Darvond: Let me clarify something. This isn't so much about bad hardware, but a type of 3D rendering API that doesn't exist anymore. OpenGL was just a wee babe, DirectX was at best fledgling, so 3DFX was king.

sheenasan: I can't get it to run on Windows 10 with any compatibility mode, with either .exe file. I have direct play enabled. I don't know what else I can try! If I try to run through gog I get a popup that says "Program Crashed". If I try either of the exe files the screen goes black for a moment and then nothing happens -- it doesn't even show up in task manager.

Catpsyche: Okay, let's try this Troubleshooting Thing for Populous:The Beginning in 2019. Let's see if we can update this waaaay better?!...

I'm Using - Windows 10. I cannot play the game directly from GOG, but I can play the game using the "popTB.exe" file. After Windows 10 automatically finds Direct Play and asks if you'd like to install it (for older games). To play the game go to your game files folder. Location on my drive is; Program Files (x86) > Galaxy Client > Games > Populous: The Beginning).

Find the popTB.exe file, right click and go to "Properties" > go to "Compatibility" > click "Change settings for all users" > *Check mark the box, then "Run this program in compatibility mode", then select "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)", and "Run as an administrator", click Apply and/ or Okay, then Right Double-Click the "PopTB.exe" file to run and play the game.

To be clear, this is the more pixelated or earlier version of the game, like Minecraft. I'm not playing this version, because it's totally unacceptable. When I played this at release in and around 1999 I played the better version even then, and that's what I want now. I've acquired this game many times through DL over the years, as recent as 3 years ago and had to alter the game files. Newer PC and using Windows 10 has altered the way to change files, even IF I had the way I changed them before. I did so by doing lots of research via Google Search, however I can't find anything up to date now and that works for me. Soooo, how do we get this alternate version/ file to work? Using the "D3DPopTB.exe" file Version to work that has much better graphics!? There are workaround for EVERYTHING!... Come on you, Brainiacs! Give me some solid, easy to understand facts that will work, for me, and others to come in 2019. And, Thanks, in advance!!!

Milfay.324: The same thing was happening to me. In the support article below is a link to 3 dll files on Dropbox. Download them and put them in the game folder. After that the game stopped crashing on startup for me.

https://support.gog.com/hc/en-us/articles/360007643793-DirectX-errors-random-crashes-graphics-issues

theoturtle: So I bought POP3 on the Weekend-Sale an had - like everyone here - trouble starting it in D3D (Application - Crash right from the start).
And I don't want to use the popTB.exe - because this will cause the game to run in software mode. Why the hell does anybody do that ? Invention of 3D Acceleration was the best thing on PC in the 1990's. (Holy Voodoo Cards!)

Finally I was able to run POP3 in D3D with an NVIDIA-Card using "dgVooDoo" (a dx and glide wrapper) on Windows 10
Thanks to the post of "ZellSF" who suggested using that little thing of software! (one year ago! - and this thread was opened in 2012 ...)

I am using Win10 (with Redstone-Update) with a GTX960 4GB

Here's what I did: (Step by step)

1. Download "dgVoodoo" from "dege.freeweb.hu/" (Latest Version 2.53)
2. Extract the downloaded file to a folder of your choice
3. Copy all files from the "dgVoodoo" main folder into you POP3 Installation directory
4. also copy the files from the "MS" folder (3 dll files for ddraw an direct3d) into POP3 Installation directory
5. Run "dgVooDooSetup.exe" and click the icon [.\] - that will point the path to your POP3 installation directory
6. Select the Tab "DirectX" and check the Options - I tried differnt settings and now use the ones you can see in my screenshot
7. Click Apply Button
8. Launch the game through the GOG-Launcher (the shortcut placed on the Desktop after installation) - Answer the question for recovery mode with "no"
Only via the launcher the game will allow you to use resolutions higher than 800x600 (1600x900 works for me - FullHD doesnt seem to be supported.)

You will always have to change the resolution ingame every time you start the game again.(Problem of the game, not the GOG-Release or the wrapper)

Notes:
- you dont have to run the dgVoodoo program again after making your settings - POP3 will always start with the wrapper until you delete the files from the wrapper software
- Turn the "dgVoodoo Watermark" setting off - I just used it to verify the game works with the wrapper
- using Antialiasing causes some screenartifacts, especially around the text-boxes and the map
- using less than 128MB VRAM in the settings seems to cause graphic glitches when driving the mouse around (like a mouse-shadow)
- Windowed-Mode doesnt work - crashes when Apllication loses focus

Hope this helps some folks out there

theoturtle: Just wanted to point out: that is no solution, it just uses the softwarerenderung path. No 3D - Graphics card will be used. And it causes the game to run only in 800x600 maximum. (what looks terrible)