Author Topic: FF8 Launcher - Custom resolutions and 8-bit paletted textures fix (patch)  (Read 148110 times)

magixts

  • *
  • Posts: 52
    • View Profile
xlovelikewinterx:
I might look into adding support for windowed-mode if I have the time. I have worked on it previously but did not finish before moving on to working on implementing custom resolutions.

If I don’t add it I’m sure someone else could when I release the source for the launcher.

alysun:
I’m glad you finally got it working! :)

terid_k:
Did you use the hotkeys that are enabled in Expert Mode to adjust the uv-map compensation? The hotkey are as follows:
- Decrease background-texture uv-map adjustment (ctrl+, [CTRL+COMMA])
- Increase background-texture uv-map adjustment (ctrl+. [CTRL+PERIOD])
- Decrease interface-texture uv-map adjustment (alt+, [ALT+COMMA])
- Increase interface-texture uv-map adjustment (alt+. [ALT+PERIOD])

Terid__K

  • Guest
Thanks, it looks the way it should now. Congrats on the tool. Did you consider enabling 32-bit support?

Edit: The FSAA settings are greyed out for me. It won't accept anything other than global configuration, is it supposed to be like that?
« Last Edit: 2008-01-03 02:04:58 by Terid__K »

magixts

  • *
  • Posts: 52
    • View Profile
Thanks, it looks the way it should now. Congrats on the tool. Did you consider enabling 32-bit support?

Edit: The FSAA settings are greyed out for me. It won't accept anything other than global configuration, is it supposed to be like that?
Enabling 32-bit really messes up the graphics, I haven't looked into it any more than that yet.

FSAA settings can be set in the NVIDIA Control Panel -> 3D Settings -> Manage 3D Settings. I originally intended for it to be an option that could be set from within the launcher (hence the option being there but grayed out) but it turned out that the Direct3D version being used by the game only supported one setting. The launcher however enables support for FSAA in the game through global and application specific settings by supplying the user with a way to deal with the graphical glitches that it causes (uv-map compensation).

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
Wow, nice find on the eax.dll that fixes the launching of it.

I finally get to use it.. after trying everything under the sun! Now my game has huge graphical lag, and i barely get like 10 FPS. I give up, jesus hates me.

(for the record, Geforce 8600 GTS, Athlon 64 X2 4200+, 2gb ram, no AA on, forceware 169.25 drivers)

Glad that vista people will finally get to enjoy it though.
I really wish I could help you with this problem but I have no idea what might cause it. Ryg reported that the launcher worked on his AMD Athlon X2 6000+, NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS and there are others that have had it running on GeForce 8600GTS cards as well. And you were running 32-bit OS so it couldn't be that either...

It would be really weird if this problem is limited to FF8 and the Launcher alone. You haven't had any similar problems in other games? That would probably be an easier way to finding a fix as the userbase is most certainly larger.

I've been on vacation since posting. No, I have zero problems in any other games. That really only consists of EQ2 and some really basic games though. I got home tonight and decided to play again. I've figured out the problem though, and I feel like a big dumby.

The NOCD "crack" i was using was for non geforce cards. I had a geforce crack, but it quit working after disk1, and all I could find was a non-gf crack. I found a gf 1.2 no-cd exe tonight, ran it, and the game runs perfectly using your launcher.

So for the other guy that had a "good" system like myself and experienced massive lag, you may wanna check that.

[link removed]
« Last Edit: 2008-01-06 17:29:40 by Ossott »

Terid__K

  • Guest
But... there's no way to play the movies if you use no CD. The movies are all stored within the CDs and, unlike FF7, you can't copy them to your Hard Drive. It's better to make an iso out of your CDs and mount it on DAEMON Tools.


Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
But... there's no way to play the movies if you use no CD. The movies are all stored within the CDs and, unlike FF7, you can't copy them to your Hard Drive. It's better to make an iso out of your CDs and mount it on DAEMON Tools.



We're getting completely off topic, but if that's the case then someone can just use the 1.2 gf .exe w/o a no-cd crack and be fine. My whole post was just referring to the problem-solution that myself and a very few select others were experiencing when using the Launcher.

Catcher38

  • Guest
i tried the launcher all versions and all i get is an error saying "The Application has failed to start because its side by side configuration is incorrect". I'm using windows Vista Ultimate, with 2gigs of ram, nvidia 8800gts 320Mb graphics card and realtek Highdef 7.1 sound and i have an xbox360 controller connected to usb. any ideas why I'm getting this error, tried running as administrator and stuff but it makes no difference.

celestria

  • *
  • Posts: 22
    • View Profile
stop upgrading to vista PPL just wait for SP3 for xp....

