I doubt the game does not use DirectDraw at all - otherwise, wrappers such as GOG's or dgVoodoo2's wouldn't work (and in the case of dgVoodoo2, display a watermark to indicate successful hooking). Furthermore, the game explicitly has a DirectDraw option in its external settings application, so that would, when enabled, do something, even if it's just accelerating the display of the final composited scene.
Talk:Disciples: Sacred Lands
dgVoodoo2 doesn't work with it, that's the thing. I've tried other options too and can't think of anything else besides resorting to a full scale debugger - which is a bit excessive. My theory is that either it doesn't use DD at all (signs point to it just rendering through GDI) or the calls are hard linked in its rendering DLL (C4...something) meaning that there's no way of wrapping them without messing with system files.
That makes sense. Thanks for filling me in on your process for this particular game.
I haven't tested this particular game, but some games use only the ddraw.dll from the system folder. There are ways to get around it though.
I've tried method 2 and it has worked for me in other games.
Did it work with Disciples for you? Because I've just tried all four and none work - DDraw.dll is still ignored by the game.
You've probably done this already, but have you checked with something like Process Explorer or Hacker to see if the game loads ddraw.dll at all?
There's the nuclear option of deleting or moving out the ddraw.dll files and see if the game works or not. It requires taking ownership of the files though. It's not needed anyway, if the dll doesn't show up in a monitoring software.
The process does load the DDraw.DLL - among other stuff like GDI32.DLL and DXGI.DLL even. The problem is that there's seemingly no way to wrap/intercept it which could mean that the DLL isn't actually being used.
What I'd do at this point is try one of the methods Eddmanx posted a link to earlier and use the DX7 components of dgVoodoo2, starting with both of them. If the dgVoodoo2 watermark appears, then test the DLLs individually. It's a crude test by comparison to your prior methods, but it'll hopefully confirm whether the game even uses any component of DirectDraw or Direct3D (as nonsensical as the latter would be for the time period).
As I've said I tried all four and none worked. I'm thinking that maybe its some Windows 11 compatibility thing which prevents DLL injection here. Checking this would require me to install something like WinXP though which I don't want to do =)
Unfortunately, even Microsoft has its limits in terms of backwards compatibility, such as preventing modification of the registry entries which control whether DDraw.dll can be called locally by certain applications. Emulating or virtualizing an older OS may be needed if further testing is to be done. :(
I'll ponder more about that later, maybe something will come up in searches. Feel free to revert the change if you think that there isn't enough evidence to suggest that the game isn't using DDraw.
Lemme put it this way: you've put in more, objectively-useful effort to verify what this game actually uses API-wise than anyone who's ever edited this page. I see no reason to revert your findings at this time.
Microsoft have limits? Bruh. Apple have limits. Ms do everything to broke backward compatibility. Especially since backported from phones Windows 8+.
Who initially start it and say it DDRRAW not used? Cause at first here we go in wrong discussion and seems now let it back to original issue. Someone not able to make wrappers work for him. Game itself unrelated here.
Narzoul wrapper (prior to 4.0.1 which one is new) did work with the game and fix Rainbow color issue come from Nvidia driver on Win7 for me (Win7 issue even been fixed by other methods still keep some broken colors, not blue-white ones but blue-pink until I launch game on Intel HD integrated).
3.0.1 Won't work on win7 and lead to game crash (2.0.1 is last Narzouls ver for Win7) Same if copy GOG DX ddraw.dll from D2/ROTE (fixed probably for newer GOG wrappers build xx.0.9000 or 1.0.0 from Soul Reaver). So who say it is not working cause dll file ignored? Maybe you already install DisciplesGL? It is not a wrapper - it is mod. And it did mod game bundled dlls. Unrelated to ddraw.dll. It didn't come with such "mirror" ddraw dll and of course after install completely ignore ddraw system one or one put in game folder.
Maybe you get confused by some else of Verok's wrapper-mod's (or freelance fixer)? I can't remember if some of them come with ddraw.dll mirror file. DisciplesGL for all 3 games did not have such file, but replace original CodeBase libraries and put old one as new dll. C4-dll.dll.
Article are good. Still say Ddraw used.
By the way. Disciples 2 are not good. Should be rewrited entirely starting from split them to two since the rise of the Elves is entirely separate game (standalone expansion that made on older engine but new game - like Wh DoW Dark Crusade).
RotE has fewer tech differences to the base game than even HoMM5: Tribes of the East. It really doesn't need a separate page. The rest of "are not good" is unsubstantiated.
