LEGO Rock Raiders The wonderful Windows 8

[Fush]

Note the heavy sarcasm in the title.

Anyway, as many of you may know I recently got a new PC for Christmas (the new PC's name is AM the old one is named HAL. I will hereafter refer to them by these names.)

Anyway, I've been wanting to install Rock Raiders onto AM and today decided to do so. Installation went fine, until i tried to run the game, then I got the classic "d3drm.dll not found" error. No biggie, had the same error on HAL, so I just pulled the file off of HAL and put it in the rockraiders directory. Now the game runs., but very, very slowly. I'm lagging out my ears over here. Which should nopt be the case considering AM has a better processor and twice as much RAM as HAL did. I don't know where this lag is coming from, or how to make it go away. I did not make any changes to the game other than putting d3drm.dll in the game's folder.

AM runs windows 8, and I'm thinking that may be the source of the issue (HAL ran vista). I don't know for sure though.

EDIT: I just tried playing a level. Turns out I have bigger problems than just lag......

^THIS^ happens everytima tooltip pops up or when I click and drag (as seen here). Yeah....

[GordonFreeman]

The easiest solution to this problem is not to use Windows 8.

[Fush]

The easiest solution to this problem is not to use Windows 8.

Hardy har, you're hilarious. Here, let me go install windows 98 on my computer for the sake of running a single old game.

Windows 8 may not be perfect, but despite what everyone seems to say it's not the bane of existance either, and for the most part, it's actually a pretty decent OS. Having an old program with compatibility issues is not a reason to ditch it entirely. (newsflash: most old programs have compatibility issues. SHOCKING!)

And even if I wanted to, installing another OS is not an option. 8 is all I have.

So, yeah, no. I would like serious responses, please?

[shinyquagsire23]

 

The easiest solution to this problem is not to use Windows 8.

Hardy har, you're hilarious. Here, let me go install windows 98 on my computer for the sake of running a single old game.

Windows 8 may not be perfect, but despite what everyone seems to say it's not the bane of existance either, and for the most part, it's actually a pretty decent OS. Having an old program with compatibility issues is not a reason to ditch it entirely. (newsflash: most old programs have compatibility issues. SHOCKING!)

And even if I wanted to, installing another OS is not an option. 8 is all I have.

So, yeah, no. I would like serious responses, please?

 

You could try installing Win98 or similar in Virtualbox and run it from there. That way you can keep your Windoze 8 and have the game work perfectly. Also, Windows 8 is horrible if you're trying to actually get work done. Can't stand it so I run Linux and dual boot Windows 7 to play a few games and programs (Boishock, Source Filmmaker, LEGO LOCO). But I doubt that will change your mind so just go ahead and give the virtual machine a try and let us know how it works. I'm slightly unsure because Virtualbox doesn't usually support hardware acceleration (aka 3D graphics at a decent speed), so you might have to use VMWare.

[le717]

You could try installing Win98 or similar in Virtualbox and run it from there. That way you can keep your Windoze 8 and have the game work perfectly.

And even if I wanted to, installing another OS is not an option. 8 is all I have.

Also, Windows 8 is horrible if you're trying to actually get work done. Can't stand it so I run Linux and dual boot Windows 7 to play a few games and programs (Boishock, Source Filmmaker, LEGO LOCO).

Have you actually used Windows 8? I've had it for about a year (preloaded on my laptop), and this whole "it's bad for getting actual work done" is wrong. I actually was able to install a Windows 7 dual-boot on my machine, and I rarely boot into it. Windows 8.x is a good OS, and it is not near as bad as it some claim.

 

But I doubt that will change your mind so just go ahead and give the virtual machine a try and let us know how it works. I'm slightly unsure because Virtualbox doesn't usually support hardware acceleration (aka 3D graphics at a decent speed), so you might have to use VMWare.

Now where is MrEightThreeOne's virtual machine comparison rant? Pretty much none of the VMs can run Rock Raiders, and WINE is even worse.

I'd love to help, Fush, but I have barely got LRR running on Win8 either. Have you tried the methods in the >FAQ, using >Cafeteria, or running it in windowed mode (although the topic has gone missing...)?

[TheDoctor]

How to fix Windows 8

• Quit bitching.
• Install Classic Shell
• ???
• Bitching is now invalid.

[Fush]

Have you actually used Windows 8? I've had it for about a year (preloaded on my laptop), and this whole "it's bad for getting actual work done" is wrong. I actually was able to install a Windows 7 dual-boot on my machine, and I rarely boot into it. Windows 8.x is a good OS, and it is not near as bad as it some claim.

Finally someone talking snes*. I don't get ll the hate thrown about about Win8- Yeah, it's made with tablets and touchscreens in mind making it a little clunky to use on a traditional PC, but that's it. I have not had any issues with it other than, well, this, and frankly a lot of the features are welcome additions.

*I meant "sense." was a typo, but it amused me so I kept it.

I'd love to help, Fush, but I have barely got LRR running on Win8 either

Dang, that sucks. :c

Have you tried the methods in the FAQ

N ot yet, but will do ASAP. Thanks for linking that.

using Cafeteria

I tried using cafeteria before on HAL, could never figure out how to work it. I'll give it another shot if nothing else works.

running it in windowed mode

Did try this, but requires changing the display to 16 bit and haven't gotten around to finding the menu for that in win8.

How to fix Windows 8 Quit bitching. Install Classic Shell ??? Bitching is now invalid.

I fail to see how that solves anything. From what I can tell from reading the site, this looks like a simple fix for people who can't adapt to win8's interface,and does not seem to make any significant changes to the OS itself that would affect, say, compatibility with older programs.

