VOGONS


First post, by Jiri

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There is finally a simple solution for running of Discworld Noir in WinXP-Win10 thanks to fix by Loma.
It was released few months ago but I found it just now and since it is missing on this forum, I will copy here some info I have found about it on the net.
How to use it: Just install the game, extract the patch, put the files into the game directory and run dn.exe.
Additional info: There should be no more menu or cutscenes crashes etc. Alt+tab should work for programs switching while alt+enter for switching fullscreen/windows is not recommended. In the original version is in-game gamma option that is missing with this fix so use graphics card drivers settings or freeware programs like Gamma Panel, Free Monitor Manager, dgVoodoo2 etc.

Last edited by Jiri on 2023-06-13, 15:22. Edited 5 times in total.

Reply 1 of 7, by KainXVIII

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Fix worked for me and now game runs on Windows 10, but not without issues:
-aspect ratio is not preserved, so image is stretched on widescreen resolutions
-and mouse cursor has no restrictions and can float far below screen boundaries 🤣

Reply 2 of 7, by Jiri

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KainXVIII wrote:

-aspect ratio is not preserved, so image is stretched on widescreen resolutions
-and mouse cursor has no restrictions and can float far below screen boundaries 🤣

1) The original game has aspect ratio 640x480 and the patch stretches it so the whole screen of modern monitor is filled. I think that it doesn't look too bad (I have just 16:10 monitor, it would be worse on ultra-wide) and I personally prefer this than having black borders on the sides. Still an option to choose would be nice so all players are satisfied.
2) You are right, it can float below and also to the right side. But I noticed it during gameplay only after you mentioned it so also no big problem for me. 😀
Still the author of the patch should be informed about these issues but I don't know how to contact him.

Reply 3 of 7, by realnc

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KainXVIII wrote:

Fix worked for me and now game runs on Windows 10, but not without issues:
-aspect ratio is not preserved, so image is stretched on widescreen resolutions
-and mouse cursor has no restrictions and can float far below screen boundaries 🤣

You should be able to make a custom 4:3 resolution. On a 1080p display, you can add a 1440x1080 mode, which is 4:3 but still native (meaning no blurring.) You can then select the "keep aspect ratio" setting in the video driver.

Reply 4 of 7, by 7F20

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realnc wrote on 2019-01-11, 10:55:

You should be able to make a custom 4:3 resolution. On a 1080p display, you can add a 1440x1080 mode, which is 4:3 but still native (meaning no blurring.) You can then select the "keep aspect ratio" setting in the video driver.

I just wanted to add that I did this and it works fine. I use a 1920x1200 screen, and it's an easy fix to set the desktop to 1600x1200. Windows has less issues scaling UI elements at that resolution as well.

There are still a couple issues. As mentioned before, the mouse cursor will get stuck out side the screen area briefly from time to time. You can get it to come back by swinging it around, but it's still annoying.

Also, the game is incredibly dark, and there's no in-game graphical adjustments. I have had to change the settings on my monitor to see things, and it's still pretty lousy contrast, making it easy to miss the pixel-hunt things. I got stuck a couple times and just used a walkthrough because there were pixel items that were completely impossible to distinguish from the background, no matter how much I tweaked things (just black pixels in a sea of black pixels).

One last complaint is that it seems like the new executable is still scaling, and scaling not so well. It's not terrible, but it's absolutely not purely integer scale. There's some blurring going on which is probably contributing to the lousy gamma and contrast issues.

All that said, it's still basically playable. That's enough for me, as I needed a Pratchett hit, and this was a good one. RIP.

Reply 5 of 7, by Jorpho

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So what exactly does the fix do? Is it applicable to other games?

Reply 6 of 7, by 7F20

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Jorpho wrote on 2020-08-29, 20:33:

So what exactly does the fix do? Is it applicable to other games?

I don't think so. In it's current form, it's a replacement .exe for the one packaged with Discworld Noir.

As for what it does, I'm not totally sure. Usual candidate would be a 32 bit replacement to make it compatible with 64 bit systems.

Reply 7 of 7, by JManderley

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I would just like to say that I am posting this in 2024 and the link is still active AND it works beautifully in Windows 10 22H2 with latest updates 😉 The mouse cursor issue is still there (going off screen) but it plays perfectly.

As stated in the original post please do not alt-tab out or it will crash.

Thanks to the original poster and all concerned in keeping this wonderful game alive in 2024 😉