Resolution/Aspect Ratio/Black Bars/Widescreen Fix - Kinda

[Flybye]

There are a few fixes floating around in reddit which involves editing the Death Stranding .exe file to include your aspect ratio which is what I did in the beginning. There is also a 3rd party tool that is able to fix it. After a while, editing the .exe does not solve the issue for everyone, and the 3rd party tool sometimes causes Death Stranding to crash.

This is what I have been doing for a few builds now. It is not a permanent fix since every time you start the game you need to flip the aspect ratio option in the video settings, but it only takes a few seconds. I figured I'd make this its own post since some people are worried of editing the .exe and some are also worried of downloading a 3rd party tool just to make a game work.

So here is what I have been doing for a few builds now. Let me know if it works for you. It still won’t show your resolution/aspect ration as an option in the video settings, but it should force them visually in the game like it does for me and how it as for others that have done the same.

Steps:

1. Go to your Death Stranding folder (...\Steam\steamapps\common\Death Stranding)
2. Make a copy of settings.cfg to save as your backup.
3. Edit settings.cfg. Notepad is fine. Make these changes. abc is where you enter your horizontal resolution, and xyz is where you enter your vertical resolution. e.g. If your resolution is 2304 x 1440, you would enter as "rendering_width" "2304" & "rendering_height" "1440"

So the changes to make in the settings.cfg file are:

"rendering_width" "abc"
"rendering_height" "xyz"

and

"window_right" "abc"
"window_bottom" "xyz"

Make sure these are also this:
"window_left" "0"
"window_top" "0"

"window_mode" "0"

4. Save and close the file.
5. On the file: Right click > Properties
6. At the bottom of the window: Attributes: check mark Read-Only. Click Apply and OK.
7. Start Death Stranding.
8. You will get error: Invalid Graphics Configuration. Window Setting Ignore. Just click OK.
9. At the moment your resolution may not be applied yet.
10. Click Options > Graphic Settings > Change Aspect Ratio to 21.9.
11. Push Escape > Error Changes will be lost. Click OK.
12. Push Escape to go back to main menu.
13. Your resolution should be applied now. Start the game to confirm.

This currently works for me with my 16:10 resolution, and I am running the latest patch of ds.exe which is version 1.0.6.0, and it is unaltered.

The only thing about this is you DO need to do that that trick in the graphic settings in-game every time you start the game, but after a while I have gotten use to it, and it only takes a few seconds. You don't have to touch the config file after you initially edited it.

[Flybye]

Publicado originalmente por Drift Monkey:

Publicado originalmente por Flybye:

I had originally mentioned my steps because I noticed people were very worried about installing unknown software.

Plus I’m on the Deck. Not sure if the latest update broke yours as well?

Oh the deck I’m not sure about. That was my fix for Windows.

[Drift Monkey]

Publicado originalmente por Flybye:

Publicado originalmente por Drift Monkey:

Plus I’m on the Deck. Not sure if the latest update broke yours as well?

Oh the deck I’m not sure about. That was my fix for Windows.

The Deck uses the same file system/format (Proton) so it uses the same .cfg file settings.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Is
Steam deck is Valve's Steam OS custom Linux
I would image it would use something like Proton to run the Windows executes using magics lol... so what ever fix works on windows would have worked with the Steam Deck. Just a guess.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

I just tried the 3840x1080 fix and it worked just sweet :P
38:9 3840x1080 = https://1drv.ms/u/s!At2MgGoSpQmqox6bkyMqR-uE7ZQk?e=oAgQiz
48:9 = https://1drv.ms/u/s!At2MgGoSpQmqoyNfhkOop8LEvLc6?e=E2px3M
3440x1440 = https://1drv.ms/u/s!At2MgGoSpQmqoyJvkw747UbowbLW?e=T1dObj
2560x1080 = https://1drv.ms/u/s!At2MgGoSpQmqoyT1JxR11VF5IqMz?e=o7bpgg

CodeFusion Wizard deserves the credit for these files
They just on my one drive... heaps old files had them for ages :) enjoy

[DebiK]

Is it work for 1680x1050 (16:10) on Director's Cut?

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Publicado originalmente por DebiK:

Is it work for 1680x1050 (16:10) on Director's Cut?

The OP's method should still b a thing if not and or the patchers are not working you could Hex edit your games exe to modify the resolution / aspect that you want / need.

How to change aspect ratio
1. Open Program HxD > Click File and Open ds.exe
2. Ctrl+R > Click “Hex-values” > Click Search Direction “All” > Write 55 55 15 40 in Search for,
3. Replace with Hex value of your Resolution’s Aspect Ratio

16:10 = CD CC CC 3F

4. Click Replace All
5. Save and play

Maybe change in the settings from 21:9 to 16:9 and then back to 21:9.

Freeware Hex editor
Official HxD site = https://mh-nexus.de/en/hxd/

source = https://www.gamepretty.com/death-stranding-directors-cut-ultra-widescreen-support/

List of Aspect ratios and their Hex value
https://www.wsgf.org/article/common-hex-values

[Flybye]

The only problem with the hex editor is the .exe gets replaced with every update which isn’t too frequent.

[Arokhantos]

How game even allowed to be in this state even the old game was easier to patch then this, this is so bad they put in measures just to prevent you from playing the game the way its intended to be played, pathetic......

