Guide to setting up nucleus coop and running split-screen on PC for WaW, Bo1, Bo2, Bo4, and MWR (also solo editions of Spec Ops and Survival to MW2R)
Includes zombies, multiplayer in custom games (can add AI bots that follow objects), and can even do split-screen campaign for WaW
Guide to setting up nucleus coop and running split-screen on PC for WaW, Bo1, Bo2, Bo4, and MWR (also solo editions of Spec Ops and Survival to MW2R)
Includes zombies, multiplayer in custom games (can add AI bots that follow objects), and can even do split-screen campaign for WaW
Okay, this is my overall guide and rough notes for running Split-Screen classic Cod on PC like you could on console, using Nucleus Coop for classic zombies and some offline multiplayer with bots (or split-screen quick-scoping). This is what I use and have found to work well so far, if you've found other methods or want to add please post. All of these are for if you already own an instance of the game on steam or similar and will also need the DLCs if you want to play those. The mods and split-screen are only additions
This will generally cover split-screen PC for WaW, Bo1, Bo2, Modern Warfare Remastered [w H1-mod], and Bo4 [w Project Bo4 mod]
+ see H2-mod tip at bottom of post for MW2R Solo
Single player
You're in a closed local network on Nucleus Coop but even solo can be unsafe on a network in the vanilla games. Download Plutonium to boot WaW, Bo1, Bo2, or MW3. Will add solid AI custom games options, level options, and safe servers (Even solo is unsafe without).
BO1, BO2, MW3, WaW redefined. - Plutonium Project
Can use T7 mod for Bo3 to remain safe while playing solo as well but not likely to be targeted unless you're a streamer in Bo3 solo - custom games with a friend online is more so unsafe without T7.
Also even though a game like Bo4 is less unsafe solo you still are required to be connected to the network and over battlenet, Project Bo4 (Shield) saves you from this so you can go offline. (Like Ally X on a plane) without interruption
(See Project-Bo4 section below)
Bo3 & WWII
General Tip: Bo3 & ww2 are the only of the older CoD PC games that support split screen naturally and work great. Bo3 is amazing for custom zombies and has many of the remastered maps on the workshop if you want to save money. Ww2 has the best multiplayer custom games AI bots for modes like dom or search. But Project Bo4, Plutonium, & H1-mod still do fine with their bot AI, Vanilla MWR being the worst and only sound driven.
As these games run on the more risky multiplayer online side I would avoid online WWII and just play solo, custom games, or zombies
Nucleus Coop (Split-screen) App Install Guide:
Call of Duty Black Ops split screen Nucleus Coop, 8 players Multiplayer and 4 players Zombies
https://nucleus-coop.github.io
-Download, create a folder (best if on the same root drive as your games, but okay if not) named Nucleus Coop, extract files using 7zip to this folder
-Go into antivirus software and make all exceptions and rules for this folder and the Nucleus Coop.exe
-Find nucleus Coop.exe and right click > properties > compatibility > Run this program as admin
-Add shortcut to your desktop or pin to taskbar
-In Nucleus, open the app and click new game in the top left, search a handler for any game, install and select game folder (Say no to selecting game.exe if you're using modded file like H1-Mod for MWR multiplayer)
- Click your added game, read handlers notes or skip and skim in the bottom right,
- click the top left icon of the white cube representing your display a few times to change the screen split. For 3 players, once you get it to 4 boxes you can drag and drop controllers into 3 of the 4 boxes, and by right clicking the controller with an empty box beside it (right click next to controller within it's own box) it will extend across the screen to give player 3 the full bottom or top.
-Click on controller buttons to activate them then drag controllers into your preferred display split-screen boxes
-click the very thin, blinking "next" button next to game title on the right
-choose pre-start game options if desired (sometimes best to leave be, read handlers notes if you need to use them) and click play on the game title to the right
- be patient as the screens boot up, usually best to not click anything until they all load
Tip: If Nucleus App says offline, use hub.splitscreen.me website and extract the .nc file in nucleus at the top
Here are the general guides for each game:
Note: H1-Mod(Modern Warfare Remastered) and Project-Bo4 take a bit more setting up when initially installing but do work very well once set up. WaW- Bo2 is a bit more plug and play (Bo2 Easiest imo)
WaW (zombies):
Choose graphics settings and # of players in Nucleus Coop pre-start menu
-Player 1 can jump right into solo map, wait for player 2+ to load up to the start screen. Need to hold Select+X(not start) on player 1 to suck player 2 into game.