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
i tried the launcher all versions and all i get is an error saying "The Application has failed to start because its side by side configuration is incorrect". I'm using windows Vista Ultimate, with 2gigs of ram, nvidia 8800gts 320Mb graphics card and realtek Highdef 7.1 sound and i have an xbox360 controller connected to usb. any ideas why I'm getting this error, tried running as administrator and stuff but it makes no difference.

I got that once, IIRC, i didn't overwrite all the previous [version] files. I'd try re-extracting to the folder you're running it from.

And there's nothing wrong with vista. People who whine about vista sucking either run some obscure ass software or just like to repeat what they read on some random website.

Catcher38

  • Guest
Ok i didn't install it over previous versions so that can't be it but i read in a previous message that i need Visual c++ 2008 re-dist so I'm gonna try that to see if it works and i Will let you know and i agree with you there is nothing wrong with Vista I've been using it since it was released and the only trouble i had was finding a compatible firewall when it first came out apart from that i have had no trouble with Vista what so ever and i find it easy to use.

Ok i installed Visual c++ 2008 redist and it starts but when i click on play ff8 i now get the message CreateProcess(ff8.exe) returned error code: Error Code 2 Which means nothing to me so any ideas?  BTW i'm using the latest version of Directx its dated Nov2007
« Last Edit: 2008-01-03 20:47:10 by Catcher38 »

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
The path in your registry to your FF8.exe isnt 100% accurate according to the program.

Try starting it from start->RUN

So, lets say the launcher is in C:\FF8\GAME\ and so is your FF8.exe

you'd put this in the run dialog

C:\FF8\GAME\ff8_launcher.exe C:\FF8\GAME\FF8.EXE

Then hit play and it should work okay. You can also create a shortcut to the launcher, then right click the shortcut, select properities. In the 'Target' just make a space at the end, then add yoru C:\path\to\ff8.exe
« Last Edit: 2008-01-03 21:15:14 by Ossott »

medicman4444

  • Guest
tested on a hp/compac TC1100: works like a dream =)
 (looks good in normal mode aswell, has 8bit texture support onbord [bonus]) 

tested on xp SP2 with a GF FX5500 256MB card w/GF patch 1.2: dident like my monitor lol but it rescaled it perfect (still have thoes evil 1pixle with lines at top and bottom of screen and on menus  *srugs* i can live with that =)

it dident like being set to my screens native res for somereason it keped on reverting back to a lower size but heck it looks good anyway on next size down =)

i will be testing it our on a projector soon to see how big i can realy get it =D

w33dEC

  • Guest
Tested on an AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ with 1 gigs of RAM and a GF 8500GT with the NV patch 1.2 and the FF8 Launcher v1.31... works like a charm.
Thanx magixts for this neat program...

Danitheman

  • Guest
This is not working for me!! Please help me i still get the CreateProcess(FF8.exe) returned an error Problem!!.
Ive tried doing everything youve said, and it still isnt working!
Deerly appreciates an answer quickly!
/ Dani

magixts

  • *
  • Posts: 52
    • View Profile
This is not working for me!! Please help me i still get the CreateProcess(FF8.exe) returned an error Problem!!.
Ive tried doing everything youve said, and it still isnt working!
Deerly appreciates an answer quickly!
/ Dani
CreateProcess usually fail when the path to the Final Fantasy VIII installation directory in the registry is incorrect or the ff8.exe is not located in the installation directory. Ossott explained how to fix this problem two posts up. I've quoted the post below:

The path in your registry to your FF8.exe isnt 100% accurate according to the program.

Try starting it from start->RUN

So, lets say the launcher is in C:\FF8\GAME\ and so is your FF8.exe

you'd put this in the run dialog

C:\FF8\GAME\ff8_launcher.exe C:\FF8\GAME\FF8.EXE

Then hit play and it should work okay. You can also create a shortcut to the launcher, then right click the shortcut, select properities. In the 'Target' just make a space at the end, then add yoru C:\path\to\ff8.exe

If this does not solve the problem you're having then you need to supply more information for us to be able to help you. The error message/number returned by CreateProcess, your OS (WinXP/Vista etc.) and the steps you have taken to install FF8, additional patches and the launcher itself.

