Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm

Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm

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Dawn of War: Revise (2025) - Installation Guide
By Gojita
REVISE, REDUX, RESHADE
This is a step-by-step instructions guide to help you overhaul Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm with the inclusion of high quality, vanilla-friendly, and performance-optimized mods.

MODERNIZED DAWN OF WAR EXPERIENCE
Introducing polished new content, improved performance, enhanced visuals, and modernized existing elements and assets. Deliver a much-needed update to this classic game while remaining true to its original essence.

A TRUE ANNIVERSARY EDITION
This is the anniversary experience that we - the DoW fans truly deserve. Something that the recent heresy of an "anniversary edition" utterly failed to provide.
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Chapter I: DOWNLOAD

The following mods are essential for your Dawn of War: Revise experience. Click on a title to visit its download page, download the latest stable version that's available.

1 - DAWN OF WAR: SOULSTORM (1.3)
The ultimate standalone version of the original Dawn of War that incorporating units and assets from all prior releases into a single package.

2 - REDUX MOD (1.3.6.10)
The best "remaster" mod for Soulstorm, offers a wealth of new assets, revamped gameplay, and a modernized user interface.

3 - CINEMATIC RESHADE (2.0.7)
Custom reshade preset designed specifically for Dawn of War. This preset enhances your gaming experience with improved visual fidelity.

4 - SOULSTORM OVERDRIVE (1.3.0)
Re-engineered Soulstorm.exe that consolidates resources, optimized code, minimize load times, memory efficiency, smoother gameplay.

5 - MOD MANAGER (2.4.1.1)
This tool streamlines the process of launching, configuring Dawn of War and its mods, making modding simpler and more efficient.

Chapter II: INSTALL

Before we begin, note that this is a one-time installation and configuration process, you only do this once. Next time, just launch through Steam like every other games.

  • Install Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War - Soulstorm via Steam.
  • Extract all downloaded ZIP files.
  • Place the following files in the same folder:
    • Redux (folder)
    • DXP2Dummy.module
    • Redux.module
    • EpicDoW_2.0.ini
    • ModManager.exe
    Delete the outdated Reshade_Setup.exe.
  • Copy and paste these files into your Soulstorm folder:
    ...\Steam\steamapps\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\
  • Replace or overwrite the original files.
  • After this step, your Soulstorm folder should contain:
    • ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\Redux
    • ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\DXP2Dummy.module
    • ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\Redux.module
    • ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\EpicDoW_2.0.ini
    • ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\ModManager.exe
  • Run Redone.exe then select Soulstorm.exe to patch it.
    ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\Soulstorm.exe
  • Click "OK" to close Redone.exe after patching is complete.

Redux Mod, Soulstorm Overdrive, and Mod Manager are now successfully installed. Next, we will setup Reshade and apply the Cinematic Reshade preset to the game.

  • Delete the outdated Reshade_Setup.exe.
  • Download the newer version here[reshade.me]
  • Run the new Reshade_Setup.exe then click "Browse".
  • Select Soulstorm.exe from your Soulstorm folder then click "Next".
    ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\Soulstorm.exe
  • Select Microsoft DirectX9, then click "Next".
  • Click "Uncheck all", then click "Browse".
  • Select the EpicDoW_2.0.ini file you pasted earlier.
    ...\common\Dawn of War Soulstorm\EpicDoW_2.0.ini
  • Click "Next" and wait for Reshade to download the necessary VFX files.
  • Click "Finish" to exit the installation.

Everything is now installed, but the game is not ready to play just yet. Configurations are still needed to further optimize the game's performance for all modern machines.
Chapter III: CONFIG

Highly recommend that you follow the configuration settings below. It will push the game engine to its absolute limits, maximizing both visual and performance outputs.

