Pool of radiance 2 and vista?

Sorry I fixed the link. It should work with XP. (Edit: Actually now that I read the description for the ACT some more, it looks like to be geared towards Vista, but it might still work with XP, or there may be a version of it for XP) I wrote the guide with Vista in mind. Also, in XP I think it should let you easily disable Hardware Acceleration via control panel or dxdiag.
 
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Quick How to adapted from the fix I used for PST:
1. Download and install the microsoft application compatiblity toolkit:
MS ACT

Typical Microsoft : They even give tools names that sound like being the direct offspring of an marketing team ...
 
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Quick How to adapted from the fix I used for PST:
1. Download and install the microsoft application compatiblity toolkit:
MS ACT
2. Start the 'Compatibility Administrator' with administrator rights.
3. Click the 'New' Button
4. Right click the new database. Select 'Create new application fix…'
5. Name your program and vendor however you like. Browse to your por2.exe (I actually don't know the exact name of the executable for POR2, so this is a guess) file. Click next
6. Select 'None' for operating system modes. Click Next. Tick the 'ForceDirectDrawEmulation' compatibility fix. (No need to select additional compatibility modes)
8. Click next and finish.
9. Save your database.
10. Right click the database and select install. This will install the database.
11. Close the compatibility administrator and start POR2. This should (hopefully) fix your problems.

Thanks for the info. I didn't know the problem can be solved with Microsoft Application Compability.
 
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It works. Thanks again. It runs a bit slow now, but it's better then graphical gliches. I also want to share this solution in gamebanshee's forums. There are some guys there, who have same problems with Por2.
 
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Glad that it helped, esp. to feed the hunger of fellow RPG addicts. :p Btw, I forgot to mention that the fix is permanent, so you don't have to redo it again.
 
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Leth, thanks. I also decided to reinstall PoR2 recently and it was impossible to even get the game running until I tried your solution which works perfectly.
 
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Np, hmm, all this talk of PoR2. How has it aged over the years? I never finished it, maybe I should give it another try.
 
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I have noted a peculiar pattern recently. Since games tend to get less and less hardcore, less and less advanced, with less and less depth, titles that was once average or poor improve over time.

How have it aged? Not at all I would say. It's still the old title it used to be, with decent graphics, a clunky interface, combat that will convince you that turn-based can be incredibly boring, and finally a simplified/downcut D&D engine.

Compared to other recent offerings though, if one have already played all the old Black Isle, Bioware or Troika classics, PoR2 might be like a bit muddy oasis in a desert. While it's unquestionably worse than titles like Baldur's Gate or Icewind Dale, I find the title more enjoyable than titles like Oblivion.

I have installed the speedpatch and that helps a bit to endure the longer battles you end up with in the dungeon.
 
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On Jemy's comment on PoR2 its sparked a renewed curiosity for the game.

wow leth, this looks to be a revelation. I am going to use this to try and get Riven to run. I was using Virtual PC.

Leth, do you want to add this app to the useful free files etc. thread in the tech forums?
 
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I didn't even know we have a thread for that... :blush: I will add it, if it is not there already. thanks for the heads up
 
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Quick How to adapted from the fix I used for PST:
1. Download and install the microsoft application compatiblity toolkit:
MS ACT
2. Start the 'Compatibility Administrator' with administrator rights.
3. Click the 'New' Button
4. Right click the new database. Select 'Create new application fix…'
5. Name your program and vendor however you like. Browse to your por2.exe (I actually don't know the exact name of the executable for POR2, so this is a guess) file. Click next
6. Select 'None' for operating system modes. Click Next. Tick the 'ForceDirectDrawEmulation' compatibility fix. (No need to select additional compatibility modes)
8. Click next and finish.
9. Save your database.
10. Right click the database and select install. This will install the database.
11. Close the compatibility administrator and start POR2. This should (hopefully) fix your problems.


How do you get the admin rights???
 
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Log in as an admin ?

By the way, what worked quite good in my case was making a virtual disc of the game's CD, I'm only using this nowadays ...
 
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A small update on the above ... I haven't done this for months now, so I can only try to recall it from my memory ...

You have to make up a virtual drive containing the CD , and install it from there, because the game always checks *this* CD where it was installed from ...

I found this out, because I cannot start my game anymore ... :p
 
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Solution found for those that cant disable direct draw and Direct 3d acceleration

I did find a solution to this if your computer doesn't have the option to Disable DirectDraw and Direct3D acceleration.The solution was to uninstall the video driver.Keep reading though as it is a little more tricky. I simply went clicked start,Control panel, Device manager and I clicked the + next to Display adapter and right clicked and uninstalled the driver.After I uninstalled the driver I restarted the computer and vista automatically installed the video driver again.It then prompted me to restart the computer to complete the installation of the driver.The KEY here is Not restart the computer a second time if it asks you to. Only after this would the game work properly. Sure it kinda messed up the resolution on the screen( the game looks and plays normally though) but this is only temporary issue as vista usually completes the installation of the video driver after you restart the computer and if it for some reason it doesn't you just need to download the driver from your computer manufacturer's website or the video card manufacturer and run the installation. The problem will come back as soon as you restart the computer and therefore complete the installation of the driver so if Vista asks to restart the computer don't do it until you have finished your session of the game. It is a little bit of extra work to do but it is worth it if you want Pool Of Radiance to work on vista or the newer video cards. This worked on my Dell Inspiron 1520 laptop with the nvidia 8600MGT video card on Windows vista Home premium 32 bit. It is definitely worth a try.

I Just realized that you can still adjust the resolution while in the state of video driver being partially installed but at least with my computer there was considerablly more lag in doing so.
 
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Unquestionably worse than Icewind Dale? I think not. So I finally picked up a new laptop that weighs 3 pounds and has switchable graphics cards (ATI and Intel) and Win 7. I figured I'd try anther install attempt. Can't find the disks! Sheesh back to eBay...
 
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I see that PS:T is on GOG - I assume anything on GOG should work in Win7 and Vista?
 
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