GrayFace MM7 Patch v2.5.7 [Mar 4, 2022]

[vocab]

This new patch is amazing with the inclusion of borderless fullscreen, and better window mode support.

I'm running into a pretty annoying issue with the audio/music stuttering while loading a save and loading into new areas where a loading screen occurs. I can link an example if needed. This does not happen with the original game. Any way to fix it, or does this require some additional patch work to fix? This happens with 8 as well.

Thanks.

[GrayFace]

Indeed I've noticed it too on my playthrough in the past few days. I'm wondering what could have made this bug and the Tatalia ship one manifest themselves. The ship bug was there all along (before my patches), but only now it revealed itself. This one is probably the same. Too bad it can't be reproduced consistently.

[Novi]

Are you playing the GOG version of the game? Because as I found out, it sets the game to windows 95 compatibility mode and that in turn makes the game run only on one cpu core (others are disabled, can be re-enabled in task manager). On windows 8 I just removed the compatibility mode completely, on 10 I have to use one (doesn't really matter which, win xp, windows 8, whatever). It's weird, but running the game on a single core is what caused sound stutter for me (and some other slowdowns).

[Anubis]

Regarding the Tatalia ship bug, there were two other areas similar to that. I know one of the areas was somewhere in Deyja, near the entrance to Watchtower 6. I'm not talking about the building entrance, but the cave entrance. I haven't bothered to check yet as I'm nowhere near ready to assault Watchtower 6. I know there was a third area with that problem, but at this point, I don't remember where it was, lol.

[vocab]

Yup, I'm playing the gog version, and setting the compatibility to windows 7 removed the sound stutter completely. Thanks! The only problem now is that I can't figure out how to make it fullscreen under windows 7 compatibility. However, after more testing with the other compatibility versions, Windows XP SP3 includes both full screen with the borderless, and the sound stuttering completely gone. Thanks for the responses, I'm really happy it was easily fixable. Maybe I'll hit up gog and let them know win95 compatibility isn't the way to go.

[GrayFace]

It's weird, but running the game on a single core is what caused sound stutter for me (and some other slowdowns).

It isn't weird. Music is played in a background thread and when main thread is busy the music one can be left with pretty much no CPU time. I think I should check compatibility during setup.
However, I thought it was about a different problem - when loading a game in the midst of a fight sometimes the sound turns into noise.

[GrayFace]

on 10 I have to use one (doesn't really matter which, win xp, windows 8, whatever)

BTW, what happens if you don't?

[Novi]

on 10 I have to use one (doesn't really matter which, win xp, windows 8, whatever)

BTW, what happens if you don't?

OK, so this is even stranger. After installation, whenever I tried running without compatibility, I would get windows error during start saying "There aren't any D3D devices to init". Running setup would only show software mode available (with which the game would run).

After playing for a bit and removing it today, the game ran without compatibility mode. Until I opened (and simply closed) the setup again at which point the said error would start happening again.

[Emjayen]

OK, so this is even stranger. After installation, whenever I tried running without compatibility, I would get windows error during start saying "There aren't any D3D devices to init". Running setup would only show software mode available (with which the game would run).

After playing for a bit and removing it today, the game ran without compatibility mode. Until I opened (and simply closed) the setup again at which point the said error would start happening again.

The standard game will run natively under Win8/Win10 without any "compatibility-mode", and using the hw-accelerated 3D path (albeit, not audio), however I cannot confirm the same for the GoG version of which I haven't had a chance to look at.

That being said, I'd recommend using the original game discs to install (if you're missing these, you can download them using this torrent (you'll need something like μTorrent) -- I personally seed this one and have allocated 1MB/s upload bandwidth to it)

The behaviour you're describing can most likely be explained by ACL shims being enabled which Windows by default automatically does in an attempt to solve compatibility issues. To check of this is the case, have a look under the following registry keys:

Code: Select all

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Compatibility Assistant\Store
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags

Also, be sure that you install the DX8 and earlier runtime which isn't installed by default on later releases of Windows.

[Novi]

I checked those registries, but in the first path, there was no entry for might and magic and in the second, I wasn't even sure what I'm looking for.

[GrayFace]

After installation, whenever I tried running without compatibility, I would get windows error during start saying "There aren't any D3D devices to init". Running setup would only show software mode available (with which the game would run).

Indeed, I encountered it myself too on my work PC. I didn't install the early DirectX from Emjayen's link though.
Seems crazy to me how MS just massively hampers out-of-the-box compatibility of Win 10 this way. DX9 games aren't too old.

That being said, I'd recommend using the original game discs to install

I did check GOG's MM7 and I'm sure it's identical in terms of data, but also has music readily ripped.

[Emjayen]

I checked those registries, but in the first path, there was no entry for might and magic and in the second, I wasn't even sure what I'm looking for.

Are you sure? Be aware that GoG often packages a stub program that's used to launch the game via the usual desktop shortcut it installs.

