As far as I remember, the problem with "Broken Sword 4" is that the original disk version is unplayable on any computer with Windows 7/8/10 because not only of the DRM, but of its incompatibility with multi-core CPUs as well. The characters are not visible on screen: only their black shadows...
I have no idea if the noCD fixes this problem for the US release, but I am sure that there is no fix for the Russian disk release I have: so it is either Windows XP (preferably on an older PC) or a Steam/GOG version (which works fine).
Thanks for the information, Iurii. I've read about the problem with black shadows before, but didn't know what caused it.
***This thread at Adventuregamers*** mentions character textures being blacked out.
The "fix" someone invented and posted a link to in the thread is archived at
https://web.archive.org/web/20071208121133/http://www.immolo.net/?p=31 None of the pictures were archived, only the text, and not only does it not look like something I'd recommend doing, it looks like it's only for XP.
The NoCD certainly would have no effect on the black shadows problem, but oldmariner mentioned a patch back in 2012 in this thread
https://www.gameboomers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/819138/Broken_Sword_4.htmlOldmariner's link to the fix on the Revolution website was archived here
https://web.archive.org/web/20120722005132/https://revolution.co.uk/bs4/supportThey also mention using the "Set Affinity" fix. Oldmariner says one of the files removes the DRM, but the patches are only for the 2006 "Angel" version. The links to the patch files on the archived website still work.
I don't know for sure whether or not the "Secrets of the Ark" version was patched, or whether more recent versions of the "Angel" version were patched.