if you're on windows 10, check the admin/rights permissions for the game and for documents\nbgi\darksouls(\subfolder)

I got it to work. My AppData folder was set to hidden without my knowledge. If you uncheck "Hidden" in that folder/subfolders it'll work great.

I know this post is old af but do you happen to remember how long it took to create a save file after you fixed the issue?

Originally posted by Zill:

I got it to work. My AppData folder was set to hidden without my knowledge. If you uncheck "Hidden" in that folder/subfolders it'll work great.

It wasn't very long if my memory serves me true. Maybe a minute or so...

Ok, so I googled ... I have also read pretty much all posts here on Steam (for example https://steamcommunity.com/app/211420/discussions/0/490123727974954174) ... but am unable to get the game running.


Has anyone been able to fix the eternal "creating save data" screen issue on a freshly purchased and installed Dark Souls Prepare to Die-Edition on Windows 10?

What I have - to no avail - attempted:

1. Run exe as admin.

2. Set exe compatibility to different Windows versions.

3. Set the folder properties of C:\Users\ (MyName) \AppData to "not hidden".

4. Atttempted to change the properties of C:\Users\ (MyName) \Documents\NBGI\DarkSouls (as well as its parent folder) to "not read only". However, even though I am logged into my pc as admin, the "read only" checkbox always ends up in black (i.e. neither a check nor empty - but a merge of those two). Interestingly enough, there aren't any files in this folder.

5. I checked the permissions to these folders: And I do have full permissions, hence not getting why I am not able to fully uncheck the "read only" box.

6. Even though I do have - or at least it seems I do have - all required permissions, I still performed the recommended steps @ http://blog.switchfast.com/solved-windows-10-upgrade-changed-all-documents-to-read-only.


Note:

- Most solutions that I found on the net related to GFWL and removing it. This is not an issue for me, as my version is newly purchased, and thus came without GFWL.
- Other recommendations target Windows 7 (and deliberately not Windows 10), so are also not of use to me.
- I did install Dark Souls where all my other Steam games are (C:\Games\Steam).


Thanks for any insight!

does your windowsaccount name contain odd symbols or stuff like that?

No, not really. I have searched the net like crazy - and I can see that there are many who successfully are running DS on W10.

I might be just one of those unlucky ones ... Have tampered with access as much as can be, but I still cannot get it to run.

If the problem is generating the save data, have you tried (just a random thought) downloading a pre-existing save from Nexus and putting it on your save folder?

Also, the game does not store the saves on the AppData folder... it does store its settings there (i.e. the DarkSouls.ini), the save data is stored on your personal Documents folder.

Another thing that could help you is, if you can, check if creating the file DarkSouls.ini in the
%LocalAppData%\NBGI\DarkSouls folder changes anything?

Or, maybe, if the file already exists.. perhaps the game detected something wrong in the settings and cannot start due to that? Maybe if you tweak some settings there, like the video resoultion can help?

Random stuff to ponder:
Do you have more than one controller plugged in? I know that somewhat confuses the game, and that's better to plug off all controllers and start the game without them...

Do you have any overlay app running? Like Riva Tuner, Overwolf, etc ect? That could be bothering the game too...

Do you have more than one video card? Like one on-board and one real video card? That could be messing with the video detection logic, if you have an onboard card and it's not disabled on the BIOS.

Also, check with your video card settings tool (Catalyst or NV control panel) if they're using some setting that can inflluence the game.... perhaps tunring everything off in there an let the game control everything.

Hope you find a way to make the game work :) *crossing fingers* In any case, if nothing here works, don't lose hope, someone else may know the real problem and come back to post.

Best wishes.

Ok, I finally got the game to START with a savegame ...

1.) I download a savegame - already worked. Went into the relevant category on the Nexus @ https://www.nexusmods.com/darksouls/mods/searchresults/?src_cat=129 and downloaded one of those savegames.

2.) I put that file into the folder C:\Users\ (MyName) \Documents\NBGI\DarkSouls

3.) DS would fire up with out any issues - the "creating save data" screen was showing up for max. 2 seconds, if at all.

4.) I then created an NG, and exited the game to see whether my newly created character is showing up all right - which it is at that moment.

BUT ... once I quit DS and open it again, the NG data is not there, i.e. it wasn't saved to the file.

5.) Just to test, I turned off the Bitdefender TS 2018 firewall - to no avail.

6.) My guess is that Windows 10 thinks that DS - for whatever reason - is not allowed to write into the savegame folder.

The journey continues ...

FINALLY resolved - rejoice rejoice!

-----

1.) All DS relevant folders and sub-folders had the correct access rights for all W10 user profiles.

2.) I ran DS as admin in XP SP 3 compatibility.

3.) But it turned out that my Antivirus Software Bitdefender Total Security 2018 was still blocking DS - which I managed to turn off at last.

Should anyone ever have the same issue, here are the two areas where I whitelisted DS within Bitdefender TS 2018:

(a) Firewall, and
(b) Safe Files.

In my case, I did have DS already whitelisted in the Firewall, but not yet in the Safe Files.

Bitdefender TS 2018 was monitoring under "Safe Files" my entire C:\Users\ (MyName) \Documents folder, thus also the one where DS stores its save games C:\Users\ (MyName) \Documents\NBGI\DarkSouls.

To grant DS access to this folder, I had to add it to the "application access" list within "Safe Files".

-----

Good things come to those who wait, says I.

Glad to hear that! And thanks for reporting back, I'm sure it will be useful for someone else at some point :)

Holy crap thank you so much @cmaesing !

Originally posted by Chief Mayonnaise:

Holy crap thank you so much @cmaesing !

Anytime mate. Enjoy!

Had the same problem here, thanks a lot @cmaesing :)

Had the same problem, and I can finally play this awesome game !
Thx a lot cmaesing !