To be clear you should be looking here:

For instance, I can reproduce the behaviour you're describing with MM7Setup on Win10, which does indeed enable ACL for it (occurs after you run it) -- when enabled, it'll only report software-rendering being available, disabling it (deleting the entry) will allow for hw-accelerated 3D to also be enumerated.

Seems crazy to me how MS just massively hampers out-of-the-box compatibility of Win 10 this way. DX9 games aren't too old.

Sorry I wasn't clear there; *earlier than DX9* is what I should've said (the linked installer includes of all previous DX versions also)

I did check GOG's MM7 and I'm sure it's identical in terms of data, but also has music readily ripped.

I was more-so referring to the game binaries of which, atleast with a few of the other games they've released, they've hacked up the game binaries (presumably in aid of compatibility)

[Novi]

Yes, I am sure, there is no entry for might and magic in that location.

Also, GOG Galaxy creates a simple .ink file through which it runs the game if you play it through the launcher. I was running the executable directly from folder in either case.

[GrayFace]

Emjayen, do you by chance know a way to check for old DirectX presence during setup?

[Emjayen]

Emjayen, do you by chance know a way to check for old DirectX presence during setup?

The most reliable method would be to simply attempt to if the respective device interface (e.g, IDirectDraw4) is implemented. Something like:

Code: Select all

void* pInterface;

CoCreateInstance(&CLSID_DirectDraw, NULL, CLSCTX_ALL, &IID_IDirectDraw7, &pInterface); // If this succeeds, then the DX7 runtime is available.

EDIT: Just realized you wanted something available to some sort of installer-script, in which case, you could check for the CLSID in the registry -- I suggest taking a look at this article, it provides a good overview of the COM architecture.

[Novi]

I want to point out a couple more things. Firstly, installing older directX libraries did not alter the behavior in any way.

And secondly, on my laptop (Windows 10) with intel HD integrated graphics card, the game itself runs in HW mode without compatibility or anything just fine. The setup still needs either compatibility mode or 16-bit reduced color mode to show HW acceleration, but the main executable works without those.

[Anubis]

Grammar/Spelling Error: When assaulting Castle Navan, Castle Lambent, Castle Gloaming, School of Sorcery, and Castle Gryphonheart, I've noticed that some of the NPC's are named 'guard' with a small 'g', which annoys me. It should be 'Guard' with a capital 'G'.

Grammar/Spelling Error: When talking to some of the NPC's in Deyja Moors, one of the topics brought up is 'Assasin'. It should read as 'Assassin'.

Also, I'm really not sure if this is a bug or not, but I was testing the black potion of Slaying on a Green Dragon in one of the dragon caves at Eeofol. I was using my Monk character with a regular Wizard Staff. While using the black potion of Slaying on my Wizard Staff and without using it, I was dealing the same amount of damage on the dragon, which leads me to ask: How exactly does the slaying effect work anyway? It says double damage is dealt, but how exactly is that damage doubled?

[Anubis]

I've noticed that if you're in an outdoor area and you're either zoomed in or out on the mini-map and save/reload, the mini-map does not go back to default. However, if I'm in a dungeon and do the same thing, the mini-map will always go back to default after I reload.

Also, the sparks spell -- the graphic of the sparks is weird, and I don't remember sparks ever looking like that.

https://i.imgur.com/3IU0a9S.png

Another issue - when I'm using a wand of paralysis - When I use it and bring up the cursor to target an enemy, sometimes I decide to hit 'escape' to cancel the use of it. The charge is still consumed in that case.

Hero's Belt -- It adds +10 to all resistances which would be the "Of Protection" effect but the belt doesn't say anything of the sort.

Lady's Escort Ring -- It says it grants "of Water Walk" but you still take damage in water while using it.

Also, I've noticed if one person in the party is wearing the Lady's Escort ring, the "feather fall" effect is applied to the entire party.

[Anubis]

Another thing I've noticed - the reputation system in MM7 seems off. It seems to be based on the area you're in, but you can never reach a status like Saintly if that's even possible, and I'm pretty sure your donations to a temple grants you a buff based on the reputation you have. If "Liked" is the max reputation you can get, then never mind. I'm just wondering if there's anything past that like there was in MM6.

[GrayFace]

Thanks for bugs.

Also, don't take this as a request or anything, just throwing out an idea, but would it be possible to widen the fov to widescreen? Seeing how you've managed to up the resolution and all.

I thought about it and concluded that it would be too hard. There were high resolution projects (2nd was probably a continuation of mmtool's one) for MM7 that ripped apart the interface and increased the actual resolution the game works with and this would be a task similar to them.

I've changed my mind. I think I will do it at some point. Here's a basic mockup I've made: https://www.dropbox.com/s/ljk26cjwp6ci6 ... 2.png?dl=0
The part of top bar between right-hand and left-hand icons is for status bar. Unlike what's shown on the mockup, centering players list would probably work best.