== | ||
Line 310: | Line 503: | ||
|OSfamily = Windows | |OSfamily = Windows | ||
− | |minOS = 95 | + | |minOS = 95 OSR2 |
|minCPU = Intel Pentium II 400 MHz | |minCPU = Intel Pentium II 400 MHz | ||
|minRAM = 64 MB | |minRAM = 64 MB | ||
|minHD = 750 MB | |minHD = 750 MB | ||
− | |||
|minVRAM = 8 MB | |minVRAM = 8 MB | ||
+ | |minDX = 8.0 | ||
|recOS = 98, ME, 2000 | |recOS = 98, ME, 2000 | ||
Line 321: | Line 514: | ||
|recRAM = 128 MB | |recRAM = 128 MB | ||
|recHD = | |recHD = | ||
− | |||
|recVRAM = 32 MB | |recVRAM = 32 MB | ||
+ | |recDX = | ||
+ | |notes = | ||
+ | |||
+ | == Troubleshooting == | ||
+ | === Performance issues === | ||
+ | If you are experiencing low frame rates, then we suggest that you change the resolution in the setup to 640x480x16, texture detail should then be set to LOW and the then the mip-mapping can be turned off. If you are still experiencing low frame rates, shadows and gore can be turned off from the in-game options menu. Turning the sound device to Miles fast 2D positional audio in setup and the sound quality to low in-game will also improve frame rate by about 10%.<br>If you encounter any problems, please ensure that you have the latest drivers installed for your card. These should be obtained from the card or chipset manufacturer.<br>If you increase the settings of your display options and experience decreased performance and have the latest drivers, we recommend setting your Display options back to their defaults. | ||
+ | === Supported 3D chipsets === | ||
+ | 3dfx Voodoo 2, Voodoo Banshee, Voodoo3, Voodoo4, Voodoo5<br>3D labs Permedia 3<br>ATI Rage 128, Radeon<br>Matrox G200, G400<br>Intel i740<br>Nvidia Riva TNT, Riva TNT2, GeForce 256, GeForce 2<br>S3 Savage3D, Savage 4, Savage2000 | ||
+ | ==== Card issues ==== | ||
+ | ===== 3DFX Voodoo Banshee and Voodoo 3 ===== | ||
+ | The 3DFX Banshee and VooDoo 3 have problems displaying partical effects. This is noticeable in game when water effects are on screen. | ||
+ | ===== All Matrox cards ===== | ||
+ | If you are experiencing problems with the game e.g. random crashes or textural errors then it is advisable to use the 5.52 drivers from the matrox site. | ||
+ | ===== S3 Savage 2000 ===== | ||
+ | If you are experiencing problems then it is recommended that the ViperII-win9x-95103 drivers be used. Resolutions above 1152x864 should not be used. | ||
+ | === Please note === | ||
+ | Windows 2000's control panel uninstaller should not be used as this will leave game save files on the hard disk. | ||
+ | === Swap file === | ||
+ | We recommend that the user has at least 250mb free hard disk space after installation. Severance should perform fine with less than 250mb free, in order to gain maximum performance from this product a larger swap file will be beneficial. Close down any applications before running. | ||
+ | === Direct X === | ||
+ | If you try to run the game without DirectX8 installed, Severance may not run correctly. | ||
}} | }} | ||
{{References}} | {{References}} |
Latest revision as of 12:21, 17 May 2024
This page is for the original game. For the 2021 re-release, see Blade of Darkness (2021).
Developers | |
---|---|
Rebel Act Studios | |
2021-present | Fire Falcom |
2021-present | General Arcade |
Publishers | |
2001-2015 | Codemasters |
2021-present | SNEG |
Retail re-release | Sold Out Software |
Engines | |
Blade | |
Release dates | |
Windows | February 21, 2001 |
Reception | |
Metacritic | 75 |
Taxonomy | |
Monetization | One-time game purchase |
Modes | Singleplayer, Multiplayer |
Pacing | Real-time |
Perspectives | Third-person |
Controls | Direct control |
Genres | Action, Hack and slash |
Themes | Fantasy |
Series | Blade of Darkness |
Blade of Darkness | |
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Blade of Darkness | 2001 |
Blade of Darkness (2021) | 2021 |
Blade of Darkness is a singleplayer and multiplayer third-person action and hack and slash game in the Blade of Darkness series.
Key points
- Released as Blade: The Edge of Darkness in Spain, Severance: Blade of Darkness in Europe and as Blade of Darkness in North America.