[Ezhnovex]

This does not work with the Director's Cut and it never has. Only the base game. I've tried everything to get the game to display at my DSR resolution of 6880x2880 but this version does not accept custom resolutions. The hex edit to correct the 21:9 (3440x1440 for me) format still works which is a good start. The game only allows up to 4k in its short list of pre-programmed accepted resolutions - I'm sure that is what OP was getting without knowing it (use reshade or another program to check the games render window and you will see that is the case. The only way to get custom resolutions to work is for the devs to modify the executable to allow for it - or some savy person to take up the task. Until then no custom resolutions for us.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Publicado originalmente por Raziel:

This does not work with the Director's Cut and it never has. Only the base game. I've tried everything to get the game to display at my DSR resolution of 6880x2880 but this version does not accept custom resolutions. The hex edit to correct the 21:9 (3440x1440 for me) format still works which is a good start. The game only allows up to 4k in its short list of pre-programmed accepted resolutions - I'm sure that is what OP was getting without knowing it (use reshade or another program to check the games render window and you will see that is the case. The only way to get custom resolutions to work is for the devs to modify the executable to allow for it - or some savy person to take up the task. Until then no custom resolutions for us.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2789144743
My screens suggest your wrong
We have been able to play with custom res since launch, If you fixed it with information provided in this thread.

I am installing now just to test and make sure that it is still working... I see no reason why not as there has been NO update.

Before you attemp to edit your game's exe or use one of the patchers
You must set game to 16:9 in the graphic settings
Once you edit the game and return you will see something like this
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3023859021

You can see the game says 21:9 but the resolution clearly says 3840x1080 this = 32:9
This was installed and fixed JUST NOW it is 100% working just fine.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Publicado originalmente por Arokhantos™:

How game even allowed to be in this state even the old game was easier to patch then this, this is so bad they put in measures just to prevent you from playing the game the way its intended to be played, pathetic......

What consoles do you know that game at aspects other than 16:9 and 21:9 ???

16:9 and 21:9 is the way the game was intended to be played... Being as this is a console game that was ported to PC a year after launch.

[Ezhnovex]

Publicado originalmente por XGSDonkyBoY:

Publicado originalmente por Raziel:

This does not work with the Director's Cut and it never has. Only the base game. I've tried everything to get the game to display at my DSR resolution of 6880x2880 but this version does not accept custom resolutions. The hex edit to correct the 21:9 (3440x1440 for me) format still works which is a good start. The game only allows up to 4k in its short list of pre-programmed accepted resolutions - I'm sure that is what OP was getting without knowing it (use reshade or another program to check the games render window and you will see that is the case. The only way to get custom resolutions to work is for the devs to modify the executable to allow for it - or some savy person to take up the task. Until then no custom resolutions for us.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2789144743
My screens suggest your wrong
We have been able to play with custom res since launch, If you fixed it with information provided in this thread.

I am installing now just to test and make sure that it is still working... I see no reason why not as there has been NO update.

Before you attemp to edit your game's exe or use one of the patchers
You must set game to 16:9 in the graphic settings
Once you edit the game and return you will see something like this
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3023859021

You can see the game says 21:9 but the resolution clearly says 3840x1080 this = 32:9
This was installed and fixed JUST NOW it is 100% working just fine.

Unfortunately, it doesn't work for me and I don't know why.

https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197969836830/screenshot/2010348888307400753/

I really wish I could get DSR to work. I'm on Windows 11, maybe that has something to do with it? I would really appreciate some further help as this is one of my favorite games.

EDIT: What's weird is the screenshots are my DSR resolution of 6880x2880 but in game it says 5160x2160, and reshade comfirms thats - also when I use DLSS it shows the wrong scaling at the different settings. Now I'm even more confused. Someone please clear up the ingorance on my part.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

Try to get it working 1st with out the DSR and DLSS stuff...

Once working start turning on other features until it breaks it. then you will find the culprit.

Make sure to set the in aspect to 16:9 1st and exit before trying to fix it.
I am on Windows 11 and not having issues but I do not run DSR or DLSS if I can help it.

[Ezhnovex]

Publicado originalmente por XGSDonkyBoY:

Try to get it working 1st with out the DSR and DLSS stuff...

Once working start turning on other features until it breaks it. then you will find the culprit.

Make sure to set the in aspect to 16:9 1st and exit before trying to fix it.
I am on Windows 11 and not having issues but I do not run DSR or DLSS if I can help it.

Ahh, I see now. We were both misunderstanding each other. For clarity, I can get my NATIVE resolution and aspect ratio (3440x1440 21:9) with the simple hex edit as I mentioned before. BUT, DSR resolutions use to be detected by the original base game using the config file trick you mentioned at the beginning of the thread.

My original declaration of the fix not working for DSR resolutions not working with the Directors Cut still stands. Which was my only complaint - I have a better system now and would love to take advantage of the "DSR 4x + DLSS performance" combo to get even better fidelity. I use it in quiet a few games and it looks amazing. So, you can see my disappointment that I can't do it in my favorite game.

[[XGS]DonkyBoY]

So let me get this right....
You are trying to over render the game to a higher resolution than your monitor
AND then
running DLSS to AI upscale using performance mode ewwwww.

What is the point ???

AM I missing something have I got it wrong ???
If you want best fidelity DO NOT use any AI upscaling trash play at native....

Also the OP post with config edit is not mine ;)