Solved Fix for Intel Graphics Card problems (Laptop NVidia users)

[AlphaLion]

Finally got the game to work on my laptop after a couple hours of trying to figure out why it refused to use my Nvidia GPU instead of the Intel one. I thought I'd share my solution here, since I wasn't able to find anyone talking about it anywhere else: The issue is that Nvidia Optimus doesn't understand DirectX 8 or earlier, and will always use your default driver, which will always be the Intel one, even if you change the setting through the Nvidia control panel. What you have to do is use a DirectX 8 to 10-11 wrapper. I used dgVoodoo 2, and it's worked great.

I can confirm this fix actually works... The vanilla game will run smoothly with it's original graphics without the Intel graphics fix.

Instructions:
Download: dgVoodoo2

1. Unzip the file
2. Open the MS folder, then open the x86 folder, then copy all files to the game root folder.
3. Copy the dgVoodoo.conf and the dgVoodooCpl.exe to the root folder as well.
4. You can open the dgVoodooCpl.exe and change certain options if you want but it shouldn't be necessary.

And that's all the game should now run smoothly.

If there any troubles you can ask me

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Nice!
Would it be possible to make an archive of the relevant files that, if dropped on top of the game, will immediately work?
That'd be nice and easy for regular players too.

 

[Vessager]

I can confirm this fix actually works... The vanilla game will run smoothly with it's original graphics without the Intel graphics fix.

Instructions:
Download: dgVoodoo2

1. Unzip the file
2. Open the MS folder, then open the x86 folder, then copy all files to the game root folder.
3. Copy the dgVoodoo.conf and the dgVoodooCpl.exe to the root folder as well.
4. You can open the dgVoodooCpl.exe and change certain options if you want but it shouldn't be necessary.

And that's all the game should now run smoothly.

If there any troubles you can ask me

I'm sorry if I'm asking in the wrong place, but I've got a situation. The fix is working for sure (finally some alternative to intel fix, many thanks!), I can enjoy nice sea, no ctds at start. But ENB which goes with the build installation files isn't working with dgvoodoo d3d8.dll file. I can't see any effect in game. If I replace d3d8.dll with the one that comes with ENB, then I can see bloom effect even in main menu, but CTD on game start. Is it possible to make it actually work? I can see that dgvoodoo provides some function to tweak graphics too, but not nearly as ENB, and I bought new laptop not long ago, so it would be cool to combine it (with ENB effects) if possible.
Maybe I should look for default ENB without conversion to dx8 and install it?

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

Welcome aboard @Vessager!

I personally don't know, since when I tried ENB it refused to work.

My advice is to see what is more important and choose, unless I or someone else comes up with a solution.

 

[DavyJack]

and WELCOME to our community @Vessager!
@Pieter Boelen might know who might have an intel graphics card in here. I cannot compare mine to yours. What are your computer specs tho @Vessager?
But anyway in case you're wondering I have ENB and dgVoodoo on my latest BUILD 14 install. And it works fine. I make it work even smoother using RivaTuner (set max fps to 60).

 

[Vessager]

Welcome aboard @Vessager!

I personally don't know, since when I tried ENB it refused to work.

My advice is to see what is more important and choose, unless I or someone else comes up with a solution.

Thanks for welcome
The problem lies within intel old dx8 games, if I start game without dgvoodoo, then it simply crashes. So ENB isn't such necessity. Still, I wanna at least see it ingame, even main menu effects look nice.

and WELCOME to our community @Vessager!
@Pieter Boelen might know who might have an intel graphics card in here. I cannot compare mine to yours. What are your computer specs tho @Vessager?
But anyway in case you're wondering I have ENB and dgVoodoo on my latest BUILD 14 install. View attachment 35629 And it works fine. I make it work even smoother using RivaTuner (set max fps to 60). View attachment 35630

Thank you too) There is no way back
My specs are good, it can handle almost any modern game on max settings.

Spoiler: Specs

OS: Windows 10 Home 64-bit
Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz
RAM: 32 gb
VRAM: 8 gb
Display: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 max-q
Also it is one big SSD

Never heard of RivaTuner to be honest. I would use it if it any good. Please, could you point me to some useful guides?
So ENB and dgVoodoo compatible after all Great news!