General information
Availability
Source | DRM | Notes | Keys | OS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Retail | SecuROM DRM - European release | |||
Retail | American and Spanish releases | |||
GOG.com | Included as an extra with the 2021 remaster. | |||
Steam | Included as an extra with the 2021 remaster. |
Essential improvements
Patches
1.001 is the only patch. It is highly recommended. Already included in the GOG version.
Skip intro videos
Instructions[1] |
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video |
Improve D3d and Glide (3DFX) compatibility
The game has known issues on modern systems, such as random crashes and problems with the font, but with DgVoodoo 2 most problems can be fixed and compatibility with Glide can be restored. (Using nGlide instead is less stable and might cause the game to crash) |
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Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System | Location |
---|---|
Windows | <path-to-game>\Config[Note 1] |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1710170/pfx/[Note 2] |
Save game data location
System | Location |
---|---|
Windows | <path-to-game>\Save[Note 1] |
Steam Play (Linux) | <SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1710170/pfx/[Note 2] |
Save game cloud syncing
System | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
GOG Galaxy | ||
Steam Cloud |
Video
Graphics feature | State | WSGF | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Widescreen resolution | Stretched. See the WSGF report for a solution. | ||
Multi-monitor | See the WSGF report for a solution. | ||
Ultra-widescreen | See the WSGF report for a solution. | ||
4K Ultra HD | 2048x1536 is the highest supported resolution | ||
Field of view (FOV) | Camera can be zoomed in/out in 3 presets. | ||
Windowed | Available only for some renderers. | ||
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) | Enabled by default in D3D Mode. | ||
60 FPS | |||
120+ FPS | See Mouse behaves erratically or Camera/view moves choppily and unpredictably and Cutscenes get out of sync. | ||
High dynamic range display (HDR) | See the glossary page for potential alternatives. |
Input
Keyboard and mouse | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Remapping | Up to 3 possible binds per action | |
Mouse acceleration | No mouse acceleration present | |
Mouse sensitivity | ||
Mouse input in menus | ||
Mouse Y-axis inversion | ||
Controller | ||
Controller support |
Controller types |
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Audio
Audio feature | State | Notes |
---|---|---|
Separate volume controls | Music and sound effects | |
Surround sound | Up to 7.0 with Creative ALchemy. | |
Subtitles | ||
Closed captions | ||
Mute on focus lost | ||
EAX support | A3D 1.0[2] and EAX 2[3] |
Localizations
Language | UI | Audio | Sub | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
English | ||||
French | ||||
German | ||||
Hungarian | Fan translation at Magyarítások Portál | |||
Italian | ||||
Russian | ||||
Spanish |
Network
Multiplayer types
Type | Native | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
Local play | |||
LAN play | |||
Online play | |||
Asynchronous multiplayer |
Connection types
Type | Native | Notes |
---|---|---|
Matchmaking | ||
Peer-to-peer | ||
Dedicated | ||
Self-hosting | ||
Direct IP |
Issues fixed
- Note that this game uses very problematic rendering methods.
- To bypass most common issues it is highly advised to use dgVoodoo 2.
Instructions |
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|
Cursor is missing/Black text
- Generally caused by using Direct3D for output with modern graphics hardware.
Use dgVoodoo 2. |
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Alternatively use rOpenGL or 3dfx for video output. |
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Crash on launch
- This is usually caused by video codec issues such as installed third party codec packs and the error for this is often MEM_RESIZE_FAILED.
Prevent the intro from playing. See Skip Intro Movies. |
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Alternatively convert the .mpg videos in the "video" directory and subdirectories to raw .avi while retaining the name to retain playback capability.[citation needed] |
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Crash after introduction video
- The game doesn't properly handle failure states for when DirectPlay is not installed. Not having DirectPlay also significantly slows down the opening of the initial game launcher as well.
Install DirectPlay[citation needed] |
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Blank screen when using rOpenGL for video output
Alt-Tab out of the application then go back to it[citation needed] |
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Mouse behaves erratically or Camera/view moves choppily and unpredictably and Cutscenes get out of sync.
- This generally happens using rOpenGL for video output.
- The mouse-camera control granularity is linked somehow to the framerate. Higher framerates lead to smoother and slower mouse-camera control. Lower framerates lead to choppy control that is "quantized", too fast and jumpy. I've encountered such problems on both old and new hardware. Besides framerate, part of the problem seems to be related to the audio renderer, of all things.
- At high FPS some cutscenes may not play properly, which can be a problem if they are ones that cannot be skipped.
Use D3D or Glide (3DFX)and set refresh rate on 60hz.See Improve D3d and Glide(3DFX) compatibility.[citation needed] |
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Game runs too fast
- This typically happens in videos modes other than 3dfx and is due to the game not handling multiple processors properly.
