Patches/Fixes for the Game

[Speedy]

Originally posted by redrain85:

So, at least for me, even after running TRON 2.0 for the first time within Steam, it would keep resetting many settings to their defaults. (But it sounds like this has been happening for a lot of other people, too.)

When the settings get reset, it plays havoc with any mods you have installed. They stop working.

But I figured out how to get the game to run from Steam, without resetting everything.


Do this after the first time you run TRON 2.0 in Steam:

Use the Windows File Explorer to go into "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Tron 2.0".

Look for the file installScript.vdf. Delete it. This will stop Steam from resetting things.

You may need to turn off User Account Control (UAC) in order to delete the installScript.vdf file.

Originally posted by redrain85:

For people having trouble with TRON 2.0 "forgetting" settings and going to defaults, and also people having trouble getting Killer App Mod v1.1 to install: I have solutions for both.

For TRON 2.0 "forgetting" settings and going to defaults:
Right-click on the Desktop, and highlight New on the menu. Then click Shortcut on the next pop-up menu that appears.

Click Browse. Navigate to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Tron 2.0". Click on TRON.exe, then OK. Click Next. Then Finish.

Now, right-click the new shortcut you created on the Desktop. Select Properties from the pop-up menu.

Click the Compatibility tab. Put a checkmark in the box named "Run this program as an Administrator". Click OK.

YOU MUST USE THIS SHORTCUT THAT YOU CREATED YOURSELF TO RUN THE GAME. If you run TRON 2.0 from Steam, it resets all the settings back to defaults. I'll see if I can eventually find a workaround so that you can run the game within Steam, but for now you have to use this shortcut on the Desktop or in your Start menu.

DO NOT USE THE OPTION IN STEAM TO CREATE A DESKTOP SHORTCUT. This also will reset settings to defaults if you run the game from it.

For those who don't have optical drives and are using the Lithtech.exe shortcut bypass, set the Lithtech.exe shortcut to "Run this program as an Administrator" as well.

For installing Killer App Mod v1.1:
After extracting the contents of ka_mod_v1x1_setup.zip, go into the "Killer App Mod" folder. Before you run ka_mod_v1x1_setup.exe right-click on the icon. Select Properties from the pop-up menu.

Click the Compatibility tab. Put a checkmark in the box named "Run this program as an Administrator". Click OK.

Now Killer App Mod v1.1 will install properly on the Steam version. (This step isn't necessary for the Retail CD version.)

These two steps worked for me. I'll keep testing more of the mods and see how things go.

When Killer App Mod v1.2 is released, I'll ensure it works with the Steam version (and GOG version if one shows up by then). It will automate all of these steps, so you won't have to mess around like this.

Originally posted by redrain85:

Originally posted by Speedy ♦:

What's the method of bypassing the launcher by the way? It might be of use to someone.

Okay, here's how:

Right-click on the Desktop, and highlight New on the menu. Then click Shortcut on the next pop-up menu that appears.

Click Browse. Navigate to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Tron 2.0". Click on Lithtech.exe, then OK. Click Next. Then Finish.

Now, right-click the new shortcut you created on the Desktop. In the Target box, add the following (without the quotes) behind the string of text that's already there.

" -cmdfile launchcmds.txt"

Notice the space at the start. It's important to include the space (but not the quotes), when you paste this behind the text string that's already there in the Target box. Click OK.

If you launch the game from this shortcut, it bypasses the TRON.exe launcher. The reason I don't recommend doing it this way, is when you want to add mods later. The launcher updates a file (launchcmds.txt) that keeps track of any mods you have installed. If you don't run the launcher any more, the file doesn't get updated and mods won't show up in the game.

So if you install any mods, run the normal TRON.exe launcher. It will fail for those who don't have optical drives. But at least then, newly added mods will probably work when you click on the Lithtech.exe shortcut.

Originally posted by redrain85:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CozuaiIdjNA

I have a better Multiplayer fix coming as part of Killer App Mod v1.2. I'm trying to get it done by the end of 2014.

Originally posted by redrain85:

The game has had the Official v1.042 Patch pre-applied. The game launcher TRON.exe appears to have been modified so that it doesn't require you to have a retail CD in the drive to prove ownership.

For people without optical drives that are having trouble getting the game to run, you could try using the Unofficial Patch instead and see what happens. Though, I doubt it will make a difference. I'm pretty sure every version of the TRON.exe launcher tries to find your CD/DVD drive, even if it ends up not actually checking the CD for the copy protection. (There's a way to bypass the launcher and run the game Lithtech.exe executable directly, but I don't recommend it.)

http://tronfaq.blogspot.com/2006/02/all-tron-20-files-in-one-place.html#unofficialpatch

The patches/mods SEEM to work, but I had some issues. I'm not sure if it's because I'm running Windows 10 Technical Preview or not. I'm going to uninstall Tron 2.0 and start over. I think I may know why I had difficulty, and if I'm correct then I'll be able to say that all the patches/mods will work on the Steam version of Tron 2.0. If not, I might have to issue a slightly updated version of Killer App Mod v1.1, at least.

Originally posted by drkirre:

To fix the black screen issue, set Lithtec.exe to "Disable Desktop Composition" in compatability.

[LDSO]

I'm the owner of that site, I go by the nickname TronFAQ in TRON fandom. (But everywhere else I use redrain85.)

