DirectDraw to Direct3D9 Conversion

Dd7to9 Introduction

Over the past couple of years I have been working on creating a feature to be able to convert ddraw's DirectDraw/Direct3D to Direct3D 9 (d3d9). The goal of this project is to fix compatibility issues with older games that use ddraw, as well allowing these games to use newer tools that require Direct3D 9 or higher.

The feature is built in dxwrapper and is called Dd7to9. So far most of the DirectDraw APIs have been implemented, while only a handfull of the Direct3D APIs have been implemented.

Note: To view the status of the DirectDraw to Direct3D9 Conversion check out the Status Page.

Installation

To use this feature you can do the following:

1. Download the latest dxwrapper release.
2. Extract ddraw.dll, dxwrapper.dll and dxwrapper.ini files from the release and copy it to the game folder.
3. Open the dxwrapper.ini file and enable the Dd7to9 feature.
4. Disable all application compatibility setting in the application.
5. Start the game and enjoy.

Troubleshooting

If you run into issues try the following things:

• If the game is running in a window and graphics look messed up, try:
  • disable in-game windowed mode and use fullscreen. Dd7to9 does not fully support in-game windowed mode for many games.
  • enabling FullscreenWindowMode. Some older games may not have a fullscreen option, using this option may override the game and set it to fullscreen.
• If the movies/videos are not showing up or just displaying as black, try:
  • enabling FullscreenWindowMode. Some older games use a mixture of GDI and ddraw. With Direct3D 9 a surface can only be shared with GDI when using windowed mode.
• If the game crashes after alt+tab, try:
  • enabling the DdrawEmulateSurface. This preserves the surface memory to fix bugs in some older games.
• If the game crashes, try:
  • enabling the DdrawEmulateSurface. This preserves the surface memory to fix bugs in some older games.
  • enabling the SingleProcAffinity. Some games are not properly synchronized to run on multiple CPU cores, or simply don't properly handle powerful CPUs.
  • setting DdrawLimitDisplayModeCount to a value between 32 and 145. Some older games cannot handle a large number of display mode options.
  • enabling the HandleExceptions. This option tries to fix several common exceptions, such as the divide by zero exception in old games that were trying to calculate the CPU speed.
  • running the game with administrator rights. Some older games require admin rights to function properly.
  • making sure you are using the software rendering and not 3D rendering, if the game supports it. Currently this only works with the 2D APIs. Some games only support 3D rendering and won't work with this feature.

Note: To view the status of the DirectDraw to Direct3D9 Conversion check out the Status Page.

