Thief 2 on Windows 7?

Nameless Voice on 19/7/2009 at 10:45

Going slightly off-topic, but I've gone straight off Window 7 now, as I realise that it can't run System Shock 1, or any other DOS or 16-bit windows application.
This is apparently because they never included support for 16-bit programs in any 64-bit version of Windows. Old hat, I know, but I never actually tried running a 64-bit version of Windows before.

Bleh. I'll stick with Windows XP, where everything still works as it should.

Kyle2k on 19/7/2009 at 22:03

Quote Posted by Nameless Voice

What about DosBox?:p

Nameless Voice on 19/7/2009 at 22:19

DOSBox is too slow to run SS1 properly, especially at 1024x768.

I just spent a while today playing around with various ways of getting SS1 to work via an emulator, but none of them were satisfactory.
(I couldn't get the sound to work in VMWare, VirtualPC seemed buggy and, while it did play, it doesn't support General Midi so the sound was awful, and DOSBox was too slow, though setting it to use hardware scaling made it almost playable at lower resolutions like 640x480).

Kyle2k on 20/7/2009 at 05:17

Oh, man... you're right. I couldn't run install.exe in W7 x64 too.:(

I'll switch to DosBox and take a shot.:p

bikerdude on 20/7/2009 at 09:48

Quote Posted by Nameless Voice

VMWare, while it did play, it doesn't support General Midi so the sound was awful

The latest version has better 3D support now. Also I didnt think Thief 1 was 16bit, as I asked this question on the editing guild to be sure..

Nameless Voice on 20/7/2009 at 12:04

SS1 doesn't use 3D hardware, it's entirely software rendering. That was 1994, you know!

Of course, the solution is to use the 32-bit version of Windows 7, which still supports 16-bit emulation.

Nameless Voice on 26/7/2009 at 14:28

No fog out of the box. I can't even figure out how to turn on Fog Table Emulation, since RivaTuner doesn't work with the Windows 7 x64 drivers.

sNeaksieGarrett on 3/10/2009 at 16:39

Quote Posted by kyle2k

Realistic, you say.

There's a lot to say here, so please be patient.

First of all, you're misinformed, my friend. Windows 7 hit the RTM status with the 7600 version almost two weeks ago. RTM means, as you well know, Release To Manufacture. Next month, they will start to sell this version as OEM.

I stand corrected. I didn't know this.

Quote Posted by kly2k

W7 was the first Windows release in a very long time that I had no need to replace the ".EXE" game file with a fixed one, use the "safe texture manager" fix, get the infamous "Direct 3D Device" or "don't have enough space in HDD" etc. error messages. Nor even need to run setup.exe with the "-lgntforce" command.

In fact, all I have to do is fix the multicore problem but hey, this is not a Windows issue at all.

That's really great news.;)

But again, just because 10 people get it to work "out of the box" doesn't necessarily mean that every person who ever tries windows 7 will have thief and thief 2 run "out of the box." That's all I'm saying. Until you can show me evidence to the contrary, you won't change my mind on this. Yes, you got it to work, yes Nameless Voice got it to work, yes Bikerdude got it to work... but that doesn't mean I will, for example. But it also doesn't mean that it won't work either.:) So I'm really open to believing it will work, I just have a doubt that every pc config will work, that's all.

Quote Posted by kyle2k

If W7, as a software platform, is incompatible with DarkEngine - like all Windows versions since Win98 - it would crash the game from the very start in ALL possible hardware. You cannot run the game, even with a fully compatible hardware, if the MAIN software (the OS) is not.

I see your point - very good point you got there. However, let's take just the opposite. Let's say that W7 is indeed compatible with DarkEngine (which it is apparently) - this leave the hardware then as the source of problems. So you're right, I admit my arguement about windows 7is flawed, but... Having to apply a fix to thief could still occur, based on a hardware problem.... Don't you think?

Child Of Karras on 7/10/2009 at 08:14

Quote Posted by Nameless Voice

Did you know that DOSBox doesn't run at full speed per default? You can increase this by some key commands (Ctrl+F5 or something) can get almost double speed.

Shodan09 on 9/10/2009 at 13:24

Hi everyone. Before assualting your minds with my problem I'd just like to say how nice it is to find a thriving community based around some of my all time favourite pc games! I've read over lots of threads to try and find a solution to my problem but to no avial.

I'm running Windows 7 64-bit, my specs are E8400 core 2 duo OC to 3.6ghz, 2x 9600GT in SLI (with latest windows 7 drivers), 3 GB ram.

I've installed Thief the dark project and that runs fine after performing the multiple core fix, sound, game and videos are all functioning.

I've installed Thief 2 and found that after installation when starting the game that it appears to be loading (that picture of garret with the bow comes up) but then nothing happens. I have to end the thief 2 process and the image of Garret usually remains on screen until I restart my computer. It doesn't even get to the main menu.

I've had very limited success using a no cd fix, in that I can get to the menu and choose a new game. After starting a new game the video will play but on entering the first level the colours are all "rainbowy" and everything is very pixellated, this lasts for about 2 seconds before crashing to the desk top.

I've also tried compatibility modes with no success as they tend to lock up the game as it's playing the eidos intro.

I've attempted to use DDfix, and imagecfg and had no luck. I am by no means an expert on either program and only know what I've read in your excellent FAQ pages.

If anyone has any suggestions as to what may solve my problem I will be eternally grateful as it's driving me insane.

Thanks guys.