Difference between revisions of "Life Is Strange: Before the Storm"

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Life Is Strange
Life Is Strange	2015
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm	2017
The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit	2018
Life Is Strange 2	2018
Life Is Strange: True Colors	2021
Life Is Strange Remastered	2022
Life Is Strange: Before the Storm Remastered	2022

General information

Official website

Known issues and workarounds

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		Deluxe Edition, limited run.
Developer website		Deluxe Edition
Publisher website

Green Man Gaming		Deluxe Edition
Humble Store		Deluxe Edition
Mac App Store
Steam

All versions require Steam DRM.^[3]

Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM has been removed.^[4]^[5]

DLC and expansion packs

Name	Notes
Deluxe Upgrade
Classic Chloe Outfit Pack

Essential improvements

Disable intro videos, chromatic aberration, and depth of field

Instructions^[6]
Use modded .dll file. The manual procedure may also work.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Square Enix\Life is Strange: Before the Storm\ %USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Square Enix\Life is Strange_ Before the Storm\Saves\<user-id>\Preferences\PrefData.Save
macOS (OS X)
Linux

It's unknown whether this game follows the XDG Base Directory Specification on Linux. Please fill in this information.

Config file is encrypted.

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\AppData\LocalLow\Square Enix\Life is Strange_ Before the Storm\Saves\<user-id>\SLOT_`##`\*.Save
macOS (OS X)
Linux	$HOME\.config\unity3d\Feral Interactive\Life is Strange Before the Storm\Saves\<user-id>\SLOT_`##`\*.Save

Save files are encrypted. See LiS-BtS-Savegame-viewer.

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Steam Cloud

Video settings

In-game video settings

Template:Video settings

Widescreen resolution

16:10 resolution without black bars
See Removing black bars from 16:10 screens.

Force resolution / Fix DSR and VSR

Run the Windows Registry Editor ('regedit')
Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Square Enix\Life is Strange: Before the Storm\
Double-click Screenmanager Resolution Width_h182942802 >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to ## (ex. "3840" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
Double-click Screenmanager Resolution Height_h2627697771 >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to ## (ex. "2160" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
Close the Registry Editor window. Changes were saved as they were made.
Open Steam >> Library tab
Right-click 'Life is Strange: Before the Storm' >> Properties
Click 'Set Launch Options' >> Add "-window-mode exclusive -screen-width ## -screen-height ##" (ex. "3840" and "2160" for 4K) >> OK
Run the game. See important notes below.

Notes

Forces the game to run full-screen at the desired resolution.

Fixes DSR/VSR (Dynamic Super Resolution / Virtual Super Resolution.)

Before using a DSR/VSR resolution, ensure you have it enabled in your video card's control panel.

Screen_tearing_fix. Screen tearing may need to be fixed when forcing resolution, even when the FPS counter shows a proper value.

Game reverts to the maximum current desktop resolution if not forced per above steps. While higher resolutions are selectable in-game and appear to apply, the resolution will not change (note that overlays like FPS counters and the Steam overlay will remain the same size.) Re-visiting the in-game video settings will show the selected resolution reverted to the current desktop resolution.

Anti-aliasing (AA)

Use SMAA with Reshade^[7]

Install the ReShade post-processing injector:

Download ReShade
Run the downloaded file >> Click 'Select game...' >> Browse to <path-to-game>
Select DirectX 10+
Agree to download standard effects.
Ensure SMAA and any other desired plugins are selected.

For sharpening at monitor resolution, "LumaSharpen" is recommended.

For sharpening DSR/VSR resolutions, "AdaptiveSharpen" is recommended to survive downsampling.

The "FXAA" plugin will likely not improve things when combined with SMAA and in-game anti-aliasing; however, it will allow more control.

Enable SMAA:

Run the game.
Press the Home key to toggle the ReShade menu.
Enable SMAA by clicking the chekbox.
Click the Performance Mode checkbox to toggle the ability to modify plugin settings. Turn back on when done modifying settings to improve performance.

Change in-game settings:

Video Settings >> Set 'Anti-Aliasing' to Medium to complement SMAA.