-Holding Select+Y restarts game instantly so no need to rush setup but restart if you die instead of timing out to the lobby while connecting player 2
Controls can't be changed! For inverted, use xbox accessories app + xbox usb adapter. Controller connected to usb can have profile set and buttons mapped. Other controllers need to be connected over bluetooth to be non inverted. No way of changing sensitivity unless purchasing controller mapping software (reWASD)
May need to mark game "run as admin" in game.exe>properties>compatibility if crashing on boot
Bo1 (zombies):
Very straight forward. Run Nucleus, boot both screens up, navigate with D pad and start button (A and joysticks are finicky in menu), join public match same map.
Bo1 (Multiplayer):
A bit more setup than zombies, you'll want to note the pre-game setting in Nucleus after picking controllers for "unlocking all" and selecting multiplayer mode.
-on the pre-load in settings for nucleus select the unlock all option (read handler notes)
-When you load in use mouse and keyboard to hold F4 and unlock all. (Read handler notes)
-Make sure you see it run in the console and check custom games for all classes being unlocked. If not go back to the lobby and try again
-You'll have to do this on each screen by clicking it (I found screen 2 to be a little tricky)
Once you do that and adjust settings you can quit. Then boot through nucleus again without selecting the unlock all pre-setting (classes and settings should save for both players in custom games so that’s a 1 time setup per screen)
Playing Bo1 Multiplayer: launch your instances and proceed to have the first player host a combat training match. Once the match has started and you load in, press F2 or the start + select buttons simultaneously on your gamepad to connect the other instances.
To quickly restart your match press F3 or the start + Y buttons simultaneously on your gamepad.
Bo2 (zombies):
Run Nucleus as Admin, Wait for bo2 to fully load up, test bottom controller first then click top screen (both should then work).
Once in player 1 can change party to open (x) and invite player 2. start custom game. OR player 1 can start public match, once search times out player 2 can start searching to join player 1's game
Tip: adjust graphics higher in game lobby menu, start custom game to keep it easy
"End" key is not functional for locking and unlocking inputs (anymore?), sometimes need to click it a few times and click top / bottom screen to get both controllers functioning at the same time
If having issues with windows not opening:
first, left click on handler in Nucleus Coop and then hover over delete backup profiles, delete both
Possible fix if having more issues but try above first:
for replacing d3d11.dll if windows aren't showing - C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Programs\Special K
Help! black ops 2 handler worked fine the first few times, now instances won’t open properly : r/nucleuscoop
Bo2 (Multiplayer):
This is actually a separate handler from Bo2 Zombies. But one of the most straight forward. Download the handler, point to game file and go
There are two ways to start a game:
The first player starts searching for an online game (it will only find players connected to your local network) after around 7 seconds it will stop searching and start hosting instead, at this point the other players can join by searching the same game mode via the online menu.
The first player creates a custom game and then uses the friends menu to send invites to the other players. For invites to work make sure you set your party to open.
Make sure you press the END key, when all the instances have finished loading, to lock input. Press it again at any time to unlock input.
Bo4 (All Modes):
Easy once set up and installed but see notes below for Project-Bo4 install
HOW TO CONNECT: only matchmaking works, so search for the same map/mode, let one player get to 'waiting for other players' than start searching with the others players to connect.
FOR CONTROLLERS TO WORK: After all the screens resized correctly press 'END' key 2 times, wait a little between each press, now click with the mouse a 2-3 times on one of the screens while moving the controller until it becomes a controller cursor, now press 'END' one more time and all screens will have controllers working.
When your done, if your input is locked press 'END' to unlock it and press ctrl + Q to close nucleus and the server.
Installing H1-mod and Project Bo4:
Why the game crashes with Nucleus (or on its own when installing these mods) if you are getting crashes
-Make sure in your antivirus software you make exceptions for the Game AND Mod .exe files in the game directory.
-You also need to do this for all the nucleus instances themselves once they are generated. In the NucleusCoop>contents>Bo4>Intances0 and then again for Instance1(Same thing for MWR + H1Mod). Also within make sure you clear the .exe files for the Game and the Mod in exceptions for Antivirus, Online Threat, and Advanced threat defense.
-as well as the mod and/or game.exe in the handlers>Bo4/MWR folder
Note: you will need to boot the game once and let it crash for instance 0 and 1 to appear in "contents" (player 1 and player 2)
Project-Bo4 Install:
Note: Project Bo4 for Nucleus requires an extra install step of the server, just follow the guide in the hander description on hub.splitscreen.me and do what I said above. For solo Project Bo4 and to play offline (like on Ally X on a plane) use How to install Call of Duty: Black Ops4 Project Shield mod (solo) and GitHub - NotNierPea/shield-launcher: project-bo4/shield client launcher · GitHub this release instead of the first one that comes up on the web, this is way easier
Note I'm actually not sure if the handler gives you Project-Bo4 in Nucleus or if you need to have it first (solo) and then get the hander. Maybe get the regular version first then go split-screen just to be safe.
