So i just unearthed my copy of BG, but on vista there are graphics problems (example: when i equip my helmet, a black box appears around my character in the Inventory screen), and more than once the game has crashed.

My question is: should i spend the $10 for the GoG version of the game (that is, does it fix these compatibility problems), or is there an easy fix that i can use to make the original version work properly?

PS: Ive tried putting the game in compatibility mode, but it just crashes it

PPS: I havent gone through the trouble of reading all the threads on the forum, so if my question has already been answered, just point the way :)

Thanks. Final question, though: Is it worth the $10 for the expansion (which i dont have)?

The expansion pack adds three large stand-alone missions, but doesn't add to the plot. It's needed if you plan on using BGT, though.

Durlag's tower is very cool, it's huge. And the higher XP cap is fun too. So I'd say, yes, especially with the added benefit of having a digital distribution. No messing around with those 5 discs anymore :)

im running win7 64bit with ati gpu 2gigs of ram and an intel DC cpu... the worst possible existance of a gaming pc imangable...

and it runs like a gazelle inside the predator enclosure! So happy im finally playign this... though i have no idea how and died when i tried to get the necromance to his city but SO much fun

Yep, if you don't own the expansion and still have the 5-CD version (I own a 4-DVD compilation containing BG1+2 plus the addons) i think it is worth it. Like it's already been said, you don't need to change CDs anymore then and the bonus content is a nice addition to the game. :)

I know i said that the issue is solved, but, when i quicksave, i get an error saying:
"An Assertion failed in D:\Dev\Baldur\InfGame.cpp at line number 5387", at which point the game crashes without having finished the save

This happened before and after the fix Grombart posted

Ps: saving normally works successfully
PPS: with the fix, the game encounters graphics issues unless it is run in window mode, in which map scrolling does not work

Hm... sounds like another problem then. For the graphics: Did you uncheck all the software rendering modes in the games graphics menu? With the fix applied and them all unchecked there shouldn't be any graphical glitches anymore...

As for the crashes i really have no idea. Did you install and run the game as an administrator? And did you install it to a custom path or the standard "program files" one?

Maybe you should just try and get the GOG version. Haven't heard of crashes with that one so far. Only the nVidia graphics glitch which can be fixed with the compatibility toolkit or (if you're lucky) just by updating your graphics drivers...

Yeah, running as administrator fixes the save issue. I have all the graphics options unchecked, but i still get glitchy mouse trail effects. It seems that this is a common effect of the fix. Other than being annoying, they dont seem to have any effect. I may end up getting the GoG version to play the expansion anyways, though

EDIT: Yeah, the GoG version of BG + ToSC is the cheapest i can find.

Just to be sure: Which fix did you try? The nvidiafix file or the one with the compatibility manager? If you still have problems maybe try the one you didn't use instead and see if that works... :)

As as been said, many of the best mods require TotSC, and ToB.

But yeah, TotSC adds a lot of nice areas.

Definitely. Durlag's Tower is the largest and most difficult dungeon in BG1, and you get a demon to fight in the end. Very exciting I must say.

I think you're in the wrong forum. :p

But no, I don't. Make absolutely sure that you are searching the correct pot, that the explosives aren't already in your inventory (you might have picked them up without realising) and that you didn't drop them somewhere. If you have mods installed, it goes without saying to remove them and see if that fixes the problems.