Bugs (and fix) after game update (14-Dec-2015)... (BEFORE YOU BUY)

[hexaae]

BUG! Textures issues after this Steam update (not present before):

-Buggy shadows on faces (head, face, neck)
-Water puddles flickering
-very slow performance

To reproduce the bug you have to set video settings to ultra with 'Settings/Video/Advanced/Detailed faces' option on.

http://forum.nordicgames.at/threads/240309-Gfx-bugs-after-Steam-new-Update-%2814-Dec-2015%29

DO NOT RUN THE GAME IN (WIN7, VISTA...) COMPATIBILITY MODE

Solutions so far...

Manual fix (complex):
http://steamcommunity.com/app/39690/discussions/0/487876568237366497/?ctp=2#c385428458173104567

Easy fix (preferred):
https://steamcommunity.com/app/39690/discussions/0/487876568237366497/?ctp=8#c1770385542781897043

👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻

New - Latest fixes

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1709583781

[Wisecarver]

It worked, grabbed a copy on Amazon for $5 then D/L'd the update listed here.

[Bomber]

Yeah thats not gonna happen, i wont buy this game another time. Is there a way to get the steam version working ? It doesnt have to be perfect, i just want more than fcking 15 fps.

[hexaae]

It's strange because THQ Nordic is supporting all other (old) games releasing updates after 5+ years, except for this... :(

[hexaae]

Still nothing done... the Steam version is currently inferior to the retail version patched, that runs also much better, smoother and without bugs.

[hataru]

I've just installed the game and also noticed that performance was very bad (although I have an old Intel e8600 cpu the game was really too choppy in my opinion); so I googled a bit and found that someone adviced to change some lines in the ProcessManager.xml file (AraniA - Gothic 4 > Data > configuration).
In fact it seems that the game only uses 1 core, so these are the lines to change:

thread-pool-bit="1"
memory-synchronized="true" (for every process, so there are many lines to change)
ThreadConfig cores="2" platform="PC" (I have a dual core so I set it to 2, but you have to put the number accordingly to your cpu)

Remember to make a backup of the file before changing anything.
So far this modification works very well for me (much less stuttering), so I hope you'll find benefit as well.

[hexaae]

@hatarumoroboshi
Everything was already explained here: http://steamcommunity.com/app/39690/discussions/0/487876568237366497/?tscn=1494929940#c133258092241960541
Grab a retail copy and forget current Steam version (runs much worse than smooth retail+official patch anwyay)

[hataru]

No, it wasn't already explained, because that workaround implies getting a physical copy of Arcania, while mine needs only to edit some config lines of the Steam version...

[hexaae]

Originally posted by hatarumoroboshi:

No, it wasn't already explained, because that workaround implies getting a physical copy of Arcania, while mine needs only to edit some config lines of the Steam version...

Reread carefully what's written at that link and this other link (right after the first link):
http://steamcommunity.com/app/39690/discussions/0/487876568237366497/?ctp=4#c385428458173104567

memory-synchronized="true"
FYI have no visible effect, as well as modifying ProcessManager.xml alone. Has been discussed for months in the past and seemed to work only for a very minor subset of users with specific Intel CPUs.
Hex-edit the EXE (Steam or retail) and you'll gain better FPS for sure instead (for everybody), but still won't make video refresh smoother. Only the retail version (+ my hints) solution gives a HUGE smoothness improvement unfortunately.
It's hard to explain with words how better it runs, even if counter says 60+ fps for both, only the second solution gives real smoothness (and has no gfx glitches bugs).

[hataru]

As it was already reported, I also managed to update the Steam version to 1.1.0.1433 simply by installing ArcaniA_Gothic4_Offline_Installer_EFIGS.exe from https://support.securom.com/pop_arcania.html and then the last official patch http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/386/7/38358/download so I finally got rid of the graphical bugs at ultra detail level.
After that game needs to be started "locally" and not using Steam, otherwise the Steam auto-update feature will "update" version back to 1.0.0.0
Speaking about performance, what I can say according to my system (Intel dual core e8600 - Nvidia gtx950) is that Steam version (1.0.0.0) has an unoptimized ProcessManager.xml so the changes that I posted before made a HUGE difference for me (like night and day), while with the patched version (1.1.0.1433) I changed ProcessManager.xml and even HEX-edited the exe file but it didn't do anything (I mean maybe it does something, but the performance is already so good by default that I didn't notice any improvement).
In conclusion I think you should substitute the suggested method of re-buying a retail copy with this one which is cheaper and faster.
Thanks

[fleenots]

With this two patches installed when i get to the second part of the game it is unplayable - all the lighting of the game is messed up

[Revelator]

why nordic&co won't fix?

