Has it really been three years again? Microsoft released Windows 10 on July 29th and it's time to see how our games are going to fare. I'm up to my ears in tomatoes right now, but will begin testing games as time allows. RebKean is also testing out a lot of games, so I will edit this post whenever I can.
Windows 10 was released as an update, so unless people downloaded the OS as an image and did a clean installation, it updated your previous system with files and programs intact. I've noticed that all the games I already had on the system are playing. But that doesn't mean there won't be issues with installing them. So I will try to differentiate and test them both ways.
As before, unless otherwise noted, these are all original CD or DVD versions of the games and I installed to the default location of C:\Program Files (x86). I have played each of the games to where I interact with inventory items by picking them up and using them, saving a game, exiting the game and loading a saved game. I’ve made sure dialogue trees work and the sound and video behave as they are intended.
We will also assume that if Big Fish Games, GOG and STEAM indicate a game works on Windows 10, that will be the case.
YOU WILL NOTICE THAT I'VE RUN INTO SEVERAL GAMES WHICH INSTALL, BUT WILL NOT LAUNCH. I FOUND THIS FROM A MODERATOR AT ONE OF THE MICROSOFT FORUMS: Hi, We are currently working on this issue. Thank you.
So, without further ado, these are my computer specs. I am running Windows 10 Pro.
Drac's DesktopProcessor - Ivy Bridge Core i5 @ 3.6 GHtz
Disk drive - 1 TB WD Velociraptor
Video Card - Nvidia Geforce GTX Overclocked 660Ti
Ram - 8 GB
Sound Card - Creative SB X-Fi
RebKean has two computers.
RebKean's LaptopWindows 10 Home 64-bit
CPU: Intel core i5 3317U @ 1.70 GHz Ivy Bridge 22nm Technology
RAM: 4.00 GB
Graphics: Generic PnP Monitor, Intel HD Graphics 4000
HardDrives: 456 GB Seagate ST500LT012-9WS142 (SATA)/ 22 GB SanDisk SSD U100 24 GB (SSD)
Sound: VIA HD Audio
RebKean's DesktopWindows 10 Pro 64-bit
CPU: AMD FX(tm)-4100 Quad-Core Processor 3.60 GHz
RAM: 8,00 GB
Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6700 Series
HardDrives: OCZ VERT EX PLUS SCSI Disk Device / SAMSUNG HD154UI SCSI Disk Device
Sound: AMD high Definition Audio Device
RebKean had these games already installed on the laptop and all played with no problems.
The Sims 4
All of the Carol Reed games
Zumas revenge (Origin)
Theme hospital (Origin)
Sim City 2000 special edition (Origin)
Ultima 8 gold edition (Origin)
Syndicate (Origin)
Crime line
Criminal minds
CSI NY
Cute Knight Deluxe
Cute Knight Kingdom
Escape, special bundle edition
Fairway solitaire collectors edition
Fashion solitaire
Jewel Quest mysteries bundle
Jewel Quest solitaire
Jojo's fashion show wolrd tour
Mytery P.I series
Odium (aka Gorky 17)
Papers please
Puzzler World 2013
The Stanley Parable
Plague Inc evolved (Steam)
I'm just going to start with a few games and then organize them later.
Al Emmo and the Lost Dutchman's Mine, 2006 - Installed and played.
American McGee's Alice, 2000 - Despite trying installing to another folder, installing from the setup file on the disk in compatibility mode, using compatibility mode on the desktop shortcut and Run as administrator, the game will not launch. I get as far as the User Account Control to say "yes," and then nothing happens. The game is installed on my drive just fine... it just won't launch and there are no error messages.
A Vampyre Story, 2010 - Well, it's not looking good for this one either. It installs perfectly, but the game will not launch. Uninstalled, ran CCleaner and then installed in C:\... Still won't launch and again, no error messages. Tried Run as Administrator and various compatibility modes.
