How to fix Darkest Hour for Windows 8!

[Egg Bub]

I'm not trying to patronise you but to use the windowed mode fix, you have to follow the instructions carefully. If you don't it will not work.

 

[eeeex]

Another fixing propsal

Ok.. I found this one: http://steamcommunity.com/app/215930...38051580729916

This here worked for me (I think this works only for NVIDIA users):
File: WineD3D - 1.5.22
1. Copy the content of the "WineD3D 1.5.22" folder in your Darkest Hour Installation directory (Files ONLY needed are: ddraw.dll, libwine.dll and wined3d.dll) the other files are useless.
2. Edit the 'settings.cfg' file in your Darkest Hour Installation directory
-> Set Start-up movie = 0, save the file and close it
3. Open the NVIDIA Control Panel -> Manage 3-D Settings -> Program Settings -> and add the Darkest Hour.exe, to run with the NVIDIA Processor (I have in my case 2 graphics processors, one integrated and one NVIDIA)
4. Run the game via Darkest Hour.exe

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This here might work for AMD users:
File: WineD3D - 1.5.22
1. Copy the content of the "WineD3D 1.5.22" folder in your Darkest Hour Installation directory (Files ONLY needed are: ddraw.dll, libwine.dll and wined3d.dll) the other files are useless.
2. Edit the 'settings.cfg' file in your Darkest Hour Installation directory
-> Set Start-up movie = 0, save the file and close it
3. Right click on the Darkest Hour executable (Darkest Hour.exe), edit the properties and check the "Compatibility" mode
4. Set the Windows 8 color mode to 16 bit and to Windows XP SP 3 mode
5. Run the game via Darkest Hour.exe as administrator

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If the two above mentioned steps don't work, try this:

GameDir content: WineD3D
1. Copy the content of the "GameDir" folder in your Darkest Hour Installation directory
2. Edit the 'settings.cfg' file in your Darkest Hour Installation directory
-> Set Start-up movie = 0, save the file and close it
3. Right click on the Darkest Hour executable (darkest hour.exe), edit the properties and check the "Compatibility" mode
4. Set the Windows 8 color mode to 16 bit
5. Run the game via Darkest Hour.exe as administrator

Hopefully this works for some of you..

eeeex

Disclaimer:
I am not responsible for any damages caused, to your computer or health, by the use of this modification/fix!

 

[Rancor26]

I'm not trying to patronise you but to use the windowed mode fix, you have to follow the instructions carefully. If you don't it will not work.

What is your problem? I already got the game working, did you even read my message?

It didn't work when i tried the windowed fix, i followed instructions carefully, i'm not stupid. It might work on some computers but not on mine. I got the game running even without doing any fixes, the windowed fix is for people who can't run the game at all. My only issue was the low fps and it was caused by a Nvidia card driver or something.

 

[Egg Bub]

Actually the windowed fix is precisely for people who can run the game but get low fps. Low fps is the main problem with DH and Windows 8.

Anyhow, I didn't mean to offend you and I am glad that you got it working.

 

[tobias2220]

First post has been updated!

 

[A Landy]

First post has been updated!

Which of the solutions in the first post will help get the launcher working again? I have recently fixed my laptop (windows 8) and have ran into a few problems when testing the games to see if they were affected and then I tried Darkest Hour and it seems to crash immediately after I click on the shortcut (along with Victoria 2, of which I'm getting assistance with that) and in the .exe in the Darkest Hour folder. I have not had that many problems with Darkest Hour (only with the music cutting out occasionally and, rarely, freezes), so I don't see a reason for the windowed and compatibility solution on my end.

 

[gord96]

Hey guys. The first post helped me run DH in Windows 8 but one issue is I keep getting prompted to install Directplay. I cancel it and DH still runs, but curious what this Directplay is and if it is safe to install?

Thanks for any info!

 

[Xolaste]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DirectPlay

 

[TremblingBlue]

Please be sure to include the link to the wine D3D file:
http://www.mediafire.com/download/wloe1fjsbboojko/WineD3D+1.5.22.7z

It took a while for me to find them, and the steam page links to a few images and pictures that are useless...

 

[nemesszili]

eeeex, I owe you big time! It works in fullscreen on Win8 with nVidia. The Launcher is working fine, too!

 

[TentacleMayor]

Oh dear, I installed the beta patch and now I have to fix the game again. Well, it's a chance to post my specs and the results of each method, see what works and what doesn't.

Edit: Well, eeeex's registry fix adds a few FPS to just below 30, but now the framerate tanks whenever a tooltip is up. I don't think it was that bad in the last version I played. Also, the flickering issue is gone so I must have done something different, I just can't figure out what.

 

[JRHINDO]

Something i found and feel helped a little. In the main game folder, there is settings.cfg, it lists: "# Refresh map on resolutions higher then 1024x768 when not on Map mode. Enabling this will decrease game speed a bit (on higher resolutions only!), but resolves some cosmetic problems. 1 = Enabled, 0 = Disabled"
Put a 0 instead of 1 in front of that line. Gives a bit of a graphical glitch, but seems to give some fps.

 

[Zheng]

Here's "my" method:
Download ddraw: http://bitpatch.com/ddwrapper.html
put the ddraw.dll and aqrit.cfg inside the Darkest Hour folder
edit the aqrit.cfg and change ForceDirectDrawEmulation from 0 to 1. Save the file.
Right click on Darkest Hour.exe and set the colour mode to 16bit




Done.

 

[TentacleMayor]

Here's "my" method:
Download ddraw: http://bitpatch.com/ddwrapper.html
put the ddraw.dll and aqrit.cfg inside the Darkest Hour folder
edit the aqrit.cfg and change ForceDirectDrawEmulation from 0 to 1. Save the file.
Right click on Darkest Hour.exe and set the colour mode to 16bit




Done.

Works great for me, you've just made the game playable again. It's not perfect or anything, and probably hardware-dependent, but I find 22fps with a tooltip and 30 otherwise playable.

 

[Zheng]

Works great for me, you've just made the game playable again. It's not perfect or anything, and probably hardware-dependent, but I find 22fps with a tooltip and 30 otherwise playable.

Yes, probably some hw problems. It plays fine on my end, pretty much like how it did on Win7

 

[wjw1998]

For some reason all other methods on this post, Does not want to work for some reason. (except Zheng's method)

Edit: The game works it turns out that i had to wait. But mods crash the game

Edit 2: I wonder if there is way to prevent the mods from crashing the game with the fix?

 

[LRJ]

Another way to this and maybe better is this from eeeex

1.) Open Notepad and paste this in it:
Code:


2.) Save the file Click File → Save to open the save dialog. In the Save as type drop-down, select All files.

3.) Enter FixDH.reg in the File name field, and save the file.

4.) Locate the file using Explorer, and double-click it. Confirm Registry Editor's warning.

And now I can enjoy Darkest Hour in FULLSCREEN and on Windows 8 64-bit

Don't thank me, thanks to the guys that put that tutorial for Worms online and eeeex for this great method.

Thanks for this - it worked for me.

 

[gnome109]

After playing for 20 hours or so I have not crashed, but lag is present. Will the solutions detailed fix the lag as well.

 

[Egg Bub]

After playing for 20 hours or so I have not crashed, but lag is present. Will the solutions detailed fix the lag as well.

The windowed fix fixes the lag.

 

[gnome109]

The windowed fix fixes the lag.

Thanks