Vista Game Compatibility & Discussion ***updated 05APR07***

Please read this update for the thread


Thought it might be a good idea to list games which will work with Vista ---

but this thread is far too long to keep it stickied --- so please continue to list the games that work here and also any discussions that you might have. -- I will transfer your findings along with your name to the stickied list.

inferno

Thanks, Inferno--

I'll be looking for a new computer next year, and I'm sure it will come with Vista.

I'm glad you are compliling a list for us. It will be a great resource for us all.

Thanks for looking out for us....wonder how it will do w/DOS games... Don't have Vista (don't really want it (haha)but this system will probably have to be replaced next year and so since use mostly for games and web i am always looking for info!). So-pretty nice of your mom to let you 'test pilot' for us!!

Good of you to do this, Inferno! To boldly go where no man has gone before...to seek out new life and new civilizations....well, you get my drift.

I sure hope Vista likes DOSBox!

I'd be curious to see if runs DOS games under DOSBox - XP will be getting harder to get on new PC's soon.

I'm curious to know if anyone has tried any of our games (Remedy, Hope Springs Eternal, and Time Stand Still) on Vista?

Hi Mikael --

Unfortunately I don't have your games with me in NY. And I'm going home tomorrow.

It will be another 3 mo. before I can get back here as well.

inferno

Someone on the adventure newsgroup reported that the latest DOSBox does work with Vista.

Whew - It's almost time to make the next PC purchase and XP is getting scarce on new systems.

Newsgroup as in NNTP types?

comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.adventure

or start from here
http://groups.google.com/advanced_search?q=&
and search for the words
Vista Dosbox
in the group
comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.adventure

Inland, correct me if I'm wrong, but those XPS machines we've been drooling over don't even offer XP as an option anymore do they? Oldmariner said something about the "scratch and dents" having XP on them.

When I was searching in the stores for a system for my Mom this past weekend --- Vista was all that was offered.

I suppose if you order online or build it oneself however -- you could still put XP on the rig. Couldn't one. ---?

I also would imagine that bugs and kinks will eventually be worked out.

I wonder why installing some games (like the older NDs ) work if they are installed to the "Users" Document folder, and if they are installed normally in the Programs folder they don't. --- error message was either :
"xyz.dll file missing"
or
"unable to initialize "D3D.XYZ" "

inferno

I was at fry's this week and they still have machines with XP on them- lots with VIsta but still a good number of XP's- so they are still out there if you hurry.

They do - but for how much longer I can't say.

Online? Cyberpowerpc or something similar (ibuypower.com or Falcon Northwest)...but none of the major manufacturers I've seen. "Built it yourself"....of course you can. You could probably put windows 3.1 on it.

Where do you see the Windows XP option at the Dell site? I can't find it with any of their new systems.
*edit*
Nevermind, Inland...it was right under my nose. They still offer it with the higher end XPS systems.

I wonder if the reason XP is available on those Dell high end machines is because of their high price? They may have misjudged unit sales and these are the left overs. Dell has had a discount price on the XPS 410 for some time time now @ $999. I believe this is discounted because the pcmag review says msrp is $1374. This further fuels my belief that XP on the high end machine is because they are left overs. Nothing wrong with that except it suggest this is a short time thing. I understand those guys in Redmond don't like dealers offering prior OS.

They don't make it easy to find the Dell Outlet these days either, do they? I kind of had to dig around before finding it a few weeks ago.

Actually Oldmariner-- over here where I live they just put one in our mall

I loaded Remedy on Vista and it works. The screen size comes up quite small and there is no audio, but with the subtitles that is no problem.

Vista says that "extension (.080) does not match the file format, but if you tell it to run anyway it does.

It saves and loads with no problem. Hope that helps.

I could probably do some tweaks to get the audio but haven't tried.

Orhcid Girl

Since you have VISTA and I don't --- I'm back in Texas now and the Vista system I was playing
with is in NY.

