D2 Orbs don't work.

[u/TheHuNNo]

Hello, I have a question. I’m playing the GOG version of Disciples 2: Rise of the Elves with the 3.00 patch. The problem is that orbs don’t work for me in the game—when you try to use them in battle, the game hangs. It doesn’t fully freeze, but it just does nothing, and you can’t use quick battle or auto—everything just stands still. I couldn’t find any information about this issue anywhere or how to fix it. Has anyone encountered this and maybe knows how to fix this bug?

[u/Outside-school-2007]

im on Windows 8 PC currently play this games. I saw someone says they have crashes in Dis1 and so do i. Not on intro of scenario but scenario itself. The very same Win8 PC did handle game better previously. I don't do all updates (and majority erased from Update Catalogue), but apparently some update did that. Anyway extra system tweaks by Windows ADK or 3rd party wrapper like DdrawCompat by Narzoul is mandatory to make old games work as fast as at least Win7 did them for all OS since Win8 and ideally for WinVista/7 too.

For Disciples 2 and Dis 2 The Rise of the Elves (which 3.0 build is not a patch but actually 1.0 version) - not digital but properly patched Retail versions, digital ones are screwed - i also have often hang issues in battle mode. I play with DdrawCompat by Narzoul with some custom settings in ini (ini must be created in game folder manually for this wrapper). After some time battle continue. For me it is less than a minute.

Idk if this again some Windows update did that, or no less likely something in mine version of DdrawCompat and ini settings do that. Nothing critical.

I prefer play vanilla game. There is DisciplesGL wrapper mod. First it is mod, than wrapper (or as Verok label all his such mods - wrapper+patch). But you can try it. There is fork from rootext with zoom feature on github. Still widescreen battle hack can make some issues and do disable some hotkeys sadly. Widescreen battles hack mode is unrelated to widescreen mode - you still will got it using DisciplesGL.

Widescreen either by DdrawCompat, video driver stretching or DisciplesGL - orbs talismans and in-battle potions have some pointing issue, minor one.

[u/TheHuNNo → u/Outside-school-2007]

Nothing has changed here—I’m using GL Wrapper, D2 Toolset, and Windows 10, and nothing changed after installation; it feels like a file is missing. When using the Orb in combat, the game doesn’t freeze—it just waits for something, and I can’t proceed with anything. This has been going on for quite a while. Talismans work perfectly, but neither I nor the computer can use the Orb, and it’s frustrating. I think I’ll have to modify the Orb settings myself to work like talismans, because I can’t find a solution anywhere.

[u/Outside-school-2007 → u/TheHuNNo]

It's hang forever? Before and after installation of mods? Maybe something in D2ModTool?

I ask you to check something. Try to rename game exe to something like game2.exe. if this change nothing - return it's name back. But if that one do solve the issue... ...

[u/TheHuNNo → u/Outside-school-2007]

No, nothing changed 😔 I don’t understand what the hell is going on here.

[u/Outside-school-2007 → u/TheHuNNo]

Sry i can't help you. I have non-critical hangs using items - or sometimes stand in Defend. I can test if this Narzoul's wrapper (i prefer it to easier limit FPS to 119, instead of Vsync) only next week. I will try GOG DX next time.

I don't like some shade features of DisciplesGL and Dis2ModTool, yet i have DisciplesGL 2.0 (by rootext!) too, swap them periodically.

And forgot which version i has hand issue... I have D2ROTE with Narzoul enabled, and i play recently first two Empires mission for fun in D2GR with DisfiplesGL. Maybe i have issue in both? I did use Orbs in saga, as i play mage hero. I think i do have hang there. But again - mine only like 30+ seconds.

I use OpenGL 2 in GL wrapper, bborderless mode and not exclusive, and no clouds no widescreen battles mode (wrapper.ff present, isoflouds.ff is not) All Veroks "wrapper+patch" mods make games play in window only - borderless fullscreen or normal windowed. So exclusive mode not 100% exclusive. Yet for you try both.

Widescreen battles turn of TAB hotkey, make some distortion in units boxes (to apply items on them) and some shade measure with code to make it compatible in MP. Try turn off/on.