Higher settings will increase blur and reduce game performance.

Lower settings will result in noticeable aliasing even with SMAA, but raise game performance.

Notes

VSR/DSR is recommended to address lack of temporal anti-aliasing.

Jagged edges even using the in-game "Hella High" anti-aliasing setting.

No temporal anti-aliasing.

Higher in-game anti-aliasing settings contribute significant blur.

High frame rate

Higher frame rate / Screen tearing fix (V-Sync)

Change in-game Settings >> Video >> Frame Rate Limit option to OFF. (See Notes below.)
Set V-Sync from your graphics card control panel for this game to ON.
Run the game with -window-mode exclusive command line argument for locking FPS at monitor refresh rate.

Notes

Game may perform much smoother with both V-Sync ON and the in-game Settings >> Video >> Frame Rate Limit option set to 60.

Recommended for those who want more FPS, but also V-Sync/G-Sync option to work.

Fixes screen tearing that may appear when >60fps or when the in-game Frame Rate Limit is set to 60/30.

Chromatic aberration

Disable chromatic aberration^[6]
Use modded .dll file. The manual procedure may also work.

Depth of field

Disable depth of field^[6]
Use modded .dll file. The manual procedure may also work.

Input settings

In-game input settings

Template:Input settings

Audio settings

In-game audio settings

Template:Audio settings

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
Simplified Chinese
French
German
Italian
Japanese				Steam DLC available from Japan; Released on June 7, 2018.^[8]
Polish				Fan translation, download.
Brazilian Portuguese
Spanish
Latin American Spanish
Russian				Fan translation by Tolma4 Team.

VR support

3D modes	State	Notes
Nvidia 3D Vision		See Helix Mod: Life is Strange: Before the Storm.
vorpX		G3D, Z3D Officially supported game, see official vorpx game list.

Devices
Tobii Eye Tracking

Issues unresolved

Stuttering

Enable 60 FPS cap from the video setting menu^{[citation needed]}

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	11
OpenGL		macOS/Linux only

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows
macOS (OS X)
Linux

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Audio	Criware
Cutscenes	Criware

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum
Operating system (OS)	7
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core i3-2100 3.1 GHz AMD Phenom X4 945 3.0 GHz
System memory (RAM)	3 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	14 GB
Video card (GPU)	AMD Radeon R7 250 Nvidia GeForce GTX 650 DirectX 11 compatible

A 64-bit operating system is required.

macOS (OS X)
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	10.13.5	10.13.6
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core i5 2.0 GHz
System memory (RAM)	8 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	28 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce GT 650M AMD Radeon R9 M290 Intel Iris 5100 1 GB of VRAM

This game is not currently supported on volumes formatted as Case-sensitive.

A 64-bit operating system is required.

Linux
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	Ubuntu 18.04
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core i3-4130T 2.9 GHz	Intel Core i7-4770 3.4 GHz
System memory (RAM)	4 GB	8 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	28 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 AMD Radeon R9 270 2 GB of VRAM	Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 AMD Radeon RX 470 4 GB of VRAM

AMD GPUs require Mesa driver 18.1.6, Nvidia cards require driver 396.54 or better.

Intel GPUs are not supported at time of release.

A 64-bit operating system is required.

Notes

↑ Unity engine build: 5.5.3p1^[2]

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 On September 13th, Life is Strange: Before the Storm arrives on macOS and Linux - last accessed on 2018-09-05
↑ Verified by User:Vetle on 2017-08-31
↑ LIFE IS STRANGE : BEFORE THE STORM EULA - last accessed on 2017-09-04
↑ Life is Strange: Before the Storm episode two is out now, without its Denuvo protection | PCGamesN
↑ THEY REMOVED DENUVO!! :: Life is Strange: Before the Storm General Discussions
↑ ^6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 Ratchet302: Game Tweaking - Life is Strange Before the Storm
↑ ReShade
↑ Square Enix's Japanese game site

[3] Unity engine build: 5.5.3p1^[2]

[Feral_Interactive-1] 1.0 ^1.1 ^1.2 ^1.3 On September 13th, Life is Strange: Before the Storm arrives on macOS and Linux - last accessed on 2018-09-05