Could you try something for me?

Woud you mind reinstalling the game -- but this time try installing it to this location.

go to "DOCUMENTS"

the location should be
C:\USERS\ORCHIDGIRL\DOCUMENTS

create a new folder and call it REMEDY

Then when you intstall the game make sure that you install it there --- so the address would be C:\USERS\ORCHIDGIRL\DOCUMENTS\REMEDY

try running the game from there and tell me if it works.

inferno

Inferno,

Installed as you asked and the same result as before. No audio but everything works the same as when I loaded it in Program Files.

Maybe I don't go far enough in the game to hear sounds? I can't remember how Hope Springs Eternal was for sound, i.e. if there was a lot of it at the start.

Chances are any games made with the am engine
wont have sound. At best intermittent and or
choppy from what the developers have told me ,
this is due to the way media
object is used. vista uses a new version?
the next upgrade for the engine should remedy
this. Perhaps a work around may yet be determined.

cheers

Hmmm --- where is Mikael?

I believe that there was music at the begining.
try playing through when you have the time ---

did you recieve that error message again?

inferno

Got an error message about extension.122 this time, but again I said ignore and the game went on with no problem. I just tell it not to ask again about the file.

Don't know when I'll get a chance to play whole game as I am going on holiday soon and am now playing CSI Miami and The Awakened.

Indeed there seems to be a sound problem for games using the Adventure Maker engine on Vista. Obviously, Media Player 6 objects are not supported by Vista. One wonders how many other games that will suffer from this as well.

I really don't understand Microsoft sometimes. I hope that someone will come up with a workaround for this.

So far I have not had any problem with sound on any of the other games I have played on Vista. Some of the games have been new and some were quite old.

I have Hope Springs Eternal somewhere I think, unless I traded it. If I find it I will try that one, since it is newer I think.

Caution if you are thinking of installing Vista in a computer with an AGP video bus, It seems it causes what the industry is calling an "error 53" fault on some motherboards and will not turn the AGP port on.

And once you get error 53, your video will disappear into Area 51.

heeheeeheeheeeheee

inferno

Just to add to your list:

Broken Sword: Secrets of the Ark. It installed with no problem and I have played part of it, saving and reloading with no problem.

Runaway: A Road Adventure----- Just installed and am playing it. Loaded fine, when I went to play it a box came up saying there was an incompatability and would I like Windows to fix it. I said yes and it did (bless it's little heart); now plays, saves , loads, perfectly. What a fun game, glad I also have Runaway II to play later.

Thanks Orchid Girl

Well it will if you live in Nevada

But you can generally find it hiding out at the Ale-E-Inn.

Hi All. Good grief. I haven't a clue what everyone is talking about. I know nothing about the computers system. I believe I have the opportunity to upgrade to Vista. (pc only 4 months old) It appears by these posts that it might be a mistake. Is that the majorities consensus?

I don't think I'll be upgrading for at least a year or so.

But I have to say that I had a week setting up my Mom's new rig --- with Vista Premium and I have to say I liked what a experienced.

inferno

I'm interested in your results w/the sacred rings. I get black screen with a frozen game cursor. I have found a fix for walking stutter in the Awakened in the New Orleans segment if it is an issue for you. Let me know.

Chuck

Just bought a New Packard Bell with Vista Premium this weekend and Love the OS. Still keeping my XP Computer though.
I have loaded and tested the following and they all play without having to go into Compatability or any other type of Directory for installing..
All these work okay.....

Syberia Collectors Edition
Aura
Uru Complete Chronicles
Myst 3 Exile
Myst 4 Revelation

Have the Nvidia Graphics on this new one.

1Gb of Ram really needed for playing Games, any less and you will run out of Memory fast.

A External Seagate 350Gb Hard Drive arriving tomorrow....thank goodness I now have a Flat Screen or would be pushed for space.

