DARK SOULS™ II: Scholar of the First Sin - Fullscreen fix

Fullscreen fix. The game will correctly open in fullscreen using this workaround.

Why this? What's causing it?

The game won't stay in full screen and forcibly reverts to window mode?
That's because this game REQUIRES at least one screen resolution 60Hz capable. If you don't have one in the list of your available native screen modes, the game won't run in fullscreen.
For example, if you have only screen modes 75Hz+ the game will always run in window mode. The game can run in fullscreen only at 60Hz.
Lame coding...

(Small donations 💰 to buy and fix some more games are welcome from my profile page)

How to...

This is how to fix it, adding a custom real 60Hz screen mode to your list of available native screen modes.
First be sure your monitor supports 60Hz refresh (I'm not responsible for HW damages). Now let's add a previously missing custom 60Hz resolution...

• Download CRU[www.monitortests.com] freeware tool and run it
  
• Add a new "Standard resolution" below (you should have some slots left) f.e. 1920x1080@60Hz
  
• Click "Ok" to save and quit
  
• Reboot Windows*

Now you should finally be able to start DS2:SotfS in fullscreen 1080p (60Hz) correctly.
Enjoy!

*
since Windows 8, Microsoft introduced a new functionality called Fast Startup which basically inits drivers from a hiberfile. For this reason to see newly added screen resolution is recommended to Reboot, not Shutdown when Fast Startup is on (default).

🗣 If you don't like CRU for some reason (?), you can do the same with NVidia Control Panel, section: Display > Change Resolution and add a 60Hz screen there (continue reading the last part of this guide if you see screen artifacts on your custom 60Hz screen mode...). It should work just like CRU, even though CRU seems more reliable in adding the new 60Hz res to the EDID list and so to the "native resolutions" supported by your screen, while NVidia CP seems to add it to a custom resolutions list DS2:SotFS may still dislike.


























P.P.S.
Be also sure you don't have running apps/tools that may lock your desktop (e.g. Skype and others)... another reason that prevents the game from running correctly in full screen.

144+Hz screens (borderless window)...

I've seen some recent 144+Hz display panels don't run very well* when forced to real 60Hz screen modes as explained in the "How to..." section (artifacts, black pixel interpolation and color issues), e.g.:
Monitor Name: AU Optronics [Unknown Model: AUO329D]
Monitor Name (Manuf): AUO B173HAN03.2
Default refresh: 144Hz

Then, in this case you can play the game in windowed borderless mode at 60fps:

• set window mode in-game as your full screen resolution (e.g. 1920x1080)
  
• quit the game
  
• edit (Notepad)
  "...steamapps\common\Dark Souls II Scholar of the First Sin\Game\userconfig.properties"
  this way:
  App.Window.X = -10
  App.Window.Y = -33

This should let you play in fullscreen borderless window, without visible and ugly window borders.

Known issue with borderless mode in DS2:
can't play comfortably with keyboard + mouse since Windows in background will still intercept keypresses (!!). For borderless mode a controller is recommanded.

144Hz+ FULL SCREEN issues with 60Hz, and final hint from CRU author

* If you're trying to set-up a 60Hz screenmode with CRU and see artifacts (weird dotted screen etc.) on your brand new 120, 144+Hz screen, then «try doubling the vertical total without changing the pixel clock to get 60 Hz»: https://www.monitortests.com/forum/Thread-Custom-Resolution-Utility-CRU?pid=8362#pid8362

[fako12]

Great guide, thank you!

[elw1z0]

thx dude

[BaconEggs]

App.Window.X = -5
App.Window.Y = -28

for my monitor

[hexaae]

😄

[ersultan]

thx man, youre my hero

[Abzul]

Thanks it was very helpful

[Gramps]

Why doesn't FromSoftware just release patch for this.... Just introduce borderless window mode like in DS1 Remastered and no problems...

[Elster]

worked like a charm

[Killer Of Kings]

I have a weird thing happening, my display resolution is 1920 x 1080, but whenever I try to run DS2 SOTFS at that, the game window is much larger than my actual screen, forcing me to play at a lower resolution. What I have to play at currently is 1440 x 810, and that size is too small for my screen. Any ideas?

[hexaae]

Added a note about the difference in using NVidia CP or CRU to create the new 60Hz custom res.