[engineversion-2] Verified by User:Vetle on 2017-08-31

[4] LIFE IS STRANGE : BEFORE THE STORM EULA - last accessed on 2017-09-04

[5] Life is Strange: Before the Storm episode two is out now, without its Denuvo protection | PCGamesN

[6] THEY REMOVED DENUVO!! :: Life is Strange: Before the Storm General Discussions

[tweaks-7] 6.0 ^6.1 ^6.2 Ratchet302: Game Tweaking - Life is Strange Before the Storm

[ReShade-8] ReShade

[9] Square Enix's Japanese game site

[1]

[Note 1]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[2]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{cleanup}}
 {{Infobox game
 |cover        = Life Is Strange Before the Storm cover.jpg
@@ Line 47: / Line 48: @@
 ==Essential improvements==
-===Skip intro videos and/or Disable chromatic aberration and/or Disable depth of field===
+===Disable intro videos, chromatic aberration, and depth of field===
 {{Fixbox|description=Instructions|ref=<ref name="tweaks">[https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/tweaking/index.html Ratchet302: Game Tweaking - Life is Strange Before the Storm]</ref>|fix=
-{{--}} The following does not work with latest game version(s). Main menu does not appear.
+Use [https://archive.org/details/assemblycsharp modded .dll file]. The [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/modding/index.html manual procedure] may also work.
-{{ii}} [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/modding/index.html '''The manual procedure may work'''].  Please share the resulting DLL files if you do this. EDIT (August 31 2019): Here is a modified DLL that works at the date of posting: https://archive.org/details/assemblycsharp (The modified DLL still works perfectly as of the 11th October 2019, many many thanks)
-# Choose only one mod file from [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/tweaking/index.html '''Ratchet302'''] (all include "Skip Intro".)
-# Rename {{p|game}}\Life is Strange - Before the Storm_Data\Managed\{{file|Assembly-CSharp.dll}} to {{file|Assembly-CSharp.dll.bak}}
-# Extract the mod file into the installation folder and overwrite.
 }}
@@ Line 73: / Line 69: @@
 {{Game data/saves|Linux|{{p|linuxhome}}\.config\unity3d\Feral Interactive\Life is Strange Before the Storm\Saves\{{P|uid}}\SLOT_{{code|##}}\*.Save}}
 }}
-{{--}} Save files are encrypted.<ref>There are [https://github.com/IgelRM/LiS-BtS-Savegame-viewer third party save editing tools] available.</ref>
+{{--}} Save files are encrypted. See [https://github.com/IgelRM/LiS-BtS-Savegame-viewer LiS-BtS-Savegame-viewer].
 ===[[Glossary:Save game cloud syncing|Save game cloud syncing]]===
@@ Line 102: / Line 98: @@
 |4k ultra hd wsgf award     =
 |widescreen resolution      = true
-|widescreen resolution notes= add "'''-window-mode exclusive -screen-width 1280 -screen-height 720'''" to steam launch
+|widescreen resolution notes= See [[#Widescreen resolution|Widescreen resolution]] if game won't change to another resolution in-game.
-options/shortcut if game won't change to another resolution in-game
 |multimonitor               = hackable
 |multimonitor notes         = See the [https://www.wsgf.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=172346#p172346 WSGF topic].
@@ Line 111: / Line 106: @@
 |4k ultra hd notes          =
 |fov                        = false
-|fov notes                  =
+|fov notes                  = Check [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/modding/index.html#general-custom-field-of-view here]
 |windowed                   = true
 |windowed notes             =
 |borderless windowed        = true
-|borderless windowed notes  = Use the "Fullscreen" option.
+|borderless windowed notes  = By default. Use <code>-window-mode exclusive</code> command line argument for exclusive fullscreen.
 |anisotropic                = false
 |anisotropic notes          =
 |antialiasing               = true
