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Darkest Dungeon® > Guides > Sherin's Guides
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Launch/Start Parameters
By Sherin
Guide that lists all possible launch parameters and how to use them.
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Created by
Sherin
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Category: Modding or Configuration
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
26 Jul, 2023 @ 3:53am
11 Sep @ 2:50pm
2,176 Unique Visitors
98 Current Favorites
Guide Index
Overview
Work-in-progress 
How to use 
Convenience stuff 
Gameplay and Mission Modifiers 
System Configuration 
Startup Modifiers 
Debug 
Comments
Work-in-progress
This guide is not complete yet. Almost all important parameters are listed, quite a few parameters still need to be tested or figured out and 30 more parameters are to be added at some point.

I'm happy about any feedback on the sorting or any hints about parameters that are yet to be figured out.
How to use
Open up your steam client and go to your library. Right-click Darkest Dungeon and click Properties.



Scroll down in the General tab.


Paste the parameters you want here.

Convenience stuff
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-addtrinkets
trinket_ID1 trinket_ID2 trinket_ID3
Adds trinkets to the trinket storage. This happens everytime you start the game, so don't forget to remove this parameter after use. You can add multiple trinket IDs at once.
-alltrinkets
Adds all trinkets to the trinket storage.
-alwaysquestcomplete
Quests always end completed even if you fail or abandon the quest.
-alwaystownevents
Not tested yet.
-alwaystownprogression
Weeks always progress, even if you don't reach the treshold. (You can start a quest and immediately abandon it to progress a week.)
-alwaysupgradedrecruits
Always spawns recruits with higher levels and upgrades regardless of stagecoach upgrades.
-completeflashback
flashback_ID
Sets specified flashback to status completed.
-completeplotquest
plotquest_ID
Sets specified plot quest to status completed.
-dungeonxpoverride
dungeon xp
crypts 42
weald 42
cove 42
warrens 42
Overrides the level of the specified dungeon.
Level 0 - 0 XP
Level 1 - 2 XP
Level 2 - 6 XP
Level 3 - 10 XP
Level 4 - 16 XP
Level 5 - 22 XP
Level 6 - 32 XP
Level 7 - 42 XP
-everythingunlocked
Unlocks and upgrades everything. Facilities, hero skills and equipment.
-forcetown
Forces your save back to the hamlet if you were previously inside a dungeon. Can fix crash loops.
Gameplay and Mission Modifiers
Variety of useful parameters for testing purposes.

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-alwaysambush
Ambush always happens during camping.
-alwaysapplyeffect
Effects will always apply. (Bleed, Blight, Stun, Move, Debuff, etc)
-alwayscrit
Heroes and enemies will always land critical hits.
-alwaysdeathblow
Enemies will always land deathblows.
-alwayshealcrit
Heals will always be critical. This might crash the game during normal play, since some heal sources cannot crit code-wise. (Example food)
-alwayshit
Heroes and enemies will always hit.
-alwaysmiss
Heroes and enemies will always miss.
-autolevelupheroes
1
2
3
4
5
6
At the start of a mission: Levels up your heroes and upgrades their equipment/skills to the given level (1-6).
-battle_surprise_override
100
Overrides the chance for the enemy party to be suprised. (0-100)
-hallwayempty
Hallways are always empty. No curios, no battles, no traps and no hunger checks. Rooms still work normally.
-heart_attack
Starts mission with hero in rank 1 afflicted and at 199 Stress.
-nevercrit
Heroes and enemies never land critical hits.
-startafflicted
fearful
paranoid
selfish
masochistic
abusive
depressed
irrational
custom_affliction
Starts missions with all of your heroes afflicted.
-startatbeforedeathsdoor
Starts missions with all of your heroes at 1 HP.
-starteffects
Stealth2
kill_self
Stress 1
Bleed 1
Blight 1
Stun 1
...
Applies effects to your heroes. Examples:
-starteffects Stealth2
Will apply stealth to hero in rank 1.

-starteffects Stealth2 Stealth2
Will apply stealth to heroes in rank 1 and 2.

-starteffects none Stealth2
Will apply stealth to your hero in rank 2.

-starteffects none none none Stealth2
Will apply stealth to your hero in rank 4.

