Fallout 2

[capers]

adjusted fix for Win 7

Sarael's fix was a great start for me. Explorer was definitely the problem, but the bat file example would 1st kill explorer, 2nd start fallout, 3rd start explorer and go back to my desktop. From there I would see the fallout program was running in the task bar, but explorer re-started already so there was the psychedelic crap again. I did one fix for it to work correctly and a second fix for aesthetic reasons. I'll discuss this in a way that anybody can handle it.

First, open notepad and copy and paste this text:

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
fallout2.exe
pause
start explorer.exe

Save it as fallout2.bat and make sure under the "save as type" selection to pick "all files" and not text. Save it in the same folder where fallout2.exe is located. Set a shortcut on the desktop or wherever to this file. That way you can change the icon and avoid having to look at ugly.

explanation:

taskkill - kill task, kind of obvious

/f forces the program to quite because explorer.exe is a persistent *******.

/im specifies what image name you are trying to kill (in this case explorer.exe)

fallout2.exe - run what ever execs you want.

The pause requires that you press any key before executing the next command. Thus, no restarting of explorer until you have ended your fallout session.

You don't need "start" in from of executables to run them, but if you want the command window to auto close after running it, you'll need to put "start" in front of any programs that will remain open after the batch file is finished.

There are other reasons why you need to save it in the same folder than just shortcut beautification. When I used the correct file path and tried to execute the bat file from the desktop I got an error stating that the fonts wouldn't load. There is a workaround for this easily available on the web, but who cares, my way is cleaner and faster.

This method will work for any old games that are having similar issues. Sarael mentioned Starcraft for example. A lot of hardcore gamers also shut explorer down along with any other unnecessary tasks before graphics intensive games.

 

[Jandrus]

Another fix thats simpler

Create the following .bat file, the instructions are all over this thread.

taskkill /f /im explorer.exe
pause
start explorer.exe

Make the icon on your desktop, run whatever game you want running, tab out, run the bat, tab back in. Runs great, and you don't need to make new bat files for every game with the rainbow issue.

 

[killaman0]

Thank you VERY MUCH

Everyone stop what you are doing, shut up, and let me share with you what I just learned!!!

You have to make a simple .bat file to CLOSE WINDOWS EXPLORER because the task bar in will try to push through the video codecs and such in a lot of older games, and 90% of the time, the game doesn't like this!

This is the one I used for Starcraft: Brood Wars 1.16.1 -

taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
C:\"Program Files (x86)\StarCraft"\"StarCraft.exe"
start explorer.exe

So for my Fallout 2 install, it looks like -

taskkill /f /IM explorer.exe
C:\"Program Files (x86)\BlackIsle"\"Fallout2"\"FALLOUT2.exe"
start explorer.exe

(Mind you I'm using Windows 7 x64 Home Premium, 2.2Ghz Dual Core, 4GB RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce G210M video card)

To make a Batch File (.bat), simply open Notepad and paste EXACTLY what I've given you into it, then go to "Save As". Change the "Save As Type" from "Text Document (*.txt)" to "All Files", name the file something like "Fallout 2 Explorer Kill", then save the file to your desktop. Double click it, play your game, and ENJOY!

Hope this saves many people hours of searching every forum at the end of the internet for a fix, at least to these two games! All other things that you've changed in compatibility tabs and graphics card menus should be able to be put back to a default or desired setting.

This worked awesomely. Thank you very much.
One thing to add. The .bat file that you make has to be placed in the root directory of the game and then make a shortcut of the .bat file and place it on your desktop. Then double click the shortcut and it runs great.
THANKS AGAIN.

 

[Polginization]

Or in case anyone who really doesn't want to make a whole bunch of .bat files you can just push Control+alt+delete and load up your task manager. then go to processes, then find explorer.exe (probably near the top most likely) end that process. (note that you will have to load to process up back again once you have finished playing your game to return windows back to normal) it should remove the task bar and the background icons (not hurting them just removing them from your sight) after that click file on task manager and go to run and find your Fallout 2 application file and run it. should load up the game!!! here is a simpler version of what i just said

1. open task manager
2. close explorer.exe in process window
3. go to file and run game application
4. play game and when done reload process explorer.exe by putting explorer.exe in the run window
there now go have some fun!!!

