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Here's a guide on how to run the 95 / D3D (keeper95.exe, keep3d.exe) version properly under Win XP without any pesky mouse lag or startup crashes.

Direct quote:

" Dungeon Keeper 1, working under Windows XP???
[i] Posted by kain1234

Yes, this is a known problem. By setting the compability to Windows 95 it should solve so you can actually start playing, though I woulden't reccommend it as it can make your mouse very choppy/lag in-game.

But I found out how to solve this too. You need "Windows Applications compatibility Tools", I am using version 4.1. It is free to download from Micro$oft, so if you google for it like I did you won't have any problem finding it.

Before you start be sure you don't have changed anything on your *.exe file, such as set the compability to windows 95, if so change it back.

Now install the tool from Micro$oft and start by using "Compatadmin.exe"

1. Click on the "new" tab to make a new database, name it dungeon keeper 1

2. Right click on your new database and choose Create new -> Application fix...

3. Write Dungeon Keeper 1 for name of the program, Bullfrog for the vendor and then click the Browse button to find your dungeon keeper exe file such as "keepd3d.exe" or "Keeper95.exe". Then click next.

4. Choose "none" on the left list and click next.

5. You should have "EmulateHeap" turned on in this list, that is what you need to actually start the levels. You can also turn on "EmulateSlowCPU" although I have yet to see if this actually helps for something. Then click next and finish.

6. Save your database somewhere and then click on the "file" tab and choose "install"

It should now work fine.

P.S. If those that are interested knowing what actually make the mouse laggy it is when you set the compability to windows 95, then it turns on 57 compability things, one is "EmulateHeap", and that is why you can start the game, but it also turns on "DisableBoostThread" which is the source why your mouse is laggy, the other 55 things I am not sure about what they do.

It should also be possible to turn off Hyperthreading in the list, but alas I have forgotten what it is called. So if anyone know please write it here, I have used it for Grim Fandango where Hyperthreading causes crashes.

Anyway, hope this helps and good luck."[/i]

The fix has been tested on XP SP3 with all the latest updates on a dual core laptop and now the game works like a charm with hardware acceleration enabled.

Stay Wicked, Fellow Keepers! :]
Post edited February 17, 2014 by DocGurgul
Attempting to run keeperfx in a high res just results in a small game window with lots of black areas surrounding it. Is that supposed to happen?
Depends on what resolutions you enabled in KeeperFX (did you try pressing Alt+R?), and how your graphic card is configured to deal with resolutions different from the native LCD screen one.
Post edited February 17, 2014 by BlueTemplar
I havent tried using alt-r yet but i mean the actual game is still displayed in 640x480 and the rest of the resolution is just black space. It doesnt scale the game to 1024x768 (for example) at all.
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Question: I havent tried using alt-r yet
Sigh... What is the point of having a readme if you don't read it?
Im not sure why alt+r would help since it only switches between the different resolutions you selected at start...
Did keeperfx make any changes to the first secret level in the original campaign? Available FAQs state that you start with a level 5 dragon, but in game i start with a level 1 demon spawn....its not possible to kill any of the heroes with a level 1 demon spawn....

Edit : Weird it seems the very first secret level which i unlocked actually unlocked secret 5....

Noticed a rather odd bug in keeperFX too. Prisons are not reducing creature health so its impossible to get any skeletons...

I checked the rules.cfg file and i noticed that

PrisonHealthGain = 50
GameTurnsPerPrisonHealthGain = 400

Is this correct? HealthGain sounds wrong....i tried changing it to HealthLoss or changing the 50 to a negative number but it still wouldnt reduce the health at all (and yes i started new maps to test it).

Or is the health loss in prison actually tied to torture health loss? Because i changed that one to 0...
Post edited February 19, 2014 by Question
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Question: Im not sure why alt+r would help since it only switches between the different resolutions you selected at start...
Because KeeperFX is pre-configured with some extra resolutions.
Yea i know but i disabled them so alt+r doesnt do anything....

I did manage to get the hgiher res to work, but it looks rather weird (Everything seems elongated) and when i try to place a room, there is no cube outline at the cursor....
Everything probably seems elongated because your graphic card is configured to stretch the image to fit the screen. Change those settings, or select a resolution with the same aspect ratio as your screen.