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Special K

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Key points

Extensive game modifying framework allowing for various in-depth tweaking of a game. The focus is primarily on the graphics pipeline but it also includes various features such as input device blocking/configuring, etc.
As with other third-party stuff, Special K can have an adverse effect if used in multiplayer titles where anti-cheat protection exist!
Includes a number of game-specific changes and optimizations, although minor ones are not exposed.
Supports multiple graphics APIs as well as injection methods, making it compatible with a lot of games.
Does not support DirectX 10.

General information

Official Steam Group
Unofficial Guide
Releases
Source code

Installation

Global (system-wide)

Allows Special K to inject automatically in all Steam games/applications it detects, as well as non-Steam games the user manually allows.
Stop the global injection before playing a multiplayer game where Special K might have an adverse effect.
Install the global injector of Special K[1]
  1. Download the latest version available, refer to the Steam Group discussions board to locate which one is the latest.
  2. Extract the archive at a location of your choice.
  3. Run the Special K Install Manager using either SKIM.exe (32-bit) or SKIM64.exe (64-bit) located within the extracted files.
  4. Select Special K (Global Injector) in the product list.
  5. Click Install.
  6. After the global injector have been installed injection should automatically have started. To stop the injection, click on Stop Injecting in SKIM.
  7. Use Ctrl+⇧ Shift+← Backspace to access the control panel while in-game.
  8. Use the Special K Install Manager (aka SKIM) icon in the notification area of Windows to start/stop the global injector. A shortcut on the start menu should've also been created during the installation. Global injection is only enabled while SKIM is running and injection have been started.

Notes

Antivirus/Internet Security Suites can cause the installer to fail.

Local (game-specific)

Installs Special K for a specific game, making it possible to use with said game without having global injection enabled.
Use at own risk in multiplayer games where Special K might have an adverse effect.
Convert global injection to local wrapper DLLs[1]
  1. Enable global injection.
  2. Launch the game.
  3. Use Ctrl+⇧ Shift+← Backspace to access the control panel while in-game.
  4. Click on File > Install wrapper DLL for this game.
  5. Exit the game, disable global injection and then start the game again. Local injection should now occur instead.
Manually install local wrapper DLLs[1]
  1. Download the latest version available, refer to the Steam Group discussions board to locate which one is the latest.
  2. Extract the archive at a temporary location of your choice.
  3. Navigate to <path-to-game> and the appropriate subfolder containing the game executable. Use Task Manager > Open File Location as help.
  4. Look up if the game uses a 32-bit or 64-bit executable, as well as what API is used. Refer to game-specific articles for details.
  5. Move the appropriate Special K DLL file to the folder where the executable were located: SpecialK32.dll for 32-bit, and SpecialK64.dll for 64-bit.
  6. Rename the DLL file to match the API used by the game:
    • DirectX 8: d3d8.dll - Requires the dgVoodoo plugin installed for Special K.
    • DirectX 9: d3d9.dll
    • DirectX 11.x: dxgi.dll or d3d11.dll
    • OpenGL: opengl32.dll
    • DirectInput 8: dinput8.dll - Alternative injection method for titles that supports DirectInput 8.
  7. Launch the game.
  8. Use Ctrl+⇧ Shift+← Backspace to access the control panel while in-game.


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 An Unofficial Guide to Special K - last accessed on 2017-04-04