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Entries:

• What is the difference between Updated and Original version?
  
  
• Is it possible to skip the launcher?
  
  
• How does the scoring system work?
  
  
• Does Hotline Miami uses Steam Cloud?
  
  
• Where are the save files?
  
  
• How do I reset my save file?
  
  
• Should I play using keyboard/mouse or a controller?
  
  
• Can I remap my keys and controller?
  
  
• Where is the soundtrack?
  
  
• How do I listen to the soundtrack? Can I put it on my iPod, etc.?
  
  
• I want to contact Devolver Digital support!

What is the difference between Updated and Original version?
The Original version is the original game as released by Dennaton Games on PC (engine: GameMaker). The Updated version is the PS3/Vita port created by Abstraction Games (engine: PhyreEngine), which was then ported back to PC.

Updated is more stable, features score leaderboards, an additional bonus level previously available only to preorders, fixes issues with achievements, and offers the possibility to change languages, resolution, and play in windowed mode.

The only drawback is that due to the new engine, it requires OpenGL 2.1, which is why Original is still available for launch as some older graphics card may not be able to run Updated.




Is it possible to skip the launcher?
Right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Set launch options -> Type "-skip" -> OK -> From now on the game will launch immediately with your launcher settings. If you wish to change them, just remove the "-skip" using the same procedure.




How does the scoring system work?
This is a very complex topic and is thus covered in a separate thread.




Does Hotline Miami uses Steam Cloud?
Yes! The save file of the Updated version (see below) is synced via Steam Cloud. However, Original version's save files are not synced.



Where are the save files?
There are two distinct save files, one for the Original version and one for the Updated version.

• Original:
  
  • Windows: "saves.dat" in the game's folder (can be located by right-clicking on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files).
    
  • Mac: "<home>/Library/Application Support/Hotline Miami/saves.dat"
  
  
• Updated:
  
  • Windows: "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\HotlineMiami\SaveData.sav"
    
  • Mac: "<home>/Library/Application Support/Hotline Miami/SaveData.sav"
    
  • Linux (xdg): "XDG_DATA_HOME/Hotline Miami/SaveData.sav"
    
  • Linux (others): "~/.local/share/Hotline Miami/SaveData.sav"

How do I reset my save file?

• Right-click on the game in the library -> Properties -> Updates -> disable Steam Cloud by unticking the box.
  
• Navigate to "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\HotlineMiami" and rename "SaveData.sav" to "SaveData.sav.bak" or something else of your choice (this way, you'll have a backup just in case).
  
• Play! A new save file will be created automatically.
  
• (Optional) If you wish, you can enable Steam Cloud again after having created a new save. Beware: this new save will overwrite the old save upon synchronization.

One thing to note: when you start Updated, if an Original save file exists but no Updated save file exists, the game will create a new Updated save file converted from the Original save. You need to delete both files to reset your progression in that case.




Should I play using keyboard/mouse or a controller?
This is purely a personal preference and you should just play with what you're more comfortable with, as the game can be 100%'d using either. If you plan on going full tryhard (highscoring, speedrunning), you might want to prefer keyboard/mouse as it offers a better aim, but this is totally unnecessary for regular playthroughs.




Can I remap my keys and controller?
Unfortunately, only WASD (movement) and R (restart) can be remapped.




Where is the soundtrack?
"Soundtrack" in the game's folder (can be located by right-clicking on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files). If you don't find it there, right-click on the game in the library -> Properties -> DLC and make sure "Install" is ticked and state is "Installed".




How do I listen to the soundtrack? Can I put it on my iPod, etc.?
The soundtrack is in MP3 format and you can listen to it using your favorite music player. You can put the soundtrack on your iPod, phone or even remotely-controlled robot cat, as long as it has a music player and a playback device :)

Alternatively you can use Steam music player. It should automatically show up in your Steam music library. If it doesn't, go to Steam -> Settings -> Music and check that "Scan Steam folders for soundtracks" is ticked, then do "Scan now".




I want to contact Devolver Digital support!
You can send an email to support[at]devolverdigital[dot]com. However be warned: you might get redirected here.

Entries:

• I have met the requirements for achievement X but it is not unlocking!
  
  
• The desktop icon is blank.
  
  
• I can't select any mask (even Richard), they're all unavailable (black).
  
  
• The title on the main menu is in Russian!

I have met the requirements for achievement X but it is not unlocking!
Just play through any level again (the introduction will do fine) and it should unlock pretty quickly (the game check for achievements only at fixed times). If you still can't get it, do the achievement again, and after that play through any level.

I'm asking you to do it again because in 95% cases you actually did not meet the requirements and have missed something. For Always on Top, commonly forgotten executions are:
* pool cue AND broken pool cue (the two have different executions)
* pot with water AND without water (2nd floor Chapter 2 / 3rd flood Chapter 7) (same as pool cue, two different executions)
* frying pan (2nd floor Chapter 5 / 3rd flood Chapter 7)
* brick, dart, scissors and glass bottle (thrown weapons with unique executions)
If you play on Original, please check the Original troubleshooting section as well.




