1.1.1. Is ScummVM an emulator?

No! ScummVM actually replaces the original executable file that shipped with the game. This means that your games can run on platforms they were never designed for! For an in-depth look at how ScummVM works, see theAbout ScummVM wiki page.

1.1.2. Is ScummVM free?

ScummVM is released under the GPL (General Public License), so it’s more than just free. ScummVM source code is available for you to do whatever you want with it, but if you make modifications and redistribute your work, you must make your source code available.

The ScummVM team would be delighted if you send them your modifications, so that the changes you’ve made can be merged into the main source code. See theDeveloper Central wiki page for contributing guidelines.

1.1.3. Can I create my own games using ScummVM?

A few engines supported by ScummVM have publicly available authoring tools. See thiswiki page for more information.

1.1.4. I want to compile ScummVM myself from the source code. How do I do this?

See theCompiling ScummVM wiki page.

1.1.5 Can I run my pirated/abandonware/warez/unauthorized copies of a game?

Our project has a strict no-piracy policy. Hence, we do not provide any support when it becomes evident that you did not obtain your game copy legally.

We outlined a more detailed response onour Wiki.

And no, “abandonware” is not a proper legal concept in any country. Just like how it’s not legal to copy a book under copyright because it is out-of-print, it is not legal to copy a game under copyright because the company is no longer selling it.

In addition, some versions of games downloaded from random websites may have been modified to include malware that could compromise your computer.

1.2.1. How do I install ScummVM onto my device?

SeeStart here!.

1.2.2. How do I get game files onto my device?

For general guidance, see theHandling game files page. For platform-specific information, see the relevant page in theOTHER PLATFORMS section of the sidebar.

ScummVM has cloud and LAN functionality to simplify the file transfer process. For more information, seeConnecting a cloud service andUsing the local web server.

1.2.3. On what platform(s) will ScummVM run?

See ourPlatforms wiki page for a full list. We have guides available for many of the supported platforms, see the relevant page in theOTHER PLATFORMS section of the sidebar.

1.2.4. Where do I find the configuration file?

SeeConfiguration file.

1.3.1. Can I only play LucasArts SCUMM games?

Although the ScummVM project started by reverse-engineering just the LucasArts SCUMM games, the project now supports hundreds of games from many different game developers. See the full list of supported gameshere. There is a caveat; not all supported games are playable on all platforms. Often this is because the game is simply too CPU intensive for the device, or because of some other hardware or software limitation. If a game is not available on a platform, you will not be able to add it to ScummVM.

1.3.2. Where do I get the games?

See the ScummVMWhere to get the games wiki page.

1.3.3. How do I install games from my floppy discs/CDs?

Generally speaking, you do not need to install the games. You only need to point ScummVM to the game files contained on these discs. For a complete guide, seeHandling game files.

1.3.4. Do I need the original game discs?

Ideally yes, however we know that a lot of people don’t! If you do not have any hard copy games, there are some digital options available, including some games that have been released as freeware. See the ScummVMWhere to get the games wiki page.

1.3.5. How do I get the Macintosh versions of games to work?

SeeHandling Macintosh game files

1.3.6. How do I know if I can play my game using ScummVM?

The best place to check is theCompatibility page on the ScummVM website. You can also have a look at the full list of supported gameshere.

1.3.7. I have saved games from when I played the original game - can I use these with ScummVM?

This is only supported for a select number of games. See thewiki page for the game you are playing.

1.3.8. Where are my games saved?

SeeSaving and loading a game.

1.3.9. How do I launch a game straight from the game folder?

Games must be added to and started fromthe ScummVM Launcher; they cannot be started directly from the game files. SeeAdding and playing a game.

1.3.10. What are the in-game keyboard shortcuts?

A list of default shortcuts can be found on theKeyboard shortcuts page. From version 2.2.0 you can also create custom shortcuts on theKeymaps tab.

1.3.11. What is the ScummVM policy on fanmade mods (unofficial subtitles & translations, upscaled graphics & audio, etc.)?

Some engines support fan mods, but ScummVM does not endorse any mods that infringe the copyright of the original rights holders. This includes graphic and audio “upscales” that redistribute modified game assets without permission.

Several mods that exist with the permission of the original rights holders can be foundon our website.

2.1.1. ScummVM crashes, but the console window disappears too quickly to see the error message.

If you are using a computer, you can run ScummVM from thecommand line. By doing this, error messages remain visible even after ScummVM exits.

You can also find error messages in the ScummVM log file. SeeThe ScummVM log file.

2.1.2. I get “Failed to save game state to file: “. What’s going on?

Check that yoursave path is a writeable directory.

2.1.3. I think I found a bug. What do I do?

SeeReport a bug.

2.2.1. Help! My game won’t run!

1. Make sure your game is supported. Check theCompatibility page on the ScummVM website, and thePlatform Overview page on the wiki.

