Diablo 2 + LoD Tutorial

[doh224]

UPDATE: With newer Wine versions running Diablo 2 + LoD on linux is much more simpler, here is how I do it...

Requirements

• Wine 0.9.39 ( Website here )
• Working OpenGL drivers (Nvidia/Ati)
• Diablo 2 and/or LoD (I used a pirate copy, but hey I have my original cd keys)
• Latest LoD or Diablo 2 patch (1.11b)
• D2Loader for 1.11b (Website here)

Step 1

1. Put the INSTALL cd and run the "INSTALL.EXE". (It's a good idea to choose FULL INSTALL)
   Problem 1: A very common problem here is that the progress window blocks the CD swap dialog so you think that it doesn't install anything. A quick fix is to selecet "Emulate a virtual desktop" from winecfg.
   Problem 2: Here you may have an other little problem. If you run "INSTALL.EXE" form a bash command when the setup asks for you to change the disc, you won't be able to eject it because bash is making the cdrom busy. Here there is 2 solutions. Weather you type "wine eject" in the console or you just run "INSTALL.EXE" by double clicking it and choosing "wine" as the appropriate application.
2. (Optional) Now that the setup is over you put the expansion disc (LoD) and install it just like before.
3. Copy all the missing *.mpq files from cds to your Diablo 2 directory.
4. Apply the latest patches according to your install. (Use just one patch, Diablo 2 or LoD)
   Problem 3: Patch should work flawlessly but if you're using a pirate copy, after upgrade, it will ask for the expansion cd no matter what you put in. Don't worry, just hit the cancel to complete the upgrade process. (It may say that patching is unsuccessful. It's not important)
5. Unzip the D2Loader to the Diablo 2 directory.

Step 2

1. Run "D2VidTst.exe". It will find the installed drivers. Choose Direct 3D.
2. Run "winecfg" and create a new application profile.
   
   • Add Application -> Choose "D2Loader-1.11b.exe"
   • Windows Version -> Windows 2000 or Windows XP
   • Audio -> Select just ALSA
   • Graphics -> Unselect "Allow the window manager to control the windows"
     We do that to be able to press Alt/Shift and mouse buttons at the same time while playing. It's a must-do for Diablo
   • Leave anything else unchanged (I assume you already set the "Drives" properly)
3. Run "D2Loader-1.11b.exe" and enjoy
   Problem 4: You may get an error while connecting BNET saying that your exe is unrecognized. It's simply because you run it from outside of Diablo 2 directory directory.
   Here is how my desktop entry looks...
   

   [Desktop Entry]
   Version=1.0
   Encoding=UTF-8
   Name=Diablo II - Lord of Destruction
   Exec=env WINEPREFIX="/home/cosku/.wine" wine "C:\\Program Files\\Diablo II\\D2Loader-1.11b.exe" -sleepy -skiptobnet
   Type=Application
   Path=/home/cosku/.wine/dosdevices/c:/Program Files/Diablo II
   Icon=/home/cosku/.wine/drive_c/Program Files/Diablo II/d2x.ico
   GenericName[en_US]=

mine still ask for the cd....?? and it won't run :S ?

[AZzKikR]

Any performance suggestions?

I found a solution myself. After the installation of 1.11 patch, I got the option to select Direct2D instead of Direct3D after running DVidTest.exe. This really boosted the performance of the game.

[cb951303]

mine still ask for the cd....?? and it won't run :S ?

i beieve it has something to do with cd copy protection. (asssuming that you use pirate copies) Just download an other diablo/lod image and burn new cds...
Also you could try to prepare isos from your current cds and mount them whenever installer asks you...

[cb951303]

I found a solution myself. After the installation of 1.11 patch, I got the option to select Direct2D instead of Direct3D after running DVidTest.exe. This really boosted the performance of the game.

what's your graphics card?

[AZzKikR]

what's your graphics card?

I have an ATi Radeon X800/850. UT2K4 runs perfectly on it

[Copter]

I found a solution myself. After the installation of 1.11 patch, I got the option to select Direct2D instead of Direct3D after running DVidTest.exe. This really boosted the performance of the game.

