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BioShock

From PCGamingWiki, the wiki about fixing PC games
BioShock
BioShock cover
Developers
Irrational Games
2K Australia
macOS (OS X) Feral Interactive
macOS (OS X) Robosoft Technologies
Publishers
2K Games
OS X Feral Interactive
Engines
Unreal Engine 2.5
Release dates
Windows August 21, 2007
macOS (OS X) October 7, 2009
BioShock guide on StrategyWiki
BioShock on Wikipedia

Warnings

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.
BioShock
BioShock 2007
BioShock 2 2010
BioShock Infinite 2013
BioShock Remastered 2016
BioShock 2 Remastered 2016

This page is for the original version. For the remastered version, see BioShock Remastered.

Key points

BioShock may crash on startup on Windows 7 and later. See Crash on startup.
Physics and some animations are locked at 30 FPS. See below how to modify the lock.

General information

Official Forum
BioShock Wiki - Large wiki for the BioShock series
GOG.com Community Discussions for game series
GOG.com Support Page
Steam Community Discussions

Availability

The retail version uses SecuROM DRM. There is no activation limit.[1] An internet connection is required for installation.
All Mac OS X versions, excluding the Mac App Store, use Feral Interactive's DRM system which requires online activation.
All remaining Windows versions except GOG.com require Steam DRM.
A demo is available. Note that the 1.1 patch is not available for the demo.

DLC and expansion packs

Name Notes
Plasmid Pack Free, included with patch 1.1
Windows
macOS (OS X)

Essential improvements

Skip intro videos

Launch the game with -nointro parameter[citation needed]

Remove physics and animation frame rate cap

By default, physics and some animations are capped to 30 FPS.
Use Bioshock Physics Unlocker[2]
  1. Download Bioshock Physics Unlocker
  2. Extract BioshockPhysicsUnlocker.exe to the game's executable folder (typically located in <path-to-game>\Builds\Release\)
  3. Open BioshockPhysicsUnlocker.exe, type your desired frame rate, and push Enter.

BioShock Tweaker

Allows you to change settings that are not normally adjustable from the options menu (i.e. custom resolution).

Patches

Patch 1.1 - Steam, GOG.com, and DRM-free Humble Bundle versions are already patched.

Game data

In-game general settings.
In-game general settings.

Configuration file(s) location

System Location
Windows %APPDATA%\Bioshock
macOS (OS X)
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/7670/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game data location

System Location
Windows %USERPROFILE%\Documents\Bioshock\SaveGames\
macOS (OS X)
Steam Play (Linux) <Steam-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/7670/pfx/[Note 1]

Save game cloud syncing

System Native Notes
GOG Galaxy
OneDrive
Requires enabling backup of the Documents folder in OneDrive on all computers.
Steam Cloud

Video settings

In-game video settings.
In-game video settings.

Template:Video settings

Field of view (FOV)

3rd party fixes[citation needed]
Custom key binding[3]
  1. Go to %APPDATA%\Bioshock\
  2. Make a backup copy of user.ini.
  3. Open the original copy and locate the keybinds by searching for "F10=".
  4. From here, you may use any unassigned keybinds to set a desired FOV, or to reset the FOV to its default value. For example, to make F10 set the FOV to 120, you'd change the line "F10=" to
    F10=SetFOV 120
    To make F11 reset the FOV, you'd change the line "F11=" to
    F11=ResetFOV

Notes

The game may automatically reset your FOV upon loading or after cinematics. You may still use your custom keybinds to change the FOV to your desired value.
Process can be automated using this tool.

Anisotropic filtering (AF)

Anisotropic filtering[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open bioshock.ini.
  3. Find the following lines, and set them to these values.
[D3DDrv.D3DRenderDevice]
LevelOfAnisotropy=16

[D3DDrv10.D3DRenderDevice10]
LevelOfAnisotropy=16

Make HBAO work in DX9 mode

Use Nvidia Profile Inspector[citation needed]
  1. Use inspector as per usual (open Bioshock profile, etc.) and change flag 0x00020000 to 0x0002002D adding a "2D" at the end.
  2. If you get issues you could also try it with a "23" at the end instead. Also if DX10 mode gives you issues you could replace the "02" in the middle of the flag with "14".