The desktop icon is blank.
Right-click on shortcut -> Properties -> Change Icon -> Browse to <steam_folder>\steamapps\common\hotline_miami -> choose any .exe -> apply.




I can't select any mask (even Richard), they're all unavailable (black).
Your save file got corrupted. You can either manually edit it (you'll need an hexadecimal editor for Updated version) to restore your masks or delete it and start again. You will find the save file location in the FAQ.

I advise against editing unless you know what you're doing, and remember to always make a backup.




The title on the main menu is in Russian!
That's not a bug, that's a feature ;)

Entries:

• When I press "Start" in the launcher, the game crashes ("HotlineGL.exe has stopped working").
  
  
• When I press "Start" in the launcher, the game freezes at the autosave ("cassette") screen / Hotline Miami logo screen (screenshot)[i.imgur.com].
  
  
• When I press "Start" in the launcher, it says "OpenAL32.dll is missing".
  - or -
  The game launches but there's no sound.
  
  
• The game launches but is all black and white with big squares and artifacts everywhere, like on this screenshot[i.imgur.com].
  
  
• When I launch the game from Steam, it immediately crashes ("HotlineLauncher.exe has stopped working")
  
  
• I have Windows 8 and the game crashes randomly.
  
  
• The game runs on slow motion compared to videos.
  - or -
  The game runs on slow motion when recording it (Fraps, OBS, etc.).
  
  
• When I move my mouse, the game slows down (FPS drops).
  
  
• When I change resolution/language/etc. in the launcher, nothing changes ingame.
  
  
• Keyboard inputs are not recognized ingame, I can't do anything.
  
  
• My Xbox controller is not recognized by the game.
  
  
• The screen is off to the side/zoomed in, I only see part of the whole screen.
  - or -
  I can't move the mouse in the corner of the screen, the mouse is blocked by invisible walls.
  
  
• My screen is upside down.

When I press "Start" in the launcher, the game crashes ("HotlineGL.exe has stopped working").
This can be caused by a lot of different things. First, check if it's a graphics driver issue. Three cases:

• (a) You have a desktop computer with a dedicated graphics card.
  
• (b) You have a laptop with both integrated graphics and a dedicated graphics card.
  
• (c) You have a laptop or desktop with only integrated graphics.

(a) Update your graphics driver and try again, it will probably solve the problem:

• NVIDIA: http://www.nvidia.com/Download/index.aspx
  
• ATI / AMD: http://support.amd.com/en-us/download

If it still doesn't work, go to (d).

(b) You probably have NVIDIA Optimus or AMD Switchable Graphics. These technologies switch the graphics card used by your applications. You have to make sure "HotlineGL.exe" runs on dedicated graphics / high performance graphics. Be careful: it must be "HotlineGL.exe" (which is the game) and not "HotlineMiami.exe" (which is the launcher). See this guide[pcsupport.lenovo.com] for more details.
If it still doesn't work, go to (a).

(c) Please take a look at this document[www.intel.com] and check if your integrated graphics supports OpenGL 2.1 (don't forget to expand "Older graphics products" if you don't find your chipset). If your chipset does not support OpenGL 2.1 or higher, then you can't run Updated and have to use Original, sorry :/
If you do support OpenGL, then update your integrated graphics driver and it should work: http://www.intel.com/p/en_US/support/detect
If it still doesn't work, go to (d).

(d) At this point, your graphics driver itself should not be the cause of the problem. Instead, it is most probably caused by another program interfering with the graphics driver. This usually happens when a third-party program needs to inject itself in a game, such as for overlays or monitoring. Unfortunately finding it can be quite difficult and bothersome, as you must go through all your applications one by one to find the culprit.

If you have any application that injects an overlay into games, such as Discord, Plays.TV / Raptr, Fraps, MSI Afterburner, Precision X / Riva Tuner, VirtuMVP, etc. disable the overlay/the application.

If that doesn't apply to you or doesn't help, disable Steam overlay by right-clicking on the game in library -> Properties -> unchecking "Enable the Steam overlay while in-game".

If you have any application that monitors other programs (antivirus, firewalls, etc.), such as Bit Defender, Avast, etc., try to disable the application temporarily. If it fixes the issue, add "HotlineGL.exe" to the program's whitelist.



When I press "Start" in the launcher, the game freezes at the autosave ("cassette") screen / Hotline Miami logo screen (screenshot)[i.imgur.com].

It is most probably caused by another program interfering with the graphics driver. This usually happens when a third-party program needs to inject itself in a game, such as for overlays or monitoring. Unfortunately finding it can be quite difficult and bothersome, as you must go through all your applications one by one to find the culprit.