  • Launch ModManager.exe in your Soulstorm folder.
  • If prompted, update the Mod Manager.
  • In the "Advanced Start Options", tick the following boxes:
    • ☐ -dev
    • ☐ -nomovies
    • ☑︎ -forcehighpoly
    • ☐ -noprecachemodels
    • ☑︎ /high /affinity 6
    • ☐ Disable fog
  • Click the "TOGGLE LAA" button to Activate it.
  • Select your respective Steam or GOG version.
  • Click the "Setting" button:
  • In General tab:
    • System Performance Manager
      • Compatibility tab:
        • ☑︎ Run as Administrator
        • Then click "Set Properties".
      • Power Settings tab:
        • Power Plan: High Performance
        • Then click "Set Power Plan".
  • In Video tab:
    • Select "Ultra" option.
    • Select your screen resolution.
    • Refresh Rate: Auto
    • ☐ V-Sync
    • ☐ Windows
    • ☑︎ Anti-aliasing
    • ☑︎ High Res Textures
    • ☑︎ Full 3D Camera
    • ☐ Unit Occlusion
    • ☐ DirectX8 Cursor
    • Then click "Save".
  • In Audio tab:
    • Select "High" option.
    • Adjust volume to your preference.
    • Then click "Save".
  • Click "Close" to exit the setting window.

Launch settings for the game are configured. The final step involve adjusting the Reshade settings, which need to be done in-game. After that, you're good to go!

  • Click the "Start Mod" button in the Mod Manager.
  • Once you in the game main menu:
  • Press "Home" on your keyboard.
  • In the Reshade menu:
    • Click "Skip Tutorial" button.
    • Disable "☐ FlexibleCA [FlexibleCA.fx]" effect.
    • Disable "☐ Border [Border.fx]" effect.
    • Click "Collapse all" button on the top-right corner.
    • Scroll & select the "► Prism.fx" in the bottom list.
      • In the "▼ Chromatic Aberration" tab:
      • Change all values to "0.000".
  • Press "Home" again to close the Reshade menu.

Congratulations! The new Dawn of War: Revise experience is now fully installed and configured. The grimdark armies of the 41st millennium are awaiting your command!
Chapter IV: CHANGES

Here is a comprehensive overview of the modifications you've just installed, covering the key improvements, changes, and additions in comparison to your vanilla version.





There are still many minor changes, improvements, and bug fixes left unmentioned, but I believe it's best to let you dive in and experiencing the game at your own pace!
Chapter V: MANUAL

This section addresses common questions about the installation process and helps troubleshoot issues. If your question isn’t answered here, leave a comment below!

💬 GENERAL
This is simply an installation guide. If you have questions, bugs, or technical issues regarding any of the featured mods, I suggest you visit their respective discussion forums for support.
This is not a promotion for any of the featured mods, and I’m not affiliated with or paid by any of the mod creators. I'm just a fellow player sharing his take on what a DoW: Remastered could be.
Except for the headline posters, all images provided in this guide are genuine in-game screenshots with no post-editing applied. What you see here is what you get.


💬 DOWNLOAD
The links take you to the mod download pages instead of direct file downloads, allowing you to check for and download the latest version yourself in case the guide hasn't been updated yet.
Please read the mod summary on its home page to understand what it improves, changes or adds to your vanilla game before asking questions that have already been answered there.
The numbers next to the mod titles indicate the current stable version of the mod that has been playtested. Keep in mind that the latest version isn’t always the stable one to play on.
If Redone.exe is mistakenly identified as a malware, disable your browser or system security temporarily, allow it to perform its function, then re-enable your security software afterward.


💬 INSTALLATION
Avoid using the outdated Reshade_Setup.exe that comes with the Cinematic Reshade (Epic_DoW) zip. Delete it & download the latest version from the official website[reshade.me]
You can download and install optional mods, such as Larger Font or Extra Banners & Badges or similar ones, as long as they don't directly interfere with Revise’s core mods & its setup.