I'm going to buy the Steam version and test if all the patches, mods, etc. work on the Steam version. There's also a fix for multiplayer that I put together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CozuaiIdjNA

I have a better Multiplayer fix coming as part of Killer App Mod v1.2. I'm trying to get it done by the end of 2014. The release of TRON 2.0 on Steam has caught me completely by surprise. I thought the situation was kind of hopeless. But I'm glad it turned out to be otherwise. :)

[FoamingKobold]

Holy crap, I -just- went to the forum to post and see if anyone knew how to get the Killer App mod working for Steam - and here we go, you're THERE. Redrain: The unofficial fix results in blackscreen-with-sound bug, and compatability fixes don't work. The known ones, at least. I'm poking aorund to try and get it working though!

[LDSO]

Originally posted by drkirre:

Redrain: The unofficial fix results in blackscreen-with-sound bug, and compatability fixes don't work. The known ones, at least. I'm poking aorund to try and get it working though!

I'll try installing the patches/mods tonight and see how it goes. I'll see about releasing slightly updated versions of everything that will work with the Steam version, if it proves necessary.

[McKack]

I assume it's safe to patch the Steam version with Killer App Mod as it doesn't seem to have been updated or using any steam functionality, not even the steam_api.dll.

P.S.
Version is 1.042.

[FoamingKobold]

Ok, THIS is farking weird - I just tested with a copy of the original game. It -still- blackscreens on launch. With the original, not the steam version. What the hell!? O_o I tried compatability-ing the Lithtech exe... this is weird.

[Speedy]

Originally posted by redrain85:

I'm the owner of that site, I go by the nickname TronFAQ in TRON fandom. (But everywhere else I use redrain85.)

I'm going to buy the Steam version and test if all the patches, mods, etc. work on the Steam version. There's also a fix for multiplayer that I put together.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CozuaiIdjNA

I have a better Multiplayer fix coming as part of Killer App Mod v1.2. I'm trying to get it done by the end of 2014. The release of TRON 2.0 on Steam has caught me completely by surprise. I thought the situation was kind of hopeless. But I'm glad it turned out to be otherwise. :)

Oh sweet! Tell me if all goes well, I'd like to buy the game if it actually works with the patch :p

Thanks for being involved with the patch by the way, I loved playing through the game and the enhancements made it better.

[LDSO]

Originally posted by drkirre:

Ok, THIS is farking weird - I just tested with a copy of the original game. It -still- blackscreens on launch. With the original, not the steam version. What the hell!? O_o I tried compatability-ing the Lithtech exe... this is weird.

With the black screen problem, try hitting the Esc key a few times. Sometimes the game gets stuck on the movies (Buena Vista, Monolith, Nvidia), and hitting Esc breaks you out and takes you to the main menu. Maybe. :)

[FoamingKobold]

Yeah, saw that on the FAQ for your site. Tried, no such luck... the menu itself is black and everything. I can start the game, but it's all black. I'm currently experimenting about with things - I noticed, for example, Steam activates Basic color scheme for it, but with the patch it doesn't... I'll post again if I find anything that makes it work with the patch active!

EDIT: GOT IT!! Setting Windows to a Basic theme fixes the issue, indeed! :D Killer App Mod, here I come!!

[LDSO]

Originally posted by drkirre:

Yeah, saw that on the FAQ for your site. Tried, no such luck... the menu itself is black and everything. I can start the game, but it's all black. I'm currently experimenting about with things - I noticed, for example, Steam activates Basic color scheme for it, but with the patch it doesn't... I'll post again if I find anything that makes it work with the patch active!

The funny thing is, I've never personally experienced that black screen problem. And anyone who had the problem and managed to solve it, never told me how they did it. The best I could reason was that the game was perhaps getting stuck on the movies.

[FoamingKobold]

Hah! It looks like at the same time as you posted that, I posted an edit to that with the fix. :D Timing! :D

[FoamingKobold]

Sorry for the double post, but it's good to have this clear. To fix the black screen issue, set Lithtec.exe to "Disable Desktop Composition" in compatability. THAT fixes it. Not Win 98 more XP mode, just check Disable Desktop Composition.

[Speedy]

Updated the OP to have drkirre and redrains posts so people have some info on the black screen and the multiplayer fix. :D

[LDSO]

Originally posted by drkirre:

Sorry for the double post, but it's good to have this clear. To fix the black screen issue, set Lithtec.exe to "Disable Desktop Composition" in compatability. THAT fixes it. Not Win 98 more XP mode, just check Disable Desktop Composition.

Thanks for figuring that out! Not knowing what the definitive fix for that issue is, has been bugging me for years. (Unfortunately, I couldn't come up with a fix since I wasn't ever able to reproduce the problem.)

[Jinx]

Any new regarding the people running into it asking for a CD?

Sounds like people should wait to purchase this until early adopters (lol 'early') have time to see it it can be set up to work reliably. I spent like two days trying to get Epic Mickey 2 running, I don't feel like going through that again.

[louiedog]

Originally posted by Jinx:

Any new regarding the people running into it asking for a CD?

I posted a fix in the other thread. The game isn't happy if you don't have an optical drive.

I got the game to run by installing Daemon Tools Lite 4 which is free for non-commercial use. Just google daemon tools and it should be the first result.

Or here, assuming my link away from Steam isn't removed.
http://www.daemon-tools.cc/downloads

It will create a virtual BD-ROM on your system that will show up as d: (or e: or any drive letter) that you can load with disc images and works like a real optical disc. Its presence seems to be enough for the game to run.