Author Topic: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII  (Read 5458 times)

Offline brettz123

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Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« on: March 15, 2008, 01:48:38 PM »
I wasn't really sure where to put this so I just stuck it here.

Just bought a new Computer with Windows Vista on it and I can not get multiplayer to work.  I just use it to create my entire party not to actually run multiplayer.

So every time I try to run it it just crashed after trying to start a new game.  Anyone know how to fix this?

Thanks in advance,
Brett

Offline Lordrea

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #1 on: March 15, 2008, 04:37:42 PM »
Are you fully patched and such? Never had this problem myself...

Offline Rodman49

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #2 on: March 15, 2008, 05:02:19 PM »
Are you running any mods on it?  Try running in compatibility mode (does Vista even have that?)?  I find it useful to disable the majority of Vista's security settings as they fuxor things up pretty hard.

Offline Lordrea

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #3 on: March 15, 2008, 07:53:16 PM »
You don't even know if Vista has a compatibility mode, yet you say that disabling Vista's security settings "fuxor things up"?

:\


Anyway, not sure if mods would cause it, as if single-player works fine, so should multi.

Try running it in windowed mode while making a new game, as I used to get a problem under XP where I couldn't do mulitiplayer with a full screen.

Offline gertjanvh

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #4 on: March 15, 2008, 10:10:40 PM »
Extensive technical expertise isn't always neccesary to try and help solve problems :)
I don't run Vista myself but the first things I'd do to try and solve it are;

Disable the Aero interface,
Disable UAC (Or User Access Control)
Temporary disable your firewall and your antivirus,
to see if this fixes your situation.

Offline Rodman49

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #5 on: March 15, 2008, 10:40:59 PM »
You don't even know if Vista has a compatibility mode, yet you say that disabling Vista's security settings "fuxor things up"?

When your 3dMark scores lower by 20% you'd uninstall Vista and return that crap too . . . ur, toss your downloaded copy in the trash.

Offline Lordrea

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #6 on: March 16, 2008, 03:55:32 AM »
Extensive technical expertise isn't always neccesary to try and help solve problems :)
I don't run Vista myself but the first things I'd do to try and solve it are;

Disable the Aero interface,
Disable UAC (Or User Access Control)
Temporary disable your firewall and your antivirus,
to see if this fixes your situation.
May not be necessary, but you can cause more problems then you solve. For example the above three should be elaborated to be the most helpful:

To disable Vista's visual themes for a specific program:
1. Right click the programs shortcut, or .exe file and go to 'properties.'
2. Switch to the compatibility tab.
3. Check 'disable visual themes' if you are having graphical issues. On older games, switching on 'Run in 256 colors' and 'Run in 540 x 480 resolution' can help.
4. If getting errors, check 'Run this program in compatibility mode for:' and select a relevant version of windows.

I'll note that I am currently using none of these, and my game runs perfectly. As I recall, on my old GeForce 6800 I needed one or more checked - but on my new 8800 I don't.

Disable UAC:
When installing mods, tweaking INI files, or generally playing around with 'protected' directories, such as your BG2 install directory, you should disable UAC. You can do this by going to the control panel, user account settings. Unless you have 110% confidence in your security system's competence, I'd recommend turning this back on after you're done with your tinkering.

Possible Problem with Anti-Virus/Firewall
I know that some firewalls (such as COMODO) have problems with BG2. It is best to switch your firewall off, and unplug yourself from the internet to test if this is the case. If this is the problem, most security software have a setting to allow a program more privileges, which should fix any issues you're having.

Anywho, I stand by my suggestion of trying it in windowed mode and getting back to us if that fixes it. If not, someone should think of something.

When your 3dMark scores lower by 20% you'd uninstall Vista and return that crap too . . . ur, toss your downloaded copy in the trash.
That isn't surprising. You forget that 3dm runs Dx9 in emulation. Seeing as 3dm's development cycle is slow enough where they haven't kept up with Microsoft's sluggish Windows development trends... well, you can see the result. 3DMark Vantage should make things much, much better. As it is, 3dm isn't accurate with Vista/Dx10 because it doesn't know how to handle 3.0 Shaders and oodles of other things.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2008, 04:07:10 AM by Lordrea »

Offline gertjanvh

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2008, 04:13:08 AM »
Heh, like I said, I don't run Vista myself :)

Offline the bigg

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2008, 07:26:31 AM »
That isn't surprising. You forget that 3dm runs Dx9 in emulation. Seeing as 3dm's development cycle is slow enough where they haven't kept up with Microsoft's sluggish Windows development trends... well, you can see the result. 3DMark Vantage should make things much, much better. As it is, 3dm isn't accurate with Vista/Dx10 because it doesn't know how to handle 3.0 Shaders and oodles of other things.
I believe that Dx9 is present side-to-side with Dx10 on Vista, and not emulated (it wouldn't make sense otherwise, since, with the same settings, the same game is always slower with DX10 than with DX9).

