Post by SpeedySPCFan on Mar 5, 2015 15:16:35 GMT
(Originally from a post of mine on VOGONS, modified for this forum: www.vogons.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=42507&p=407127)
I've been trying to play MechWarrior 3 for a while now. Most fixes haven't worked for me, even ones that people swear by. After experimenting for a few months, I finally found a solution that works for me, and I hope it helps other people looking to play the game, too!
What this fixes:
Rubberbanding (there is very minor rubberbanding sometimes, but this may be from the framerate fluxuating from 37 to 40 on 1024x768)
Bouncing APCs (APCs sometimes bounce, but they return to the ground a mere second later)
Jump Jets not working (I tested in instant action, I was able to float all the way up into the air and return safely)
What this allows for:
Smooth, 60FPS Gameplay at 640x480, and presumably 800x600
A properly functioning MechWarrior 3 that looks just as it did back then
Instructions:
!IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE YOUR SETTINGS MATCH THIS (resolution does not matter) OR THE GAME MAY BE UNPLAYABLE! puu.sh/gnsgm/00e0cd5291.jpg
(DirectDraw HAL MUST be select as it is the DirectDraw emulator for WineD3D)
1: Get WinD3D 1.1.14 or another version with the "ddraw.dll" replacement.
2: Let it finish downloading, but do NOT install it. Open it with 7zip and go into the directory "$SYSDIR" from inside the archive.
3: Copy every file ending in .DLL from that folder into your MechWarrior 3 install folder.
3.5 (Extra Nvidia Step): Go to your Nvidia Control Panel, Manage 3D settings, and go to Mech Warrior 3 (Mech3.exe), and change Threaded Optimization to Off.
4: Download ImageCFG.
5: Open a new explorer window, and in the directory bar, put this in: "%systemroot%\system32" without quotes
6: Place ImageCFG in there.
7: Open up a Command Prompt window (you may need to run as admin) and input this (WITH quotes): imagecfg -a 0x1"[MECHWARRIOR3DIRECTORY]\Mech3.exe" Replace "[MECHWARRIOR3DIRECTORY] with the installation path of the game.
8: You're done! You may optionally want to get a program to limit the games framerate to 30FPS if you're running at 1024x768 in order to make it stable. Other than that, it runs fine.
Side notes:
The game seemingly freezes during loading screens when loading some maps. But WAIT! IT'S NOT ACTUALLY FROZEN! Press Crtl + Alt + Del and go to Switch User. Once your monitor is done finishing resolutions, click on your user again. The map will be fully loaded. Wait 5 seconds in the Switch User screen to prevent any issues like below.
The game sometimes runs in a small window after switching users. No fix for that as far as I'm aware, I guess just get really close to your monitor? If you're recording for a review or something, you can crop the video later I presume.
Running the game in 1024x768 seems to cause a small delay with the game when it loads the gameplay. This may require alt-tabbing out in some way and then going back in.
I've been trying to play MechWarrior 3 for a while now. Most fixes haven't worked for me, even ones that people swear by. After experimenting for a few months, I finally found a solution that works for me, and I hope it helps other people looking to play the game, too!
What this fixes:
Rubberbanding (there is very minor rubberbanding sometimes, but this may be from the framerate fluxuating from 37 to 40 on 1024x768)
Bouncing APCs (APCs sometimes bounce, but they return to the ground a mere second later)
Jump Jets not working (I tested in instant action, I was able to float all the way up into the air and return safely)
What this allows for:
Smooth, 60FPS Gameplay at 640x480, and presumably 800x600
A properly functioning MechWarrior 3 that looks just as it did back then
Instructions:
!IMPORTANT! MAKE SURE YOUR SETTINGS MATCH THIS (resolution does not matter) OR THE GAME MAY BE UNPLAYABLE! puu.sh/gnsgm/00e0cd5291.jpg
(DirectDraw HAL MUST be select as it is the DirectDraw emulator for WineD3D)
1: Get WinD3D 1.1.14 or another version with the "ddraw.dll" replacement.
2: Let it finish downloading, but do NOT install it. Open it with 7zip and go into the directory "$SYSDIR" from inside the archive.
3: Copy every file ending in .DLL from that folder into your MechWarrior 3 install folder.
3.5 (Extra Nvidia Step): Go to your Nvidia Control Panel, Manage 3D settings, and go to Mech Warrior 3 (Mech3.exe), and change Threaded Optimization to Off.
4: Download ImageCFG.
5: Open a new explorer window, and in the directory bar, put this in: "%systemroot%\system32" without quotes
6: Place ImageCFG in there.
7: Open up a Command Prompt window (you may need to run as admin) and input this (WITH quotes): imagecfg -a 0x1"[MECHWARRIOR3DIRECTORY]\Mech3.exe" Replace "[MECHWARRIOR3DIRECTORY] with the installation path of the game.
8: You're done! You may optionally want to get a program to limit the games framerate to 30FPS if you're running at 1024x768 in order to make it stable. Other than that, it runs fine.
Side notes:
The game seemingly freezes during loading screens when loading some maps. But WAIT! IT'S NOT ACTUALLY FROZEN! Press Crtl + Alt + Del and go to Switch User. Once your monitor is done finishing resolutions, click on your user again. The map will be fully loaded. Wait 5 seconds in the Switch User screen to prevent any issues like below.
The game sometimes runs in a small window after switching users. No fix for that as far as I'm aware, I guess just get really close to your monitor? If you're recording for a review or something, you can crop the video later I presume.
Running the game in 1024x768 seems to cause a small delay with the game when it loads the gameplay. This may require alt-tabbing out in some way and then going back in.