Key points
- Includes a remake of The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.
- The game is very unoptimized for anti-aliasing,[2] recommended to disable it if you have performance issues.
General information
- GOG.com Community Discussions for game series
- GOG.com Support Page
- Steam Community Discussions
Availability
Source |
DRM |
Notes |
Keys |
OS |
Retail |
|
TAGES DRM 30-day timer on Windows release. Internet activation for OS X release. |
|
|
Amazon.com |
|
Digital download. TAGES DRM 30-day timer. |
|
|
GOG.com (unavailable) |
|
|
|
|
Steam (unavailable) |
|
TAGES DRM 30-day timer. |
|
|
Set up the Amazon Digital Download
|
- Install the downloaded game.
- Update TAGES (x64 version for most).
- Run the game in compatibilty mode for Windows XP Service Pack 3.
- When first launching the game, enter the DRM key that you got. Now you're good to go.
|
Version differences
- All Windows versions except the retired GOG.com edition have TAGES DRM. After activating the game for a third time, TAGES will start a 30-day timer. After 30 days an activation will be restored up to the original total of three activations.[3]
DLC and expansion packs
Essential improvements
Patches
- Patch 1.01 is available for Windows and OS X. An alternate download for Windows is available on Mod DB. Warning: this is not needed for the GOG.com version, it will also try to install/update the TAGES DRM driver.
Skip intro videos
Delete/rename audio files[citation needed]
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\Content\Videos .
- Delete or rename
atari.ogg , Sbz.ogg , Tigon.ogg , and universal_ntsc.ogg .
|
- The commentary mode from the original EFBB can be added via DLC. By default it will only be available after completing the EFBB campaign for the first time.
Turn on commentary manually[4]
|
- Install the DLC from Mod DB or The Patches Scrolls.
- Go to the save game data location.
- Open
_profile .
- Add the following and save.
*GAME_FINISHED_EFBB 1
*GAME_COMMENTARY 1.000000
Notes
- You can toggle the commentary mode with a switch in the game options.
|
An in-game debug menu can be enabled in the CubeWnd.xrg
file - a pre-edited version can be downloaded here
Tages Fix (Steam Release)
Replacing the WIN32_X86 folder with the same folder from the GOG release results in the game being playable via Steam.
Game data
Configuration file(s) location
System |
Location |
Windows |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\Atari\The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena |
macOS (OS X) |
~/Library/Application Support/Dark Athena |
Steam Play (Linux) |
<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/9860/pfx/[Note 1] |
Save game data location
System |
Location |
Windows |
%APPDATA%\Atari\The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena\SaveGames |
macOS (OS X) |
~/Library/Application Support/Dark Athena/Application Data/Atari/The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena/SaveGames/ |
Steam Play (Linux) |
<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/9860/pfx/[Note 1] |
Video
- Non-16:9 resolutions are letterboxed by default.
- If you're letterboxed on a 16:9 resolution, open
Environment.cfg
(located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Atari\The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena
) and make sure that VID_DWIDTH and VID_DHEIGHT are set to the correct values.
Remove letterboxing[5]
|
- Download a loader for your aspect ratio: 16:10 -- 5:4 -- 4:3
- Copy the loader to
<path-to-game>\System\Win32_x86 .
- Launch the game via the loader.
Notes
- If the loader doesn't work for you then copy files from this archive to the same path.
|
Borderless Fullscreen Windowed
Use DxWnd=[citation needed]
|
- See this thread: [1]
Notes
- This works by increasing the native resolution slightly higher in windowed mode as opposed to it being lowered in windowed mode by the game so that it will fill the entire screen.
|
Screen Space Ambient Occlusion (SSAO)
Use AA and SSAO at the same time[citation needed]
|
- Turn on Anti Aliasing in the graphics settings.
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
xr_ssao 1 (values 1-3 enable Ambient Occlusion).
Notes
- The setting is not saved when you quit the game. Use ↓/↑ in the console for quick access to the command so you can easily reapply it next time you're playing.
|
Remove "Green color filter / Reduced Color" Shading
Delete file[citation needed]
|
- Go to
<path-to-game>\Content\Textures\
- Delete file
ColorCorrection.xtc .
|
Remove Grain
Use a modded file[citation needed]
|
- Download the "NoGrain" Mod.
- Go to
<path-to-game>\System\GL\HL_Shading
- Replace the file
XREngine_Final5.fp with the mod.
Notes
- The author has a mod that reduces the saturation in the game as well.
|
Reduce Specular Highlight
Reduces the shiny:ness without destroying the look of textures.[citation needed]
|
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
xr_shaderspecularscale 1 0.2 1 .
Notes
- The setting is not saved when you quit the game. Use ↓/↑ in the console for quick access to the command so you can easily reapply it next time you're playing.
