3dmgame.ini Review
Some cracks used this file to disable the Steam Overlay, which broke controller compatibility for games like Dark Souls III. You could edit the [Settings] section to enable SteamHook or change SaveType to fix compatibility.
Technically, 3DM as an active force is largely gone. The group that replaced them (EMPRESS, RUNE, Razor1911) uses different methods. However, 3dmgame.ini still appears regularly because: 3dmgame.ini
You will often see this file compared to its rivals. Understanding the difference helps you identify who cracked your game. Some cracks used this file to disable the
| File Name | Group | Distinguishing Feature |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 3dmgame.ini | 3DM | Heavy focus on Denuvo bypass; often has Chinese comments in the file. |
| steam_api.ini | CODEX / RUNE | Standardized; very clean; focuses on Steam emulation. Uses AccountId=. |
| Ali213.ini | ALI213 | Very similar to 3DM; defaults to Chinese language. |
| hlm.ini | Hoodlum | Less common; specific to UWP (Windows Store) games. | The group that replaced them (EMPRESS, RUNE, Razor1911)
If you are trying to apply an update patch to a cracked game, you must match the ini type. Applying a CODEX update to a 3DM crack will usually result in a crash because the save paths and API hooks are structured differently.
Sometimes, cracks set save games to a weird folder (e.g., C:\Users\Public\Documents\3DMGAME). You can change this via GameDataSavePath or SavePath variables if they exist in the file, forcing the game to save to your user profile instead.