You can use any effect you want - checkout the effects file.
-startestateitem
Type ID Amount
gem ruby 1
Starts missions with specified item in the inventory.
-startmode
radiant
bloodmoon
Starts missions with mode scaling.
-startquirk
quirk_id
Gives quirks to all of your heroes. Find Quirk IDs in the quirk library files contained in the shared\quirk folder.
-startsupply
Starts mission with all possible supplies in your inventory.
-starttrinket
trinket_id
Gives a trinket to your hero in rank 1. Find Trinket IDs in the entry files contained in the trinkets folder.
-startvirtued
stalwart
courageous
focused
powerful
vigorous
custom_virtue
Starts missions with all of your heroes virtued.
-stressed
stalwart
courageous
focused
powerful
vigorous
custom_virtue
fearful
paranoid
selfish
masochistic
abusive
depressed
irrational
custom_affliction
Starts missions with all of your heroes at stress level 99. Pass a turn to start a resolve check. You can force a virtue or affliction by using one of the listed arguments. If you don't use an argument the resolve check will be done normally.
System Configuration
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-additional_max_resources
8192
Adds more resources to the resource manager. Resources are needed for game entries like trinkets, items, etc. This is useful if you have many mods.
-alwaysusecontroller
Forces controller as input method. Deactivates mouse and keyboard input.
-capture
Compatibility mode for streaming the game in windowed mode.
-clear_achievements
Supposed to clear achievements. I don't want to test that right now.
-clear_cloud_files
Clears cloud save files.
-debugsaverestore
Doesn't seem to do anything.
-disable_audio_loading_wait
Can't tell what it does.
-disable_blur
Disables blur.
-disable_flicker
Disables flicker effects.
-disable_grain
Disables grain.
-disable_monster_pre_loading
Disables monsters getting preloaded. Instead monsters get loaded at battle start. This causes a slight delay depending on your hardware. Recommend to use on saves with many monster or dungeon mods.
-disable_wave_audio_loading
Related to infinite loading in CoM wave quests.
-disableachievements
Supposed to disable achievements. Needs testing.
-disablesteam
Not tested yet.
-disablevideo
Disables all cutscene videos. (For example the Old Road cutscene.)
-districts_enabled
Enables districts.
-fps
Seemingly not working.
-full_as_borderless
Starts the game in borderless windowed mode.
-fullscreen
Starts the game in fullscreen mode.
-neverusecontroller
Deactivates controller input.
-noguisfx
Disables sounds of the user interface.
-nomusic
Disables background music.
-norestore
Loads a dummy save. Overwrites save profile_0 in Documents\Darkest.
-nosave
Disables saving.
-opengl
No idea, better not mess with this.
-platform
Can't tell what this does.
-resetcampaigntutorials
Resets tutorial pop-ups.
-size
1366 768
Defines the size of the game window.
-skip_opengl_check
Disables check for OpenGL version.
-skipfeflow
Skips intro and main menu and loads save profile_0.
-profile
profile_0
profile_1
profile_2
Combine with -skipfeflow to load specified save profile.
-skipfeflowintro
Disables game intro pictures and video.
-skipraid
Makes you unable to load any mission. Great.
-skiptutorial
Disables tutorial popups.
-skipvalidation
Not sure if that does anything anymore.
-start_language
french
german
spanish
italian
...
Switches game language.
-subtitles
0
1
Activates subtitles (1).
-vsync
0
1
Activates VSync (1).



Startup Modifiers
These parameters load up the game into certain events. They create a dummy save in
Documents/Darkest/profile_0
Non-steam users beware - this might overwrite your first save slot.

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-appledemo
Starts the game in a demo mode made for the Mac version.
-demomode
Starts the game in a demo mode. Random heroes and dungeon.
-firstroombattle
monster_ID1 monster_ID2 monster_ID3 monster_ID4
Starts up the game and puts you into a battle in the first room.
-firstroomcamp
Allows you to camp in the first room. Recommended to be used together with parameters like -startquest or -startplotquest.
-firstroomcurio
curio_ID
Starts up the game and puts you into the first room together with the curio you specified.
-startgameover
Starts the game and shows you the game over screen.
-startnewgameplus
Starts the game with a dummy save set to new game plus.
-startplotquest
plot_quest_ID
Starts the game and loads the specified plot quest.
-startquest
Difficulty Length Dungeon Type
1 1 weald cleanse
Starts the game and loads the specified quest type.
-startradiant
Starts the game with a dummy save set to radiant difficulty.
-startraidresults
Causes crashes. Needs more testing.
-starttownevent
Starts the game and loads the specified town event.
-parameter
Text.
Debug
Debug-related parameters.

Parameter
Arguments
Description
-enablebarkdismissal
Tbd.
-enablecorruptsavedebugging
Tbd.
-enabledebugaudiooutput
Tbd.
-enabledebughashoutput
Tbd.
-enabledebuginput
Check my debuginput guide!
-enabledebugmonsterbrainoutput
Tbd.
-enabledebugqueueoutput
Tbd.
-enablenetwork
Tbd.
-enablewavetesting
Tbd.
4 Comments
< >
Shadowlurker4897 13 Oct @ 2:08am 
Oh the audio wait one just means that a mission loading screen will wait until the ancestor finished talking before you can enter the dungeon and this launch option would disable that
Sherin  [author] 17 Sep @ 10:53pm 
@Kayo The purpose is mainly debugging and mod testing/development.
Kayo 17 Sep @ 10:39pm 
This feels like a cheat, what's the purpose of the game then especially since this is a strategic game
Whack 18 Sep, 2023 @ 1:43pm 
Dunno if its just me but -alwayshealcrit crashes my game when eating food