💬 SETTING
If you're the "plug and play" type, I suggest you sticking with the provided configuration. The goal is to keep the config consistent between all players and to avoid any unintended conflicts.
If a setting is not mentioned in the guide and you’re not sure what it does, leave it alone. Avoid tinkering with the settings unless you're confident in what you're doing.
If you having trouble with Chromatic Aberration - which makes the game looks anti-aliasing but a bit blurry in exchange. You can disable "☐ Prism.fx" effect entirely in the Reshade menu.


💬 REVIEW
The game is partially 4K-friendly, but not fully 4K-compatible due to additional configuration steps, potential performance issues and visual glitches. Not recommend playing this game in 4K.
Redux Mod currently includes only a modified Space Marine campaign, and according to the developers, implementing other expansion campaigns is too difficult and likely won't happen.


💬 MULTIPLAYER
All featured mods support multiplayer. All players are required to run the game and mods on the same version, with identical launch options and configurations in order to see/play with each other.
The player count displayed in the lobby represents the total number of all players currently playing DoW across all versions and mods, not just those using the mods you are playing.
Avoid alt-tabbing or adjusting Reshade effects during a multiplayer match, as doing so can cause your game to freeze, desync, overload, and eventually crash.


💬 UNINSTALL
Simply uninstall the game using your launcher or client, then manually delete any leftover files from the installation folder.

That wraps up the installation guide! If this guide helped improve your experience. Please give it a like, rate it, add it to your favorites, and to share it with your friends!
103 Comments
warhammerlover419 Jun 6 @ 10:08am 
thank you for the hard work
Gojita  [author] May 5 @ 7:42am 
@Ado: short answer is yes, there is a mod for that, and no, that's everything I know. Try tinkering with the Mod Manager, maybe you'll find something!
Ado May 5 @ 6:51am 
Is there a way to make font sizes bigger? It's still so tiny at 4k.
Gojita  [author] May 2 @ 11:32pm 
PAY ATTENTION
No offense, but it gets tiring seeing the same questions asked when the answers are clearly in the guide. I’m happy to help with setup issues (not mod-related issues), but before asking:

- Read the full guide — it's there for a reason.
- Follow every step carefully — each one matters.
- If it's not work, then you're doing something wrong.


Only ask if your issue isn’t already covered. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to do it right.
Gojita  [author] May 2 @ 2:38pm 
@JimiGuitarOnFire: Here to break it down even further for you to understand:

- Once everything is installed and set up, you just launch the game through Steam as usual. That’s what “one-time installation” means.

- Everyone playing together needs to have the same version of the game, the mods, and the same configuration. If not, you won’t see each other in the lobby.

- The lobby total player count shows everyone that's currently playing DoW:SS — from every mods, every version, not the people who's currently using the same mods as you.
Gojita  [author] May 2 @ 2:32pm 
@JimiGuitarOnFire: I’m guessing you didn’t fully read through, because your question’s already answered in Chapter V. But alright, I’ll paste it again for you:

"Before we begin, note that this is a one-time installation and configuration process, you only do this once. Next time, just launch through Steam like every other games." – CHAPTER II

"All featured mods support multiplayer. All players are required to run the game and mods on the same version, with identical launch options and configurations to prevent conflicts and crashes." – CHAPTER V

"The player count displayed in the lobby represents the total number of all players currently playing DoW across all versions and mods, not just those using the mods you are playing." – CHAPTER V

To sum up: once set up, launch through Steam like normal. Everyone needs the same version/config to connect. And lobby count = all players in DoW:SS, not just your mod.
JimiGuitarOnFire May 2 @ 1:42pm 
I've already read it. But I supposed lunching the original game would have lunch the game with no mod, making me paly in the lobby. So it's a little bit uselessss this way.
Gojita  [author] May 1 @ 7:17am 
@JimiGuitarOnFire: Please read CHAPTER V.
JimiGuitarOnFire May 1 @ 6:55am 
After I added the mod I cannot find any lobby game, even if I launch back soulstorm from game manager or mod manager. There is something I miss?
Gojita  [author] Apr 21 @ 6:57am 
@Mambo Rat: Negative. Please read Chapter V: MANUAL for the reason why.