Hmm... in my case it was different. 3D mode (w/o perspective) gives me little better performance than 2D. Im using Xubuntu 6.10 with Intel 855 graphics chip, wine 0.9.40. As for my tips - it is safer to run D2VidTst.exe with virutal desktop enabled in my case at 1024x768. Other way it crashes.

Btw. running in windowed mode wine Diablo\ II.exe -w also saves me from some random crashes.

copter :]

[cb951303]

I have an ATi Radeon X800/850. UT2K4 runs perfectly on it

You might try the glide wrapper for Diablo II, it works perfectly with wine. Just do a google search for the diablo II glide wrapper then extract all the files (DLL files) to Daiblo II dir and rerun D2 video test. Then choose Glide (not D2D nor D3D).
D2D just dosn't feel right

[AZzKikR]

You might try the glide wrapper for Diablo II, it works perfectly with wine. Just do a google search for the diablo II glide wrapper then extract all the files (DLL files) to Daiblo II dir and rerun D2 video test. Then choose Glide (not D2D nor D3D).
D2D just dosn't feel right

Honestly, I've tried the Glide wrapper first before posting. Installation went all good and stuff, but the game just got locked up. Only survival was kill -9 or kill -HUP

D2D for me it is!

[Gauss1777]

After some trouble I have this game working thanks this thread.

I decided to post here a problem, just if someone ran through something similar before.

I have tried an option to run the game adding: -opengl at the end, like:
$ wine Diablo\ II.exe -opengl

It happens that the game runs great! faster! and with better 3D quality! but!!!! the floor always looks blocky, the render is not perfect, anyway to fix it?

I have tried the latest version of wine 0.9.41, gildewrapper for Diablo II, I have changed Direct3D options through winecfg, trying always swapping between Direct3D and Glide rendering with D2vidtst.exe, no success. I wish I can simple fix that blocky floor, the game is faster but is not fun with such mess in the floor.

I haven't tried to change my video drivers, since I know it's just trouble to make direct rendering to work with my video chipset: Ati mobility IGP 320M. I have direct rendering active and Quake 3 runs fine.

BTW, the sound is choppy sometimes with some lag, that doesn't seem to be a problem of the game or the connection, in Windows everything is fine. I think is a problem with the audio support with wine, but is there something possible to do for a better performance in Wine?

I'm running Ubuntu Feisty.

[don durito]

hi,

have some serious problems installing diablo 2 cause it just won't install.

i can start the diablo 2 setup selcet full intallation insert my cd key and then the installation taskbar freezes. And even worse is that the install shield is always shown on everyone of my 4 desktops.

don't know what i am doing wrong so please help

heres my wine output (i am using wine 0.9.41)

peter@peter-think:~$ wine /media/cdrom/INSTALL.EXE 
fixme:wave:ALSA_AddCaptureDevice Add support for DSCapture
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:d3d:IWineD3DDeviceImpl_GetAvailableTextureMem (0x1dc0020) : stub, simulating 64MB for now, returning 64MB left
fixme:ddraw:IDirectDrawImpl_SetCooperativeLevel (0x1b7178)->(0x10026,00000013)
fixme:xrandr:X11DRV_XRandR_SetCurrentMode Cannot change screen BPP from 16 to 32
fixme:dsalsa:SetFormat Your alsa dmix period size is 1024, try decreasing it to 512 if possible
fixme:ddraw:IDirectDrawImpl_SetCooperativeLevel (0x1b7178)->((nil),00000008)
fixme:d3d:IWineD3DStateBlockImpl_Release Releasing primary stateblock
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:wave:wodPlayer_Reset shouldn't have headers left
fixme:wave:wodPlayer_Reset shouldn't have headers left
fixme:wave:wodPlayer_Reset shouldn't have headers left
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy
fixme:bitblt:X11DRV_ClientSideDIBCopy potential optimization: client-side color-index mode DIB copy

but the single player installation seems to work. don't know what the problem is