-|antialiasing notes         = Visible jaggies and no temporal AA. See [[#Enhanced anti-aliasing (SMAA)|Enhanced anti-aliasing (SMAA)]].
+|antialiasing notes         = Visible jaggies and no temporal AA. See [[#Anti-aliasing (AA)|Anti-aliasing (AA)]].
 |vsync                      = hackable
-|vsync notes                = Frame lock only (none/30fps/60fps.) See [[#Higher_frame_rate_.2F_Screen_tearing_fix|Higher frame rate / Screen tearing fix]].
+|vsync notes                = Frame lock only (none/30fps/60fps.) See [[#High frame rate|High frame rate]].
 |60 fps                     = true
 |60 fps notes               =
@@ Line 132: / Line 127: @@
 }}
-===16:10 resolution without black bars===
+===Widescreen resolution===
-{{Fixbox|description=Configure your driver settings|fix=
+{{Fixbox|description=16:10 resolution without black bars|fix=
-# Follow the tutorial: [https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1198409402 Removing black bars from 16:10 screens].
+See [https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1198409402 Removing black bars from 16:10 screens].
 }}
-===Disable chromatic aberration===
+{{Fixbox|description=Force resolution / Fix [[Glossary:Downsampling|DSR and VSR]]|fix=
-{{Fixbox|description=Disable chromatic aberration|ref=|fix=
+# Run the Windows <code>Registry Editor</code> ('regedit')
-[[#Essential_improvements|See '''Essential Improvements''']]
+# Navigate to {{code|{{P|hkcu}}\SOFTWARE\Square Enix\Life is Strange: Before the Storm\}}
-}}
+# Double-click {{code|Screenmanager Resolution Width_h182942802}} >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to {{code|##}} (ex. "3840" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
+# Double-click {{code|Screenmanager Resolution Height_h2627697771}} >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to {{code|##}} (ex. "2160" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
+# Close the Registry Editor window.  Changes were saved as they were made.
+# Open Steam >> Library tab
+# Right-click 'Life is Strange: Before the Storm' >> Properties
+# Click 'Set Launch Options' >> Add "'''-window-mode exclusive -screen-width {{code|##}} -screen-height {{code|##}}'''" (ex. "3840" and "2160" for 4K) >> OK
+# Run the game. See important notes below.
-===Disable depth of field===
+'''Notes'''
-{{Fixbox|description=Disable depth of field|ref=|fix=
+{{ii}} Forces the game to run full-screen at the desired resolution.
-[[#Essential_improvements|See '''Essential Improvements''']]
+{{ii}} Fixes DSR/VSR (Dynamic Super Resolution / Virtual Super Resolution.)
+{{ii}} Before using a DSR/VSR resolution, ensure you have it enabled in your video card's control panel.
+{{--}} [[#High frame rate|Screen_tearing_fix]].  Screen tearing may need to be fixed when forcing resolution, even when the FPS counter shows a proper value.
+{{--}} Game reverts to the maximum current desktop resolution if not forced per above steps.  While higher resolutions are selectable in-game and appear to apply, the resolution will not change (note that overlays like FPS counters and the Steam overlay will remain the same size.)  Re-visiting the in-game video settings will show the selected resolution reverted to the current desktop resolution.
 }}
-===Exclusive fullscreen===
+===Anti-aliasing (AA)===
-{{Fixbox|description=Exclusive fullscreen|fix=
+{{Fixbox|description=Use SMAA with Reshade|ref=<ref name="ReShade">[https://reshade.me ReShade]</ref>|fix=
-{{ii}} By default the fullscreen option is borderless window.
-# Right-click the game in the Steam library and click on 'Properties'.
-# Click on 'Launch Options' and add <code>-window-mode exclusive</code>, then press ok.
-{{--}} Gameplay smoothness is poorer in Exclusive Fullscreen Mode than Borderless Windowed Mode.
-}}
-===Enhanced anti-aliasing (SMAA)===
