Anonymous edits have been disabled on the wiki. If you want to contribute please login or create an account.

Difference between revisions of "American McGee's Alice"

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
(→‎Essential improvements: I found a way to skip the main menu as well, so you can jump straight into the load screen.)
Line 66: Line 66:
 
{{Fixbox|description=Use the [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]] {{code|+forcemenu loadsave}}|ref=<ref>{{Refcheck|user=Mouse|date=2021-08-03}}</ref>|fix=
 
{{Fixbox|description=Use the [[Glossary:Command line arguments|command line argument]] {{code|+forcemenu loadsave}}|ref=<ref>{{Refcheck|user=Mouse|date=2021-08-03}}</ref>|fix=
 
}}
 
}}
 +
{{ii}} At least one already existing save file must be present first. If no saves exist, then the game will softlock, as there are no saves to load, and selecting "Back" will only show a blank screen because there is nothing to go back to.
 +
{{ii}} All of the main menu's options are also available at the pause screen. So to access those menu options, simply load an existing save and pause the game. For example, to start a new game: load a save, open the pause screen, and select "New Game".
  
 
===Alice HD Texture Pack===
 
===Alice HD Texture Pack===

Revision as of 04:53, 4 August 2021

This page is for the original release. For the 2011 remastered version, see American McGee's Alice (2011).

American McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice cover
Developers
Rogue Entertainment
Mac OS (Classic) Westlake Interactive
macOS (OS X) Westlake Interactive
Publishers
Electronic Arts
Mac OS Aspyr Media
macOS (OS X) Aspyr Media
Engines
id Tech 3
Release dates
Windows December 5, 2000
Mac OS (Classic) July 10, 2001
macOS (OS X) July 10, 2001
Reception
Metacritic 85
Taxonomy
Modes Singleplayer
Pacing Real-time
Perspectives Third-person
Controls Direct control
Genres Platform, Puzzle, Shooter
Art styles Stylized
Themes Fantasy, Horror, Victorian
Series American McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice on HowLongToBeat
American McGee's Alice on IGDB
American McGee's Alice guide on StrategyWiki
American McGee's Alice on MobyGames
American McGee's Alice on Wikipedia
American McGee's Alice
American McGee's Alice 2000
American McGee's Alice (2011) 2011
Alice: Madness Returns 2011

Warnings

SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see Availability for affected versions).
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.

Key points

Also known as Alice in Nightmare in Japan.
The game doesn't install correctly on Windows 10 without a custom fix program.

Availability

Source DRM Notes Keys OS
Retail
Disc check (requires the CD/DVD in the drive to play)
CD key
SafeDisc DRM[Note 1].
Windows
Mac OS
macOS (OS X)
SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows Vista and later (see above for affected versions).
A demo version can be downloaded here: Windows.

Essential improvements

Patches

Patch v1.1.2 is the latest patch for the OS X version. [3]

Peixoto's patch

Use Peixoto's patch for easy resolution setup - no need to edit configuration files - and persistent FOV correction - the FOV won't keep resetting as is happens if modified via console or config files

Skip intro videos

Use the command line argument +forcemenu main[4]

Skip intro videos and main menu, and go straight to the save file load screen

Use the command line argument +forcemenu loadsave[5]
At least one already existing save file must be present first. If no saves exist, then the game will softlock, as there are no saves to load, and selecting "Back" will only show a blank screen because there is nothing to go back to.
All of the main menu's options are also available at the pause screen. So to access those menu options, simply load an existing save and pause the game. For example, to start a new game: load a save, open the pause screen, and select "New Game".

Alice HD Texture Pack

Enhances the overall look of the game with higher quality assets, even moreso than the 2011 remaster of the game which this texture pack is also compatible with.
Features an expanded tweaks/cheats menu and optional Overkill mod that adds more lighting effects and enemies. Can be omitted by not installing the z(Mod)OverKill.pk3 file.
Install the Alice HD Texture Pack[6]
  1. Download the HD texture pack here, then extract its content somewhere conveniently accessible on your computer.
  2. Go to <path-to-game>\base, then move or delete the pak1_large.pk3 file. This is required for the game to load the HD textures.
  3. Copy the *.cfg and *.pk3 files from the HD texture pack into <path-to-game>\base.
  4. Now run the game. The game's visuals should be changed with those from the HD texture pack.

Level of detail

Default LOD settings can be overridden to make the game render highest quality models all the time.
Instructions[7]
  1. Run the game at least once, so the configuration file gets created.
  2. Open <path-to-game>\Base\config.cfg file with a text editor.
  3. Add lines seta r_lodbias "-2" and seta r_lodcurveerror "10000" in the Cvars section.
  4. Save your changes and run the game.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\base\config.cfg[Note 2]
macOS (OS X)
Mac OS (Classic)

Save game data location

System Location
Windows <path-to-game>\base\save\[Note 2]
macOS (OS X)
Mac OS (Classic)

Video settings

Template:Video settings

Widescreen resolution

Set custom resolution[8]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open config.cfg with a text editor.
  3. In the Cvars section, change seta r_mode "X" to seta r_mode "-1" (add it if it doesn't exist).
  4. Add the following lines and adjust them to the desired resolution:
seta r_customwidth "1920"
seta r_customheight "1080"

Vertical sync (Vsync)

Enable Vsync[9]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open config.cfg with a text editor.
  3. In the Cvars section, add seta r_swapinterval "1" as a new line, and then save the changes.

