Key points
- For Windows 8 and later apply the fullscreen fixes.
- Steam overlay doesn't work with this game.
General information
- GOG.com Community Discussions for game series
- GOG.com Support Page
- Steam Community Discussions
Availability
Version differences
- The Gold Edition is a complete edition which includes the Night of the Raven expansion.
DLC and expansion packs
Name |
Notes |
|
Night of the Raven |
Included with the Gold Edition. Not available separately for some languages (e.g. English). |
|
Essential improvements
Patches
The latest retail patches for the German version are Patch v1.30 for the base Gothic II and Add-on Patch 2.6 for the Night of the Raven expansion. All English versions and German digital distribution versions already include the latest patches.
System Pack
A fan-made patch, which fixes compatibility issues and adds features. Instructions and download links available here. Requires PlayerKit 2.8, which the instructions include as a separate installer.
D3D11 renderer for Gothic II
- Requires a GPU supporting DX11
A fan-made renderer which adds a wide variety of additional DX11 graphical features, such as hardware tessellation, full dynamic lighting, HBAO+, and more. Can also noticeably improve performance on modern systems, as it replaces the CPU-intensive view culling code. Instructions and downloads available here. Recommended to be used in combination with the System Pack.
Skip intro videos
Change playLogoVideos setting[1]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Edit
gothic.ini
- Change
playLogoVideos=1 to playLogoVideos=0
- Save your changes. The game will now go directly to the main menu when launched.
|
Game data
Configuration file(s) location
Save game data location
Video settings
Template:Video settings
- Gothic II only natively supports 1280x720, 1280x768, 1280x800, and 1440x900.
- The Gothic ½ — SystemPack makes the game Hor+ instead of Vert- and lists most widescreen resolutions.
Use widescreen mod (recommended method)[2]
|
Use Gothic ½ — SystemPack.
Notes
- Characters may look fat/thin after changing the resolution. Save and load the game to correct this.
|
Set resolution manually (alternate method)[2]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Edit
Gothic.ini
- Change
extendedMenu=0 to extendedMenu=1
- Set
zVidResFullscreenX= and zVidResFullscreenY= to the width (X) and height (Y) of your resolution.
- Save your changes and launch Gothic II.
- NPCs may look fat in widescreen resolutions. Talking to an NPC will fix this until the next time you load a save.
|
- Task-switching may cause repeated Tab ↹ input when you return to the game (simply press Tab ↹ again to make it work normally).
- Task-switching during video cutscenes will crash the game (there are only a few of these).
Change zStartupWindowed setting[1]
|
- Run the game at least once.
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Edit
gothic.ini
- Change
zStartupWindowed=0 to zStartupWindowed=1
- Change
scaleVideos=1 to scaleVideos=0 (otherwise videos render in the corner of the screen).
- Save your changes.
|
- See Windowed for the limitations of this mode.
Set zTexAnisotropicFiltering in Gothic.ini[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
Gothic.ini
- Change
zTexAnisotropicFiltering=0 to zTexAnisotropicFiltering=1 and save your changes.
- This is only an on/off setting; if it doesn't work or you want a higher setting, force it in the graphics card control panel.
|
Set zVidEnableAntiAliasing in Gothic.ini[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
Gothic.ini
- Change
zVidEnableAntiAliasing=0 to zVidEnableAntiAliasing=1 and save your changes.
- This is only an on/off setting; if it doesn't work or you want a higher setting, force it in the graphics card control panel.
- Forcing a higher setting in the graphics card's control panel may cause black videos (sound but no picture).
|
Input settings
Template:Input settings
Set zMouseRotationScale in Gothic.ini[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
Gothic.ini .
- Change
zMouseRotationScale to your desired value and save your changes.
|
Set enableJoystick in Gothic.ini[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Open
Gothic.ini .
- Change
enableJoystick=0 to enableJoystick=1 and save your changes.
