Versailles 2

[MrPepka]

I have a game here called Versailles 2. Here are the problems I'm facing:
1. The game is secured with CD-Checks (or DVD-Checks probably for the DVD version) but this only applies to the English version of the game unfortunately. The Polish version has SafeDisc 2.7 and it is still rudely implemented at the installation stage (to be more precise, the installer of this game also has SafeDisc). I did not find a crack for the Polish version of the game (the English version has such a crack)
2. The game without DxWnd works OK, although the cutscenes show either a part of the menu (you can see it in the intro) or a part of the board (as the cutscene will appear during the game). In turn, with DxWnd it is the same, but also there the mouse is nonresponsive (in the sense I can move the cursor, but I cannot choose any option)
Link for this game - https://legendsworld.net/adventure/game/5420 (CD version) https://www.myabandonware.com/game/versailles-ii-testament-of-the-king-dtx (DVD version)
I will send the Polish version later

[MrPepka]

I tested both the CD and DVD versions and found that I get different results depending on the version. The CD version without DxWnd displays a black screen with a smudging cursor leaving traces after the game starts, although when you run it under DxWnd the result is the same as in the DVD version, i.e. no control over the menu. In both versions, cutscenes show a piece of menu or board

[MrPepka]

I promised and kept my word. This is the Polish version of this game - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1O2PJVPJxPZ6wYJIyPNx7zB3A_MpL1LBy?usp=sharing

[MrPepka]

I did not mention it, but when I run the game via DxWnd (regardless of whether it is a CD or DVD version), when I start I have a black screen first, and after alt-tabing the game and returning to it, the intro starts
In addition, I turned on Mouse Clipper in the DxWnd settings and the black screen at startup was still, but after alt-tabing the game and returning to it, only the menu appears, but the game itself does not respond anymore and you have to close it manually

[MrPepka]

I checked it thoroughly and the problem is only with the DVD version. Although the CD version displays a black screen when starting the game, after alt-tabing the game and returning to it, the intro (as well as part of the menu) is displayed, and then the menu is displayed, and nothing can be done

[MrPepka]

So far, under DxWnd, I have only successfully run the CD version, the DVD version is still out of my reach. In general, I managed the cursor by starting the game in full screen and turning on the mouse clipper so that I could navigate the menu normally. Of course, the cutscenes are still displayed strangely, and the text displayed after starting a new game scrolls too quickly, although the CD version then works as normal (although the frame at the top with the application title and the Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons is still visible, so the dialogue at the top when there is one, it is covered). On the other hand, the DVD version, after starting a new game and cutscene, displays only a black screen with a smudging cursor that leaves traces. Interestingly, without DxWnd, it is exactly the opposite (the CD version does not start, and the DVD version does). Anyone have any idea?

[gho]

Not an easy case, this one, and finally I posted v2.05.55 and maybe I'll have some time to dedicate to something new.
Environment: I mounted the english DVD version, minimal install leaving the DVD mounted, skipping install of any middleware (ddraw, dplay, dmovie etc.). Platform: Win10 64 (as usual).
The result: the game has several problems, and needs some cure:
1) it hangs at start. You can unblock it by clicking outside & inside or (better) adding the SendWM_ACTIVATEMessage tweak
2) the mouse is hadled strangely. It needs to clear the "Correct mouse position" and set the DirectInput "Emulate relative movement", plus mouse clipping ON
3) if the game loses the mouse focus it easily crash. Fix with "Suppress DI common errors"
4) it doesn't always process messages. I tentatively added "Add message pump", I'm not sure it's necessary or useful

All these settings are included in the attached export file, still to be improved. The game still shows a few more problems:
1) some screens are weird, they have a stripe at the bottom that doesn't seem to be correct, though the fullscreen game without DxWnd may show the same
2) it is still easy to crash the game, no matter how carefully you treat it.

Work in progress here.

[MrPepka]

I tried your settings and although now the mouse finally works normally in the window, the game still does not work as it should
The problem only affects the DVD version, the CD version works as it should under DxWnd

[MrPepka]

I noticed that the graphics only pop when the new game is running, in the free mode (Visit Versailles) the locations are displayed normally (well, almost normally because the image is too enlarged)

[gho]

Ah, a nice finding: the patches-scroll site has patches for enhancements and bug fixes. I applied this one to my DVD install
https://www.patches-scrolls.com/dl.php?file=v2_1050b_pcdvd_hi.zip
and now the game no longer crashes and the save/load game works (fundamental!!).
Another nice feature since I applied the patch, now the intro movie is skipped pressing the ESC key.
The site has many patches for the game, there is also some patch for the CD version if you prefer to stick with that.
The only residual (big) problem now is that the clipping doesn't work too well, the view is scrolled upward when the mouse reaches the top of the window, but it can't reach the bottom, so in a little while you find yourself looking at the sky or at the ceilings and you have to reload.
I've got to fix this.

About the mouse trails, I don't see that problem here, but you may try the "DirectX / Compensate Flip emulation", it may work perhaps.

[MrPepka]

Still the picture streaks. I attach logs, maybe they will be useful to you - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HGs1Tz7wyBqecddFbE0WC-8nHaJzc2ZT/view?usp=sharing

[gho]

Uhm, your log shows some weird errors that don't happen here:

[00003:703] Flip: CreateSurface ERROR 0x88760064(DDERR_INVALIDCAPS) at 3843
[00003:703] Flip: Blt ERROR 0x80070057(DDERR_INVALIDPARAMS) at 3895

Are you using the patched release from patches-scroll site? Please, note that the patched executables have different name, so you don't have only to unzip the patch but also change the game path in DxWnd.

[MrPepka]

Yes, I am using these patches-scrolls patches. I changed the name of the exe file in the game profile settings to DxWnd to the correct one

[gho]

This is weird. I don't understand why your session has ddraw errors that don't come on my computer. I'll try to push my immagination!

[MrPepka]

Or is it related to the "Compensate flip emulation" settings you recommended to me? Turn on this setting for yourself and also keep "Flip emulation" turned on and see what's in your logs

[MrPepka]

I will come back to this game:
I just got the info that in order to fix the movies (mainly in systems older than XP, but it is possible that it will also help in newer ones), this fix should be installed - https://yadi.sk/d/iY6cLaec56NtXw
The fix was created for another game called Репортаж (you can download it from here - https://rutracker.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3488904) and allowed you to watch the movies in that game normally. However, I found out that Versailles 2 could work as well. I haven't tested this fix yet, but I thought that maybe it could be integrated with DxWnd somehow? @gho what do you say?

[gho]

The fix contains several modules (ocx and dll) and the script to automatically register them. The release notes, in Russian, can be translated more or less like this:

In the "DLL" folder - modules necessary for the game. They require registration to work.
To register them in the system, run "REGDLLS.BAT" and read the output message.
If the script writes "success", then everything is fine.
If not, try running the script as Administrator.

1. You can unpack the archive directly into the game folder and register there.
2. Otherwise, the dll can be unpacked in
"Windows\System32" for 32-bit systems
"Windows\SysWOW64" for 64-bit systems
Then these modules will remain after the game is deleted.
Who knows what else they can be useful for later.

Tricks like this helped in many other games in the past. It's surely worth using them in case the movies are not visible. One recommendation: always run the registration as administrator because, if I remember correctly, the script can say "success" also if the ocx is not registered in the system.