Star Wars: Squadrons

STAR WARS: Squadrons

Developers
	Motive Studios
Publishers
	Electronic Arts
Engines
	Frostbite 3
Release dates
Windows	October 2, 2020
Reception
Metacritic	79
OpenCritic	79
IGDB	81
Taxonomy
Monetization	One-time game purchase
Microtransactions	None
Modes	Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	First-person
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Action, Vehicle combat
Vehicles	Space flight
Art styles	Realistic
Themes	Sci-fi, Space
Series	Star Wars

Star Wars: Squadrons is a first-person action and vehicle combat game in the Star Wars series. The game features a singleplayer story campaign, as well as two multiplayer modes titled Dogfight and Fleet Battles. It can be played with and without a

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Graphics and video

Resolutions

• Widescreen resolution
• Multi-monitor
• Ultra-widescreen
• 4K Ultra HD
• Custom resolution
• Scaling

Video settings

• Field of view (FOV)
• Windowed / borderless fullscreen
• Anisotropic filtering (AF)
• Anti-aliasing (AA)
• High-fidelity upscaling
• Vertical sync (Vsync)
• Frame rate (FPS)
• High dynamic range (HDR)
• Ray tracing (RT)
• Color blind mode

Hardware

• Graphics card
• Variable refresh rate (VRR)
• Virtual reality (VR) headset

For a list of games, see List of VR games.

General information

Virtual Reality on Wikipedia

Virtual Reality headset on Wikipedia

Key points

Virtual reality (VR in short) means simulated enviroment experienced by user, with PC gaming, this means usage of virtual reality headset with games. This replaces monitor as window for the game and places the player inside the game instead.

General

Current standards that are being utilized by the games are following:

• SteamVR (also known as OpenVR, which is not to be confused with OSVR)
• Oculus SDK
• Open Source VR (OSVR)
• Windows Mixed Reality (WMR)
• OpenXR

Currently compatibility is up to what standard the game is utilizing and what headsets the standard supports. With compatibility layers, it is possible to make game use another standard or headset to work with another standard, but compatibility is not always quaranteed.

OpenXR is standardization effort to fix this fragmentation. Stable version of OpenXR was released in July 29, 2019, with the implementation being added to various VR platforms as follows:

• SteamVR since 1.16 in February 2021
• Oculus SDK for Quest/Quest 2/Quest Pro since July 2021
• Windows Mixed Reality headsets via OpenXR for Windows Mixed Reality app
• HTC Vive Cosmos, Vive Focus 3 and Vive XR Elite
• Varjo PC platform

Software

Official software

SteamVR

Steam is required to install the software, however Steam is not required to run SteamVR.

Oculus App

Oculus or Facebook account is required.

Mixed Reality Portal

Windows 10, and a Microsoft account is required to download the Mixed Reality Portal from the Microsoft Store.

OSVR HDK

Natively supports SteamVR.

Compatibility layers

Compatibility Layer	Application Type	Runs Under	Notes
Revive	Oculus	SteamVR OpenXR	Open source. Supports OpenXR, but can can also be used in combination of other compatibility layers (e.g., Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR to play Oculus games).
OpenComposite	SteamVR	Oculus	Open source. Altough SteamVR already has support for Oculus headsets, this can provide better performance and compatibility on top of eliminating need to install Steam and downloading gigabytes of data required by SteamVR.
Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR	SteamVR	Windows Mixed Reality	Free. Compatibility layer to use any Windows Mixed Reality headset with SteamVR.
RiftCat VRidge	Oculus SteamVR	Google Cardboard HTC Vive Focus Oculus Go Samsung Gear VR Google Daydream	Shareware Allows streaming HTC Vive and Oculus compatible games to mobile VR headsets over a wireless connection or USB.
Trinus PSVR	SteamVR	PlayStation VR	Shareware. Compatibility layer and drivers for using PlayStation VR headset, PlayStation Move Controllers, and PlayStation Eye Cameras with SteamVR.
Trinus Cardboard	SteamVR	Google Cardboard	Shareware Allows streaming HTC Vive (and by extension, SteamVR) compatible games to Google Cardboard headsets over a wireless connection.
Trinus VR	SteamVR	Google Daydream	Shareware Allows streaming HTC Vive (and by extension, SteamVR) compatible games to Google Daydream headsets over a wireless connection.