Supported 2D Games

Game	Notes	-Support-
Abe's Oddysee	Requires DdrawEmulateSurface to allow alt+tab	Full
Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic	Only works if Direct3D is disabled	Full
Age of Wonders 2	Only works if Direct3D is disabled	Full
Alien Nations	Requires "Hardware Accelerator" option to be disabled	Full
Anno 1602: Creation of a New World		Full
American Conquest		None
American Conquest: Fight Back		None
Amerzone		None
Arcanum Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura		Full
Atlantis: The Lost Tales (DirectDraw1)	Textures on faces missing	Partial
Atlantis 2: Beyond Atlantis		Full
Atlantis 3: The New World	May require running with admin rights on some systems	Full
Bad Mojo		None
Caesar 3	Requires UseNativeResolution	Full
Call To Power 2	Intro video just shows black screen	Partial
Castle Adventure		Full
Chris Sawyer's Locomotion		Full
Close Combat 2		Full
Close Combat 3		Full
Close Combat 4		Full
Close Combat 5		Full
Command & Conquer Gold		Full
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun		Full
Command & Conquer: Red Alert		Full
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2		Full
Commandos		None
Commandos 2		Full
Commandos BCD		Full
Corsairs Gold		None
Creatures 2: The Albian Years	Requires enabling DdrawWriteToGDI and setting DdrawOverrideBitMode to 16	Full
Creatures 3: Exodus	Requires enabling DdrawWriteToGDI and setting DdrawOverrideBitMode to 16	Full
Dark Reign		Full
Deadlock II		None
Deathtrap Dungeon		None
Deus		Full
DOSBox		Full
Diablo	Corrupted images in menu, requires DdrawEmulateSurface to prevent crashing on some systems	Full
Diablo Hellfire	Recommended to enable DdrawEmulateSurface	Full
Diablo Spawn	Recommended to enable DdrawEmulateSurface	Full
Digger XP		Full
Dracula 2		None
Dune 2000	Requires FullscreenWindowMode for mouse cursor to work	Full
Europa 1400: Gold Edition		None
Gangsters: Organized Crime		None
Geneforge Saga 1		Full
Geneforge Saga 2		Full
Geneforge Saga 3		Full
Geneforge Saga 4		Full
God of Nea		None
Heroes of Might & Magic 3		Full
Heroes of Might & Magic 4	Requires fullscreen mode in game settings	Full
InkBall		None
Interstate 76		None
Interstate 82		None
Invictus: In the Shadow of Olympus		Full
Jagged Alliance 2		Full
Jagged Alliance 2: Unfinished Business		Full
Jagged Alliance 2: Wildfire		Full
Jazz Jackrabbit 2		Full
King's Quest 8	Requires running in DirectDraw (Software) mode, can be configured by modifying Options.cs and setting this line assignGModeName Software	Full
Konung 1	Requires FullscreenWindowMode for movies	Full
Konung 2	Requires FullscreenWindowMode for movies	Full
Lionheart: Legacy of the Crusader		Full
Majesty Gold HD	Requires windowed mode to be disabled in the MajXPrefs under %userprofile%\Documents\My Games\MajestyHD\	Full
Metal Gear Solid		Full
Monster Truck Madness 2	Requires software rendering	None
Moto Racer	Requires "DirectX 3D" option disabled and EnableVSync enabled to slow down menu animation	Full
Moto Racer 2		Full
Nethergate Resurrection	Part of the background is cut off on some of the menus when starting a new game	Partial
NOX		None
Outlaws + A Handful of Missions		Full
Pacific General		Full
Patrician 3	Requires running in Windows 7 compatibility mode with admin rights and setting DdrawLimitDisplayModeCount to 145	Full
Pax Imperia Eminent Domain		Full
Pharaoh Gold	Requires UseNativeResolution	Partial
Populous: The Beginning	Requires the non-3D version and DdrawEmulateSurface, videos are not clear	Partial
Port Royale		None
Port Royale 2		None
Pro Pinball Big Race USA		Full
Pro Pinball Fantastic Journey		Full
Rage of Mages		Full
Rage of Mages II		Full
Return of TIM		Full
Requiem: Avenging Angel		None
Runaway: A Road Adventure		Full
Septerra Core	Recommended to enable DdrawEmulateSurface	Full
SimCity 3000	Landscape is missing items	Partial
SimCopter	Requires FullscreenWindowMode for intro movies	Full
Shadow Watch		None
Shogo	Requires software rendering and DdrawEmulateSurface	Full
Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds		Full
Star Wars: Jedi Knight Dark Forces 2	Requires 3D acceleration disabled and if using GOG version requires launching JK directly and bypassing GOG	Full
Star Wars: Jedi Knight Mysteries of the Sith	Requires 3D acceleration disabled and if using GOG version requires launching JK directly and bypassing GOG	Full
Star Wars: X-Wing vs TIE Fighter	Requires Power VR 3D Card to be disabled	Full
StarCraft		Full
StarCraft: Broodwars		Full
Stronghold	Note: if display looks messed up in the game try changing the resolution.	Full
Stronghold Crusader	Note: if display looks messed up in the game try changing the resolution.	Full
Stronghold Crusader Extreme HD	Note: if display looks messed up in the game try changing the resolution.	Full
Stronghold HD	Note: if display looks messed up in the game try changing the resolution.	Full
SWAT 2		None
Throne of Darkness		Full
TIM Even More Contraptions		Full
Tomb Raider 2		None
Total Annihilation		Full
Twisted Metal 2		None
Uprising: Join or Die		None
Uprising 2: Lead and Destroy		None
War Wind		Full
War Wind II	Minor corruption in the intro video	Full
Warcraft 2		Full
WarGames	Requires "Software Rasterizer" and SingleProcAffinity	Full
Warhammer 40K: Final Liberation	Requires DdrawEmulateSurface	Full
Warhammer 40K: Rites of War		Full
Warlords Battlecry		Full
Warlords Battlecry 2		Full
Warlords Battlecry 3	Crashes when clicking More Info	Partial
Warlords III: Darklords Rising		None
William’s Pinball Classics		None
Wing Commander IV		None
WinQuake	Does not work with in-game windowed mode	Full
Worms 2		Full
Worms Armageddon		Full
Zeus and Poseidon	Requires UseNativeResolution	Partial

Supported 3D Games

Game	Notes	-Support-
Age of Wonders		None
Age of Wonders 2		None
Arx Fatalis		None
Avernum: Escape From The Pit		None
Avernum 2: Crystal Souls		None
B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th		None
Battle Realms Complete		None
Battle Isle: The Andosia War		None
Blood 2: The Chosen		None
Codemaster's Colin McRae Rally 1		None
Codemaster's Colin McRae Rally 2		None
Codename Outbreak		None
Conquest: Frontier Wars		None
Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord		None
Croc 2		None
Dark Reign 2		None
Darkstone		None
Descent 3		None
Diablo 2		None
Disciples 2: Gold Elves		None
Divine Divinity		None
Dungeon Keeper 2		None
Earth 2150 Trilogy: Escape from the Blue Planet		None
Empire Earth Gold		None
Empire Earth: The Art of Conquest		None
Enemy Engaged: Comanche vs Hokum		None
Etherlords		None
Etherlords II		None
Europa 1400: Gold Edition		None
Evolva		None
Evil Islands		None
FA-18E Super Hornet		None
Gorky 17		None
Gothic		None
Gothic 2		None
Hitman: Codename 47		None
Hogs of War		None
King's Quest 8		None
Knight Rider		None
Knight Rider 2		None
Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver		None
MechWarrior 4		None
Might and Magic VIII: Day of the Destroyer		None
Might and Magic IX		None
Monster Truck Madness 2		None
Moto Racer		None
Moto Racer 2		None
Myst III Exile		None
Populous: The Beginning		None
Raymond 2		None
Redline		None
Return to Krondor		None
Revenant		None
Sacred Gold		None
Shogo		None
Simon the Sorcerer 3D		None
Silent Hunter II		None
Speed Busters		None
Star Trek Armada 1		None
Star Trek Starfleet Academy		None
Star Trek Starfleet Command		None
Star Wars Rebellion		None
Star Wars Rogue Squadron 3D		None
Star Wars X-Wing Alliance		None
StarTopia		None
SWAT 3: Tactical Game of the Year Edition		None
The Longest Journey		None
The Nations Gold		None
The Settlers IV Gold		None
The Summoner		None
Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six		None
Tomb Raider 3		None
Tomb Raider 4		None
Tomb Raider 5		None
Ultima IX Ascension		None
Unreal Gold		None
Unreal Tournament GOTY		None
Vampire: The Masquerade		None
WarGames		None
Wizardry 8		None
Wizards and Warriors		None
X-COM Interceptor		None