"Walter"...City of Lincoln

Just thought id add these game to list.These games work fine using Vista Home Premium

Scratches
Wanted The Westerner
Barrow Hill
Syberia 1 + 2
Carte Blanche
Sacred Rings
The Cameroon Files Loch Ness
The Cameroon Files Pharoahs Curse

Still Life (Win98/Me Compatibilty Mode) This works tested myself the game now loads up as it should.

I got a lot of adventure games these are so far the ones which ive tested

thanks mathall1 I've added your work to the list on the first page

inferno

********edit**********

I've also started a darksider list as well

inferno

No Probs i ll try out some other adventure games later on including


Echo The Secret Cavern
Secrets Of The Da Vinci Code
Keepsake
Darkfall
Ankh
Secret Files Of Tunguska
Return To Mysterious Island
The Longest Journey
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth
The Egyptian Prophecy
Moment Of Silence
Agatha Christie Then There Were None

Bone Out from Boneville ( works no problems.Installed by right clickin and choosing run as administrator to install )

Bone The Great Cow Race (Same as BOFB works no problems)

I shall update this post later and add results next to each

Using a Vista Laptop:

Safecracker 2006
The Secrets of Atlantis: The Sacred Legacy
Dungeon Siege II with add-on

Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened installed but was not playable using the mouse, it was jumpy and not under control.

Al Emmo would not install

For general software compatabilty list, including games:

http://www.iexbeta.com/wiki/index.php/Windows_Vista_Software_Compatibility_List

I can confirm the title Paradise works.The title made by Benoit sokal.Played 10 mins and going well

The Longest Journey wont work on Vista Premium...it gave me the message that it couldn't find Win 32, the only thing that I could do was to uninstall it. I did try all the compatability but to no avail.

Be carefull with Syberia 1 and 2....I installed the Collectors edition and after I installed it it seemed to work ok but I uninstalled it and put it on my Main Hard Drive ( I had it on my External Drive) It installed again ok on the "C" Drive but would not accept the KEY....it gave the message that "I did not have the authorisation to access the System Registry".

"Walter"

Running Vista Home on a Dell Dimension 3100C so grateful for your list of compatible games.
Before I revert to XP, could you please confirm that Vista Home does not have a 'compatability mode'
Despite 4 pages from Microsoft on 'games which do not run' the report on a trial game was :'This program requires d3drm.dll' which is no longer included in this version of Windows'.
Does this suggest the higher versions of Vista do have this compatability?

Higher versions of Vista? If you have Vista Home Premium, that's all you should need for playing games. If you're missing a dll file, you may be able to download it from somewhere. That works with XP, though I don't know if it would work with Vista.

Might be just me but i found games to run better in windows vista basic than Home Premium.As a example Still life adventure game runs without any problems from a upgrade from xp.Unlike Home Premium which is also installed from a upgrade of xp this isnt the case.Still life runs on home premium but soon as it gets to first discussion with Gus the cop the dialogue box freezes and goes no furthur.This in compatibility mode.Im sure it didnt do this in Vista Basic and played just like on a xp machine

........................................

I sympathise with you over Vista Premium...It appears to be a very unforgiving OS....I bought my Machine with Premium preloaded on 16 March and so far 3 days later I had to take it back to the store and they re-installed the OS..there were corruptions and 64 Problems when we did the Diagnostics...3 Days ago the darn thing kept freezing and Packard Bell in conjuction with PC World pointed to a site for me to make a Diagnostics Disc.....did so and it appeared that the Software is again unstable...

They are sending me a set of Recovery/Vista Premium Discs free of charge.

If this does not solve the problems then I will investigate removing the Vista and installing XP.
My Hard Drive bursts into life for no apparant reason and nothing showing on the screen except for the Desktop......the Drive runs for over 30 minutes without me being able to use the Damm machine......the only solution is to switch it off........I suspect that the Screen Saver and Power Saver have something to do with it as I have switched them off and Fingers Crossed it is OK.