VR drivers

VR drivers mean software which can take games designed to be played with traditional monitor and make them playable with VR headsets, including stereoscopic vision and head movement.

vorpX

Commercial.

See vorpX page for list of game support.

Vireio Perception

Currently only games using DirectX 9 are supported.

Has not been updated since 2016, no compatibility with newer headsets.

Other software

Software	Notes
OpenVR Advanced Settings	Open source. Adds additional settings and utilities to SteamVR, such as audio/microphone, play area, chaperone, super-sampling, and motion smoothing settings. Source code and pre-compiled installers can be acquired from GitHub.
OpenVR-InputEmulator	Open source. Adds settings that allow for creating virtual controllers (which allows for controllers like gun controllers that use Vive trackers to be used with games that don't officially support it), controller button remapping, and adjusting position and rotation of controllers. No longer being maintained, and compatibility broke with recent versions of SteamVR. Alternatively, SteamVR's built-in input settings can be used for controller rebinding. For using different controllers and tracking systems, use OpenVR-SpaceCalibrator.
OpenVR-SpaceCalibrator	Open source. Adds calibration settings to SteamVR that allows aligning multiple different tracking systems, such as using Valve Index or SteamVR Base Station compatible HTC Vive controllers with Oculus or Windows Mixed Reality headsets.
ChaperoneTweak	Open source. Allows you to adjust the chaperone boundaries in SteamVR, as well as the available playspace.
TurnSignal	Open Source. Adds an overlay to the ground which will twist based on the player rotation, which is useful to prevent headset cables from twisting or tangling. Source code can be acquired from GitHub.
fpsVR	Paid. Adds a customizable framerate and performance overlay, alongside other settings and utilities.
OVR Toolkit	Paid. An overlay and utilities that has support for viewing desktop windows without the SteamVR dashboard, with customization options, and media controls for music.
Virtual Desktop	Paid A software that can project the computer screen to the headset, and as well as playing media files on the PC. Requires SteamVR to play VR games. The wireless version of the app allow the standalone VR headsets to connect to the PC via WiFi in conjunction with the Virtual Desktop streaming app on the PC, without relying on the headset manufacturers' streaming software. The wireless version can also allow the VR motion controllers to acts as a XInput controllers.

Play Area

Game should always adjust the playing area based on headset and room setup process automatically. Some games offer choises to change between differend kind of play areas, but usually this is determined by virtual reality headset setup process and changing it e.g. from room-scale to standing might require re-setup.

Games which require room-scale might not be playable with standing or seated setups, however games requiring seated should always work with all setups.

If games do not offer or detect play area correctly, there can be issues e.g. being able to clip outside intented areas like helmet character is wearing or seeing chaperone when playing game seated near or outside room-scale area.

Seated

Common with games made for regular monitors having VR mode or using VR drivers, racing games, etc.

This is the basic level of support and all headsets should support at least this play area. This is also only supported play area with something like google cardboard.

Heads spacial movement is completely disabled in this mode as in you can look around, but you cannot move your heads position from its current position, alternatively extremely limited. Position is usually centered when game is launched and can be re-centered if it drifts from headset overlay.

Games usually prefer keyboard and mouse or controller for the gameplay, motion controllers can be supported but overall interactivity with them is also limited.

Standing

More common with games made specifically for VR and games which utilize motion controllers.

Usually featured in more higher end headsets with some level of spacial tracking. Allows rotational movement, crouching and sometimes small amount of spacial movement, but generally player is assumed to not leave single spot.

