WC3 KSaga Patch - for Movie Crashing bug

Mash

Spaceman
Hi all,

This patch is an attempt to fix some of the problems associated with running the Windows version of Wing Commander 3 on modern OSes and on modern hardware. This release includes a fix for the 'Ingame Movie Crashing Bug' and a slowdown fix for the Nav Map Screen.

Installation details can be found in the included read-me 'Wc3_KSaga_Patch.rtf'. The read-me also includes some info on how it all works.

Although I've yet to have a movie crash while using this patch. I'd like to get some feedback from other users before I start patting myself on the back. So give it a go and let me know.

This patch requires Windows 2K or above.

Here's the link:
WC3_KSaga_Patch.zip
 
Holy shit! This is awesome! You're awesome! I can't believe someone actually fixed one of the most persistent bugs this game has on modern operating systems. It worked perfectly as far as I could test (my game started after a while, but that doesn't have anything to do with your patch). Thanks!
 
It works!

Like I already wrote in my other thread this patch works excellent.
Thank you once again for this excellent work!
 
A new version of the patch is available.
I've made some changes to the way its loaded by the game which should make it easier to install, I've added a series of slowdown fixes for the Pre Flight Power-up Screen and I've also added an ini file where you can adjust the slowdown delays to your own liking.
Click the link in the first post to download.:)
 
bloody awesome

i cant belive after all this time some1 has finally done it! someone has fixed wc3 saga this is bloody awesome wing commander is one of my fav all time games! i wish EA would bring out a new saga set and have all the videos in dvd quality im sure there is heaps of bonus features and stuff but weldone on fixing it!
 
I've found another interesting thing while testing this patch.
Can anybody please try to test it, too if I'm right. Perhaps someone can confirm this.

If you install WC3 from the Kilrathi Saga with max. options (41 MB) to hard disk... load the game normally...

- Go to hangar bay
- Just go to briefing room and attend briefing
- Go to pilot selection (you can only select Hobbes)

NOW

When you click Hobbes Blair says "Hobbes" very fast and not correctly. Seems to be a timing bug. Perhaps a movie timing bug. It's not that bad but it is interesting because it's there EVERY time. That's the problem with some other videos as well... cracking and sound errors.

NOW THE INTERESTING PART!!

Uninstall the game and install it NEW with only the 9 MB installation or no files copied to hard disk. Now try the same thing again. The videos sound smoother and especially go to the hobbes scene when picking Hobbes in the first mission.

You will hear Blair saying Hobbes... and so on... smooth and clear without cracking...

Please try it. If this is right perhaps you should only play WC3 without FULL hard disk installtion.

Otherwise the patch works great!

Thanks a lot!

Rylex

PS: If you need more testing just PM me. I'm a serious tester as you see from this post.
 
I tried different install types as you suggested Rylex but did not suffer the stuttering problem as you did. The files "gameflow.tre" and "mission.tre" are added in the 41 MB install. So it's probably related to these files being accessed faster than the movie "tre" files which still run off the cd/dvd.
As an experiment you could try copying the "movies.tre" and/or "cd1movie.tre" to where you installed WC3 and see if that makes a difference.
 
As an experiment you could try copying the "movies.tre" and/or "cd1movie.tre" to where you installed WC3 and see if that makes a difference.

Yes it makes a difference... the sound cracking and the fast sound saying "Hobbes" is now smooth and ok. Well I'll only take the 9 MB install from now on or I copy everything to HDD :D

But yes you were right.
 
Ohhhh boy, thank you for this. That's the only problem I've had getting WC3 to fully run on my Vista 64 bit computer.

I've built a brand new, wicked quick computer, and have managed to get EVERY single old game I have and love to work. It's really quite ridiculous, I have this fantastic rig that can play brand new games with full detail and graphics set to high and here I am playing WC3 and Day of the Tentacle.

Ahhhh, the early 90's.

ANyhoo. I haven't run the game with the new file in the folder yet, so I dunno if it's gonna work, but I sure hope it will. I'm gonna find out tonight. Probably gonna have a loooong Kilrathi killing binge. It's been a while.
 
Mash you are awesome. I've been trying to fix this myself for for years now and glad you finally figured it out. Also UCFKevin, Im in the same boat as you, I can play Crysis on very high and here I am playing WC3, Sam and Max, Monkey Island, The old sonic games and so on.

Again Thanks so much. And I will being doing some kilrathi killing of my own as my name suggests
 
Yup, all the old LucasArts games. I always make sure my old games work on new computers, no matter what.

There's a relatively recent Sam and Max game, not by LucasArts, I think it's the Adventure Company, but it is FANTASTIC. It's a bunch of mini-games, not one long one, just episodes. Very well done and hilarious. Check'em out if you haven't.

So yeah, this patch made the game work almost flawlessly. Thank you SO damn much Mash.
 
Thanks for the feedback guys, it seems the patch is working as intended. If there are any other wc3 problem you think need addressing let me know.
 
UCFkevin, I have tried the new Sam and Max games and they are really good. Also they are made by Telltale games who makes a number of good adventure games like Strong Bad's awesome game for cool attractive people.

Again thanks Mash
 
thanks!!!

the rest of the WC Saga team won't like what I am about to do now but I am going to play WC3 all week-end.




T - H - A - N - K - S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Awesome, it finally works. Love you :)
 
Genius

Job's a good 'un, works a charm mate.

I never cease to be amazed & impressed by the dedication of this site & community, I only hope EA will reward it with a new Saga every bit as groundbreaking as the original, and soon. For now though, Hobbes, I'd like you on my wing for this one....
 
I just tried this newer KS WC3 under Win-XP solution and it worked great!
I've had problems in XP for years and now it finally works clean and smooth.
Prior to this I had to use Windows98 (in a dual boot setup) to ever run KS-WC3 or recently WC3-DOS in a Dosbox, but the latter had choppy movie audio.
The movie audio is perfect now with KS-WC3 in XP, thanks!

I also recently got WC4-DVD and WC-Prophecy in OpenGL hires and DVD movies all working great now in XP as well from other info and patches at this site.
Thanks so much, they all work now in XP!
 
I'd just like to say that this thread should really be stickied. I spent hours searching for solutions to the WC3 crashes and freezes on XP and found that this + the super patch made my game run perfectly for hours of gameplay. Thank you very much to the users who made these two patches.
 
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