If you have any application that injects an overlay into games, such as Discord, Plays.TV / Raptr, Fraps, MSI Afterburner, Precision X / Riva Tuner, VirtuMVP, etc. disable the overlay/the application.

If that doesn't apply to you or doesn't help, disable Steam overlay by right-clicking on the game in library -> Properties -> unchecking "Enable the Steam overlay while in-game".

If you have any application that monitors other programs (antivirus, firewalls, etc.), such as Bit Defender, Avast, etc., try to disable the application temporarily. If it fixes the issue, add "HotlineGL.exe" to the program's whitelist.




When I press "Start" in the launcher, it says "OpenAL32.dll is missing".
- or -
The game launches but there's no sound.
OpenAL didn't properly install. First, uninstall OpenAL from your programs list. Then, install it again by running the executable located in Steam common distributables:
If after reinstalling OpenAL you still don't get any sound when playing Updated version AND have other playback ports such as HDMI or S/PDIF, check that the sound isn't going through these ports, as Updated doesn't properly recognize the default audio device. I have no actual fix but I have a workaround: open up the sound device configuration panel and disable the annoying playback devices (or unplug them). It should solve the problem (don't forget to restart the game after unplugging/disabling devices).

If you're on Windows XP, try to turn on/off hardware acceleration. This can be found in Control Panel -> Sounds and audio devices -> Audio -> Advanced -> Performance -> Move the hardware acceleration slider.

As a last resort, you should also update your audio driver.




The game launches but is all black and white with big squares and artifacts everywhere, like on this screenshot[i.imgur.com].
You have an ATI graphics card and need to disable "Advanced Catalyst A.I." in the Catalyst Control Center. Newer versions of CCC hid the option, so you might have to disable it manually by following this guide.




When I launch the game from Steam, it immediately crashes ("HotlineLauncher.exe has stopped working")
This can be caused by three things things.

If you're lucky, then it's simply because dependencies are missing: you must reinstall them. Go to Steam common distributables: and install all the following:
You need to install all ".exe" files., then try again and see if it works.

You should also make sure that .NET Framework 3.5 is enabled:

• https://docs.microsoft.com/en-gb/dotnet/framework/install/dotnet-35-windows-10
  
• https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2734782/net-framework-3-5-installation-error-0x800f0906-0x800f081f-0x800f0907

If you're a bit less lucky, it's a problem with another application messing with the game files. If you have any application that monitors other programs (antivirus, firewalls, etc.), such as Bit Defender, Avast, etc., try to disable the application temporarily. If it fixes the issue, add "HotlineGL.exe" to the program's whitelist.

If you're not lucky at all, it didn't fix the problem. This is a rare issue on non-English Windows, and I don't know how to fix it. Fortunately, there is a workaround that will let you play the game even without the launcher:

• Go to "C:\Users\<username\Documents\My Games\"
  
• Create a new folder named "HotlineMiami" (no space) if it's not already there
  
• In that folder, create a new text file, and rename it to "hotline.cfg"
  
• Open the file using Notepad and copy/paste the following:
  
  4 width=1920 height=1080 windowed=0 language=0 alienware=0 rumble=0 vsync=0 triggerswap=0 joystick=0 version=0
• Change "width=1920" and "height=1080" to your resolution
  
• (Optional) Change "language=0" (English) to the value of your choice:
  
  1. French
     
  2. Brazilian Portuguese
     
  3. Spanish
     
  4. Russian
     
  5. German
     
  6. Polish
     
  7. Japanese
• Save file

Example in this picture: link[i.imgur.com].
You need everything EXACTLY the same, in particular file must be "hotline.cfg" and not "hotline.cfg.txt" (make sure Windows displays file extensions to check file type).

Then try to launch the game: right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files -> launch HotlineGL.exe. If it works, make a shortcut to "HotlineGL.exe" so that it's easier to launch the game, since you can't launch via Steam.




I have Windows 8 and the game crashes randomly.
Right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files -> Right-click on "HotlineGL.exe" -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 7.
If it still doesn't work try again in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (Service Pack 2).




The game runs on slow motion compared to videos.
- or -
The game runs on slow motion when recording it (Fraps, OBS, etc.).
If you have a laptop, make sure you're not on the battery and that you use high-performance power settings.

Make sure you have installed the latest graphics drivers and if you have a laptop with switchable graphics, make sure both the game and the recording software use your dedicated graphics card.

Disable V-sync in the launcher.

If it still doesn't work and you're on Windows 8+, right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files -> Right-click on "HotlineGL.exe" -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows 7.

If it still doesn't work try again in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (Service Pack 2).

Also, if you recently installed a program with an overlay such as Discord, Plays.TV / Raptr, Fraps, MSI Afterburner, Precision X / Riva Tuner, VirtuMVP, etc. try to disable the overlay/application.

