The definitive guide to enable 3D Hardware Acceleration on PvZ: GOTY

A comprehensive guide to enable 3D hardware acceleration on Plants Vs Zombies: Game of the year Edition

Introduction

Everyone who bough this fantastic game made by PopCap and enslaved published by Electronic Arts might encounter the problem of not be able to activate the 3D Hardware Acceleration receiving the message: You computer does not meet the requirements for 3D hardware acceleration. and that feature is important because without that the game can't use your graphics card and as a consequence starts in a low resolution and with the image stretched + performance issues and mods like HenryJK's PvZWidescreen[github.com] will run with graphical issues.

Thankfully, there's a way to enable this. now, I'm going to go step by step in how to make the darn thing work.

Preparations and elements needed

What you first need is the WineD3D wrapper for Windows. go to the page here: https://fdossena.com/?p=wined3d/index.frag

Okay, what you are going to do is go to the "Older versions archive" download selection and choose "WineD3DForWindows_4.5-staging.zip". DO NOT download and install the latest version or the "Last XP compatible" version. the latest will not work because it lacks a component not present in the newer versions and with the XP compatible will make the game not open and make a black box on the higher left of you screen and then crash.

Now with all clear, let's do the installation shall we?

Installation

Step 1: On File Explore, go to "My PC" and enter to you Windows C: drive, then, in the "View" options select "Hidden Items" this will make appear hidden folders, between those folders select the ProgramData folder and search for the folder named "PopCap Games", enter to that folder and then enter to the "PlantsVsZombies" folder.

alternatively, yo can access to the folder by putting the direction on the directory bar: C:\ProgramData\PopCap Games\PlantsVsZombies

Step 2: On the PlantsVsZombies folder, place the WineD3D zip file and place the following files:

• ddraw.dll
  
• libwine.dll
  
• wine3d.dll

Once you do that, close everything and go to Steam and launch the game. if everything goes right the game will launch with the correct aspect ratio, they will be black borders because this game does not have Widescreen by default, but that can be fixed with mods and the game will run fine.

I hope you find this guide useful.

[Man I Love Fauna]

you should also copy d3d9.dll if you can't see anything on fullscreen

[Man I Love Fauna]

kinda works but if I go fullscreen I can't see anything, including the curson. WineD3DForWindows_4.5-staging-x86_64.zip doesn't do anything in my case

[Wizardactor5777]

This doesn't work

[DiegO]

Try to download "WineD3DForWindows_4.5-staging-x86_64.zip"

[AudomarIsGay]

this seemed to work but, it wont let me fullscreen?

[DiegO]

The "3D Hardware Acceleration" is basically use your GPU to do the job instead of the software relying on the CPU to handle the Graphics. Better know as the "Software Rendering" mode.

[Dedry]

thanks Gamerboy1607

[Gamerboy1607]

It accelerates the third dimension

[dungeon]

what does the accel even work

[ghyță tiristu']

thanks bro it worked