I have the original CDs for MM9 (I think twice, once from MM9 directly and once from a MM complete set). I found it incredibly buggy, crashy, and very unfinished / unpolished.

If I pick up the GoG version for convenience, are there some unofficial mods that make it work and suck less?

It'll still suck, but a little less. :D

http://telp.org/

http://telp.org/mm9/index.html

You can use those on your CD copies, too.
I should also note that the 1.4 patch that was hoped to be done Jan '05 is still not done. So, you know. Don't expect anything.

The only unofficial patch I know of is TELP's 1.3a patch.

It's available at their website...

http://telp.org/mm9/

It does fix a bunch of bugs, but you can read more about what it does at the website.

Edit:

I purchased and installed GOG's MM9 and it is already patched with TELP's 1.3 patch. The main menu shows that. Though I suspect that it is actually patched to 1.3a. Anyway, hope this helps.

I was surprised it was already patched with TELP. Generally, GOG doesn't include non-official patches into a release. Guess MM9 was really unplayable on modern system without it...

But i would really like to know if the applied patch is 1.3 or 1.3a...

After installing GOG's MM9, I looked in the MM9 folder and found the read me for the 1.3 TELP patch. No 1.3a read me. I then ran the 1.3 to 1.3a TELP patch and got the following...

data\ART.REZ
- Original file CRC error occurred, it has been skipped.

data\SCRIPTS.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

I looked in the MM9 folder and there was no 1.3a read me.

Just for the hell of it, I uninstalled the GOG MM9 and installed my CD copy then applied the 1.2 official patch, TELP 1.3 and then 1.3 to 1.3a patch. I did not get the above errors when installing the 1.3 to 1.3a patch. Also after applying the 1.3 to 1.3a patch, I again checked the MM9 folder and saw that there is no 1.3a read me.

Ok, so next, I uninstalled the CD MM9 and reinstalled GOG's MM9 and tried installing the TELP 1.3a patch and this what the install log listed...

data\ART.REZ
- Original file CRC error occurred, it has been skipped.

data\SCRIPTS.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

data\WORLDS.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

data\LOCALART.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

data\RUDE.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

data\DATA.REZ
- Original file is already updated, it has been skipped.

TELP13 User Guide.txt
- Attached file existed, it has been overwritten.

TELP13 Readme.txt
- Attached file existed, it has been overwritten.

TELP13 License.txt
- Attached file existed, it has been overwritten.

So my conclusion is that GOG's MM9 is patched with TELP's 1.3a patch. That's my story and I'm sticking to it unless tortured or proven wrong.

B^)...

Edit: I apologize for the long post. Just trying to be thorough.

I'd tend to agree with you. When I tried to apply the 1.3a patch, I got also all those skipped files. But I think it would be good for GOG to clearly state on that game's webpage that it is already updated with TELP patch, and to which version it has been updated.

Well, at least they know that the game is virtually unplayable without the TELP patch. Of course, it's still not great regardless, but at least it won't crash to the desktop constantly.

Game is unplayable. Crashes every single time I kill a basilisk. I've looked to ways around the problem, but to no avail. If there is no fix, then GOG will by law have to give me my money back for selling something that doesn't work. I'll keep trying though because I'd hate to force GOG into such a position.

That's not actually the law -- especially in the US. And super-especially with software. The EU has some nice laws for protection, but the US does not. (edit: unfortunately. -- I think we should, but we don't)

GOG offers a 30-day money back guarantee if it doesn't work. After 30 days, your'e out of luck.

i'm having a different bug problem, one that i thought was supposed to be fixed by the 1.2 patch, which is that i can't get back into anskarm keep. anyone have any brilliance about how to just allow access through the hole you get through in, initially?
(sorry if this is a bad place to post this question.)
i'm an idiot. never mind!