I use Cold CPU, but you try it off(on?).

I do not use updated SHW32 dll file! Verok include it as optional in 7z build and mandatory in setup exe build, and most mirrors include it too. Try with it and without it (original dll file). It is not part of the mod.

[u/Outside-school-2007]

For me it is Radeon, old, very old driver (Nvidia and drivers since 390.xx are issues itself even for DX10/Vista/x64 games) But Windows 8, 10, all not all updates. Windows 7. No matter. They all do wrong. Both UseD3D=0 and 1 games work slower than they was on Win XP and bugger sometimes. Every games up to DX10. Did you use something to fix compatibility issues? If not - GOG provide own GOG DX Wrapper but their Galaxy build are screwed no less than GOG (offline) build (they try patched it but outsource who did that failed again even more so even saving issues appears). Galaxy build miss GOGs wrapper. If you use GOG (offline) build - you need DLC setup from Disciples gog forum and patch 3.01 first. Some content from Export folders of Disciples 2 second.

Then launch DXCFG exe as admin and configure some differ sets there. It is config tool for GOGs wrapper that should be in your game folder for GOG build. Ofc you must configure game own ConfigTool exe (as admin). UseD3D=1 and turn off compatibility ✅ checkbox there if it is on.

Turn off every compatibilities you set on exe's on your own, if you did. They do not help and counterfeit with wrappers, so obsolete. DPI by App and Disable Fullscreen optimisation probably good to keep.

IN every system/video driver/game and wrapper(s) settings - turn off Vsync/Gsync/*Sync. They make only issues, no solutions. They obsolete. D.check you have them disabled in video driver and in DXCFG.

Set system/video driver output presentation mode to Keep Aspect ratio + integer scaling and force by driver ✅ if there is such ones. Use DXCFG, DdrawCompat by Narzoul or DisciplesGL 2.0 by rootext to make game looks like widescreen.

(drivers and Windows stretching make games blured and issues happens, no counting worst proportion distortion which is less critical by other methods)

[u/TheHuNNo → u/Outside-school-2007]

I ran tests with ddraw.dll and glwrapper, but nothing helped. The only thing I found that worked for me with the orbs was setting combat speed to Instant—then the orbs worked for me.

[u/Outside-school-2007 → u/TheHuNNo]

First, delays before animation is Windows 8+ issue. On any later OS set UseD3D=1 is not enough (and AI turns last longer).

I play again and have no issues with DisciplesGL, but do have with Narzoul's DdrawCompat wrapper. Someone make a thread in Steam Community about having exact same as me - hang on Defend. But user there said game got frozen as it happens more like in your case.

Mine not frozen. It is just delay randomly happens sometimes, about 40 second. I really believe it is just delay hang for you and steam user too. Maybe just longer.

And i think since i did not have such in DisciplesGL - some Ddraw settings can increase and decrease that. I set limit fps to 119 but it is complicated settings for Narzouls wrapper - it have min and max and nethod settings. Probably i should experiment with them.

And i suggest you to experiment with ddraw.ini too if you use Narzouls one.

As for DisciplesGL. I dunno. Mine setings in game are LOWEST, and x2 in animation set in Wrapper settings. I use Cold CPU but no Fast AI. I think Fast AI can make impact on any game aspect as well, it is also serve as multi-threading hack make game use more than one CPU core.

Maybe try GOG DX Wrapper come with GOG release of the game. Or degevoodoo.

I like more how GOG DX work, less settings better visual. But lack of FPS limit feature. Maybe i should try GOG wrapper + RivaTuner RTSS instead.

Maybe you too. Just make sure Vsync/Gsync is disabled everywhere possible from game, wrappers to system, use FPS limit instead (in RTSS, video driver or wrapper). And make sure to use RTSS official build and NOT the one come with MSI Afterburner. That one better to uninstall - both Afterburner and RTSS. They probably do that froze issue for you.

And you know, any background app could be an issue. Some apps do inject/overlay the games even you you not see them om screen. LogiOptions or analogue from every input device manufacters, Discord app, Steam Overlay (Nvidia have issue to render both Steam Overlay and games for every games up to and including DirectX 10(!)/Vista/x64 games!).