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I'm seeking the collective wisdom of the GOG community on this issue. Perhaps someone here has had the same experience and knows a good solution. I have a laptop computer that I want to play Diablo 2 on. Since it has a Nvidia card, it also comes bundled with an Intel HD graphics card and the Optimus technology, which is good for power saving and bad for game compatibility.

Windows 7 has its issues with Diablo 2. I can't run the game in 3D mode which means that I lose some lightning and parallax effects. I also get the messed up colors problem, although I can solve that by running the task manager in the background. I already run the game with compatibility mode for Windows XP 2, disabled desktop composition and administrator mode. It makes no difference for either 3d or 2d mode. When I try to run the game in 3d mode it hangs up as soon as I start it, and I have to finish it from the task manager.

I have a good idea what the problem is, but I don't know of a good solution to solve it. The thing is that the game is run with the Intel HD graphics card when I use 3d mode, and that abomination does have very few options that you can tweak. For example you can not turn of anti-aliasing, you can just change it from 2x to 16x. Anti-aliasing is one of the things which is supposed to make Diablo 2 not work (when in 3d mode). It could be that, or it could just be that Intel's drivers are crappy for compatibility.

So why can't I just force the game to run with my Nvidia card, problem solved? Well Nvidia, in their infinite wisdom, have decided that we no longer need the freedom to choose which card to use for certain applications. So when I use Nvidia Control Panel and select Diablo 2 I can only choose integrated graphics, and when I use the file manager and right-click on the Diablo 2 program and choose to run with Nvidia, a rude message box pops up proclaiming that I don't have the privilege to select graphics processor in the menu. Global settings does not work as well (it is probably overridden) It makes me really want to have a talk with the bloke that made the decision to make these changes.

I'm sure that there is some easy solution to this problem, there should be a file somewhere where I can just delete the Diablo 2 entry from the database so that I can make my own, but I haven't found it yet. Perhaps some of you have had the same problem and knows a good solution?
Did you try running the D2VidTst.exe file? It should fix your color problems, and I don't know if it'll fix your other issues, but it might.
Nvidia ION has major issues running old blizzard games I myself can say for a fact that doing D2VidTst wont work on my sisters laptop that has it and it was on blizz forums and there is no fix at all atm. if you are lucky it might work but same for me it wont work.

But on desktop cards it works no problem, just mobile graphics chips from nvidia have some issues not amd ones.
Oh no, it's the same problem with the old Starcraft game. Colors come out very weird.
The solytion is to run the task manager in the background or to kill the process explorer.exe (not a convenient solution)

Oops, I re-read it and I see the problem is something other. Is there an option to disable the Intel graphics from the BIOS settings? That would make Nvidia the only usable card in Windows.
Post edited March 11, 2015 by RSnyden
My two cents:
- Try to disable the Intel HD integrated GPU from the BIOS/firmware. It's shit anyway.
- Use a Glide wrapper, Diablo II performs better through Glide libs - even wrapped. See here for more info.
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Dr_Worm: Did you try running the D2VidTst.exe file? It should fix your color problems, and I don't know if it'll fix your other issues, but it might.
I did but thank you anyway :)
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KingofGnG: My two cents:
- Try to disable the Intel HD integrated GPU from the BIOS/firmware. It's shit anyway.
- Use a Glide wrapper, Diablo II performs better through Glide libs - even wrapped. See here for more info.
Thank you! I installed nGlide and that worked.

Disabling the Intel card seems a little radical, but I agree that it is pure crap. I knew that it would be when I bought the laptop so I can't say that I did not know what I was getting into, but I still despise it. When I experimented with some settings to see if there was a way to turn of anti-aliasing for Diablo 2 I ended up with having my old games for 4:3 resolutions stretched out to fill the screen. Since Intel offers no intuitive way for you to change the options for scaling I had to use google to find out how to do it. It turns out that you can change scaling options, but only if you set your desktop resolution to something lower than what is optimal for your graphics card! So had to do that, change the scaling options and then change the resolution back again!

It's that kind of trying to make it easier for people by giving them less options philosophy that I find really annoying. It's the same thing with Nvidia changing their program settings so people aren't allowed to run 2D applications (or certain 2D applications?) with the Nvidia card on optimus systems.

Just out of curiosity. I seem to remember reading that you have beaten one or more of the Ghost and Goblins games. Which have done? Ghost 'n Goblins? Ghoul's 'n Ghosts? Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts? For which systems? Did you do so without load scumming and did you finish the games twice? I like the games a lot. I don't think I ever will finish them though :)

Which game in the series do you like the most?
Post edited March 15, 2015 by Sargon
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Sargon: Disabling the Intel card seems a little radical, but I agree that it is pure crap.
I didn't mean to disable it forever; just reboot when you want to play, disable the integrated GPU from the BIOS, then enable it again on the next reboot.
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Sargon: Just out of curiosity. I seem to remember reading that you have beaten one or more of the Ghost and Goblins games. Which have done? Ghost 'n Goblins? Ghoul's 'n Ghosts? Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts? For which systems? Did you do so without load scumming and did you finish the games twice? I like the games a lot. I don't think I ever will finish them though :)

Which game in the series do you like the most?
It took me something like 20 years of efforts and attempts to beat Ghosts'n Goblins (1985) for good, I have never been able to fight my way through the game when I was a little boy and there still were arcades nearby in my home town. Now the arcades are no more, but I've got my MAME emulator to preserve the somewhat-authentic experience on my PCs forever. I should buy an arcade joystick, though: it's way easier to play this way. No cheating, never: cheaters are losers in my book, especially with GnG.

At some point, I remember I was able to beat Ghouls'n Ghosts (1988) with ease in the arcades already. I was older, and this game was WAY easier than the previous one. Home conversions of the two first GnG are essentially shit, everything from game mechanics to graphics and music is "lost in translation" so I won't even acknowledge they exist at all...

I'm still working on (emulated) Super Ghouls'n Ghosts for the Super NES, though. Oh, and in 2006 Capcom released Ultimate Ghosts'n Goblins for the PSP, I bought the portable console just for that game, I purchased three copies of it from different markets (I still need the American one and my collection is complete) plus the harder remake available only for the Japanese market (Gokumakaimura Kai). A different kind of difficulty compared to the original, the last time I tried I mastered everything that were to be mastered. I should start playing it again, though... My GOG.com avatar icon comes from one of the new special armors you can equip Sir Arthur with in Ultimate GnG.

P.S.My love for the GnG saga is a very special one, too. Just to say, I'm planning to purchase a "supergun" and the original arcade PCB boards to play them on my 40" Sony Bravia TV-set. That would be a very expensive hobby, though.
Post edited March 15, 2015 by KingofGnG