Allows generally wider range of movement with head inside the virtual reality space and usually requires motion controllers to be used.

Room-Scale

Overall really similar to standing experience, but on top of everything you can physically move around in the virtual space. Requirements for space vary, but for SteamVR smallest area is at least 1.5m*2m.

Utilizes features like chaperone, virtual boundry to tell where real life boundries are or camera passtrough so that when physically moving in virtual space you won't get out of real life bounds.

List of VR headsets and peripherals

Valve

• Valve Index
  • Valve Index Controller

HTC

PC VR only

• HTC Vive
• HTC Vive Pro
• HTC Vive Cosmos
  • Vive Controller
  • Vive Tracker

Standalone

• HTC Vive Focus 3
• HTC Vive XR Elite

Oculus/Meta

PC VR only

• Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2
• Oculus Rift
  • Oculus Touch
• Oculus Rift S
  • Oculus Touch (2nd-generation)

Standalone

• Oculus Quest
  • Oculus Touch (2nd-generation)
• Oculus Go (Mobile)
• Meta Quest 2
  • Oculus Touch (3rd-generation)
• Meta Quest Pro
  • Meta Quest Touch Pro
• Meta Quest 3
  • Meta Quest Touch Plus

Pico

• Pico Neo 2
• Pico Neo 3
• Pico 4

Windows Mixed Reality

• Acer Windows Mixed Reality Headset
• Dell Visor
• HP Windows Mixed Reality Headset
• Lenovo Explorer
• Samsung HMD Odyssey
• Asus Windows Mixed Reality Headset
• Samsung HMD Odyssey+
• Acer OJO 500
• HP Reverb G2

Open Source VR

• OSVR Hacker Development Kit

Sony Playstation

• PlayStation VR
  • PlayStation Move
  • PlayStation VR Aim Controller
• PlayStation VR2
  • PlayStation VR2 Sense Controller

Mobile

• Google Cardboard
• Google Daydream
• Samsung Gear VR

References

The game was released on October 2, 2020.

General information

Official forums

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Epic Games Store
Origin		Included with EA Play.
Steam		Included with EA Play (Steam)
(unavailable)
Green Man Gaming (unavailable)
Humble Store (unavailable)

All versions require an EA account and Denuvo Anti-Tamper DRM.

Version differences

Epic Games Store versions purchased before October 2, 2021 included the Vanguard Squadron X-wing Glider for Fortnite.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons\settings
Steam	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons Steam\settings
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1222730/pfx/

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons\settings
Steam	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons Steam\settings
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/1222730/pfx/

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Epic Games Launcher		Handled through the cloud sync of Origin.
Origin
OneDrive		Requires enabling backup of the Documents folder in OneDrive on all computers.
Steam Cloud

Video

Screen settings

Video settings

Graphics feature	State	Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen		Hor+ gameplay.
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Anti-aliasing (AA)		TAA High/Low option, as well as a TAA sharpening slider, and resolution scale for SSAA. Cannot be disabled.
Vertical sync (Vsync)
60 FPS and 120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)
Color blind mode		Deuteranopia, Protanopia, Tritanopia

Disable motion blur

Some builds (1.1 and previous) of the game have motion blur forced on with no option to disable it.

Modify configuration files
Navigate to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons Steam\settings, and find ProfileOptions_profile. Open this file with Notepad.exe or equivalent, and set the values GstRender.MotionBlur and GstRender.MotionBlurEnabled to 0.

Disable HDR

Newer builds of the game may have High Dynamic Range enabled with no option to disable it.

Modify configuration files
Navigate to %USERPROFILE%\Documents\STAR WARS Squadrons Steam\settings, and find ProfileOptions_profile. Open this file with any text editor, and set the values GstRender.HdrEnable to 0.