How to play Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 PC split screen multiplayer | nucleus coop
Note: you may need to unblock the "server" file and other files you download from demonware as well as add them to you antivirus whitelist once they're in you're nucleus>handlers>game folder
(See how to unblock and run as admin in section at bottom of page)
CoD4 Modern Warfare Remastered
H1-mod Install (Solo base needed for Nucleus Coop Splitscreen):
Again this guide is way easier than what comes up first with VS code How To Install the H1 Mod For Modern Warfare Remastered and Releases · auroramod/h1-mod
You may need to follow this as well if you are getting errors on boot:
"could not create aslr patched binary for h1_sp64_ship.exe! could not write"
Note: the base mod is needed because we are modifying the handler to use the modded H1 exe file
For NucleusCoop first time MWR/H1-Mod handler download:
-download the MWR mod handler from Nucleus
-select no when it asks to select a game file
-now that the handler files are generated go in to the MWR.js file under NucleusCoop>handlers and switch it to point at the H1-mod (listed below)
-You also will need to change the inject method if it is throwing you a ProtoInput error or Dump error - to the easy hook non stealth injection method (listed below)
- Change all of these Game.ExecutableName fields to "h1-mod.exe" like so: Game.ExecutableName = "h1-mod.exe";(instead of "[the base multiplayer file]")
There should be 2 spots, use control F to find
and swap the inject method by retyping true/false to what is shown below (without the *)
Game.ProtoInput.InjectStartup = false;
Game.ProtoInput.InjectRuntime_RemoteLoadMethod = false;
Game.ProtoInput.InjectRuntime_EasyHookMethod = true; *
Game.ProtoInput.InjectRuntime_EasyHookStealthMethod = false; *
Save the file after changes, delete Nucleus>content>game file to have it regenerate the new .js settings.
Playing Cod4-Modern Warfare Remastered (H1, Split-Screen):- Boot Nucleus H1/MWR (Tip: have "unlock all" selected, graphics are saved from previous session), wait for first screen to boot and test controller
- Once second player does NOT boot AND Nucleus process picker pops up in background (ALT + TAB to check), Go to files > NucleusCoop (on drive you are using it on) > Content > MWR > instance 1 (is player 2) > select H1-mod.exe and run as admin
- now refresh and select the new h1mod in process picker (Nucleus) as it’s in its single/multiplayer boot screen
- then click multiplayer in H1mod boot screen
- Once second player / bottom screen boots up, click in on screen with mouse (controller 2 doesn't work yet)
- Click END to lock inputs and END again to unlock them, now click with mouse on bottom screen and controller 2 should work
- To join match: player 1 starts custom game > in game, Hold start button to suck in player 2. Hold select button to restart game.
Tip: to edit player 2's custom classes, go into a private match lobby(alone as player 2 first) and edit custom classes (have player 1 suck you in from there)
Note: H1 will provide much better bots for custom games that go after objectives and hide from / use their killstreaks but probably not as good as the AI bots in ww2 custom games
Note: taskbar will be hidden on launch, to fix after(close both windows normally by backing out of game OR) click windows key and search task bar settings. Under taskbar behaviors click "automatically hide taskbar" a few times to restore it (Nucleus task must be ended in task manager)
H2-mod Modern Warfare 2(Solo):
GitHub - alicealys/h2-mod: Modification for H2 (MW2CR) · GitHub
Not able to do split screen, god I wish it could
but I don't think any local play logic even exists in the backend game files so I think a handler is technically impossible
still great for Spec Ops and Survival solo (be sure to see where to download extra MWR survival maps within that survival github desc below)
GitHub - alicealys/h2-specops-mod: MW2 Spec Ops missions ported to MW2CR · GitHub
GitHub - alicealys/h2-survival-mod · GitHub
Note: you must unip these releases to you "mod" folder in MW2R to play in the mod menu after you boot the game from H2mod.exe, the H2-mod only adds that mod menu folder
Overall Extra tips:
-Be patient letting all screens load up and resize first
-Sometimes click around with the “END” key to get inputs to work. Slowly so it can load the “locked” or “unlocked” pop up
-Click “End” key again to unlock mouse after you’re back to desktop
-Always check antivirus if you’re having issues and whitelist everything talked about, the whole folders and the .exe files within themselves
-if you’re having permissions issues, left click a file and click properties, look for an “unblock” check mark under, “read-only” might be on folders which you can also uncheck. If you’re getting permission errors still you can boot in safe mode and delete that way without getting blocked. Or just reboot and retry, sometimes that helps the permission change stick
Big thanks to all the guides that helped!
Again feel free to add shortcuts or additional games and your guides/tips/fixes! This is just my cheat sheet with added install guides. Works great with a gaming laptop, HDMI, and a few xbox controllers(and cheap travel cases on amazon, so you can toss in backpack) while traveling with friends