-{{Fixbox|description=Enhanced Anti-Aliasing (SMAA) with Reshade|ref=<ref name="ReShade">[https://reshade.me ReShade]</ref>|fix=
 '''Install the ReShade post-processing injector:'''
 # Download [https://reshade.me/#download '''ReShade''']
@@ Line 185: / Line 181: @@
 }}
-===[[Glossary:Frame rate (FPS)|Higher frame rate]] / [[Glossary:Vertical sync (Vsync)|Screen tearing fix]]===
+===[[Glossary:Frame rate (FPS)|High frame rate]]===
 {{Fixbox|description=Higher frame rate / Screen tearing fix (V-Sync)|fix=
 # Change in-game Settings >> Video >> <code>Frame Rate Limit</code> option to '''OFF'''. (See Notes below.)
 # Set <code>V-Sync</code> from your graphics card control panel for this game to '''ON'''.
-# Run the game in [[#Exclusive_fullscreen|'''Exclusive Fullscreen''']] for locking FPS at monitor refresh rate.
+# Run the game with <code>-window-mode exclusive</code> command line argument for locking FPS at monitor refresh rate.
 '''Notes'''
@@ Line 197: / Line 193: @@
 }}
-===Force resolution / Fix [[Glossary:Downsampling|DSR and VSR]]===
+===Chromatic aberration===
-{{Fixbox|description=Force resolution|fix=
+{{Fixbox|description=Disable chromatic aberration||ref=<ref name="tweaks"/>|fix=
-# Run the Windows <code>Registry Editor</code> ('regedit')
+Use [https://archive.org/details/assemblycsharp modded .dll file]. The [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/modding/index.html manual procedure] may also work.
-# Navigate to {{code|{{P|hkcu}}\SOFTWARE\Square Enix\Life is Strange: Before the Storm\}}
+}}
-# Double-click {{code|Screenmanager Resolution Width_h182942802}} >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to {{code|##}} (ex. "3840" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
-# Double-click {{code|Screenmanager Resolution Height_h2627697771}} >> Change 'Base' to "Decimal" >> Change 'Value Data' to {{code|##}} (ex. "2160" for 4K) >> Click 'OK'
-# Close the Registry Editor window.  Changes were saved as they were made.
-# Open Steam >> Library tab
-# Right-click 'Life is Strange: Before the Storm' >> Properties
-# Click 'Set Launch Options' >> Add "'''-window-mode exclusive -screen-width {{code|##}} -screen-height {{code|##}}'''" (ex. "3840" and "2160" for 4K) >> OK
-# Run the game. See important notes below.
-'''Notes'''
+===Depth of field===
-{{ii}} Forces the game to run full-screen at the desired resolution.
+{{Fixbox|description=Disable depth of field||ref=<ref name="tweaks"/>|fix=
-{{ii}} Fixes DSR/VSR (Dynamic Super Resolution / Virtual Super Resolution.)
+Use [https://archive.org/details/assemblycsharp modded .dll file]. The [https://ratchet302.gitlab.io/content/games/l/life-is-strange-before-the-storm/modding/index.html manual procedure] may also work.
-{{ii}} Before using a DSR/VSR resolution, ensure you have it enabled in your video card's control panel.
-{{--}} [[#Higher_frame_rate_.2F_Screen_tearing_fix|'''Screen tearing fix''']].  Screen tearing may need to be fixed when forcing resolution, even when the FPS counter shows a proper value.
-{{--}} Game reverts to the maximum current desktop resolution if not forced per above steps.  While higher resolutions are selectable in-game and appear to apply, the resolution will not change (note that overlays like FPS counters and the Steam overlay will remain the same size.)  Re-visiting the in-game video settings will show the selected resolution reverted to the current desktop resolution.
 }}
@@ Line 438: / Line 424: @@
 ==Issues unresolved==
 ===Stuttering===
-{{Fixbox|description=Enable 60 FPS Cap|fix=
+{{Fixbox|description=Enable 60 FPS cap from the video setting menu|ref={{cn}}|fix=
-# Activate the framerate cap from the video setting menu.
 }}

Developers

	Deck Nine
macOS (OS X)	Feral Interactive^[1]
Linux	Feral Interactive^[1]
Publishers
	Square Enix
Engines
	Unity 5^{[Note 1]}
Release dates
Windows	August 31, 2017
macOS (OS X)	September 13, 2018^[1]
Linux	September 13, 2018^[1]