- Some axes are not be detected and some inputs cannot be set to controller axes, e.g. camera controls.
|
Audio settings
Template:Audio settings
Localizations
Language |
UI |
Audio |
Sub |
Notes |
English |
|
|
|
|
French |
|
|
|
|
German |
|
|
|
|
Italian |
|
|
|
Audio only available on GOG.com (added on September 20, 2017) |
Polish |
|
|
|
Available on Steam, despite not being stated in a store.[1][3] |
Russian |
|
|
|
|
Spanish |
|
|
|
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Network
Multiplayer types
Connection types
VR support
Issues fixed
Black videos (sound but no picture)
- This is caused by forcing anti-aliasing in the video card control panel.
Disable video card anti-aliasing[citation needed]
|
- Open the graphics card control panel.
- Set anti-aliasing to Application-Controlled.
- Apply the changes.
|
Disable video scaling[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Edit
gothic.ini
- Change
scaleVideos=1 to scaleVideos=0
- Save your changes. Videos will now display centred.
|
Window border visible in fullscreen mode
- Gothic and Gothic II show a window border in fullscreen mode on Windows 8 and later.
- The GOG.com version already includes this fix.
Apply the fix[citation needed]
|
- Install the Gothic and Gothic II fullscreen fixes.
- Both Gothic and Gothic II will now enter display correctly in fullscreen mode (you do not need to restart your computer).
|
Low frame rate in fullscreen mode
- Gothic II has frame rate issues in fullscreen mode on Windows 8 and later.
"C: maximum texture size is lower than 32" error
- This error happens if Gothic II isn't able to automatically change to 32-bit color mode.
Change zVidResFullscreenBPP setting[citation needed]
|
- Go to the configuration file(s) location.
- Edit
gothic.ini
- Change
zVidResFullscreenBPP=16 to zVidResFullscreenBPP=32
- Save your changes and run Gothic II again. It should now be able to select the resolution correctly.
- If it still can't detect your resolution, try setting it manually (see Widescreen resolution).
|
Can't Alt+Tab (GOG.com)
- The GOG.com version prevents task switching to avoid some potential issues (e.g. crashing during FMV cutscenes).
Remove GOG.com fix[citation needed]
|
- Open Programs and Features (
appwiz.cpl ).
- Find and remove the GOG.com Gothic 2 entry.
- If you are using Windows 8 or later, install the Gothic and Gothic II fullscreen fixes.
- Gothic II will now allow you to task switch at any time.
|
Constant Tab input after Alt+Tab
- After task switching the game may constantly repeat Tab ↹ input; press Tab ↹ again to stop this.
Mods can't find Gothic II
- Some mods expect the game executable to be called
Gothic2.exe
.
Copy Gothic.exe to Gothic2.exe[citation needed]
|
- Go to the installation folder.
- Go into
system
- Make a copy of
Gothic.exe .
- Rename the copy to
Gothic2.exe .
- The mod installer should now see the game correctly.
Notes
- Some mods require running the game with
Gothic2.exe .
|
Camera spins uncontrollably
Game reverts back to Miles Fast even after EAX restoration software is installed
- Gothic II doesn't see
dsound.dll
wrapper from EAX restoration software.
Create pre.load file, which orders game to load dsound.dll wrapper[5]
|
- Open Notepad.
- Write exactly
dsound.dll to document.
- Save the document exactly as
pre.load to <path-to-game>\System\
- Launch game as Administrator, change sound provider to Creative EAX 2 and quit. Launch game again and check if sound provider is still the same.
Notes
- Users with SystemPack installed have to change
FixMss=1 to FixMss=0 in SystemPack.ini configuration file. SystemPack uses own implementation of restoring surround sound, which is purely software and because of that EAX restoration software won't make effect if FixMss is set to 1.
|
Other information
API
Technical specs |
Supported |
Notes |
Direct3D |
8.1, 11 |
DirectX 11 requires fan-made renderer. |
Shader Model support |
1, 5 |
Shader Model 5 requires fan-made renderer. |
Executable |
32-bit |
64-bit |
Notes |
Windows |
|
|
|
Middleware
System requirements
Windows |
|
Minimum |
Recommended |
Operating system (OS) |
98 |
ME, 2000, XP |
Processor (CPU) |
Intel Pentium II 400 MHz
| Intel Pentium III 600 MHz |
System memory (RAM) |
256 MB |
512 MB |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
2.6 GB | |
Video card (GPU) |
32 MB of VRAM DirectX 8.1 compatible
| 64 MB of VRAM |
Notes
References