How to play Borderlands 2 Split-Screen on PC (Instructions)

[PhnXFire]

A little background information

Hello everyone. I don't post here much, but I was pretty excited to get this working today. Before I begin I must give credit to Gr9AgW who posted one of the first videos attempting to do this with Borderlands 1. With a little investigation, I was able to figure out a much simpler and a reasonably doable method. With a powerful enough rig, you will be able to run Borderlands 2 a lot better than any console kiddie can ever dream of . Let's begin!

What you will need

1. A reasonably powerful PC (I'm running an Asus G73Jh Laptop, 720qm with 5870m, which is nothing compared to most of your guys' setups)
2. Two working XBOX Controllers(or emulated XBOX Controllers, you can Google software for that if you need to convert your gamepads / PS3 controllers to XBOX).
3. Preferably two monitors / screens (your TV could work as a second screen)

How-To

1. Connect your two controllers (preferably XBOX). Make sure one is player 1 and one is player 2 (check the lights).

2.a) Locate your Borderlands2.exe, create a shortcut called "Player 1". Right click, properties, locate target. Here is how mine looks like: "D:\Borderlands 2\Binaries\Win32\Borderlands2.exe" -AlwaysFocus. Add the "AlwaysFocus" modifier.

2.b) Create a second shortcut of Borderlands2.exe and name it "Player 2". Right click, properties, Target, "D:\Borderlands 2\Binaries\Win32\Borderlands2.exe" -AlwaysFocus -ControllerOffset=1 -SaveDataId=2. This will prevent the saving glitch and will make a separate save category for player 2 (SaveDateId handler).

3. Start Borderlands 2 through PLAYER 1 using Controller #1. DO NOT USE THE MOUSE. Switch to windowed mode. If you are running Eyefinity or a multi-monitor set-up, move this instance of the game to that screen. I suggest a 1280x720 resolution to start the testing.

4. Start another copy of Borderlands 2 using Player 2. Note: if you are running the game through Steam, please refer to this post. Thanks Elk_Cloner!

Originally Posted by Elk_Cloner

I just managed to get 2 copies of Borderlands 2 running under Steam using http://www.sandboxie.com/. I haven't messed around with it too much yet, but here is basically what I did:

1) Start an instance of Steam normally.
2)Started a second instance under Sandboxie (make sure you let it run as Admin, it didn't seem to work otherwise). First instance will go into offline mode.
3) Launch Borderlands 2 through Sandboxie Steam
4) Launch Borderlands 2 through normal offline Steam

I don't if the order you follow these steps matters, that's just what I did.

NOTE FROM PHNXFIRE: Use the -AlwaysFocus modifier for your first instance, and the -AlwaysFocus -ControllerOffset=1 -SaveDataId=2 FOR THE SANDBOXIE INSTANCE by right clicking on Borderlands 2 and adding launch properties. These work just the same!

5. Use Controller #2 to control THE SECOND instance of Borderlands 2. Make sure you are windowed and the controller works. Do not touch Controller 1, make sure you use Controller 2 to skip through the intros, etc.

6. Download Gamers Window Relocator. The instance that is NOT on your primary monitor will reset back to your first monitor if you try full-screening it! Simply change the resolution to the resolution of your second screen and use the software to relocate your Borderlands 2 window appropriately and give it the "fullscreen" look.

7. Switch network mode to LAN on both games, and join one game with the other. It should show up under "find games".

8. Give your controller to your friend/girlfriend (although according to Gearbox, us PC players don't have any of those, hence no Split-Screen feature) and enjoy.

I'll try to update this thread as the questions come, but for those of you who have the necessary equipment to try this, I'm eager to hear if this works for you as well.

[Hashed]

i got it working with 2 , but im having issues with saving. only one of the instances can save the game, the other cant save and thus cant travel

[markeross2]

I'm having trouble finding the Mutex to disable in order to get two apps running of BL2...help?

[PhnXFire]

Originally Posted by markeross2

I'm having trouble finding the Mutex to disable in order to get two apps running of BL2...help?

I actually have the disc version as I preordered the limited edition, but I remember being able to do it with TF2 and many other Steam games. Maybe someone with the Steam version could find the key that needs to be terminated for Borderlands 2?

Originally Posted by Hashed

i got it working with 2 , but im having issues with saving. only one of the instances can save the game, the other cant save and thus cant travel

Make sure the player who joins the host gets to a save point and leaves FIRST.

[markeross2]

yeah i watched the video but i tried disabling every mutex listed and steam still wouldn't let me open another application...anyone know the mutex?

[markeross2]

is there any chance it could be called something else besides mutex? I just disable every "mutant" type process and after each one was killed I tried to start BL2 but each time it failed..

[Jyrakos]

I'm trying to figure this out too. I just did what you did Markeross, and I can't get a second window to open. Hashed or PhnXFire, what was the exact file you closed the handle on to get it to work?

[PhnXFire]

Originally Posted by Jyrakos

I'm trying to figure this out too. I just did what you did Markeross, and I can't get a second window to open. Hashed or PhnXFire, what was the exact file you closed the handle on to get it to work?

I'm sure there must be a way of running another instance. I have the physical copy of the game so I have to installed separately from Steam, so it's as simple as launching the .exe. I'll search around and see if I can find anything for non-HL2 based games. Perhaps someone with a little knowledge about this will contribute to the thread.

I also just saw something for Borderlands 1 where you can run the Borderlands.exe inside the Steam folder, and that seems to bypass the single instance rule. Give that a try?

[Jyrakos]

Actually, I bought it on Amazon. So I wonder if I can download it directly from them and run one that way.

EDIT1: Just checked and Amazon requires Steam to run, not run separately. Oh well, I'm still trying.

EDIT2: I also just tried running the Borderlands2.exe or Launcher.exe from the folder directly while another was open. No luck. I keep getting the error message "This game is currently unavailable (Application running)."

[markeross2]

I'm still working on it too...btw it does not bypass it by clicking on the exe in the steam folders

[yomartin1]

Can 1 player use keyboard and mouse while the 2nd player use x360 controller?
Player 1 = Keyboard and mouse
Player 2 = X360 controller

Does it work this way?

[PhnXFire]

Originally Posted by yomartin1

Can 1 player use keyboard and mouse while the 2nd player use x360 controller?
Player 1 = Keyboard and mouse
Player 2 = X360 controller

Does it work this way?

Yes, however, you have to download software in order to switch your XBOX Controller to player 2 mode. I believe it's called JoyID. I've heard of one called PPJoy as well but I'm not sure it will do the same thing.

Originally Posted by markeross2

I'm still working on it too...btw it does not bypass it by clicking on the exe in the steam folders

I just tried running other games through Steam, Magicka lets me run multiple instances no problem. So I'm assuming there must be some sort of system signature that's preventing BL2 from running the second copy.

[markeross2]

I do appreciate the continued help. I def agree, but I'm not sure which signature it could be. Like I mentioned above I disabled all the mutant types to no avail, but in the borderlands and steam exe

[Jyrakos]

Yeah, I could do it just fine with BL1. I'm still stuck on BL2 though.

[Hashed]

Originally Posted by PhnXFire

Make sure the player who joins the host gets to a save point and leaves FIRST.

What do you mean? The guest player has to reach a save point before the host, and also exit the game before the host?