 

[DavyJack]

Oh, so you don't have an intel graphics card. Pretty nice rig btw Wait, did you possibly installed the 'intel fix'? I just assumed because of what you said on your first post.
Okay so, I remember installing dgVoodoo on my vanilla game first, then next is the BUILD 14, then the extra fix archive from Grey Roger.
Also, I have the European version of the vanilla game. The US version has a lot of problems.

Never heard of RivaTuner to be honest. I would use it if it any good. Please, could you point me to some useful guides?

That was actually recommended to me by @The Nameless Pirate. He found it on another thread but if you don't want to read all that check this one out.

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

@Pieter Boelen might know who might have an intel graphics card in here.

Actually, I do have a laptop with only Intel graphics.

Back on topic, I found out that dgvoodoo can be used as an alternative to the Intel fix without the water graphics penalty.
(Your PC doesn't need to have a separate graphics card for this to work.)

My Intel HD graphics laptop's specs are as following:
Processor: Intel core i3 3217U
Graphics card: Intel HD 4000
RAM: 8GB
OS: Windows 7

View attachment 35189 View attachment 35190

Does anyone else have a PC with only Intel graphics, preferably running Windows 8/10?

I would be really interested to see if other users have similar results, because if so, this may very well be the best solution possible to the Intel problem that has been going on for years.

So thanks to @Atum262 for shearing the files:

And @Diquez for making me curious if this also works without a separate card as well:

My specs are good, it can handle almost any modern game on max settings.

Spoiler: Specs

undefined

Nice rig!

Maybe you could try this out:

• Go to the NVIDIA Control Panel by right clicking on your desk top and clicking on "NVIDIA Control Panel".

• In the default screen that pops up (it should be "manage 3D settings", and the "Program Settings" tab should be automatically selected), under "1. Select a program to customize:" hit the "Add" button.

• From here, navigate to the folder where your POTC is located.

• Select the folder for the game you want to use your NVIDIA card for, and find the .exe for that game (it's usually right in the main game folder). Select it and hit open.

• Then, under "2. Select the preferred graphics processor for this program:" open the drop-down menu and select "High-performance NVIDIA processor".

• Finally, hit apply in the far bottom right corner, and you should be good to go!

I don't know if you will find exactly like this, since this was posted in 2012 but you could try it out, since you have a separate graphics card.

 

[Vessager]

Oh, so you don't have an intel graphics card.

Oh, sorry for not mention it. Ofc I've got Intel, since it's a laptop) So I need an Intel fix or something similar to run the game and not ctd on start (dgvoodoo do the job for me). Nvidia control panel settings are ignored by game/intel.

Wait, did you possibly installed the 'intel fix'? I just assumed because of what you said on your first post.
Okay so, I remember installing dgVoodoo on my vanilla game first, then next is the BUILD 14, then the extra fix archive from Grey Roger.

Well, I've installed vanilla game, than build and fixes, and only then ENB and dgVoodoo. Can't figure out how this could be connected to my problem. Only dxd8.dll, which included in both ENB and dgVoodoo (two separate files).

Also, I have the European version of the vanilla game. The US version has a lot of problems.

Wow, thats important. I suspected something like this long ago. How do I check which one I've got?

That was actually recommended to me by @The Nameless Pirate. He found it on another thread but if you don't want to read all that check this one out.

So it's last been updated in 2009? Hmm... I'm going to check it out nevertheless, thank you. But as I can see it was problem when FPS go above 60 and game starting to slowmo (I remember this bug when entering inventory without preset FPS cap), right? If I understand "slow motion effect" correctly. I'm not sure that it's the same bug, maybe I messed things up in my head.

I don't if you will find exactly like this, since this was posted in 2012 but you could try it out, since you have a separate graphics card.

Already done. Actually, I've got Intel integrated chip along with Nvidia. So, it's not a solution sadly)

 

[DavyJack]

Oh, sorry for not mention it. Ofc I've got Intel, since it's a laptop) So I need an Intel fix or something similar to run the game and not ctd on start (dgvoodoo do the job for me). Nvidia control panel settings are ignored by game/intel....