Re: "It is not a wrapper - it is mod" --- I don't even know what to say about this statement and its non-existent grasp on what a DLL actually does.
Disciples 2 and RotE is two different games or a little bit but differ version of engine. For Wiki most important differences - availability and patches. Cover such differences is "temporar" good way to keep single article. Also something need into summary about differ versions of Disciples 2 (DP/GR/Gold) and RotE, discribe less important for article differences in settings/ini file incompatibility, describe that original Dark Prophecy maps on all of Gold edition mistakenly placed only to RotE game, describe that blank 10 lvl heroes and maps from Disciples 2 can be copied to RotE. And still there is some incompatibility in .ldr files format lead to minor issue in RotE and impossibility of copy RotE even just simple 1lvl leaders back to Disciples 2.
GOG bring ROTE 2006 Gold DLC into GOG Galaxy build. I guess EGS version have it too. And Steam have it (steam only exe are incorrect for both D2 games). GOG still miss Impire map and blank heroes for D2 in Galaxy build. ZOOM probably since they make same mistake as GOG and get advised+files from Community probably partially patched. Gold upgrade shared on GOG forum did not contain whole 3.01 patch files inside. Probably enough to install on 2005 Gold, probably not...? Such upgrade indeed provided on SF website store as can be seen on Internet Archive ("new free bonus content included!" label for old Gold edition). File itself have no references but look very similar to 3.01 patch.
2.02 update did not include 2.01 despite developers say it did. 2.01 have two folders inside with many files both and few root files. 2.02 have only 1 📂 and almost all D2/rote/upgrade patches are delta-patches only. There was D2Patch1.1.Full.exe 500+ mb available on SF files (ftp-like) site, but lost and no archived, and 1.0-1.41 cumulative variant. Any else only delta patches.
Fixes for DC and Soulstorm are same (Winter Assault I guess much differ). But articles split. Disciples 2 indeed have no differences in technical info sections/api/etc. But have some differences and... specific situation with editions issues. Temporary it can be covered in a single article.
Dark Prophecy 1.141 previously be available on SF Web store site and on TryMedia (with usual TM shareware drm). Differ Retail editions drm+ingame disc check for Hosting MP or start SP. GR edition as bundle of two addons. Separate edition. Few compilations. 2005 Gold edition with ROTE based on previous Fantasy Pack compilation. Europe 8 CD edition, later 1 dvd with 2006 Gold DLC included and more later 1 dvd with Dis1 on it. Summary or not, availability still easier to fill properly in differ articles.
RotE have less editions. Original, 2005 Gold, 2006 Gold with 3-missions campaign DLC +few scenarios and blank heroes (some with artifacts) to play those scenarios(?).
Then it is come to Digital Gold editions issues. Too much to cover in a single article. I can't say for Stardock Impulse. Looks like Amazon have same as Steam 2006 Gold variant (incl April's Fool Impire map from disc Bonus folder) as some person describe files. Steam somehow got 2.01/3.0 exe's and Valve involved with their GCF->Custom VPK convert affect exe files too. I guess EGS got Steam content. Did ZOOM have 12 blank heroes and Impire map for D2? GOG get it only in 2019 still miss Impire map for D2. And ROTE unpatched issue. Issues come from not fully patched 2005 Gold US 4 CD edition. I warn ZOOM tech stuff to check Steam content or manually patch 4 CD edition but he forgot... Now it is stated in changelog to be fixed as some person help with proper files. But only for ROTE. D2 aka D2GR still can be miss some content on ZOOM. Or not.
And GOG seems to use some else Digital edition of ROTE to backport it to DRM-free since they label it as strange 1.0.1 version (like their outsource devs do when convert Steam version). And they did bring DLC but fail again. Erase prev.build even for non-public, lost Polish build for Galaxy, lost empty folders which can be an issue (eg with saving) and they lost own DX wrapper for Win8/10/11. And as you can see on GOGDB forget to update offline build (thanks God!).
Are you agree each of two have unique... tech specifications and literally issues with digital editions and need to be explained? I agree not all of that needed in article, but split them allow to reduce it a bit more.
....
DisciplesGL bring more than just ddraw-to-ogl and always-windowed (fullscreen windowed) modes. Widescreen mode much enough to call it is a mod. And it replace one of the game files unlike wrappers which add d3d or ddraw dll (while keep all game files original). So technically by both factor it is mod-ification. I mean literally.
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