[Solution] Poor performance in Windows 8+ (Nvidia/AMD)

[Toff]

Update (26/11/18):
This solution no longer works (at least until new WineD3D releases address this issue), follow my new guide to restore game performance.

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Original post:

Edit: Newer WineD3D Builds can now be downloaded from here[downloads.adolfintel.com].

Copy the files ddraw.dll, libwine.dll and wined3d.dll from the downloaded archive into the game's installation directory.

Nvidia owners can use 1.7.x version (I recommend version 1.7.52) or the older one from the link below.
AMD owners should try version 1.8+.

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The lack of proper hardware acceleration for DirectDraw in Windows 8 causes the game to work extremely slow in this operating system while in full screen. Here's how to solve this annoying issue:

1. Download this archive[sdrv.ms] (mirror[mega.co.nz]).
2. Unpack the files into the game's installation directory.

Enjoy you speed.

Files in the archive are taken from the latest WineD3D DirectDraw Library. This is essentially a DirectDraw emulator that translates DirectDraw calls to OpenGL.

[Kev]

So I gave this a shot, and it hasn't worked. It went to a black screen and stopped responding. I was wonderinf if anyone could offer me a bit more insight.

[Toff]

Hmm, what videocard are you using?

[Sivek]

Thanks for this. I have put off playing this game for a while because I couldn't get it to run properly and this worked beautifully.

[Kev]

Originally posted by Toff:

Hmm, what videocard are you using?

Sorry for the slow response, haha. I'm using a radeon 6770, with catalyst 13.9.

[Toff]

Ah, maybe this emu doesn't work well for AMD cards, I'm on Nvidia GTX 660 here. Try different versions from {LINK REMOVED}this archive, maybe one of the earlier ones will work for you.

[Kev]

Originally posted by Toff:

Ah, maybe this emu doesn't work well for AMD cards, I'm on Nvidia GTX 660 here. Try different versions from {LINK REMOVED}this archive, maybe one of the earlier ones will work for you.

So I tried 1.3.25 from that archive and it worked for the most part, Framerate is fixed, but textures are popping in and out really bad on screen pan. I want to try a more recent version, however everything between 1.3.25 and 1.6rc4 lack the ddraw.dll, and it doesn't seem like swapping an older version ddraw.dll works. Do you have any more advice for me?

On a side note for anyone else reading this, if this fix is working for someone with an amd card, would you be kind enough to tell me your card and which catalyst driver you're using? I'd really appreciate it, as I suspect rolling back my catalyst would probably work..

[Toff]

Yeah, only 1.6rc4 fixed the missing textures, that's why this is the version I uploaded here, but looks like they broke something along the way for AMD cards (unless it's AMD who broke something with the new Catalyst drivers). Try {LINK REMOVED}this archive also, it should have the missing ddraw.dlls.

[Kev]

Originally posted by Toff:

Yeah, only 1.6rc4 fixed the missing textures, that's why this is the version I uploaded here, but looks like they broke something along the way for AMD cards (unless it's AMD who broke something with the new Catalyst drivers). Try {LINK REMOVED}this archive also, it should have the missing ddraw.dlls.

That last archive made no difference. I think I'm just gonna wait on this game for a bit. Win 8.1 is coming out in like 3 weeks, so I think I'll tinker around with the game and drivers at the same time I mess around with the upgrade. If all else fails I have a Win 7 laptop that plays it perfectly, so I won't lose out, haha.

Thanks a ton for taking the time to give me your advice. It was very much appreciated.

[LemonRush7777]

Can someone reupload that to mega, mediafire or whatever the very first archive, please?

[Toff]

Fenrir007
Added Mega link to the first post.

[LemonRush7777]

Originally posted by Toff:

Fenrir007
Added Mega link to the first post.

That was incredibly fast, thank you very much!

[Jazman2k]

Thank you for this fix (or whoever made it)! This saved my day :) This is a fantastic game =)

[LemonRush7777]

Tried the fix on 3 different computers. None worked on the 2 PCs with AMD GPUs, but it solved all my troubles on the PC with Nvidia graphics.

Thanks a lot, man! This thread should definitely be stickied.

[Rax Savvage]

might i suggest stop using operating systems cauase its the newest one and sticking with one thats got driver support? one that works?

ya know... like 7

[LemonRush7777]

Originally posted by Rax Savvage:

might i suggest stop using operating systems cauase its the newest one and sticking with one thats got driver support? one that works?

ya know... like 7

Windows 8 is working great for me, so I have to decline. Also, all my windows 8 are actually original, so I'd rather use them than mess with loaders and joining botnets on windows 7.