...Already done. Actually, I've got Intel integrated chip along with Nvidia. So, it's not a solution sadly)

Ofc, I also have a laptop and my specs are on my signature. What I should've said was "so you're computer does have another graphics card besides intel". So, I'm assuming when you listed your specs that those are what appeared on the display when you checked your system. If so, then it is not necessary for you to do the steps suggested by MMSchaffels AND try not installing any "intel fix". Your computer should run the vanilla game without the intel fix just fine like mine because our specs are not too far off from each other, really. If not, something might be wrong with your stock game or cd. For identifying which version of vanilla game you have, I haven't the foggiest. Sorry. After that, install the BUILD MOD without the "intel fix" and then the "extra fix archive". After all that, you might need the RivaTuner or dgVoodoo to get rid of the slow-motion effect and the flickering on some tabs in-game especially the main menu. Then, if you have the "foggy screen" effect try running the game in compatibility mode under Windows Vista (Service Pack2) but dgVoodoo should fix all that.

 

[Vessager]

it is not necessary for you to do the steps suggested by MMSchaffels AND try not installing any "intel fix".

Yes, theoretically it as you say. But in practice I cannot set the game to run on Nvidia GPU without dgVoodoo, it simply crashes even with Control Panel setting that forces engine.exe to use Nvidia GPU. So I assume that it ignores the setting. Also I've read here that it's a problem with mamy dx8 games on laptops with Intel integrated chips.

About slow motion problem: it's not really an issue, you can cap FPS with many things (Bandicam for example)

Game runs just fine without ENB and with dgVoodoo.

 

[The Nameless Pirate]

Wow, thats important. I suspected something like this long ago. How do I check which one I've got?

For identifying which version of vanilla game you have, I haven't the foggiest. Sorry.

Check this thread out: Guide - Information about the game

About slow motion problem: it's not really an issue, you can cap FPS with many things (Bandicam for example)

True , it's just the solution I found here and I am using.

 

[Vessager]

Check this thread out: Guide - Information about the game

I compared fonts and it seems I have US one. Gonna reinstall stock game files to know for sure. Many thanks!

---

Yes, it definetely the US version. Don't really know where to look for european, maybe GOG has it

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Pieter Boelen might know who might have an intel graphics card in here.

Nope, I haven't a clue.

Wow, thats important. I suspected something like this long ago. How do I check which one I've got?

After installing Build 13 or 14, it doesn't matter anymore.

 

[Vessager]

Maybe if I'll change ENB to classic type which uses dx9 it has chances? Not sure how to do it though (will it be enough to download it from official site and copy/paste settings from enblocal.ini from enb in game files or not?).

---

I was wrong, sadly even with dgVoodoo game refuses to run on Nvidia. It simply crashes on start if I try to force it through dgVoodoo.
Also when I exit game I've got black screen (if with dgVoodoo) and only turn on/off sleep mode or reloading helps.

 

[DavyJack]

Maybe if I'll change ENB to classic type which uses dx9 it has chances? Not sure how to do it though (will it be enough to download it from official site and copy/paste settings from enblocal.ini from enb in game files or not?).

---

I was wrong, sadly even with dgVoodoo game refuses to run on Nvidia. It simply crashes on start if I try to force it through dgVoodoo.
Also when I exit game I've got black screen (if with dgVoodoo) and only turn on/off sleep mode or reloading helps.

Hmnn. That is interesting. You're having all sorts of problems over there. Maybe try reinstalling the game from scratch? I only did mine once and everything worked out fine (the game is playable).
Here's how my game looks like with dgVoodoo & ENB: - I did notice something strange with the sea. I might remove it on a separate install.

 

[Vessager]

Hmnn. That is interesting. You're having all sorts of problems over there. Maybe try reinstalling the game from scratch? I only did mine once and everything worked out fine (the game is playable).

I tried reinstalling several times and black screen after exit is gone. Still I cannot set the game to run on Nvidia. dgVoodoo main difference from Intel fix (as I understand) is only that it doesn't mess up water, but it won't help to launch game on right GPU. My Intel card can handle it, but ofc not large battles where FPS drops to 20-30 ocassionally. Maybe I've done something wrong with dgVoodoo settings, gonna check.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

crusader-guv on ModDB suggested this solution:

Playable on Win 10. Use this d3d8 to 9 wrapper for intel and ati/nvidia switchable gpu notebooks. Whatever you do if you cant switch to nvidia/ati until closing of intel gpu in bios just put this wrapper in folder where engine.exe is.
Same with rome 1 totalwar. Whatever fck you did cant switch to ati/nvidia gpu use this wrapper.
You dont need swicthing off anything in bios.
Releases · crosire/d3d8to9