Indiana Jones® and the Emperor’s Tomb™ – Censorship Management

Overview

 
It is not a mistery that a strict German censorship applies upon videogames showing Nazi symbols and Indiana Jones and the Emperor’s Tomb (“IJET” from now on) is not an execption. As a result, German version of IJET passed through removal of swastikas. 
 
 

Locating relevant files

 
Swastikas and other Nazi symbols can be found in certain characters, videos and level textures. 
 
A) Characters and related files (folder: …\GameData\indy\meshes\Chars): 

• Gestapo Agent -> “GestapoAgent.msh”; 
   
• SS Diver -> “SSDiver.msh”; 
   
• SS Flamethrower -> “NF.msh”; 
   
• SS Officer -> “SSOfficer.msh”; 
   
• SS Soldier -> “NaziSoldier.msh”, “NaziSoldier_CarDude.msh” and “NaziSoldierL.msh”; 
   
• Von Beck -> “VonBeck_Gestapo.msh”; 
   
• Indy in disguise -> “IndianaJones_Nazi.msh” and “IndianaJones_Nazi_CarDude.msh”

 
B) Videos and related files (folder: …\GameData\indy\movies\LevelTransitions): 

• Flying German blimp -> “M03_01p.bik”; 
   
• Meeting between Von Beck and Marshall Kai -> “M05_04.bik” (please note that this video seems to show no swastika on Von Beck’s arm; if you find a different video, please tell me in comment section, thanks);

 
C) Level textures and related files (folder: …\GameData\indy\textures\Levels\Other\Signs\): 
 
I noticed that Nazi symbols located in German base still appear in cut version of game. 
They appear over a white background which, oddly, make them being more “showy”. 
Original file is “nazi.mtx” and textures replacement is suggested to remove that ugly white background. 
 
 

Handling the files

 
Once you know what files you need to deal with, you are ready to go on with the replacement process. Since I am not providing any files here, please note that you need to have either the Steam version of IJET or an English physical copy of IJET game. Let’s assume you are using Steam version: 
 
1. Open Steam, find IJET game in your library, get to the “game properties”, get to the “language” section, switch game language to “English” and download files. 
 
2. Once done, copy all the aforementioned files in a temporary folder made on your desktop (we would call these files “fresh files”). 
 
3. Get back to Steam, set game language to “German” and download files again. 
 
4. Replace original German game files with English “fresh files”. 
 
5. You can now play uncensored version of German IJET. 
 
NOTE: after you do this, make sure you do not perform again an integrity files check otherwise you will revert to original censored files and you will need to make the whole replacement process again. 
 
P.S.: if at any given point of this guide you mess up with game files, don’t worry. 
An integrity files check via Steam will promptly solve the issue and allow you to start again replacement operation. 
 
 

Final considerations

 
If you came up until here, you learnt how to remove censorship from German copy of game. However, if for any reason, you need to remove swastikas (rather than showing it) from your local copy of game, you can even perform this task. The replacement process is exactly the same as the one described above with the only difference that, in step 1, rather than downloading an English copy of game, you need to download the German one because it is the only with censored files. 
 
That’s is all, enjoy your game! 
 
Credits aknowledgement: even if it is an hobby, writing guide in an accessible way to everyone is not an easy task and requires time and energy. If you liked this guide, please consider rating it in order to let us know that our work is useful at least to you. If you are in need to reproduce this guide in any document of yours, please consider giving a credit to us by referring to this Steam guide. Thanks. 
 

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