Input settings

In-game general control settings.
In-game general control settings.
In-game key map settings.
In-game key map settings.

Template:Input settings

Mouse acceleration

Instructions[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open User.ini.
  3. Find the following lines and edit them accordingly:
[Default]
W=MoveForward | set Engine.PlayerInput MouseAccelThreshold 0.0 | set Engine.PlayerInput MouseSmoothingMode 0

[Engine.PlayerInput]
MouseSmoothingMode=0
MouseAccelThreshold=0.0
You can download this small script in order to automate the process.

Mouse sensitivity

Instructions[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open User.ini.
  3. Find the following lines and edit the speed values of all 10 occurrences:
MouseX=IF_MOUSE_LOOK_ENABLED Count bXAxis | IF_MOUSE_LOOK_ENABLED Axis aMouseX Speed=2500.0
MouseY=IF_MOUSE_LOOK_ENABLED Count bYAxis | IF_MOUSE_LOOK_ENABLED Axis aMouseY Speed=2500.0
You can download this small script in order to automate the process.

Hold to Zoom

Instructions[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open User.ini.
  3. Find the button zoom is mapped to (default is Z, in this case RightMouse)
  4. Change it so it looks like this:
RightMouse=ZoomCycle | onRelease ZoomCycle

Note: This works for walking and crouch as well, changes their lines to (in this case the buttons are Shift and CTRL)

Shift=Walking | onRelease Walking
Ctrl=Duck | onRelease Duck

Pick individual items from containers

Pick individual items from containers[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open User.ini.
  3. Scroll down to the [ContainerUIActive] section and bind CollectContainerItemInSlot 0, CollectContainerItemInSlot 1 and CollectContainerItemInSlot 2 to any unused keys.

Audio settings

In-game audio settings.
In-game audio settings.

Template:Audio settings

Localizations

Language UI Audio Sub Notes
English
French
German
Hungarian
Fan translation, download.
Italian
Brazilian Portuguese
Fan translation, download.
Russian
Official localization by «1C-Softclub» – retail only. Patch for digital release here.
Russian
Fan translation by «DK Team»
Spanish

VR support

Issues unresolved

Minor spoilers ahead.

Arcadia: Langford's Safe

In Arcadia, searching Langford's safe with the Scrounger tonic equipped will cause the safe's contents—including an essential quest item—to disappear.

Fort Frolic: Bathysphere

In Fort Frolic, leaving the area by using the bathysphere adjacent to the entry bathysphere causes the stage curtains to close upon returning to the area, rendering the Cohen's Masterpiece quest un-completeable, and preventing the player from accessing the exit bathysphere.[4]

Fort Frolic: Rapture Records

When attempting to kill Silas Cobb, using the Hypnotize plasmid, as doing so will prevent a scripted task from triggering, thus trapping the player in Rapture Records.[5] In order to fix this issue, you must kill yourself (e.g., through the use of the Incinerate! plasmid), or reload an older save.

Notes

If your saves do not go far back enough, then the first two issues are game-ending. Technically, modifying the save file or using a trainer would also fix the issue, but neither solution has been documented.

Issues fixed

TweakGuides has created a comprehensive guide for fixing issues in this game.

Crash on startup

Update OpenAL or use OpenAL Soft[citation needed]

Crash upon autosave/quicksave

Delete last autosave/quicksave in save game data location and configuration file(s) location[citation needed]

Crashing applies default settings

Set configuration files to read-only[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. In properties, set bioshock.ini and User.ini to read-only.

Notes

Additionnal changes to settings cannot be made while files are set to read-only.
Delete Running.ini[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Trash the file Running.ini.
Process can be automated with an "if exist" batch script.

Video settings not saving

Force DirectX 9[citation needed]

Launch the game with -dx9 parameter.