Danitheman

  • Guest
Yes, i read and did exactly what Ossott said, yet it didnt work.
It was start->RUN then type in the directory for FF8.exe and the one for FF8 Launcher.exe right? if so i typed in both at the same time, and clicked ok. the same issue came up saying CreateProcess(FF8.exe) returned an error....
ERROR CODE: 740.
I tried downloading that eax.dll again placing it inside of the FINAL FANTASY VIII folder, but it still didnt work.
I tried running both the cracks that he posted aswell, didnt even work to patch with them, it said ''Patching FF8..............File access error!''
i even went into the adminstration for each file and made it so that it has full access, still didnt work.
I dont know what to do further more, and i hope this helps conclude ur decision.
/ Sincerely, Dani.

Oh and my computer details are: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH
                                              Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHz
                                              2046 MB RAM Memory
                                              My Systemtype is 32-Bits.
/ Dani
« Last Edit: 2008-01-04 11:02:19 by Danitheman »

magixts

  • *
  • Posts: 52
    • View Profile
Yes, i read and did exactly what Ossott said, yet it didnt work.
It was start->RUN then type in the directory for FF8.exe and the one for FF8 Launcher.exe right? if so i typed in both at the same time, and clicked ok. the same issue came up saying CreateProcess(FF8.exe) returned an error....
ERROR CODE: 740.
I tried downloading that eax.dll again placing it inside of the FINAL FANTASY VIII folder, but it still didnt work.
I tried running both the cracks that he posted aswell, didnt even work to patch with them, it said ''Patching FF8..............File access error!''
i even went into the adminstration for each file and made it so that it has full access, still didnt work.
I dont know what to do further more, and i hope this helps conclude ur decision.
/ Sincerely, Dani.

Oh and my computer details are: Fujitsu Siemens Computers GmbH
                                              Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHz
                                              2046 MB RAM Memory
                                              My Systemtype is 32-Bits.
/ Dani

Error code 740 = ERROR_ELEVATION_REQUIRED. Basically this means that the launcher process does not have the privileges to create a new process (ff8.exe). If right-clicking and choosing “Run as administrator” does not work then you might try to turn off UAC temporarily or running the launcher from another account that has limited/full administrative privileges (could be needed if you're not on an administrative account which may be the case for example if the computer came preinstalled with Vista).

I have no idea why this would be required though, the testing I have performed under Vista x86 has been with default security settings (UAC enabled, limited administrative account etc.) and I’ve had no problem with process elevation.

I don’t have a lot of experience with Vista so maybe someone else can help you out if neither of what I suggested work or if you have already tried it.
« Last Edit: 2008-01-04 13:23:23 by magixts »

Danitheman

  • Guest
Oh, alright so it worked when i clicked ''run as adminstrator'', however now i get the ''Please insert disc 1'' Error.
Ive tried doing the regedit way, by putting in where ive mounted the image file, but it still says that.
If this has anything to do with the crack then i dont know, because the crack gives me the ''Patching FF8.......File access Error''.
/ Dani

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
Copy the files over (FIELD.*, DISK1* DISK2*,etc..) to the directory your ff8.exe is in.

Then scroll up a ways, to one of my previous posts, and you'll see I posted a link to a archive with a fully cracked geforce and non geforce ff8.exe & bwink*.dll's. Both work absolutely fine with the Launcher.

(also to note, regardless of what another poster said, the FMVs will play fine as well)
« Last Edit: 2008-01-04 15:07:04 by Ossott »

Danitheman

  • Guest
I did exactly what you said, yet when i press the A button for patching [ive tried other keys], the crack program just automatically shuts down.
Hopefully you'll understand what i mean now
/ Dani

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
I scrolled up.. for you

[Link removed] <- Don't include no-cd cracks  :evil:

Just overwite your .exe and .dll with the ones in that archive. They're *already* cracked. The patch you're using is flaky.
« Last Edit: 2008-01-06 14:48:15 by The SaiNt »

Danitheman

  • Guest
Oh.. Finally it worked.
Thank you Ossott, Magixts, i really appreciate all youve done.
Sincere apologies if i wasted your time, and once more, thank you.
/ Dani.

Ossott

  • *
  • Posts: 18
    • View Profile
np bro. Now you get to have the game crash every time it knows there's no save point within an hour. I played through the bridge/escape-from-prison part 6x today before finally getting past it and saving. :(

little-hollow

  • *
  • Posts: 17
    • View Profile
i cant get the launcher to start its just come up with an error msg that says "the application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling may fix the problem". i got one of the earlier version to work a while ago but i dont have a copy of it now.

magixts

  • *
  • Posts: 52
    • View Profile
i cant get the launcher to start its just come up with an error msg that says "the application has failed to start because the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling may fix the problem". i got one of the earlier version to work a while ago but i dont have a copy of it now.
Install the Visual C++ 2008 Runtime Redistributable. There's a link in the first post of this thread.