Outlast Crashes, Errors, Tweaks, Freezes and Fixes

List of errors, crashes, freezes and workarounds to fix them in order to run Outlast smoothly on PC.

outlast
I don’t know about you but Outlast feels a very scary experience to me. Developed and Published by Red Barrels, the game has managed to secure descent reviews among critics. And if you like the adventures filled with horrors, it’s a recommended game.

The game recently got released on PC and has managed to draw attention of many PC gamers. Overall, it’s a well-polished product but there are small issues creating troubles for some users.

The support team is monitoring the issues closely, and a couple of updates have already been rolled out to address common problems.

In the meanwhile, if you are also experiencing some problem that hasn’t been able to fix yet, you can browse through the following troubleshooting list to find out the possible fix.

#1 Outlast Crashes with a .DLL Error
The crash occurs due to the faulty redistributable package installed on your computer. If a game is being crashed giving you some sort of .dll file error, you should browses the game directory (where the game is installed) and look for vcredist folder. Install it, and the problem should be solved.

You can also try downloading the particular .dll file and place it into the game’s directory manually but that is not a recommended option as it leaves you vulnerable.

#2 Outlast Tweaks to Boost Performance
Outlast allows you to customize the experience as you desire. All you need to do is find the config folder usually found in C:\Users\username\Documents\My Games\Outlast\OLGame\ and open the OLEngine.ini file using notepad.

For instance, if you are looking to remove the FPS cap, you can use the following settings in that file:

bSmoothFrameRate=TRUE
MinSmoothedFrameRate=22
MaxSmoothedFrameRate=62

You can change the value of frame rates as you wish.

Similarly, there are plenty of other parameters you can alter depending on your choices. Just make sure that you make a backup of the file before applying any change to be on the safe side if something goes wrong.

#3 Outlast – How to Remove FPS Cap
Read the point #2 to remove the cap.

#4 Outlast – Blackscreen after Switching to Custom Resolution
You need to delete your profile which can be found in \Steam\userdata\. It will reset your settings and you will be able to see the options menu again.

#5 Outlast – Unlock the Main Door Bug
It was a bug at the developer’s end. If you haven’t restarted Steam yet then I will recommend you do to download the update/fix.

#6 Outlast – Game Crashes to Desktop on Launch
Try the fix mentioned in #1 to resolve the issue.

#7 Outlast – Black Screen Fix for 32-bit OS
The game by default is optimized for 64-bit OS so if you are running a 32-bit version, you are bound to get problems. In order to fix it, you can use the following tutorial:

  • Open a command prompt with administrator privileges (Start Menu> Search for CMD> Run it as Administrator).
  • Type “bcdedit /set IncreaseUserVa 3072”
  • After pressing enter, it should say something like “Operation completed successfully”.
  • Reboot your computer.
  • Try running Outlast again

#8 Outlast – Mouse Lag Fix
If you meet the recommended requirements for the game and still experiencing mouse lags then I will recommend that you try disabling the Vsync from the graphics options.

#9 Outlast – How to Disable Motion Blue
Again, go to Username\Documents\My Games\Outlast\OLGame\Config” and open “OLEngine.ini” using a notepad. Here, you need to change the setting as follows:

MotionBlur=False
MotionBlurPause=False
MotionBlurSkinning=0

#10 Outlast – Can’t Install the Game
Just restart your Steam and the game should work.

If you come across any other issue, comment and we will try to help you out!

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Ali is a passionate RPG gamer. He believes that western RPGs still have a lot to learn from JRPGs. He is editor-in-chief at SegmentNext.com but that doesn't stop him from writing about his favorite video ...