- This will make blood decals a pink color when light reflects on them.
|
Input
Audio
Audio feature |
State |
Notes |
Separate volume controls |
|
Only music is adjustable |
Surround sound |
|
5.0 (Maybe require to set 7.1 in the Windows Sound settings, otherwise only Stereo sound available) |
Subtitles |
|
|
Closed captions |
|
|
Mute on focus lost |
|
|
Royalty free audio |
|
|
Localizations
Change to other languages
- It only affects the GUI, menu and subtitles.
Run the game launcher
|
- Go to
<path-to-game> .
- Run
DarkAthena_Launcher.exe with text editor.
- Select the preferred Language.
- Quit the launcher.
Notes
- You can change to another language by clicking the flag icon at bottom right of the launcher.
- It overrides the language selected in the configuration file.
|
Change the configuration file
|
- Go to the configuration file location.
- Open
Environment.cfg with text editor.
- Locate the line
LANGUAGE=ENG and change the value to FRE , GER , ITA or SPA .
|
Network
Multiplayer types
VR support
Issues unresolved
Screen saver mode deletes save files
- Save files will delete themselves if the game is left running and your computer goes into screen saver mode. To avoid this, remember to quit the game before leaving it unattended or disable screen saver mode.
The game fails to restore resolution settings
- The game may fail to change the desktop resolution back to the previous one (by default it launches at 640x480 fullscreen).
Set the startup resolution[citation needed]
|
- Create the configuration file location if it doesn't exist.
- Open it and create a file called
Environment.cfg .
- To set the resolution and refresh rate, add
VID_MODE=1920 1080 32 60
- Or to start the game in windowed mode, add
VID_MODE=desktop
|
Issues fixed
Game window too large for monitor
- If you're running Windows 7/8/10 and the game window doesn't fit on your monitor when in full screen mode, you may need to lower the scaling on font size. Display Settings > Change the size of text.
Unexpected error (13:6)
Incorrect refresh rate every time game is launched
- Open
Environment.cfg
(located in %LOCALAPPDATA%\Atari\The Chronicles of Riddick - Assault on Dark Athena
) and make sure that VID_DWIDTH and VID_DHEIGHT are set to the correct values.
Crash to desktop on launch
Use Compatibility Mode for Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Slow Performance
Disable Threaded optimization (Nvidia only)[6]
|
- Run Nvidia Control Panel,
- Select or add Chronicles of Riddick.
- Set
Threaded optimization to Off .
- Press "Apply Changes" in the top-right corner.
Notes
- This can also be done through the in game menu, though it might be ignored.
- Helps with performance when using SSAO.
|
Other information
API
Technical specs |
Supported |
Notes |
Direct3D |
9.0c |
[7] |
OpenGL |
|
|
Executable |
32-bit |
64-bit |
Notes |
Windows |
|
|
|
macOS (OS X) | |
|
|
Enable quick save
Bind in console[8]
|
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
bind f5 savegame('quick') and bind f8 loadgame('quick')
- Press F5 to save and F8 to load.
Notes
- The key bindings are lost when you quit the game. Use ↓/↑ in the console for quick access to your recent commands.
- The game uses F9 to load the most recent save by default.
|
Reduce Bloom-like fog
Removes the fog-like effect in front of the player.[citation needed]
|
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
xr_zfog 0 .
Notes
- The setting is not saved when you quit the game. Use ↓/↑ in the console for quick access to the command so you can easily reapply it next time you're playing.
- This removes all fog, not just the one surrounding the player.
- Makes your "night vision" while crouched in the intro completely dark instead of slightly lit.
|
Soft Shadows
Softens the shadows.[citation needed]
|
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
XR_SOFTSTENCIL 1 .
Notes
- Has a fairly hefty performance penalty.
|
Higher Resolution Shadows
Higher Resolution Shadows
|
- Open console with Ctrl+Alt+~.
- Enter
xr_shadowmapmode = 0 .
Notes
- Replaces the low resolution combed shadows with stencil shadows. Translucent textures lose their shadows, but in combination with
xr_softstencil 1 they return in higher resolution.
|
System requirements
Windows |
|
Minimum |
Recommended |
Operating system (OS) |
XP SP2, Vista |
7 |
Processor (CPU) |
Intel Pentium D 805 AMD Athlon X2 +3800 | |
System memory (RAM) |
1 GB 2 GB (Vista) | |
Hard disk drive (HDD) |
11 GB | |
Video card (GPU) |
ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra Intel HD 620 DirectX 9.0c compatible
| ATI Radeon HD 3850 Nvidia GeForce 8800GT |
Controller |
|
Keyboard, mouse or dual-analog gamepad works with Xbox 360 controller |
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
References