Dark Cloud

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Dark Cloud

Game general and emulation properties:
CERO rating: B
ESRB rating: T (Comic Mischief, Violence)
Widescreen patch available
CPU intensive game
Languages supported:
English: SCES-50295 & SCUS-97111 & SCUS-97152
Japanese: PAPX-90205 & SCPS-15004 & SCPS-19203
German: SCES-50295
French: SCES-50295
Spanish: SCES-50295
Italian: SCES-50295
Region NTSC-U:
Serial numbers: SCUS-97111
SCUS-97152 (Demo)
Release date: May 28, 2001
2002 (Greatest Hits)
CRCs: A5C05C78
Windows Status: Playable
Linux Status: ?
Mac Status: ?
Region PAL:
Serial numbers: SCES-50295
Release date: September 21, 2001
CRCs: 0BAA8DD8
Windows Status: Playable
Linux Status: Playable
Mac Status: ?
Region NTSC-J/C/K:
Serial numbers: SCPS-15004
SCPS-19203 (PlayStation 2 the Best)
NPJC-00002
PAPX-90205 (Sample Movie Disc)
PAPX-90501 (Trial version)
Release date: December 14, 2000
September 12, 2002 (PlayStation 2 the Best)
August 22, 2012 (PS2 Classics)
Windows Status: ?
Linux Status: ?
Mac Status: ?

Developer(s): Level-5
Publisher(s): SCEI (JP), SCEA (US), SCEE (EU)
Genre: Action, RPG
Wikipedia: Link
Game review links: Metacritic80/100
Game description: An ancient evil has been unleashed. This Dark Cloud rains destruction on what was once a peaceful and benevolent continent, bringing it to its knees in one fell swoop. Journey on a quest through time to unravel the mysterious tale of the Dark Cloud. Set in a vivid and inviting world, Dark Cloud delivers imaginative, vibrant, and detailed gameplay complemented by a strong character-driven storyline. A new feature, Georama, challenges you to build a customized world then interact with it in real time. As you build the world, life begins to flourish and unveils clues and pieces of the storyline as you progress through the adventure.

Dark Cloud is the prequel to Dark Cloud 2.


Test configurations on Windows:


Environment Configurations Comments Tester
Region OS CPU/GPU Revision Graphics Sound/Pad
NTSC-U ?
  • Intel Core2Dduo @ 3.20 GHz
  • ?
0.9.7 (beta r3113) GSdx (r3063)
  • SPU2-X 1.4.0 (r3117)
  • LilyPad 0.1.0 (r2930)
• There is a shaking problem in game, but it can be fixed by choosing blend bff interlace mode in gsdx.

• You need a pretty fast cpu in order to run the game nicely without speedhack since speedhacks don't improve much for the game.

CKL
NTSC-U ?
  • AMD Phenom II x4 965 BE @ 3.90 GHz
  • MSI GeForce 560 Ti Hawk
0.9.9 (beta r5117) GSdx (r5125)
  • SPU2-X 2.0.0 (r5112)
  • LilyPad 0.11.0 (r5112)
BIOS: v2.00,

• Interlacing Mode: Bob tff The game is extremely GPU intensive, If having low FPS, try running in native resolution mode, scaling also creates tiling in the GUI and purple haze around GUI objects. Direct3D10 mode fixes some UI problems such as the map and the levels introduction text.

Hellbringer616
NTSC-U Windows
  • Intel Core i7 @ 3.40 GHz
  • NVIDIA GeForce GTX 285 @ 768 MB
1.1.0 (r5576) GSdx SSE41 (r5570)
  • SPU2-X 2.0.0
  • LilyPad 0.11.0
Runs above full speed.
NTSC-U Windows 7 64-Bit
  • Intel i7-2600k @ 3.40 GHz
  • Sapphire Radeon R9 290X @ 4 GB
1.2.1 (r5873) GSdx 0.1.16 (r5875)
  • SPU2-X (r5875)
  • LilyPad 0.11.0 (r5875)
BIOS: v2.0, GSdx Render: Direct3D10 (Hardware), Game works well and is able to run at 60FPS at 1080P with hardware rendering. The purple haze around GUI and other icons is still present. Zrooney
NTSC-U Windows 10 64-Bit
  • Intel i5-9600k @ 3.70 GHz
  • GeForce GTX 1070 @ 8 GB
1.5.0 (20190906131249) GSdx 1.1.0 SSE4.1
  • SPU2-X 2.0.0
  • LilyPad 0.12.1
BIOS: USA v2.20, GSdx Render: Direct3D 11 (Hardware), Plays perfectly fine. Things look pretty blurry in motion, but I feel that's due to the increase in resolution (ran at 4x Native). Bevr
PAL Windows
  • Ryzen 5 2600
  • Nvidia GeForce 750 TI OC
1.6.0 Stable GSdx SSE4.1/AVX 1.2.0