[hekoone]

Up!

I checked (with BeyondCompare) the patch packages and they're the same in Steam version and lastest retail patch, so the game IS patched but the exe seems NOT (or they versioned it "1.0" ).....Nordic must solve this stupid issues! (puddle shader, etc)

[MR.H4CK3RM4N]

Originally posted by hexaae:

Since Nordic Games doesn't seem to care...

Here is how to install and play withoug bugs, with smoother video refresh, ugpraded to 1.1.0.1433 (and with SecuROM deactivated)

- Use game DVD retail version and install the game (reported to work also using Steam installed version. Not tested though)
- Install "Offline Installer" from SecuROM site
- then install latest official patch (with DRM remover, 43 MB) 1.1.0.1433
Files:
https://support.securom.com/pop_arcania.html
http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/386/7/38358/download

Enjoy the game at its best (because of SecuROM installed but somewhat "inactive", it takes a bit longer to start).

IMPROVEMENTS OVER STEAM VERSION:
- much smoother gfx* at the same fps and with better overall performance
- no bugs
- fully updated to latest version (still unsure if Steam version is fully updated to 1.1.0.1433)

* after you applied the patches above, at this link it is explained how to force multicore, or you can follow the following steps:

...To force 4 cores you have to hex-edit Arcania.exe:
1. look for the first occurrence of '<ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="1" >' and change it to 4 cores
2. look for 'thread-pool-bit=x' where x=1 or 2 and change this to "0"
Done

Thanks, worked on steam version, i did the #96 answer too (before yours) and solved half of problem, after the patchs the game is smoother and no stutering at all, on "cores" i've put 8 coz i have an core I7. BE AWARE: the patch will corrupt your save and i think it will not recognize even if you backup the save.

[thatsage]

Originally posted by hexaae:

Since Nordic Games doesn't seem to care...

Here is how to install and play withoug bugs, with smoother video refresh, ugpraded to 1.1.0.1433 (and with SecuROM deactivated)

- Use game DVD retail version and install the game (reported to work also using Steam installed version. Not tested though)
- Install "Offline Installer" from SecuROM site
- then install latest official patch (with DRM remover, 43 MB) 1.1.0.1433
Files:
https://support.securom.com/pop_arcania.html
http://www.patches-scrolls.de/patch/386/7/38358/download

Enjoy the game at its best (because of SecuROM installed but somewhat "inactive", it takes a bit longer to start).

IMPROVEMENTS OVER STEAM VERSION:
- much smoother gfx* at the same fps and with better overall performance
- no bugs
- fully updated to latest version (still unsure if Steam version is fully updated to 1.1.0.1433)

* after you applied the patches above, at this link it is explained how to force multicore, or you can follow the following steps:

...To force 4 cores you have to hex-edit Arcania.exe:
1. look for the first occurrence of '<ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="1" >' and change it to 4 cores
2. look for 'thread-pool-bit=x' where x=1 or 2 and change this to "0"
Done

Thank you so, so much. How ♥♥♥♥ that the steam version isn't updated to the latest patch. Before, my frame-rate was capped at 94fps but it felt like a ♥♥♥♥♥♥ 40. Now, it's uncapped, getting 140ish, and it feels smooth as can be. I was just about ready to give up on the game, but it's 100% playable now.

[hexaae]

ANOTHER SOLUTION

0. install the game from Steam (while downloading you can skip to next point...)
1. choose Properties from Steam game icon and select from the Beta tab: "legacy -" to download pre buggy update version
2. take an hex-editor like 'HxD[mh-nexus.de]' and edit 'Arcania.exe' as follows (hex address: 1st column = original byte value, 2nd column = byte patched, comment)*:

You have to change 6 bytes
HEX ADD.: <o><p> <comment>
--------------------------
00000D36: 03 23 (>2GB patch)
00987A33: 32 30 (thread-pool-bit="0")
00988749: 31 38 (ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="8")
0098887B: 32 38 (ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="8")
00988A6A: 33 38 (ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="8")
00988C98: 34 38 (ThreadConfig platform="PC" cores="8")

<o>=original byte value, <p>= patched
* for example the second line means: go to address '00987A33' (hex) and change byte $32  to $30 ($n = hexadecimal number on the left panel). Third line: go to 988749 and change byte 31 to 38... etc. Do this for all 6 bytes in the list to apply required patches.

Enjoy the game running MUCH better! 👍🏻

Improvements over std Steam version:

• much faster and video refresh looks visibly smoother (some locations now pass from 48->79 fps, up to 130fps in exteriors)
  
• fixed all known bugs (flickering water puddles, textures turning black, face textures issue at ultra settings)
  
• stable