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Deadly Premonition: The Director's Cut

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How to Bypass Chapter 9 Save Corruption (No Modding Required)

By mattburnsred

It's widely known by now that the PC version of Deadly Premonition is one of the worst ports ever made. I'm not going to go into details; suffice it to say that it introduces a whole new set of problems for returning players and for people who are interested in playing the game for the first time.

Recently, I felt the urge to replay the game for the fourth time (third for PC and once for PS3) and came across some problems that never occurred to me when I played the game for the first time back in 2015. To be more specific, the infamous save corruption bug after clearing Chapter 9 - Episode 2. For some reason, after finishing the art gallery section, the game would always crash after completing any cutscene. Unfortunately for me, I could not get DPFix or any other mods to work, so I opted to run the game vanilla once again, since I never had any nasty crashes or similar issues when playing the game back in the day. Everything I did to make my save file work again will be demonstrated using a non-modified version. However, there are a few steps that may require you to make some modifications to the game files—nothing too significant, but it's worth pointing out.

A friendly reminder...

Just so we're all clear, this guide was created based on my own experience trying to work my way around this issue, so it should not be taken as the definitive solution to resolving this problem. That being said, I truly hope that this guide may help get through this issue.

First things first

Before we start messing around, create backups of your dp.sav, DP.exe and DPLauncher.exe, and keep them in a separate folder just to be safe.
You can find the save file inside C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Deadly Premonition The Director's Cut\savedata

Award

Created by

mattburnsred
In-Game
Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

Category: Modding or Configuration

Languages: English

Posted

Updated

16 Sep, 2024 @ 9:46am

21 Mar @ 4:00pm

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Guide Index

Overview

1. Replay the previous chapter

2. Compatibility Modes

3. Large Address Aware (4GB Patch)

4. Replacement Save File

5. Conclusion

Comments

1. Replay the previous chapter

From the main menu, select "Load Game" and then choose "Select Chapter." Replay Chapter 8, and remember to save after completing it. Once done, load your game again, but this time select your Chapter 9 save. Try triggering any cutscene and let it play through to completion. If the game doesn’t crash, it means we’ve successfully overridden the corrupted save. If everything works, you’re all set to continue playing!

2. Compatibility Modes

Try to run the game in Windows compatibility mode, go to your game folder, right-click the DP.exe and select Properties from the dropdown list. Select the compatibility tab and tick the box that reads "Run this game in compatibility mode for"; note that the dropdown list under the checkbox is now available for selection.

Now it's time for some trial and error as we need to select one version at a time to see which one works, I recommend trying the following modes:

Windows 98 / Windows ME
Windows XP (Service Pack 2)
Windows XP (Service Pack 3)
Windows Vista
Windows Vista (Service Pack 1) -- This is the one I've used btw
Windows Vista (Service Pack 2)
Windows 7

After selecting the compatibility OS, run the game directly from DP.exe. If the game crashes before reaching the main menu then go back to the .exe and select a different OS. Trigger any cutscene and wait for it to finish. If the game doesn't crash, you're all set to go. Be sure to save your progress, and then you can disable the compatibility OS option.

3. Large Address Aware (4GB Patch)

The main purpose of the patch is to address the game's memory limitations. By default, many older games are limited to a certain amount of RAM they can use. The 4GB patch expands this limit, allowing the game to utilize more memory, which can help prevent crashes and improve stability, especially on modern PCs with more RAM. With increased memory allocation, the game can handle larger assets and more complex processes without running into performance issues; the patch also helps improve compatibility with modern operating systems. It adjusts some of the game's internal settings to better align with the architecture of contemporary PCs, which can fix various bugs and glitches that arise from running older software on new hardware.

Let's start by downloading and installing NTCore CFF Explorer[ntcore.com]. Run the program and click File -> Open -> C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Deadly Premonition The Director's Cut\DP.exe. On the left tab select the option "File Header", this will load a set of components regarding the file headers. Go to the row where it reads "Characteristics" and click the blue box.

Tick the checkbox where it reads "App can handle > 2GB address space" and click "OK".

Don't forget to save your changes in the CFF Explorer main menu!

After completing these steps, you'll still need to run the game under Compatibility Mode. I suggest following Step 2 again if needed. If the game still crashes after applying the patch and using Compatibility Mode, then trying Step 1 again is your best bet (this is what worked for me), so the game may attempt to override the save.

4. Replacement Save File

If all the steps above fail, you will need to download a replacement save file and resume playing from that point. I recommend using this one: Deadly Premonition PC Replacement Save File (Episode 2 Chapter 9)[archive.org]. Just unzip the file and paste its contents into C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Deadly Premonition The Director's Cut\savedata.

Achievement hunters be aware

This save file contains several completed side quests and WILL NOT trigger any achievements related to those side quests.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, navigating the myriad issues with the PC port of Deadly Premonition can be a daunting task, particularly for those revisiting the game or experiencing it for the first time. While the port’s numerous flaws are well-documented, this guide aims to provide practical solutions to mitigate some of the more frustrating problems, especially the notorious save corruption bug. By following the outlined steps—replaying previous chapters, experimenting with compatibility modes, applying the 4GB patch, and using replacement save files—players may find a way to bypass or resolve these issues. However, as each player's experience can vary based on their system setup and game version, this guide should be viewed as a helpful resource rather than a definitive fix. Ultimately, I hope these tips enhance your gameplay experience and help you get the most out of this unique, albeit troubled, title.