If you have Razer Synapse installed, the next time the game slows down, fire up the Task Manager and sort processes by CPU usage. If you see GameManagerService near the top of the list, hogging CPU resources, click on it and end it. If the slowdowns stop, then uninstall Razer Synapse...


When I move my mouse, the game slows down (FPS drops).
Try to lower the polling rate of your mouse in your mouse configuration software.




When I change resolution/language/etc. in the launcher, nothing changes ingame.
This problem happens because the game can not write the file "hotline.cfg" in this folder: "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\HotlineMiami".
Multiple things can cause that:

• This folder is marked as "read-only". You can fix that in the folder properties (right-click -> Properties -> make sure "read-only" is not ticked).
  
• Your Windows username contains special characters (for example Cyrillic or Japanese). There is no fix for this except moving Documents to another location (right-click on Documents -> Properties -> Location -> Move to a path without special characters).

Keyboard inputs are not recognized ingame, I can't do anything.
Go to "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\HotlineMiami" and open "hotline.cfg" with Notepad. Check that the line "joystick=0" is present, if you see "joystick=1" instead, change it to 0 and save.

Make sure there aren't any conflicts with other controllers: you can check for controllers in "Control Panel\Set up USB game controllers" (Windows+R -> "joy.cpl"). Unplug other controllers.

If you have installed any virtual device program such as vJoy (which lets you use any device as a fake Xbox controller) it might interfere as well as the game will probably try to use the virtual device instead. Uninstall or disable the virtual devices.

As a last resort, try to run the game as administrator.
You will find the executable by right-clicking on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files. The one you're looking for is "HotlineGL.exe".




My Xbox controller is not recognized by the game.
First, update your Xbox controller drivers by following the instructions on Microsoft documentation:

• Xbox 360 controller[support.xbox.com]
  
• Xbox One controller[support.xbox.com]

Go to "C:\Users\<username>\Documents\My Games\HotlineMiami" and open "hotline.cfg" with Notepad. Check that the line "joystick=1" is present, if you see "joystick=0" instead, change it to 1 and save.

Make sure there aren't any conflicts with other controllers: you can check for controllers in "Control Panel\Set up USB game controllers" (Windows+R -> "joy.cpl"). Unplug other controllers.

If you have installed any virtual device program such as vJoy (which lets you use any device as a fake Xbox controller) it might interfere as well as the game will probably try to use the virtual device instead. Uninstall or disable the virtual devices.




The screen is off to the side/zoomed in, I only see part of the whole screen.
- or -
I can't move the mouse in the corner of the screen, the mouse is blocked by invisible walls.
Right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files -> Right-click on "HotlineGL.exe" -> Properties -> Compatibility.

• Click on "Change high DPI settings", then under "High DPI scaling override", tick "Override high DPI scaling behavior" and set "Scaling performed by:" to "Application", and then "OK" and "Apply".
  
• If "Change high DPI settings" is not there (older versions of Windows): tick "Disable display scaling on high DPI settings", and apply.

My screen is upside down.
You have an Intel Atom N2600/GMA 3600 or similar. This is a driver issue and there's nothing to do. Intel has been contacted about this problem (like A VERY LONG TIME ago), but it seems it was never fixed. Sorry!

Entries:

• Achievements do not work.
  
  
• When I change resolution/language/etc. in the launcher, nothing changes ingame.
  
  
• I got an "Error defining external function".
  
  
• I sometimes get stuck in the stairs and have to restart to continue.
  
  
• I got a "Game data failed to load. Game file seems corrupt." message.
  
  
• I can't use Shift+Tab to speak with my friends while ingame.

Achievements do not work.
Make sure you answer "Yes" when the game asks if you want to enable Steamworks on startup, as achievements will not work otherwise.




When I change resolution/language/etc. in the launcher, nothing changes ingame.
This is normal as Original is not meant to understand the launcher options and is only there as a last resort for when Updated doesn't work. You can't change all that for Original, sorry!




I got an "Error defining external function".
Right-click on the game in your library -> Properties -> Local files -> Browse local files -> "redist" -> install "vcredist_x86.exe".

If you still encounter that problem, go to the main menu -> Settings -> Advanced -> Turn Surfaces OFF. If you STILL encounter that problem, also turn Clear Blood ON in the Advanced settings.




I sometimes get stuck in the stairs and have to restart to continue.
Go to the main menu -> Settings -> Advanced -> Turn Surfaces OFF.




I got a "Game data failed to load. Game file seems corrupt." message.
Disable your Print Spooler service. That will forbid you to print until you restart it, and that sucks, but that is a GameMaker bug so there's nothing else to do :/




I can't use Shift+Tab to speak with my friends while ingame.
Steam overlay does not work with Original version. Nothing to do about that, sorry!