Bioshock, 2007 - Installed and played.
Bioshock 2, 2010 - Installed and played
Caesar IV, 2006 - Upsydaisy says it installed and played on her Windows 10.
Darkfall The Journal, 2002 - Installed and played.
Dracula Resurrection, 2000 - Installed and played. However, an initial error message said the game wasn't compatible. So I went to the disk, right clicked on the Install file and ran the compatibility trouble shooter. It selected XP SP3 and when I clicked on Test, the game ran perfectly. After I saved and exited, I then clicked on Next and indicated the compatibility mode worked and it should be saved. The last screen said the game had been fixed.
Dracula, The Last Sanctuary, 2001 - Installed and played... same as above. Rejoice for these two games!
Gabriel Knight 3, 1999 - Stella over at Mystery Manor had the disk version of this game. RCB posted this work-around and as Stella says, she is now playing it in all its pixelated glory!
First thing you'll need is an installer patch that allows all the discs to be loaded on your hard drive. The one I'm using can be found ***HERE*** under the G's. Use this instead of the GK3.exe that comes on the first cd. You will be prompted to load the discs as the game is installed at default location: C:/Sierra/Gabriel Knight 3. At the end you may be asked to set up game configuration. Chose no because it's a good idea to know where that option is located.
Game Configuration:
Go to the Gabriel Knight 3 folder and look for Configure GK3.exe. Highlight the full screen rectangle and select 1024x768. Save.
First Time Running:
This installation didn't create a desktop short cut but the new launch file in the main folder is named Gabriel Knight 3.exe. The date of the file should be something like 9/1/2014. I'd recommend sending this to the desktop for convenience since it is necessary to apply compatibility options. Note that the original GK3.exe (1999) is still present but don't touch it. Game Compatibility Mode Settings: I know it's tempting but DO NOT change to a different (older) operating system, leave it alone. What you do need to do though is check the box for reduced color mode - 16 bit (65536) color.
Apply.
Next step is start the game. After the intro and you get control of the game right click to get the 'in game' option menu. Select Configuration Options - Advanced Options - Graphics Options. Turn off (unselect) Incremental Rendering and set the game resolution to 1024x768. Note that if each time you start the game and get a notice like frame buffer overload you will need to reset the resolution from 640x480 back to 1024x768.Keepsake, 2006 - Installed and played.
Last Half of Darkness, Beyond the Spirit's Eye, 2007 - Installed, but I get an error - "d3drm.dll file is missing." Although I may be wrong, I believe this indicates the game has some form of DRM.
EDIT -- d3drm.dll is from an old version of Direct3D and gets its name from "Direct3D Retained Mode" See post from James Mcquellin
***here*** for possible fix.
Mass Effect, 2010 - Installed and played.
Oblivion, 2005 - Installed and played.
Pandora's Box -- In
*** this thread *** gremlin reported that the original 1999 version of Pandora's Box will work on Windows 10 after installing the patch (even though the patch is from around year 2000).
Scratches, 2006 - This one made me nervous. It was already installed, but would not launch or recognize that the CD was in the drive. I uninstalled and then reinstalled. The first time I clicked on Play, the taskbar stayed on the screen and the game was all jittery. Maybe Jenny100 or Inland will know if the fact that I got a popup to update my Adobe Air right on top of the jittery game had anything to do with the game. I updated Adobe Air and was able to quit the game. When I relaunched the game, it played just fine. Spent about 1/2 hour in it. Whew! I love this game.
Sybera I, 2003 - Installs, but will not launch. Tried the usual.
Syberia II, 2004 - Installs, but will not launch. See above.
The Hobbit, 2003 - Interesting. This one is already installed and played just fine. But I am unable to uninstall through any of the normal methods to check and see if it will install. The uninstaller is not compatible. I even tried Revo...
Vampire the Masquerade Bloodlines, 2004 - Installs, but will not launch. What a disappointment.