Audio cutting out

Edit the maximum number of channels[6]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open bioshock.ini.
  3. Find the following line, under [FMODAudio.FMODAudioSubsystem], and increase the number of channels.
MaxChannels=128
Enable EAX[7]
  1. Install OpenAL.
  2. Go to %WINDIR%\System32 (or %WINDIR%\SysWoW64 for x64 OS's).
  3. Copy over wrap_oal.dll into the same folder where Bioshock's executable is located (steamapps\common\bioshock\Builds\Release\).
  4. Rename this file openal32.dll.
  5. Enable EAX audio in the in-game options.

Crashing upon changing resolution

Edit default resolution[citation needed]
  1. Go to the configuration file(s) location.
  2. Open bioshock.ini.
  3. Find the following lines, and set the desired values.
FullscreenViewportX=YourWidth
FullscreenViewportY=YourHeight
MenuViewportX=YourWidth
MenuViewportY=YourHeight
Change resolutions while in windowed mode[citation needed]
  1. Push Alt+ Enter, before entering the Video Options menu.
  2. Set the desired resolution, then apply the changes.
  3. Leave the Video Options menu, then push Alt+ Enter again.

Excessive screen tearing (Nvidia)

Instructions[citation needed]
  1. Go to the NVIDIA Control Panel. Open the 3D Settings menu.
  2. Add Bioshock.exe to the list. Enable FXAA and V-Sync.

Notes

This should be necessary due to "somewhat broken MLAA"[citation needed]

Frame rate stuttering

Disable V-Sync[citation needed]
Force DirectX 9[citation needed]

Launch the game with -dx9 parameter.

Can't enable EAX in game after updating OpenAL and copying wrap_oal.dll to Bioshock folder and renaming it to OpenAL32.dll

Enable Stereo Mix in sound control panel[8]
  1. Right click the speaker symbol on the bottom right of your desktop
  2. Click "Recording devices"
  3. Right click in the box and click "Show Disabled Devices"
  4. Right click "Stereo Mix" and click "Enable"
  5. Now you should be able to turn on EAX in the Bioshock sound menu

Sound missing after intro sequence (Windows 8 or Windows 10)

In Windows 8 and later, Bioshock may have no sound, and it may be impossible to progress past the bathysphere scene as the NPCs become stuck and won't move.
Run the game in Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode[9]

Other information

API

Technical specs Supported Notes
Direct3D 9, 10
OpenGL 2.0 OS X only.
Shader Model support 3, 4 A shader model 2.0 hack is available here. Note that there were other attempts in the past besides this one though most links are dead, unfortunately.
Executable 32-bit 64-bit Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)

Middleware

Middleware Notes
Physics Havok
Audio FMOD
Cutscenes Bink Video, Flash

Mods

Currently three gameplay mods are available:

System requirements

Windows
Minimum Recommended
Operating system (OS) XP SP2
Processor (CPU) Intel Pentium 4 2.4 GHz
System memory (RAM) 1 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 8 GB
Video card (GPU) Nvidia GeForce 6600
ATI Radeon X1300
128 MB of VRAM
DirectX 9.0c compatible
Shader model 3.0 support
Known to run on Windows 2000 using the tricks listed here. Separate patch for the demo version found here.
macOS (OS X)
Minimum
Operating system (OS) 10.5.8
Processor (CPU) 1.4 GHz
System memory (RAM) 1.5 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD) 8 GB
Video card (GPU) 128 MB of VRAM
Requires an Intel processor. The game does not support Intel GMA integrated video chipsets (older Mac minis and MacBooks), but does run on GeForce 9400M graphics cards or better.

Notes

  1. 1.0 1.1 File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data (use Wine regedit to access Windows registry paths). Games with Steam Cloud support may store data in ~/.steam/steam/userdata/<user-id>/7670/ in addition to or instead of this directory. The app ID (7670) may differ in some cases. Treat backslashes as forward slashes. See the glossary page for details.

References