Edit: Issue resolved.

https://www.gog.com/forum/vampire_the_masquerade_series/vote_for_a_vanilla_v12_build_of_vtm_bloodlines/post12

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GOG's version of Bloodlines comes prepatched with Wesp5's Unofficial Patch basic option. This causes confusion, uncertainty, and extra work for players who want to use certain mods or Tessera's True Patch Gold. Offering an actual vanilla build (not just UP's "legacy" option) as an unsupported extra would be a simple solution requiring little effort on GOG's part.

Vote:

https://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/vanilla_v12_build_of_vtm_bloodlines

Voted.

Even the "Legacy" exe, has some changes from the patch incorporated inside game. Unlike vanilla 1.2, there are changes here, noticeable ones too...

After 1 full playthrough of GOG's version, i return to the retail again! For the time being... :D

You already have a "vanilla" v1.2! The mod ("Unofficial Patch") is external, it doesn't load if you launch vampire.exe directly. "Legacy" is a meaningless term unrelated to the Unofficial Patch mod, it is just what GOG decided to call the windows shortcut that points directly at vampire.exe, which loads the 1.2 version of the original game without any mods.

Just to be very clear:
- GOG sells the 1.2 version of the game, the final patch released by developer Troika.
- GOG has included the Unofficial Patch Basic 9.5 mod in a separate folder
- GOG made the installer create two windows shortcuts: One that loads the Unofficial Patch, another called (Legacy) that just loads the game without any mods.

That is a "vanilla experience" - Bloodlines with UP 9.5 engine changes but without bugfixes or content changes. Not the same thing as a vanilla installation. That distinction seems to be causing some problems/extra work for some mods (and for those who'd rather use TPG).

I think you're mistaken. The core game is still 1.2 without the bug fixes from the UP mod.

The Unofficial Patch Basic is still external, optional, separated from the actual game.

That said however, the vampire.exe is not the original file but a fixed one that fixes several fatal errors that make the game impossible to run on a modern operating system. The pure untouched original executable is included in the game, called "vampire.exe.12", but that will only run on a time period computer (say, windows XP with less than 2gb ram).

Let's run it down step by step:

"vampire.exe.12": The original executable, dated 2004. This is as pure as it gets and you need an older system to run it.

"vampire.exe": A fixed version of the above that loads dlls from the BIN folder. This could also be called the "Game Mod Loader" version. The "loader-readme.txt" is a good starting point if you want to learn more.

"Unofficial_Patch" folder: Within it is the Unofficial Patch Basic 9.5 mod which contains many gameplay related bug fixes. This mod can be loaded by the "Game Mod Loader", or it can be ignored by launching "vampire.exe" directly.

No, gog is NOT vanilla. I cannot use the dialogue options of the vanilla (like the serial killer and the hitman impasse exploit), maps are changed (even though facelifted and better, they are still changed) and there ARE (quite a few) noticeable little differences with the original, prototype vanilla. GOG's is NOT vanilla...

I have the retail and have been playing it for years upon years upon years...

Here's what I've gathered:

With two simple tweaks, I was able to get the CD version of Bloodlines to run on Windows 7 64-bit in 2013.

As of the Windows anti-DRM security update released late last year, a bat file also seems to be required.

Mods/TPG/UP can be installed according to their included instructions on that version of the game.

GOG's version comes prepatched with UP 9.5 and uses its mod loading system, which requires an alteration to normal mod installation procedures. Ultimately, that's probably not a problem for me because I think I understand how the UP system works now, and I also think it seems to be a good system.

However, it does irk me that GOG decided to force that system on anyone who buys the game here yet couldn't be bothered to make the effort to explain how it works. We're having to figure it out here on the forums.

Seeing Rusty_Gunn's thread about having problems running CompMod on the GOG version pushed me to go ahead and post the wish.

Also, I don't see any good reason not to offer a "pure" installation to those who want it. Some of the TPG crowd absolutely refuse to use anything by Wesp5, and it's not like offering a vanilla build for them would require any great effort. Hell, Judas said they already had such a build just-in-case they couldn't reach an agreement with Wesp5.

If someone wants a "pure" version, they can still buy the original game on Steam which won't run without my patch or at least the fixed exe from my patch anyway. Why should GOG downgrade it's release for a few people when they already have another option and this would make it more complicated for all other players?

I admire modders. Especially dedicated ones and doubly so, hard workers and over the years, not abandoning a game. I like how the unofficial patch facelifted maps, fixed errors, eliminated game's crushes (it used to crash a lot, even on XP), but...

But i am one of those who loves vanilla... I am in love with all its "bugs" that they tried to fix, or actually succeeded (that bugged dialogue for second quests completion was to my liking). I want to see the original maps again (like bailbond interior and the haunted hotel). I want game vanilla.

I sincerely apologize if i sound ungrateful, nagging, or weirdo. But i am an old-timer and i have strange likes... Me wanna the good, old and problems-ridden... Again, not that i didn't like what they did with GOG release, but, you know, nostalgia googles... Sorry...

Then buy the Steam version and fix it yourself with whatever patch you like. End of story...

Again, what is the problem here, really?

If you want to clean up your install, ALL the original files from version 1.2 released in 2004 are still there. I've been looking around the directories and here is what I found:

\VtMB\: dbghelp.dll.12
\VtMB\: vampire.exe.12
\VtMB\Bin\: engine.dll.12
\VtMB\Bin\: shaderapidx9.dll.12
\VtMB\Vampire\cl_dlls: client.dll.12
\VtMB\Vampire\cl_dlls: GameUI.dll.12
\VtMB\Vampire\dlls: vampire.dll.12

There may be more files I have missed, but my theory is that if you remove the .12 extension from the filenames and overwrite the ones that are already properly named, you will have a pure 1.2 game that you can mod however you want to.

I think that perhaps GOG can put together a script that cleans up your folders, renames files etc to revert your installation to the equivalent of a fresh 1.2 install is the simplest compromise for users who want to mess with old mods that don't follow de facto community standards. Then again, if you want to mess around with setting up mods, you're competent enough to spend five minutes renaming the less than a handful of files listed above. You're not computer illiterate.

Reread my post. You seem to have missed the part where I said "as an unsupported extra" the first time around. I'm going to give you a pass for that: You don't seem to know the first thing about GOGers, or you'd know that saying something like that to them is something only a massive asshole would do. Seriously.

Ignoring the jibe: Surely you can see how saying "Hunt through the directory trying to find any altered files and restoring the originals" isn't a good answer?

I really don't understand the "patch warriors" mentality. I just want everyone to be able to enjoy the GOG version of Bloodlines the way they prefer.

Sweet. Good enough for me. You can remove the wish if you'd like since this should solve the issue.

Thanks! However, I think it will run fine with Win7/64 - I still have a disc version from way back when and used it several times on my now aging Alienware machine. Well, I used either (all three) the True Patch Gold, UP x.xx basic, and UP x.xx - not sure if the patches themselves did anything to make it playable on Win7/64 but I made no modifications to do so on my machine.

Thanks Thiev! Will try that! Sweet and just in time! 3 Cheers for gog!

Wesp, as i said, i apologize. I certainly didn't mean any offense.