Lock the game to a single processor[citation needed] |
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A popular way to automate this process is to create a .bat file, go to the game app's directory (using the cd command), then use either StartAffinity Blade.exe 0 or psexec -a 0 Blade.exe |
Saving Game Causes CTD (Crash to Desktop)
- Upon selecting "yes" to save a game the screenshot is taken for the load/save menu and the game can crash. Loading the game again loads an old game that was saved in that slot previously, not the new save.
When saving wait about 10 seconds before hitting the final "yes" to confirm. (allow the reverberating menu selection sound to stop playing completely). Alternatively use Quicksave mod |
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Fog is too dense using rOpenGL
Use modified OpenGL raster. |
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Game doesn't lauch on modern systems
Run in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (no Service Pack) |
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Game crashes during level loading screens (3DFX)
- This typically happens with 3dfx video renderer and user Nglide wrapper.
Use Dgvoodoo2.[citation needed] |
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VR support
3D modes | State | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|
vorpX | Z3D User created profile, requires DGVoodoo2 v 2.6, see profile introdution. Note: Profile may not work with the latest wrapper, in case of issues please report to the vorpx forum. |
Other information
API
Technical specs | Supported | Notes |
---|---|---|
Direct3D | 7 | Although it claims to require DirectX 8.0 to be installed, it actually uses Direct3D 7 for rendering. |
OpenGL | ||
Glide | Added with patch 1.001 |
Executable | 32-bit | 64-bit | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Windows |
Middleware
Middleware | Notes | |
---|---|---|
Audio | Miles Sound System | 6.0i[4] |
Mods
Gorenity
Gorenity mod improves the gore system, among other things.
System requirements
Windows | ||
---|---|---|
Minimum | Recommended | |
Operating system (OS) | 95 OSR2 | 98, ME, 2000 |
Processor (CPU) | Intel Pentium II 400 MHz | Intel Pentium III 500 MHz |
System memory (RAM) | 64 MB | 128 MB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) | 750 MB | |
Video card (GPU) | 8 MB of VRAM DirectX 8.0 compatible | 32 MB of VRAM |
Troubleshooting
Performance issues
If you are experiencing low frame rates, then we suggest that you change the resolution in the setup to 640x480x16, texture detail should then be set to LOW and the then the mip-mapping can be turned off. If you are still experiencing low frame rates, shadows and gore can be turned off from the in-game options menu. Turning the sound device to Miles fast 2D positional audio in setup and the sound quality to low in-game will also improve frame rate by about 10%.
If you encounter any problems, please ensure that you have the latest drivers installed for your card. These should be obtained from the card or chipset manufacturer.
If you increase the settings of your display options and experience decreased performance and have the latest drivers, we recommend setting your Display options back to their defaults.
Supported 3D chipsets
3dfx Voodoo 2, Voodoo Banshee, Voodoo3, Voodoo4, Voodoo5
3D labs Permedia 3
ATI Rage 128, Radeon
Matrox G200, G400
Intel i740
Nvidia Riva TNT, Riva TNT2, GeForce 256, GeForce 2
S3 Savage3D, Savage 4, Savage2000
Card issues
3DFX Voodoo Banshee and Voodoo 3
The 3DFX Banshee and VooDoo 3 have problems displaying partical effects. This is noticeable in game when water effects are on screen.
All Matrox cards
If you are experiencing problems with the game e.g. random crashes or textural errors then it is advisable to use the 5.52 drivers from the matrox site.
S3 Savage 2000
If you are experiencing problems then it is recommended that the ViperII-win9x-95103 drivers be used. Resolutions above 1152x864 should not be used.
Please note
Windows 2000's control panel uninstaller should not be used as this will leave game save files on the hard disk.
Swap file
We recommend that the user has at least 250mb free hard disk space after installation. Severance should perform fine with less than 250mb free, in order to gain maximum performance from this product a larger swap file will be beneficial. Close down any applications before running.
Direct X
If you try to run the game without DirectX8 installed, Severance may not run correctly.
Notes
- ↑ 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). - ↑ 2.0 2.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
- File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
- Games with Steam Cloud support may also store data in
~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/1710170/
. - Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
- The app ID (1710170) may differ in some cases.
- Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
- See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.
References
- ↑ Verified by User:Drat on 2019-09-05
- ↑ Hot New Gremlin Games to Support Aureal A3D - Aureal.com (retrieved) - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ Severance: The Blade of Darkness Preview - ActionTrip.com - last accessed on May 2023
- ↑ Verified by User:Nessy on 2020-06-19
- Version number found in Mss32.dll in the game installation folder.