<spoiler show="Settings" hide="Hide">

  • Renderer: Direct3D11 (Hardware)
  • Interlacing: Automatic
  • Texture Filtering: Bilinear
  • Resolution: 3x Native
  • Mipmapping: Basic
  • CRC Hack Level: Full
  • DATE Accuracy: Fast
  • Blending Accuracy: Basic

</spoiler>

SPU2-X 2.0.0

<spoiler show="Settings" hide="Hide">

  • Interpolation: Hermite
  • Module: Xaudio 2
  • Synchronizing mode: Timestretch
  • Audio Expansion Mode: Surround 5.1

</spoiler>

Plays at full speed even with widescreen hack

<spoiler show="Notes" hide="Hide"> • When pressing start, it shows a black background instead of a fade gray • Sometimes it has frame drops when loading screens, isn't really an issue </spoiler>

Zerel


Test configurations on Linux:

Environment Configurations Comments Tester
Region OS CPU/GPU Revision Graphics Sound/Pad
PAL ?
  • Intel Core2Duo @ 2.40 GHz
  • ?
0.9.7 (beta r1736) ZZogl 182 No Target Resolving should be on
  • There is color dithering in menu (triangle button) in city, it's caused by No Target Resolving. But without NTR city persons become ugly.
188.134.4.34


Trivia

  • Original names: ダーククラウド (SCPS-15004) & (SCPS-19203) & (PAPX-90205)

<spoiler show="Special hacks" hide="Hide">

  • Deinterlace hack for SCUS-97111 * A5C05C78:
// No Interlacing hack by asasega
// - cuts vertical Frame Buffer in half.
patch=1,EE,20113EB4,word,00000000
patch=1,EE,20172300,word,1000000D
  • Bugfix hack for SCUS-97111 * A5C05C78:
// Flapping Duster fix by Wordofwind
// - enables Flapping Duster to spawn without patching the ISO.
patch=1,EE,201C0108,extended,0809BDA0 
patch=1,EE,2026F680,extended,3C100027 
patch=1,EE,2026F684,extended,26100900 
patch=1,EE,2026F688,extended,08070043 
  • Game Enhancement hacks for SCUS-97111 * A5C05C78:
// NPC draw distance by kozarovv
// - increased NPC draw distance to reduce pop in
// - known to corrupt textures.
patch=1,EE,00156554,word,00000000
patch=1,EE,00156678,word,3C1943C0
patch=1,EE,00156684,word,AC990CEC
patch=1,EE,001729DC,word,00000000
patch=1,EE,00155FF0,word,00000000

// LOD Distance by kozarovv
// - sets the LoD distance to reduce pop in.
patch=1,EE,00157364,word,10000006

// Shade by kozarovv
// - locks the Shadows to "Medium" detail to remove pop in,
//    but prevent them from getting too dark.
patch=1,EE,001A3E80,word,C6800004
patch=1,EE,001A3D80,word,C6800004 // Additional fix

// Depth of Field hack by kozarovv
patch=1,EE,0017BD10,word,00000000

</spoiler>

Known Issues

Black lines around item boxes

  • Type: Note (not an issue)
  • Description: Black/Purple lines separate item boxes.
  • Workaround: Go to Config -> Video (GS) -> Plugin Settings, and set Texture Filtering to any option except "Bilinear (Forced)".

Memory card read failure

  • Type: Note (not an issue)
  • Description: Sometimes after loading a save state the game will no longer detect a memory card, switching or reloading memory cards does not solve the issue.
  • Workaround: This only happens when using a Folder memory card. Copy the saves to a normal memory card and use that, convert the folder memory card to a standard memory card(go to Config -> Memory Card, click on the folder memory card, and then click on Convert), or avoid using save states while playing the game.


The gallery


Public compatibility forum links