Extract 'options' .wav file from D2MUSIC.MPQ and rename it to 'introedit'. Put it in a data\global\music folder structure, and put that in your main Diablo II\ directory.
Then add -direct -txt to the end of your diablo II shortcut's target line.
Now the menu music will be the good old fasioned Diablo II theme instead of the LoD theme.
I once tried to restore the visual elements from the old Diablo II menu, but they don't work too well with the LoD layout. For example, the main menu background image from Diablo II depicts the heroes in a semicircle, but LoD has an extra menu button, so they are partially obscured. And in the character selection screen, the Amazon appeared to be standing on top of a wooden crate because the extra LoD characters had displaced her.
So you can alter things like menu music, and place them in the main Diablo II directory in a normal folder structure (as opposed to the MPQ pack). I remember you had to add "-something" to the target of the Diablo II shortcut, can someone tell me what that command was?
800x600 with all 3D effects enabled (perspective if you want), no need for windowed mode or screwing around with compatibility modes. No corrupted colours. And smoother performance.
But I neve had to do any of that on my last PC, and it was the same OS, even installed from the same disk. And I'm not playing at less than 800x600.
They keep flopping out patches for Diablo II, why can't they make a useful one to fix any windows 7 compatibility, fix the damn CPU usage bug that's been there since diablo 1, and add support for resolutions larger than 800x600?
What the hell is the deal with windows 7 and Diablo II? It seems to be completely up to luck whether it works or not.
I'm trying to run it in fullscreen and I'm getting the black screen with a cursor in the corner crash. Windows 7 gives a warning saying that the game isn't compatible with it, but of couse fails to provide any useful information. And it's full of crap anyway, because I know Diablo II DOES work on Windows 7 - it was working fine on windows 7 on my last PC.
They tell me this spell is bugged to only do 1/3 of it's reported damage. Is this still true? Why has it not been fixed in one of the official patches?
Even if it is bugged, I've still used it exclusively and with pleasing results on two Sorcs so far. It seems to do a sh!t load of damage.
I guess I can't offer the brainchild explanations of those above, but I would guess it's because everything is displayed smaller, and so things look more defined. Like when you scrunch down a big picture.
No, it's something else. As I said, I already view the game at it's actual size of 800x600 using 1.1 Pixel Mapping - it's no larger in 'fullscreen' mode than it is in windowed mode.
There is just something different about the colours in windowed mode... They seem warmer.
2. The game runs at a maximum resolution of 800x600 and when you're running a 22" monitor or so at 1680x1050 or higher, that 800x600 looks really ugly because it gets stretched a lot. I found that playing in windowed mode improved my enjoyment of the game.
I don't have any issues with stretching in normal ('fullscreen') mode as my monitor supports '1:1 Pixel Mapping'. This means it only uses 800x600 of its pixels to display the game and puts a black border around it (a very thick border in this case - the monitor's native res is 1920x1200!).
My monitor also has a 'Stretch, But Maintain Aspect Ratio' mode, so it can enlarge the game to fill the screen vertically, but puts pillarboxing on either side to prevent horizontal stretching. This looks terrible though, because LCD's are poor scalers.
Needless to say, if I decided not to use windowed mode, I'd be using 1:1 Pixel Mapping.
Quote from "Diablo-Fiend" »
The game is almost 9 years old now so whether it makes much of an improvement on the visual quality or not, it shouldn't be that much of a problem.
Well I see that as all the more reason to make the most of what little eye candy the game does have.
I've just spent 15 minutes popping off various spells in windowed and normal modes - I can't see any difference either. I'm just sure I read somewhere that the 3D acceleration was supposed to improve the look of spells...
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Thanks.
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Extract 'options' .wav file from D2MUSIC.MPQ and rename it to 'introedit'. Put it in a data\global\music folder structure, and put that in your main Diablo II\ directory.
Then add -direct -txt to the end of your diablo II shortcut's target line.
Now the menu music will be the good old fasioned Diablo II theme instead of the LoD theme.
I once tried to restore the visual elements from the old Diablo II menu, but they don't work too well with the LoD layout. For example, the main menu background image from Diablo II depicts the heroes in a semicircle, but LoD has an extra menu button, so they are partially obscured. And in the character selection screen, the Amazon appeared to be standing on top of a wooden crate because the extra LoD characters had displaced her.
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800x600 with all 3D effects enabled (perspective if you want), no need for windowed mode or screwing around with compatibility modes. No corrupted colours. And smoother performance.
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They keep flopping out patches for Diablo II, why can't they make a useful one to fix any windows 7 compatibility, fix the damn CPU usage bug that's been there since diablo 1, and add support for resolutions larger than 800x600?
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I'm trying to run it in fullscreen and I'm getting the black screen with a cursor in the corner crash. Windows 7 gives a warning saying that the game isn't compatible with it, but of couse fails to provide any useful information. And it's full of crap anyway, because I know Diablo II DOES work on Windows 7 - it was working fine on windows 7 on my last PC.
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Does anyone know if it would be possible to contact Matt Uelmen regarding the stereo versions?
That track in your link is impressive to say the least.
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Only one stat point mind, and you can purchase more of those potions later for 50 grand a pot.
I agree with you though - it is a very worthwhile reward, unlike an item that becomes obsolete.
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It's such a pity that these stunning tracks have been let down by their mixing.
Do any stereo mixes exist (official soundtrack etc.)?
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Even if it is bugged, I've still used it exclusively and with pleasing results on two Sorcs so far. It seems to do a sh!t load of damage.
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No, it's something else. As I said, I already view the game at it's actual size of 800x600 using 1.1 Pixel Mapping - it's no larger in 'fullscreen' mode than it is in windowed mode.
There is just something different about the colours in windowed mode... They seem warmer.
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I don't have any issues with stretching in normal ('fullscreen') mode as my monitor supports '1:1 Pixel Mapping'. This means it only uses 800x600 of its pixels to display the game and puts a black border around it (a very thick border in this case - the monitor's native res is 1920x1200!).
My monitor also has a 'Stretch, But Maintain Aspect Ratio' mode, so it can enlarge the game to fill the screen vertically, but puts pillarboxing on either side to prevent horizontal stretching. This looks terrible though, because LCD's are poor scalers.
Needless to say, if I decided not to use windowed mode, I'd be using 1:1 Pixel Mapping.
Well I see that as all the more reason to make the most of what little eye candy the game does have.
I've just spent 15 minutes popping off various spells in windowed and normal modes - I can't see any difference either. I'm just sure I read somewhere that the 3D acceleration was supposed to improve the look of spells...