This repository facilitates collaboration for the managed custom launch configs used within the Special K Injection Frontend (SKIF). Note that using a launch config normally bypasses the typical launch process of its digital distribution platform, meaning features such as cloud synchronization etc is often skipped entirely.

Instructions

1. Edit the lc_user.json file with the desired additions/changes.
2. Once the edits are done, make a pull request of those edits.
3. Allow time for someone in the Special K team to validate and approve the changes.
4. Once the changes have been merged, they will be pushed out to all users over the next week or so as part of the weekly update of lc.json.

Format

The JSON is structured by <platform-id> -> <platform-app-id> -> <array-of-custom-launch-configs> -> <individual-launch-config>.

This example defines a custom -nostartupmovie launch configuration for the Steam copy of Mirror's Edge:

{
  "Steam": {
    "17410_Name": "Mirror's Edge",
    "17410": [
      {
        "Desc": "Skip intro videos",
        "Exe": "Binaries/MirrorsEdge.exe",
        "Args": "-nostartupmovies",
        "Dir": "Binaries"
      }
    ]
  }
}

• Steam is the platform identifier (<platform-id>). See Supported platforms for more details about that.

• 17410_Name is the human-readable name of the game. This key is not actually used — it is only present to make it easier for editors to identify games. The name of this key should always be <platform-app-id>_Name.

• 17410 is the unique platform app ID (<platform-app-id>) of the game. In the case of Steam this is typically just known as the "Steam App ID".

  • It can be retrieved from SKIF (right click -> Developer -> Copy app ID provided Developer mode is turned on).
    • This is the recommended option as it supports all platforms.
  • For Steam games, it can also be retrieved from the Steam storefront page link itself.
    • e.g. https://store.steampowered.com/app/17410/Mirrors_Edge/
  • Or from the third-party SteamDB resource.
    • e.g. https://steamdb.info/app/17410/info/

• Desc is the name/description that SKIF will use when listing it as an option.

  • This is used in the context menu of games as well as in the "Disable Special K" menu.
  • Note that SKIF will omit listing launch options in the "Disable Special K" menu that share the same executable as another option.

• Exe holds the relative path to the executable to start.

  • The path is relative to the install folder of the game.

• Args holds the command-line arguments to start the executable with.

  • These are known as the "launch options" in the Steam client and elsewhere.
  • Note that SKIF will omit listing launch options in the "Instant Play" menu that shares the same command-line arguments as another option.
    • Developer-provided options takes priority, so if an officially provided option is available to the user (e.g. through branch participation or DLC ownership), SKIF will omit any unofficial duplicates.

• Dir holds the relative working directory used for the launched executable. This can be empty, in which case the folder of the executable is used instead.

  • The path is relative to the install folder of the game.

Supported platforms

All platforms in SKIF parses and can list custom launch options, though its usefulness is primarily limited to Steam, GOG, and Custom games (lc_user.json). The platform identifier (<platform-id>) is the same as shown as the "Platform" label in the app.

Platform ID	State of support
Steam	Best supported platform, with few known problems or challenges when using custom launch configs.
GOG	Partially supported platform, though limited to launches outside of the GOG Galaxy client for now.
Epic	Very little, as custom launch configs can only be used with (DRM-free) games that allows skipping the Epic Games Launcher.
Xbox	Extremely little use, due to the special lauch requirements of these games.
Custom	Any manually added game, though these entries should be done in the separate lc_user.json file.

Examples

This example defines a few different launch configurations for a few Steam games:

• an intro skip option for Mirror's Edge
• a launcher skip for Doom Eternal
• as well as two custom launch options for Half-Life 2

{
  "Steam": {
    "17410_Name": "Mirror's Edge",
    "17410": [
      {
        "Desc": "Skip intro videos",
        "Exe": "Binaries/MirrorsEdge.exe",
        "Args": "-nostartupmovies",
        "Dir": "Binaries"
      }
    ],
    "782330_Name": "Doom Eternal",
    "782330": [
      {
        "Desc": "Skip launcher",
        "Exe": "DOOMEternalx64vk.exe",
        "Args": "",
        "Dir": ""
      }
    ],
    "220_Name": "Half-Life 2",
    "220": [
      {
        "Desc": "Skip intro videos",
        "Exe": "hl2.exe",
        "Args": "-game hl2 -steam -novid",
        "Dir": "bin"
      },
      {
        "Desc": "Enable the console",
        "Exe": "hl2.exe",
        "Args": "-game hl2 -steam -console",
        "Dir": "bin"
      }
    ]
  }
}