"Walter"
Getting more disenchanted with Vista Premium by the minute

Walt,
That could very well be a hardware problem and not a Vista problem. Try using scandisk (surface scan) and see if it finds bad sectors on the hard drive. And use memtest to test the RAM (and motherboard).
http://www.memtest.org/

........................................

Hi Jenny.....Have a Diagnostic Disc for Hard Drives etc and I got a "Passed" for all....There isn't a Scan Disc in Vista Premium.....
After I gave the results of the Diagnostics Test to the PC World/Packard Bell help they seemed to aggree that it was a Software Problem....When I get the full set of Disc they are going to take me through the safe method of installing them...
Must admit that with the Screen Savers and the Power Savers switched off all day and evening I have had NO problems.
Thanks for the sugestions.
"Walter"....
Feeling not quite so Bullish at the moment.

Just an update 4/5/07 I took a quick look on Dell site to see where they had 49 xps machines with media center xp. almost all were xps 700 710 and 210 models, no 410 or 900 series available. I selected Scratch and Dents and Canceled orders ( Dell says these are machines that were ordered, never booted up and the order was canceled for whatever reason.) They claim S&D's and Canceled categorys are new machines. There we only 8 xps machines with xp-pro all 700/200 xps series. Various configuration. Many were cheap of course they do not include the monitor. So if you are looking for an xps for gaming without vista time is running out.

Did not check refurbs, consider those a gamble but they do carry the new machine warrantee.

try installing to "documents" in this case. The permissions are different.

---------------------------------------

All you have to do is add the file to the game folder --- I had this very same issue with
TLHOD - Beyond the Spirit's Eye Demo
*must be installed in C:Users/User's Name/Documents"* and an additional .dll file must be added as well...Tested by Inferno
you can find the file here:
d3drm.dll

One might also place the file in the Windows/system32 directory --- but many games which utilize this file may crash --- it's better to place it in the game folder. --- don't ask me why...

inferno

If, as has been suggested by many, that Vista does have a compatability mode (in all versions?)why has no one been able to tell us how to action it?
It is now suggested that it is 'hidden' in All Programs!
Can anyone enlarge on this, please?

Look at Step 1 on this page
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931362/en-us

......................................

Control Panel....Program Section....Click Blue Use an older Program and then follow on screen Instructions...you can even designate the program you want to use and Vista will let you know the result...
As I mentioned before the Windows Vista Handbook from Smiths at under

The "Compatibility Mode" is activated the same way as you do it in XP, Ron. Just right click on the program (or game) icon, then select properties->compatibility.

I'm not sure that works with all versions of Vista, Robert. Otherwise wouldn't Ron have found it?

I don't know, Jenny. You may be right. It seems to be there for everyone else I've given those instructions to (on the gamefaqs message boards). I don't recall what different versions of Vista they were using.

Besides the differences of Basic vs Premium, etc., there could also be proprietary differences between the Vista that comes pre-installed on laptops and desktops made by different manufacturers. I'm just guessing though.

In Vista Home Premium all you need to do is right click on the .exe file , choose properties , choose compatibility --- as this was the case for my Mom's Gateway desk top.
inferno

.......................................

Jenny.....
I can confirm that there are differences between different manufacturers....
I have a Packard Bell and to get the Master Vista CDs. (Recovery Discs)
They required the Make..Model..Type of Vista installed...ie, The Vista installed on a Compact or "E" Machine or the Packard Bell etc are not interchangeable.....this is straight from the Vista Tech Help Guys......for all Vista Discs in Europe they have to come from either France or Belgium....this is for replacement disc's .
I have a set coming in the near future because my Packard Bell will not let me make a Recovery set.....Corrupt Pre-Installed Software before shipping to the Outlets...Had to get the Store to re-install the software for me.
"Walter"..City of Lincoln UK