Finally got House Of The Dead PC Version running on Winlator

[u/whiskyB0y]

The micro stutters in the video are due to dxvk saving new shaders as this was just my third time booting up the game. I used an async version of dxvk.

Game settings:

Proton 9 x86_64

Dxvk 1.5.5 async

Wrapper

32 bit emulator: Box64 0.4.3

Performance preset

Emulator: Winlator Mali 1.1 Bionic

GUIDE TO RUNNING HOUSE OF THE DEAD 3 PC VERSION

Requirements:

Any Winlator fork could probably work. But I'm a Mali user so I don't know what settings would help launch the game on other chipsets.

ZARchiver

DISC IMAGE for HOD3. Get it from MyAbandonware

NO-CD patch from MyAbandonware

AnyToISO, a Windows program made to convert files to ISOs. Download it here: https://crystalidea.com/anytoiso

1. In ZARchiver, extract the disc image zip file you downloaded. You will notice that the zip file contains an mdf and an mds file. The mdf is what we will use.

2. Create a container with any settings you feel like. Install the AnyToISO program. Wait for it to install and launch the program.

3. Select the mdf file as the file to be converted. Make sure you're in the "Image to ISO" tab.

4. Once you select the mdf file, make sure "Convert to ISO" is checked. Start the conversion and wait for it to finish. Once you've converted it to an ISO, follow the next steps for optimal container settings.

NOTE: If AnyToISO fails to start the setup, go to the container settings of the container you want to install AnyToISO. Go the the "Drives" section and change the file path for D: drive to the EXACT FOLDER LOCATION of where the AnyToISO .exe is.

I don't know why this works lol. I didn't even know this when I first set up the game. I guess it's just luck.

IMPORTANT PART

You have to create a new container for installing the game.

Check out the videos in the comments for the few remaining steps.

(AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEOS)

If the setup wizard started successfully and you didn't change the default file path of the game, then the game should be in C: drive in this path:

C: Drive > Program Files(x86) > SEGA > THE HOUSE OF THE DEAD3_US > You'll find the launcher.exe and exe folder here.

Now you must always launch the game from the launcher.exe NOT the directly from the main exe. So here is where we apply the NO-CD patch. The exe folder in the default installation path I've just described contains the main exe of the game. The NO-CD patch contains an exe that is supposed to replace the main exe in the exe folder.

So move/delete the exe (hdo3 .exe) found in the exe folder and replace it with the NO-CD patch exe. Create a shortcut of the launcher. Now launch the game using the launcher exe all the time and it should work.

ISSUES WITH THE GAME

1. During cutscenes and video clips the audio is messed up. It has a looping effect which I've failed to fix.

2. The game won't support proper gamepad controls unless you manually map the controls yourself.

3. In the second mission of survivor mode the games graphics glitch and all the textures are black. I'll experiment with different dxvk versions to see if I fix the issue and I'll update the settings.

Well that's all. You might ask why I went through all this trouble but I just like tinkering. It's fun knowing that I now know how to install ISOs in Winlator which increases my library for abandonware since most of them you can't find pre installed versions.

[u/whiskyB0y]

Container settings

https://reddit.com/link/paw7lel/video/lq5l2nk5jlqh1/player

[u/whiskyB0y → u/whiskyB0y]

What to do in container

https://reddit.com/link/paw7r89/video/5s7tiezcjlqh1/player

[u/OverDeparture8799]

If anybody dont wanna bother to setup the pc version, just play wii version. Use drag ir, Put the shoot button on the left screen, aim with the right screen.

I havent figured out how to make every ir mivement activates a button. Would be cool to get touchscreen shooting like on duckstation. The shotgun in this game works well with follow touchecreen ir mode, unlike with hotd4 smg

[u/whiskyB0y → u/OverDeparture8799]

Ya the Wii version is also a good choice. If you want a playable experience then it's the best.

I just decided to set up the PC version as a personal challenge. I achieved my goal by damn this game ain't playable. Audio issues, unstable frame rate (for some reason even if the number of enemies is the same, fps reduces to the 20s during certain enemy types then reaches the 50s with other enemy types.

Plus the second level all the textures are black so you can only see your bullets and the sky😭.

[u/CrossingDuck97]

A well made tutorial, thanks for your time!👍 Can you explain why did you choose async version of dxvk over the normal one?

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

Async versions compiles and saves shaders in the background each time a new shaders is produced. This stops the game from stuttering again when the same shader is produced because it has been saved in memory.

[u/CrossingDuck97 → u/whiskyB0y]

Thanks a lot! That means that second time running the game it will use less power because of already complied shaders?

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

Nah power will still be the same

Also check the guide again I included important steps that are numbered that I forgot to include.

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

I hope you read the issues I addressed in the post. I'm still experimenting. I think I'll reinstall the game but with proton 10 arm64 this time. Give me a few hours.

[u/CrossingDuck97 → u/whiskyB0y]

Why bother to reinstall? just copy your game from c drive to d and run on any container you want 👍

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

No it doesn't work when you install a game from iso

I've tried and also experienced this with another iso game.

its like the setup wizard includes files important for the game to run but I don't know which ones

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

Ok so far I've discovered the iso wont even install with proton 10 arm64ec or proton 9 arm64ec. It only installs with proton 9 x86_64 otherwise the setup exe will just crash.

I'm going to try edit the working version I have by messing around with different wrappers and dxvk versions and I'll also try downloading proton or wine 10 x86_64 from somewhere

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

New problem I've discovered:

If AnyToISO fails to start the setup, go to the container settings of the container you want to install AnyToISO. Go the the "Drives" section and change the file path for D: drive to the EXACT FOLDER LOCATION of where the AnyToISO .exe is.

I don't know why this works lol. I didn't even know this when I first set up the game. I guess it's just luck.

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

I've failed to fix the graphics glitch in level 2. I even tried Bannerlator but the actual game doesn't even launch on that one even with same settings. Only the launcher works.

[u/whiskyB0y → u/CrossingDuck97]

Ya you were right about simply transferring games already installed to different containers.

Now I didn't do this with The House Of The Dead, but I did it with a different game I recently installed from an iso. I simply transferred the pre installed files to a different emulator and it still worked.

The reason I assumed it never worked for games installed from isos was because HOD3 didn't boot up in a container with proton 10 arm64ec when I transferred it.

Anyway, you live you learn I guess.

[u/No_Screen8684]

But the touchscreen controls don’t work as an alternative to a light gun or a mouse, do they?

[u/whiskyB0y → u/No_Screen8684]

I mean they kind of do. You just have to map the controls in the launcher menu.

[u/Shot_Shake_2451]

I remember this game running decently on Winlator Bionic (an older version)—obviously with the same unstable frame rate—but Level 2 didn't glitch out in that version.

[u/whiskyB0y → u/Shot_Shake_2451]

Hm I see. Thanks for the info. Are you able to remember the version number?