Emulated Registry portability for MK4 PC or MK4 PC GOG version problems

[Kaneco]

Subject: Emulated Registry portability for MK4 PC or MK4 PC GOG version problems

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to run this in portable mode from any computer using the Registry tab method... and emulate the concept of making the game think it's already installed.

This is what I found on the registry:

~~~
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00]
"Path"="D:\Games\Mortal Kombat 4"
"Config"=hex:21,38,8f,cc,c3,67,e2,5d,d9,53,ce,49,8b,3f,ba,35,e7,2b,a6,21,da,17,\
  92,0d,82,03,7e,f9,22,ef,6a,e5,29,db,56,d1,0d,c7,42,bd,31,b3,2e,a9,70,9f,1a,\
  95,58,8b,06,81,b9,77,f2,6d,e0,63,de,59,83,4f,ca,45,85,3b,b6,31,ee,27,a2,1d,\
  90,13,8e,09,dd,ff,7a,f5,35,eb,66,e1,0f,d7,52,cd,40,c3,3e,b9,6d,af,2a,a5,6f,\
  9b,16,91,59,87,02,7d,ff,73,ee,69,a7,5f,da,55,91,4b,c6,41,f2,37,b2,2d,af,23,\
  9e,19,c4,0f,8a,05,cc,fb,76,f1,2d,e7,62,dd,5e,d3,4e,c9,10,bf,3a,b5,7f,ab,26,\
  a1,53,97,12,8d,0e,83,fe,79,b1,6f,ea,65,a6,5b,d6,51,8a,47,c2,3d,bd,33,ae,29,\
  e9,1f,9a,15,c8,0b,86,01,2a,f7,72,ed,6d,e3,5e,d9,1d,cf,4a,c5,12,bb,36,b1,7f,\
  a7,22,9d,1c,93,0e,89,48,7f,fa,75,b5,6b,e6,61,84,57,d2,4d,cc,43,be,39,e7,2f,\
  aa,25,ee,1b,96,11,c3,07,82,fd,7c,f3,6e,e9,36,df,5a,d5,1f,cb,46,c1,66,b7,32,\
  ad,2c,a3,1e,99,15,8f,0a,85,02,7b,f6,71,e8,67,e2,5d,d8,53,ce,49,c4,3f,ba,35,\
  b2,2b,a6,21,9c,17,92,0d,88,03,7e,f9,74,ef,6a,e5,60,db,56,d1,4c,c7,42,bd,21,\
  b3,2e,a9,0c,9f,1a,95,1a,8b,06,81,98,77,f2,6d,ed,63,de,59,d1,4f,ca,45,c0,3b,\
  b6,31,ac,27,a2,1d,98,13,8e,09,84,ff,7a,f5,70,eb,66,e0,5d,28,ad,32,b7,c3,3e,\
  b9,35,af,2a,a5,44,9b,16,91,0d,87,02,7d,9c,73,ee,69,d6,5f,da,55,d0,4b,c6,41,\
  be,37,b2,2d,ab,23,9e,19,90,0f,8a,05,81,fb,76,f1,6d,e7,62,dd,5a,d3,4e,c9,45,\
  bf,3a,b5,67,ab,26,a1,3a,97,12,8d,52,83,fe,79,dc,6f,ea,65,a1,5b,d6,51,e9,47,\
  c2,3d,eb,33,ae,29,83,1f,9a,15,c5,0b,86,01,15,f7,72,ed,22,e3,5e,d9,32,cf,4a,\
  c5,14,bb,36,b1,4b,a7,22,9d,5f,93,0e,89,60,7f,fa,75,d0,6b,e6,61,bc,57,d2,4d,\
  8a,43,be,39,d5,2f,aa,25,ed,1b,96,11,ef,07,82,fd,30,f3,6e,e9,01,df,5a,d5,61,\
  cb,46,c1,0e,b7,32,ad,2c,a3,1e,99,15,8f,0a,85,02,7b,f6,71,ee,67,e2,5d,db,53,\
  ce,49,c7,3f,ba,35,b1,2b,a6,21,98,17,92,0d,8e,03,7e,f9,71,ef,6a,e5,60,db,56,\
  d1,44,c7,42,bd,38,b3,2e,a9,2d,9f,1a,95,15,8b,06,81,fa,77,f2,6d,e0,63,de,59,\
  d3,4f,ca,45,3f,c4,49,ce,53,d8,5d,e2,98,13,8e,09

...and this is the goglog.ini file in the directory:

[setup]
DoOnce1752794474[d7e4f20934b9f738e0e95f490c68f9a1]=1
[1752794474_remote]
Regs=2
ValueName_0=
RootKey_0=HKLM
SubKey_0=Software\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4
ValueType_0=
ValueData_0=
DelSubKey_0=true
ValueName_1=Path
RootKey_1=HKLM
SubKey_1=Software\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00
ValueType_1=string
ValueData_1=D:\Games\Mortal Kombat 4
DelSubKey_1=true
~~~

