I'm trying to run Mask of Eternity on Windows 8, and it's extremely problematic. The menu has graphical glitches, the intro can't display video, and the game just outright crashes after loading the first play area. Does anyone know how to get this game running smoothly? Thanks!

I don't have Win 8. But maybe we can troubleshoot a couple of details? The menu having graphic glitches may have something to do with hack being used to make the game playable in modern windows at all. So you can probably ignore that safely. However a screenshot of the glitched graphics can't hurt, if you can include one? Also in general its the 'title' that gets glitched up.

Next step what do you have your graphics settings set up to? Software, DirectX, or have you installed a Glide Wrapper like Zeckensecz (sp?) to run the game in glide mode? I recommend the latter as that will open up the higher resolution modes, and a few other bells and whistles. Keep in mind though that with Glide mode, the Direct X mode may not function, and will cause crashes.

Keep in mind that the DirectX mode may have general problems with modern systems, as much of the earlier DirectX apies were removed back in Vista. So try software mode if this is the case, just to see if Software mode works. Again I'd recommend installing a glide wrapper just to make the game visually easier on the eyes.

Thanks for the help!

Before posting I had tried running the game in both Software and DirectX modes with the same basic result: after 'Loading the Kingdom of Daventry' a Windows error box that reads "Mask of Eternity has stopped working" appears.
(The graphical glitches were on the title screen only).

I searched for and found zeckensack's Glider, installed it, and ran the game again. This time the graphical glitches were no longer on the title screen. But I tried to play the game again with the same result: Kingdom of Daventry loads, then "Mask of Eternity has stopped working".

One peculiar difference, though: now the 'Copying Files to Hard Drive' and 'Loading Kingdom of Daventy' complete in a fraction of the time they did before.

The intro video will still not play. It says "Video not available. Cannot find vids:1v50 decompressor" over a textured pattern while the audio of the video plays.

Any ideas? And thanks again!

Maybe the installation corrupted? Try uninstalling and reinstalling?

Hey, has someone figures this out? I am having this exact same problem?

I never got it to work, I'm afraid. As of yet, the game is unplayable for me.

I guess my question is, has ANYONE gotten this game to work on Windows 8?

I don't have Win 8 to test this. But you might want to open a ticket with GOG itself.

http://www.gog.com/support

Of course, oh wait... you mean with GOG's installer?

http://www.mediafire.com/file/gl4g87e9xmwe2l2/setup_mask.zip (videos play normally on Windows 8 x64 btw)

Edit: Windowed mode used for demonstration purposes in attached screenshot.

I'm having the same problems as Laylia27. MoE on Windows 8 x64. The game is so slow the mouse jumps over the screen just on the main menu and I also got the "cannot find decompressor" error.

To be fair, GOG lists the game as compatible with XP/Vista/Windows 7. Maybe they will offer an update for the installer?

arablizzard2413, is your screenshot a "working" version of this game you downloaded from media fire on Win 8? if so was there anything special you had to do to make it work?

Yes, that screenshot is from a working version of King's Quest Mask of Eternity on Windows 8. There were many special things I had to do to make it work, most involved using IDA Pro and HxD. However, there was nothing I downloaded. That installer for the CD-ROM version was something I created because GOG's support is useless and still ignores the problems with this game after having received many emails about it.

Luckily there is a simple solution to getting it working on Windows 8: send an email to GOG letting them know how dissatisfied you are with this buggy game, then use a copy of the original CD-ROM (you can find it for $5-$10 on Amazon or Ebay) with my installer.

tl;dr: Readme.txt

Here's a newer version btw: kqmoe_cdinstaller2014.zip

I agree, but I've already received the blow off from GOG's support which is what prompted me to fix it myself in the first place (don't expect GOG's version to do anything but crash on these computers btw). I have a laptop without an optical drive and there are provisions for those computers in my installer, but it still requires a legal CD-ROM copy of KQ:MOE.

GOG doesn't want to fix it, so if you want a working copy of the game the best option is to buy it used.

Araz. I've never had the 'crash' problem on a laptop, using GOG's previous installers + daemontools running in the background. The new version has the extra step of having to strip out the bad crappy nglide, for one of the other better options. I have very little problems using those nvida emulation. I have a alienware laptop that doesn't have a cd.

I just wish there was an option where I didn't have to take extra steps, and could just have it install from the get go, or at least use someone elses installer to bypass GOG's installer or patch the files after GOG installer is finished.

I own a copy of the original CD, but as I travel alot, that's literally on the other side of the world, I rarely have access to it At the same time I don't want to carry around alot of extra luggage....

Well yes there are the old bugs from the original release that can cause crashes, but there are more than one way to get past those issues, even on vanilla install.

I've also added this (maybe it will draw attention);

http://www.gog.com/wishlist/games/kings_quest_mask_of_eternity_with_arablizzard2413s_bug_fixes_choice_of_zeckensacks_directx_10_or_below_and_dgvoodoo2_directx_11_installed

Maybe people should contact technical requesting your fixes be implemented.

Never mind, Baggins, It wasn't my intention to waste your time on this.

My specs:

Main machine: Champion PC(local brand with OEM) I5 3.1 GHz, 4 GB, GeForce GT 240, Windows 7 64-bit.
IBM ThinkCentre: single core pentium 4, 1.5 GB, GeForce 6200, Windows 7 32-bit.

out of the box gog installation, just moved the nglide glide2x.dll from the game dir and installed GlideWrapper084c.exe with default settings.
in the game itself, I enabled all settings, 800x600 and increased the gamma to max.
I have the shortcut set to Compatibily mode for Windows 98 / Windows Me (necessary for avoiding the known lock-ups - first boss, realm of the gnomes etc.), Disable display scaling and Run this program as an administrator.

when the game locks-up, pressing keys has no effect (F2 to switch to first person doesn't beep), the music is still playing though.