Anyway, as I said on SHS, multiplayer on Vista only works when you run windowed mode, and not when you run in fullscreen mode.
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Offline Lordrea

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2008, 01:03:20 PM »
Heh, like I said, I don't run Vista myself :)
Well, sorry for getting a bit 'itchy at ya. =P

I believe that Dx9 is present side-to-side with Dx10 on Vista, and not emulated (it wouldn't make sense otherwise, since, with the same settings, the same game is always slower with DX10 than with DX9).
You can install Dx9 over Dx10, but by default it runs in emulation. And the game being slower is only true for games that do not support Dx10. If a game isn't working or is significantly slower when using Dx10, you can always downgrade. Backwards compatibility can only go so far. Hence, since 3dm doesn't recognize Dx10, you get a slowdown. M$ got it good enough where the slowdown is usually less than 1% - but in some situations you can find more radical slowdowns (I've never heard of a 20% slowdown, or even close to that, so I'm quick to say that is heavily exaggerated). 3dm should have a patch around somewhere to make it play with Dx10 - haven't looked myself. PCMark Vantage only supports Vista/Dx10 - so it seams that FutureMark is leaving Dx9/XP in the dust.

Anyway, as I said on SHS, multiplayer on Vista only works when you run windowed mode, and not when you run in fullscreen mode.
I can run multiplayer, using Vista, on fullscreen. However, it used to not work for me in fullscreen (so much has changed on my computer, can't even guess as to the cause of the change). So, I'd say it runs deeper then that, seeing as it's not 100% true that Vista + Fullscreen != Hang.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2008, 01:13:13 PM by Lordrea »

Offline brettz123

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #10 on: March 16, 2008, 04:15:39 PM »
You don't even know if Vista has a compatibility mode, yet you say that disabling Vista's security settings "fuxor things up"?

:\


Anyway, not sure if mods would cause it, as if single-player works fine, so should multi.

Try running it in windowed mode while making a new game, as I used to get a problem under XP where I couldn't do mulitiplayer with a full screen.

This is going to sound dumb but how do you run something in windowed mode?  I do not see anything like that on the options menu.  Thanks,
Brett

Offline Lordrea

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #11 on: March 16, 2008, 04:26:17 PM »
This is going to sound dumb but how do you run something in windowed mode?  I do not see anything like that on the options menu.  Thanks,
Brett
Usually you can just hit Ctrl+Enter. If that fails, you can run BGConfig and in the video settings there is a radio button for windowed mode.

As I recall, you can just punch up BG2, hit Ctrl+Enter Alt+Enter, start a multiplayer game, then hit Ctrl+Enter Alt+Enter again once the game starts to go back to fullscreen mode.

EDIT: My bad, it's alt+enter.
« Last Edit: March 16, 2008, 04:45:52 PM by Lordrea »

Offline Echon

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #12 on: March 16, 2008, 04:32:19 PM »
Usually you can just hit Ctrl+Enter.

Unless it was changed for Vista it is ALT+Enter.

-Echon

Offline Rodman49

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Re: Windows Vista Multiplayer and BGII
« Reply #13 on: March 16, 2008, 08:14:22 PM »
You can install Dx9 over Dx10, but by default it runs in emulation. And the game being slower is only true for games that do not support Dx10. If a game isn't working or is significantly slower when using Dx10, you can always downgrade. Backwards compatibility can only go so far. Hence, since 3dm doesn't recognize Dx10, you get a slowdown. M$ got it good enough where the slowdown is usually less than 1% - but in some situations you can find more radical slowdowns (I've never heard of a 20% slowdown, or even close to that, so I'm quick to say that is heavily exaggerated). 3dm should have a patch around somewhere to make it play with Dx10 - haven't looked myself. PCMark Vantage only supports Vista/Dx10 - so it seams that FutureMark is leaving Dx9/XP in the dust.

Maybe its (Vista) been patched since I've used it - but I don't even have an 8 series card so I have to stick with Dx9 anyway.  I remember trying to run SWAT4 on Vista and it ran something like 40% slower, completely ludicrous.  Anyway I'll shut up now since this is OT.