Finalizing The Setup
You will need to set exceptions for the game itself. PSO2 utilizes an anti-cheat software known asGameGuard, which utilizes rootkit behavior to scan your running processes and files. You cannot disable orlimit GameGuard's access in any way or form, as PSO2 will close if it detects this.
Launching the Tweaker & Updating the game
Now, after setting exceptions in our antivirus software,we will need to check the integrity of the game files itself. While you may or may notneed to do this if you've downloaded using the Tweaker, it's a good habit to do so justin case something went wrong during the download process.
To do this, click on the button labeled Troubleshooting
and then click onNew Method
.
The speed of this check depends on how powerful your computer's CPU is. Generally latest generation hardware will breeze by itfaster, while older generation hardware will be slow.
You cannot skip this check, and attempting to do so will cause yourgame's integrity to be unstable, thus you may encounter odd behavior in-game.
Once it has finished file checking, it will then move on to the updater. The Tweaker will nowdownload the files it needs to update your game. The speed of this is determined by your CPU speed.
Once it has been completed, you may now play the game as is by clicking on "Start PSO2".However, there are more features that the PSO2 Tweaker that you can enable and install. If you wish to configureyour graphics settings, click here to jump to the Graphics Configuration section of this guide.
Tweaker Plugins & Features
The PSO2 Tweaker offers extra add-on plugins that enhance the overall gaming experience for PSO2.
To access these plugins, click on the button labeled "Plugin Settings" on the tweaker.
You will now be greeted by the Plugin Menu. A checked box means that the selected plugin has been enabledand an unchecked box means the plugin is disabled.
Here is an overview of each plugin:
# | Plugin | Description |
---|---|---|
1 | Font Mod | Enables the use of special characters used in other language patches. Not required for English Patch functionality. |
2 | Manual Patch | Installs the base English Patch automatically. This does not include the item, title, or block translations. |
After selecting which plugins you wish to be enabled, click on the "Save" buttonto save your settings and close the menu. Clicking on the Plugin Check buttonwill check for updates on all plugins.
Graphics Configuration
To configure the graphic settings for PSO2, click on the button labelled"PSO2 Settings".
Unlike other games, PSO2 has different preset graphics options that enable and disable certain settings.These settings do not allow you to customize them completely, except for the post-processing settingsthat you can enable from within the game itself.
Below are the following overview of the different settings that can beconfigured in the PSO2 Settings menu:
- Video Settings
- Play videos on lobby screens
- Displays whether the in-game video ads in the lobbies play video or not.
- Disable DirectX 9EX features
- Uncheck to disable advanced DirectX 9 features.
- Enable Coffee Brewing
- See here for demonstration.
- Game Resolution
- Window Mode
- Select whether you want Fullscreen, Virtual Fullscreen (Borderless Window), or Windowed mode.
- Game Resolution
- Select your preferred game resolution. Virtual Fullscreen ignores this and goes for the maximumsupported resolution based on the primary screen set configured by Windows.
- Max Framerate
- Set your preferred max framerate as supported by your screen. You can even choose unlimitedwhich functions the same as vsync disabled.
- Text Size
- This changes the scaling of the UI in-game. It's recommended that you don't touch thisunless you have a smaller screen resolution lower than 1280x720.The higher the UI resolution, the smaller the UI will be. A custom setting can be selectedif you manually edited the configuration file. (user.pso2)
- Simple Render Setting
- PSO2 uses different setting presets to display different graphic configurations. To play on low settings,with everything disabled, slide the slider down to 1. Maximum settings can be set by sliding the settingto 6, while medium settings can be achieved by selecting setting 3.
- Shader Quality
- Setting enables the quality of your shaders. Simple shaders disables all post processing effects, Standard isthe default setting, while High Resolution displays all post processing effects. Standard and High Quality shadersalso allow for them to be toggled on/off in-game. Simple disables this ability.
- Texture Resolution
- Selecting your texture quality determines how your in-game textures look.Compressed is good for very low end machines, Standard is the default, andHigh Resolution allows for a very near HD feel.
- Audio Settings
- BGM Volume
- This slider lets you set the desired volume of the in-game music and concerts.
- SE Volume
- This slider lets you set the desired volume of the general sound effects.
- Voice Volume
- This slider lets you set the desired volume of the voices your character and othercharacters in-game.
- Movie Volume
- This slider lets you set the desired volume of the video ads in-game.
Once you have configured your desired settings, click on "Save Changes" to exit this menu.
Wrapping Up
Congratulations, you have successfully installed PSO2 and you are now ready to play the game.Check out our (Arks-Layer) Discord server located here.If this guide helped you, be sure to tell us!
If you encounter any issues, be sure to visit the Arks-Layer Discord Server located here:https://discord.gg/pso2 and join the channel #game-technical
if you're having issues relating to GameGuard or weird in-game issues, or #project-support
if you're having issueswith the PSO2 Tweaker itself. Be patient however, everyone there is a volunteer and not paid or sponsored by SEGAin any way, shape or form.
If you encounter an issue (untranslated item/dialog box, possible weird translation) with the translation, also join the Discord andreport said issue to the #translation-reporting
channel.