2. Check that you have all the required datafiles. See theHandling game files page.

3. Ask for advice on the ScummVM forums or on Discord. See theContact us page.

4. If you think the game should run, and it doesn’t, report it as a bug. SeeReport a bug.

2.2.2. I installed my game but ScummVM can’t find it… What do I do?

Installing the game does not necessarily provide ScummVM with the files it needs. In most cases you will need to copy the files from the disc into a folder ScummVM can access. SeeHandling game files.

2.2.3. Why are the subtitles in my non-English game messed up?

You need to specify the correctlanguage in the game-specific settings.

2.2.4. My game crashes at a specific point. What do I do?

First, check theCompatibility page on the ScummVM website to see if the game has any known issues. If not, and the crash can be reproduced, report the crash as a bug. SeeReport a bug.

2.2.5. I downloaded the Broken Sword packs from your website but the game won’t run.

These are not full games, they are re-encoded cutscene (video) packs. To run the games you still need the original disks. See theBroken Sword wiki page.

2.3.1 Help! There’s no sound!

Sometimes it’s worth checking the obvious.

1. Are your speakers on? Are your headphones properly connected?

2. Try playing an audio clip from another source to see if you have sound in general.

3. If you narrow it down to an issue with ScummVM, check theaudio settings. ScummVM falls back on an audio setting that works, but if for some reason it doesn’t, you might need to change the settings yourself. A safe bet is usually to set thePreferred device to<default> and allow ScummVM to choose for you.

2.3.2 Help! There’s no sound on my iPhone/iPad!

ScummVM will not play any sound if your device is in Silent Mode. If this is not the problem, see2.3.1 Help! There’s no sound!.

2.3.3 I have a “talkie” version of a LucasArts game but I can’t hear the voices. What’s the problem?

The original games shipped with an uncompressed voice file (MONSTER.SOU). If you have compressed this file to an mp3 file (MONSTER.SO3), an Ogg Vorbis file (MONSTER.SOG), or a FLAC file (MONSTER.SOF), make sure that the ScummVM you’re using has support for those formats.

2.3.4 The audio is really glitchy. What can I do?

There are a few things you can try:

• Try to increase theaudio buffer size in the configuration file.

• If you are using theMT-32 emulator, your CPU might not have the processing power to keep up. In this case, you might have some success with running an external MT-32 emulator (Munt), as described inthis forum post, provided your platform supports it.

• If you are usingFluidSynth, in particular with a large Soundfont, your CPU might not have the processing power to keep up. Try selecting a differentPreferred device.

• If you are using theAdLib emulator, try selecting the least CPU-intensive option; MAME.

2.3.5. I have a CD version of a game, how do I get the sound to work without running the game from the CD?

SeeCD audio.

2.4.1. There are so many options… How do I know what to pick?

Start by checking out ourUnderstanding the graphics settings page. It has comprehensive information on how all this stuff works.

2.4.2. Can I just make the image larger (for example, 1 pixel becomes 4 pixels) without any smoothing or antialiasing?

Yes. Using theOpenGL graphics mode or theSDL Surface graphics mode withNormal scaler in conjunction with pixel-perfect stretch will result in a larger image without any smoothing. TheNormal scaler also has options to scale by2x,3x, or4x. Also check thatFilter graphics is not enabled. If you want to use aspect ratio correction, it is recommended to use theOpenGL graphics mode with theEven pixels scaling stretch mode.

2.4.3. The game colors are messed up, how do I fix them?

Ensure the correct game platform has been detected. For example, with Amiga game files, check that theplatform is set to Amiga.

3.1.1. When will you add support for ZIP archives?

We won’t. There are two main reasons: firstly, we believe that it would ease illegal distribution of games, and secondly, we already support compression of sound and speech to reduce file sizes.

3.1.2. Will ScummVM support other games in the future?

That depends on a few factors. Firstly, it has to fit within the scope of ScummVM. Secondly, there has to be a developer who is interested and willing to carry out the work.

ScummVM developers are all volunteers who work on ScummVM in their spare time, solely for fun, and not for profit. Reverse engineering a completely new game without the source code is a long and difficult process. Even with source it can be tedious and time consuming.

Unless you work for a company interested in providing us with source code for one of their classic titles, or want to do the work yourself, please do not ask us to add support for a new game.

3.1.3. Will ScummVM be officially released for consoles? (eg PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, …)

Unfortunately no, because of licensing issues. There are two important facts at play here:

1. Each console has an associated developer kit (including platform documentation and an SDK) that developers must use to implement games.That developer kit is provided to developers under strict non-disclosure agreements.

2. By contrast, the ScummVM source code is licensed under the GPL v3 (see section 1.1.2 of this FAQ).The GPL requires that any code integrated with a release of ScummVM (the aforementioned SDK) be made available upon request.

From these facts it follows that anyone releasing a port of ScummVM to a console must either release parts of the SDK upon request (and breach the developer kit NDA) or refuse to release the modified source code and NDA’d parts of the developer kit (and breach the GPL).

Note that “homebrew” SDKs are not affected by this problem as they themselves are released under a free license.