Input

Controls settings

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping		Can be found in the settings menu under Controls > Remap Controls > [subsection] > Keyboard & Mouse.
Mouse acceleration		Follows the Enhanced pointer precision option of Windows
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus		Can be toggled using the Allow Mouse Functionality option
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support
Controller remapping		Four presets: Custom (user-specified bindings), Default, Aviator, Southpaw. To specify the custom bindings, go to the settings menu, under Controls > Remap Controls > [subsection] > Controller.
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts
Impulse Trigger vibration

PlayStation controllers
PlayStation button prompts		Xbox prompts are used
Light bar support
Adaptive trigger support
DualSense haptic feedback support
Connection modes	Wired, Wireless (Bluetooth) V2 tested. Wireless adapter gets detected as a flight stick.

Tracked motion controllers

Generic/other controllers
Button prompts		HOTAS-styled

Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

• 

  Xbox controller

• 

  Keyboard and mouse

Audio

Audio settings

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls		Master, Music, SFX, Dialogue, and Voice Chat
Surround sound		Auto, Enhanced Stereo, Surround 5.1 & 7.1, and Binaural (Headphones)
Subtitles		Customizable size and background
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost		Audio > Keep Audio in Background toggle
Royalty free audio		Licensed Star Wars Iconic theme plays in the background

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Polish
Brazilian Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Latin American Spanish

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Native	Players	Notes
Local play
LAN play
Online play		10	Co-op, Versus Allows crossplay across all platforms, both consoles and other PC digital distribution platforms.

Connection types

Type	Native	Notes
Matchmaking

Update Easy Anti-Cheat (in case of issues)

Squadrons comes with Easy AntiCheat 4.0.0.0 from 2020. But there is already at least version 6.0.0.0. In case you suspect any crashes or other issues due to AntiCheat, there is a simple method to update to the latest version:
Go to www.easy.ac/en-us/support/game/guides/service/ and download the latest version of "EasyAntiCheat.exe" Copy the downloaded file into the <path-to-game>\STAR WARS Squadrons\EasyAntiCheat\ subfolder among the local game files. Run the downloaded "EasyAntiCheat.exe" in that location. There will be an option to select "Current game" and press "Repair Service". Done[citation needed]

Disable Easy Anti-Cheat

Launch the game using the <path-to-game>\starwarssquadrons.exe executable

Steam users also need to create a text document called steam_appid.txt in the game folder with the contents 1222730 as otherwise launching <path-to-game>\starwarssquadrons.exe directly will not work. An alternative method is to rename <path-to-game>\starwarssquadrons_launcher.exe to something else and then rename starwarssquadrons.exe to starwarssquadrons_launcher.exe as this will bypass the Easy Anti-Cheat launcher when running the game through e.g. Steam's library. This method will have to be reapplied after each update. After a recent patch this method might not work on Origin.[citation needed]

VR support

Headsets	State	Notes
SteamVR
Oculus VR (LibOVR)
Windows Mixed Reality		Requires Windows Mixed Reality for SteamVR.

Devices
Tracked motion controllers
Traditional controller		See Input for details.
Keyboard/Mouse
TrackIR		Supports: Yaw, Pitch, Roll, X, Y, Z.

Play area
Seated
Standing
Room-scale

Issues fixed

Crash at the start of a mission

The game might crash to desktop, right after the loading screen has finished, when loading into a mission in singleplayer.

Lower Volumetric Quality to Medium.

Other information

Accessibility options

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	11	A D3D12 API can be found in the configuration file "ProfileOptions_profile" under "GstRender.EnableDx12" but it doesn't do anything.

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Anti-cheat	Easy Anti-Cheat	v4.0.0.0 (2020)

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	10
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core i5-7600 AMD Ryzen 3 1300X	Intel Core i7-7700 AMD Ryzen 3 3200G
System memory (RAM)	8 GB	16 GB
Hard disk drive (HDD)	30 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 AMD Radeon HD 7850 DirectX 11 compatible	Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 AMD Radeon RX 480

A 64-bit operating system is required.