 

[misterS]

Everyone, there is a much easier way of doing this:
There's a mod for editing the resolution of the game (must be version 1.02 or higher)

Simply download the zip file: No Mutants Allowed :: Files
Extract it on a folder of desktop.
Read the f2_res_README and follow the prompts.

If you have followed directions properly, you should adjust the bit depth of the game from 6bit to 32bit.
This fixes the problem with incorrect colors, as stated by OP.

Please feel free to PM me if you have any troubles.

 

[DavePDX]

misterS, thank you so much! I installed Fallout Trilogy before and I was not able to play FO2 (the reason for purchasing the Trilogy) at all because of color corruption. Now I can enjoy this classic! Thanks again!

 

[misterS]

You are most welcome mate!
I know EXACTLY how good it feels to get that game going after so long.

If anyone wants a leg up in the game (10 for agility, int, per, etc) I have a modified game file (that for the life of me I don't know where I found), please feel free to contact me.

Happy Gaming

 

[Retroidz]

Well after toying around with it for while I finally got it to work last night. Recently I bought the Fallout Trilogy and noticed that the only two games that didn't have the rainbow graphics glitch were the HD version of Fallout 1 and Tactics. So after playing with the f1_res.ini I was able to fix it by changing the main section to this:
[MAIN]
##################################################################################################################

# if AUTO_SCRN_SIZE = 0 - Screen Width and Height are set with SCR_WIDTH & SCR_HEIGHT.
# if AUTO_SCRN_SIZE = 1 - Screen Width and Height are set to current desktop resolution.
AUTO_SCRN_SIZE = 0

#Set the screen resolution here
SCR_WIDTH = 640
SCR_HEIGHT = 480


#Set the number of colours here
# 8 for 8bit(original)
# 16 for 16bit colour(loading screens don't show in this mode)
COLOUR_BITS = 16
...

Worked perfectly on my Win 7 Ultimate 64 bit! I was downloading and tinkering with patches for hours that I found scaterred online, stumbled upon your post and got it to work in seconds. Thanks Yoast

 

[CRevenant]

Sarael's post works great, thanks!!

 

[sarael]

I am very glad that this worked for many of you or at least pointed you in the right direction.

Just felt that I'd mention that if you download and install that "Restoration Project" from No Mutants Allowed - Your Post Nuclear News Center! that it fixes the problem as well.

After you do a clean install of Fallout 2 V 1.02d and install the Restoration Project to the install directory, you can start the game and go into the "Options" button on the main screen after the intro videos. From there, at the top, there should be a new button I believe called "sFall" and you can play with your resolution and bit depth options in there! Been using in on a brand new computer and works fine.

Of course, you can just still with the tried and true Task Manager to open or close explorer.exe!

 

[jonnywonder]

Fallout 2 non workaround fix

Well I have to say most of the suggestions here are not bad but to quote Mr. Wolfe: "let's not start suckin' each others d*cks quite yet."

Here is the non work around that will fix the rainbow color issue as well as the 100%CPU issue in windows 7 (32 bit) for Fallout 2.


Assuming you have fallout 1.02+ and have killapps patch installed and assuming you haven't messed with the compatability setting. heres what y'all need to know......

Open the ddraw.ini file located in the fallout 2 directory. change graphics mode to 4 (this enables DX9 instead of default 8bit) if you have a huge screen then make it 5 for windowed mode.

Change globalshadermode to 3 (this takes some of the load off the CPU and reroutes it to the GPU.

Way further down you will find :

Set to 1 for force fallout not to use multiple processor cores even if they are available
SingleCore=1

Ok heres where it gets interesting. if you have a dual or quad core then you can keep this setting because theres no need to have all cores going when one is more than enough.(enabling all cores does not even out the CPU load or make the game run any better but will create more heat and stress on the CPU and actually could make it run slower if it got hot enough.

But this is where it really gets interesting.

If you have a netbook with a single core Atom CPU N455 and up you need to change the setting to SingleCore=2 The reason for this is that the GPU has a smaller dedicated core built into the Atom and most programs see it as a dual core even though it is not. Its odd I know but this frees up some CPU power when properly used.

No need to create .bat files and no need to open the screen resolution window to play fallout 2.


As far as the other settings go in that file, DONT BOTHER. If you try to match the screen resolution to your 1024x600 native, it won't look good either. its really odd but it has to stay at the default 640x480, and when the game starts up its much crisper. Don't quite get why that is but it all works quite well in the end.