How do I go implementing this to Registry tab to get the behavior I want so that the game ceases asking me to reinstall it?

Thanks in advance!

[gho]

My profile is simpler, it's just like this:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00]
"Path"="."
"Setup"=".\\Setup.exe"
"Config"=

Probably the "." can be replaces by "{path}", the result should be the same.
I have two versions of the game (unpatched and patched) but I don't remember the difference among the two. The game has a curious behavior: it works perfectly scaled unless you hit the ESC key (don't do it!) when it resizes the rendering area to a tiny portion of the window, I couldn't understand why.
Woops .... but you are talking about the GOG release? I never tried that, I'll do it later.

P.s. WARNING!! do not set the WOW6432Node folder in the virtual registry, it won't work at all. Try setting the key as follows:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00]
"Path"="\{path}"

[Kaneco]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00]

The registry I showed it was what I found in the registry in the computer that I installed MK4 PC GOG version. It's exactly how it shows when you export it.

But going back to your post.

Hmmm... I tried throwing in what you posted and variations of it.

I get the same error.

Hmmm... wonder how to solve this for the GOG version on different PCs without installing for complete portability.

---

EDIT:

The way the small window behavior is fixed... at least for me in GOG version.

For some reason one of the rendering keys is set to "Alt" key, so it gets in the way of your Alt+Tab. Unless you click away from the game in a dual monitor setup... lose focus then do Alt+Tab. Or press the Windows Key.

But yeah, Alt key on its own causes this issue... and I believe it's the same behavior with either the F7 or F8 key. It does the same as Alt.

But how you fix it is by pressing the F5 key.... which is the Glide rendering method the game starts with, Direct3D being F6... and the remaining key of either F7 or F8 is low poly software rendering behavior.

So in short... how to fix on the fly? Press the F5 key, whenever it goes small window because you press the Alt key. lol!

Don't know why they mapped the Alt key to do such a thing... if Dxwnd could force the game to not see that key. lol!

---

Now I just need to figure out the Portability Register issue for it... because the GOG version is the only version I have.

Any help to achieve this would be appreciated.

[gho]

... because the GOG version is the only version I have.

get some resources here: https://www.old-games.ru/game/297.html
Original CD releases are a better byte to swallow for DxWnd.

[Kaneco]

No, I just figured it out.

I went to some really old No-CD patch site that has several patches for old version of MK4.

https://gamecopyworld.com/games/pc_mortal_kombat_4.shtml#Mortal%20Kombat%204%20v1.0%20[EN]%20No-CD/Fixed%20EXE

The first pack they have with a No CD patched .exe, as well as some instructions.

The pack comes with a .reg file that requires you to add to have the No-CD.exe patch work properly.

I took a look at the .reg file with Notepad++

This is what I found (similar to what you posted, but slightly different):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\GT Interactive\Mortal Kombat 4\1.00]
"Path"=".\\"
"Setup"=".\\"

...and plugged that into the Registry tab on the DxWnd... and voila! It worked!

Didn't need the .exe, but the .reg file included really helped.

Guess it needs both the Path & Setup lines, but you need the right format for both of them is ". \ \"

Thanks for the help, much appreciated.

Consider this solved. 👍

[gho]

Yes, I forgot to mention (but it's in the help pages) that the backslash is the character to introduce tokens (like {path}) in the virtual registry syntax, so wherever you have to place a backslash you have to double it, like in the case of registry keys holding a pathname.
This doesn't hold for the Windows .reg files.

[Kaneco]

Forgot to post these, but here you go for anyone that wants my personal MK profiles, or want them added to DxWnd official pack to go with the rest of the Exports.

MK Trilogy GOG is the only that I didn't force windowing, because it doesn't need it... ESC and the game's own Windowing is good/modern enough, and also because you need to remap from the Window options itself, and not in-game. Plenty of useful options.