Notes

If the framerate is low when vsync is enabled, rename alice.exe to quake3.exe.[10]
If the game slightly stutters in some areas, disable vsync and run the game instead in fullscreen borderless window using Simple Runtime Window Editor using the Remove Borders option. Windows should then apply triple buffering to prevent screen tearing.[11]

High frame-rate

Remove frame-rate cap[12]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open config.cfg with a text editor.
  3. In the Cvars section, add seta com_maxfps "0" as a new line, and then save the changes.

Input settings

Template:Input settings

Audio settings

Template:Audio settings

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
Dutch
Use the Alice Dutch Patch.
French
German
Italian
Fan translation, download.
Also compatible with the 2011 release.
Japanese
Only in the Japanese Alice in Nightmare release.[13]
Russian
Available here.
Spanish

VR support

Issues fixed

Can not save progress

When attempting to save the game, a "Hard disk full, try deleting save files" message is sometimes displayed.
Copy the game folder to the proper location[citation needed]
The game folder must be installed in either Program Files (for 32-bit Windows) or Program Files (x86) (for 64-bit Windows) to save properly. When installing the game, either accept the default install location, or copy/move the pre-existing installation to the specified location. This was tested on Windows 10 64-bit ver. 1709.[citation needed]

Game does not install correctly on Windows 10

The installer seems to skip over several files during the installation process on computers running Windows 10.
Copy missing files and fix shortcuts[14]
  1. Run through the installation process from the discs as normal, and make a note of the game's installation folder.
  2. Re-insert Disc 1 back into your computer's optical drive.
  3. Download and run the Alice Windows 10 Fixer, then follow its instructions. If you have installed the game to a different location than the default, you will need to enter this path manually when it asks you where to install the missing files.

Game launches in a window

Launch the game using the +set r_fullscreen "1" command line argument[15]
Edit config.cfg[15]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open config.cfg with a text editor.
  3. In the Cvars section, add seta r_fullscreen "1" as a new line, then save the changes.
  4. Write-protect the file by setting a "read-only" attribute.

"Archiving recursive error" freeze

Run the .exe as an administrator[citation needed]

Game runs at a low frame-rate

The game may run poorly even on modern hardware.
Edit config.cfg[16]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open config.cfg with a text editor.
  3. In the Cvars section, add seta r_primitives "2" as a new line, then save the changes.
Alternative solution[10]
  1. Rename alice.exe to quake3.exe (this will make the graphics card use Quake 3 optimized drivers).

Cannot enable A3D surround sound

Bypass card detection[17]
  1. Open game alice.exe with a hex editor.
  2. Search for B000520053E87095070083C40885C0751A.
  3. Replace it with B000520053E87095070083C40885C0741A, then save the changes.

Audio driver issues

See here for details and a fix[citation needed]

Alt+Tab does not work, even in windowed mode

Apply this registry fix here[18]

Game output is offset from the screen/renders outside the screen

The game's video output is offset downward and to the right. It renders outside the lower-right of the screen, with black bars on the top and left.
"Vanilla" installation without mods

Set Windows Compatibility for the game's executable to Windows XP (Service Pack 3)

Modded installation

Disable screen scaling on your primary monitor

Audio does not work on Linux under Wine/Proton

Rename the SndDrivers directory to snddrivers

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 7
OpenGL 1.2
ExecutablePPC16-bit 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Install the version 1.1.2 patch for Intel support.
Mac OS (Classic)

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Audio Miles Sound System 6.0b[19]

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) 95
Processor (CPU) AMD K6-2 400 MHz
Intel Pentium II 400 MHz
System memory (RAM) 64 MB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 600 MB
Video card (GPU) 16 MB of VRAM
DirectX 7 compatible

Notes

  1. SafeDisc retail DRM does not work on Windows 10[1] or Windows 11 and is disabled by default on Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 when the KB3086255 update is installed.[2]
  2. 2.0 2.1 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).

References

  1. Not Loading in Windows 10; this will break thousands of - Microsoft Community - last accessed on 2017-01-16
  2. Microsoft - MS15-097: Description of the security update for the graphics component in Windows: September 8, 2015 - last accessed on 2018-02-16
  3. Aspyr Support Center - last accessed on 2011-04-12
  4. Is there a way to skip the intro screens in American McGee's Alice? - Arqade - last accessed on October 23, 2018
  5. Verified by User:Mouse on 2021-08-03
  6. Verified by User:AmethystViper on 2021-06-15
  7. Quake 3 engine - Level of detail
  8. American McGee's Alice | WSGF
  9. RAGE Vsync issues - Page 3
  10. 10.0 10.1 Heavy Metal: FAKK2 bad performace, low fps, laggy gameplay
  11. Verified by User:Antrad on January 18, 2019
  12. Verified by User:AmethystViper on October 25, 2018
    Steam's FPS counter measured the game's frame-rate was running at 200+ FPS with the frame-rate uncapped and V-sync disabled via these config edits.
  13. 音声イベント集 (Alice in Nightmare: Cutscene Audio Collection) - YouTube - last accessed on 2021-06-15
  14. Get American McGee's Alice working on your modern PC
  15. 15.0 15.1 Verified by User:AmethystViper on October 23, 2018
  16. RTCW Crash hard with HD3850 - Rage3D Discussion Area - last accessed on October 25, 2018
  17. American McGee Alice(2000) A3D 2 Not working • VOGONS
  18. VOGONS • View topic - American McGee's Alice and alt-tabbing. [solved] - last accessed on October 23, 2018
  19. Verified by User:Nessy on 2019-07-19
    Version number found in Mss32.dll in the game installation folder.