Alternate fix for the full screen colors in win7

Rosollia · #1 October 17th, 2012, 07:59 AM

This is an alternate fix to the color corruption problem that is experienced when running WinSPMBT or WinSPWW2 in full screen mode under Windows 7. This fix does not reguire any changes to your windows registry. Also this fix does not close explorer.exe.

To install simply copy all the files to your WinSPMBT and/or WinSPWW2 main game folder. Then start the game normaly from the Game Options screen.

To uninstall delete the file "ddraw.dll" and unzip the "backup_cmd.zip" to your WinSPMBT and/or WinSPWW2 game folder.

Programs used to create this fix:

Aqrit's ddwrapper:
http://bitpatch.com/ddwrapper.html

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/downl...s.aspx?id=7352

Technical stuff how it works:

ddraw.dll is actualy a wrapper or proxy file not a real ddraw.dll file. The game does not know this and accesses the file. When this happens the wrapper redirects some ddraw calls to activate the compatibility layer for the color palette.

Or as stated by the author of ddwrapper:
"ddwrapper works by providing a proxy DLL, which the application connects to and treats like the real DDRAW.DLL. It intercepts ddraw calls and performs various actions before forwarding to the real DirectDraw interface."

ColorFix.sdb is an Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit shim that is run from the edited Win7SPMBT/Win7SPWW2 cmd file. This shim tells the game to start in a 256 color mode.

Together these two fixes enable the game to run with no color distortion under Windows 7.

So far I have tested this on two computers a laptop and a desktop computer running Windows 7 64bit.

DRG · #2 October 17th, 2012, 08:24 AM

If others find this works for them I will post it as a sticky

Don

Rosollia · #3 October 24th, 2012, 07:54 AM

Anyone who has downloaded and tested this please comment if this fix works / does not work. Is it usefull or useless?

I also tried this on a Windows XP just to make sure it did not cause a crash if used on an OS that it was not meant to be used with. No problems noticed.

This is just my oppinion, but this could be a better fix than the current script that comes with the game that kills explorer.exe. That is basicaly the same as removing your cars engine if it makes funny noices instead of actualy fixing the problem.

What this alternate fix does is it actualy enables the compatibility layers that are undocumented, but present in Windows 7 (and Vista).

I have not had the opportunity to test if this works on Windows Vista. Though I believe it should work since Vista has the same compatibility layers as Windows 7 built in it. Still interested to hear from someone with a Vista if it works for them.

RightDeve · #4 November 5th, 2012, 12:19 AM

This definitely needs to be stickied.

I can confirm this is working perfectly, for those who want to play in fullscreen (no weird scrolling behavior like in windowed, larger field of play) but also need to do some bit of multi-tasking (alt-tabbing) since it doesn't kill explorer.exe .

No color distortion whatsoever, just like what you will expect from killing the explorer.exe.

I find this fix to have a slight "smoothing" effect on map scrolling too, at least on my computer.

Only caveat here is you'll have a temporary distorted color palette once you re-enter the game from alt-tabbing, but about a second or so later it goes normal again, with not even a slightest color distortion.

Simple and lightweight fix.

RightDeve · #5 November 5th, 2012, 01:12 AM

Ooops....

I found later that non-map game interface (purchase screen, encyclopaedia, scenario list, saved game list, etc etc) still suffer from permanent distorted color if alt-tabbed.

Even in one instance (just now), when purchasing units in unit purchase screen, the color was distorted WITHOUT even going out of game/alt-tab.

Sorry Rosollia, but I think killing explorer.exe is still the best method of playing fullscreen. If I think I will be multi-tasking, I'll just load the necessary programs before firing up SP in fullscreen.

Rosollia · #6 November 5th, 2012, 07:57 AM

Quote:

I found later that non-map game interface (purchase screen, encyclopaedia, scenario list, saved game list, etc etc) still suffer from permanent distorted color if alt-tabbed.

I do not use alt-tabbing much myself so I had not noticed the issue with the game interface colors not returning after alt-tab but it is true.

Quote:

Even in one instance (just now), when purchasing units in unit purchase screen, the color was distorted WITHOUT even going out of game/alt-tab.

I have not experienced that on my computers but it would be a problem indeed. Perhaps it has to do with some background program or process.

Quote:

Sorry Rosollia, but I think killing explorer.exe is still the best method of playing fullscreen. If I think I will be multi-tasking, I'll just load the necessary programs before firing up SP in fullscreen.

No problem it is good to hear the feedback.

RightDeve · #7 November 5th, 2012, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rosollia

Quote:

Even in one instance (just now), when purchasing units in unit purchase screen, the color was distorted WITHOUT even going out of game/alt-tab.

I have not experienced that on my computers but it would be a problem indeed. Perhaps it has to do with some background program or process.

I think this is a rare occurrence. Yea perhaps it was my firewall program in the background popping asking for an update.
But this fix is useful for those who don't like killing explorer.exe for whatever reason. Personally it still "scratches" my mind to kill explorer exe then revive it again then kill it again, revive it again.

Rosollia · #8 November 5th, 2012, 10:48 AM

Yes and some programs or features might not work with explorer.exe closed. For example on my laptop I can not adjust the sound volume since it is done in software and reguires explorer.exe to be running (at least on my laptop). Ofcourse if you have external speakers with a volume knob it is not an issue.

Warhero · #9 November 30th, 2013, 12:56 PM

Thanks a lot

! I had colour "mess" both in game and in menus. These files fixed them in both games. Seemed to work at least in my PC

.

Warhero

mamnich24 · #10 December 24th, 2013, 10:39 AM

Dear Folk,
I recently tried this fix. I'm running Win7, task bar unchecked to hide, drivers updated on video card, program not in programs folder. When I click to bring up the start options screen, then click play, I get the splash screen, then when I esc out, the menu screen is unclear and wrong color. If I start a scenario, when I get to the map, it clears up. If I then exit game back to the menu screen it is ok also. This seems different than others' experiences mentioned. Any suggestions to get correct display from start of game?
Thanks,
Mike