Anyway, thank you Le for being the only helpful reply so far.

[Mr. Eight-Three-One]

Windows 8 is really weird with old games, this isn't the only one to have this issue. Other LEGO games of this era run at the wrong frame rate on Windows 8 as well, such as Racers and Stunt Rally. I remember this working for me -- '?do=embed' frameborder='0' data-embedContent>>

Also, as for the color depth -- Windows 8 is locked into 32-bit color. You can set a program to run in reduced color mode on the compatibility tab, but that doesn't actually make it that depth, it just emulates it (and quite poorly, I might add. If the game required 256 colors, just forget it).

[Cyrem]

Run it in windowed mode. Problem solved.

 

 

Seriously. It's worked on W8 every time.

[Fush]

Got it running now. I can't set my computer to run in 16 bit color, but there was an option in the compatibility settings to emulate it (as Mr. 831 said), and selecting that allowed me to run the game in windowed mode, and now it works.

Case closed, end thread.

[Brickulator]

The only compatibility problem I've ever had with windows 8 is fraps. Everything else has worked flawlessly but I don't think I've tried Rock Raiders. Windows's backwards compatibility is so much better now than it used to be, the issues I had with pretty much every lego game back when I first tried them on XP were ridiculous

[Mr. Eight-Three-One]

Really? Have you not tried LEGO Island, Island 2, Stunt Rally, or Racers? None of those run at the right frame rate for me, 30 FPS or lower for all of them. Heck, even WINDOWS PINBALL runs at the wrong frame rate. Also, it's funny you bring up XP being "terrible" at backwards compatibility, I restored my old XP machine for the sheer purpose of running older games because Windows 8 is so awful at it. And as far as I know, the only game that runs on 8 but not XP is Alpha Team, but the amount for the other way around outnumbers that considerably. Especially considering XP is not locked into 32-bit color.

[PWNZOR]

Looks remarkably similar to my past attempt to run LRR in WINE

 

[Rokreder]

I've had a few issues with win7 even. Fullscreen works no problem, windowed not so much. 

I have a habit of tabbing between programs and RR for one handles that really bad. It crashed. (what did you expect?)

 

I am wondering how you guys manage to record gameplay? Exit the program when you need to change a setting and restart the game again?

 

EDIT: Wanted to test out recording, but it turns out I can't get past the launch options screen without crashing. A screen, I should add, I never saw before. 

[Brickulator]

Really? Have you not tried LEGO Island, Island 2, Stunt Rally, or Racers?

I've tried Island, Island 2 and Racers but I don't think I've tried Stunt Rally. But out of those 3, none of them ever worked properly on XP. They were always glitchy and broken and horrible. Windows 8 runs all 3 perfectly every time without doing anything with the compatibility settings. Now the only time any of those games is broken is after I've done one of my modding experiments. Switching from 98 to XP rendered most of my lego games largely unplayable, now they all work fine. So I don't know why you've had these issues D:

[LimeKiller]

Does anyone know what's up with Windows 8 and windowed mode? I have three older games that run at a low frame rate on Windows 8: Stunt Rally, Midtown Madness, and Shrine Circus Tycoon ( Haven't tried Rock Raiders yet.) In all of these games, either running in windowed mode or minimizing the game and coming back to it will make it run at a smooth frame rate. Unfortunately, in Circus Tycoon and Stunt Rally, doing that really screws up the graphics, and in Midtown Madness, it completely crashes the game. But why is that? It seems to be consistent for a good number of old games on Windows 8; alt-tabbing out and back in or running in windowed mode fixes the frame rate. I guess it's just another quirk to Windows 8 we have to deal with.

[Rokreder]

 

I've tried Island, Island 2 and Racers but I don't think I've tried Stunt Rally. But out of those 3, none of them ever worked properly on XP. 

Funny you should say that, because I never had problems with them on XP... (Stunt rally might have been on 98. I'll start the old system when I have time just to check.)

[Cirevam]

 

I am wondering how you guys manage to record gameplay? Exit the program when you need to change a setting and restart the game again?

 

EDIT: Wanted to test out recording, but it turns out I can't get past the launch options screen without crashing. A screen, I should add, I never saw before. 

 

I use Fraps on Windows 7 while running LRR in fullscreen mode. It works great. I always make a test recording before doing a full session so I can see if my volume is correct and if audio is being properly recorded.

[Fush]

Okay, so the game runs now.

However, it has been consistently crashing halfway through Frozen Frenzy.

Everything works fine in the first cavern. I drill all of the drillable walls, collect all the materials, build myself a small base. Then when I uncover the second cavern to collect more crystals, it runs for a bit then crashes. It's always just a little bit after uncovering the second cavern- i can play for as long as I want in the first one and nothing happens. But, without fail, I will crash soon as I start to explore cavern #2. I don't know if it's the size of the map or what. I can probably finish the level using dynamite, but I like building a kickass base on FF and want my chrome crusher >:C Whatever.

[mreardon]

It is crazy to me that there are still people playing this! I have W8 and had the exact same problem. Honesty moment, it's really inspiring that there are people who take the time to figure out these glitches and post their help for no compensation. Thank you so much, now I can finally win the game I never could as a child. AVIs don't work on W8 though.

[Zephyria]

Fun Fact: LRR is the only old game (Older than 2k) I've seen that doesn't work flawlessley on windows 8. All the classic Fallouts, Diablo, Starcraft, Daggerfall and Arena (under DOSBOX) they all work absolutely flawlessley.