Wouldn't it be easier to simply disable this feature? Open the Windows Games explorer then click on the options button and change the options shown.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ibtcgdm2xda6gc/Game%20updates%20and%20options.gif

Something else I thought I'd add, some people recommend limiting Thief 3 to one CPU core but I don't agree as after installing it as I have (on many occasions and varying machines) it has worked without problem even on systems with 8 threads (4 cores plus Hyper Threading). Perhaps some ones installed differently have such problems though installing it as I've mentioned none of the machines had or have any such problems.


Sorry but I don't agree with you, I've tried that patch and have issues with the way it works and it has a broader focus changing more than just the desired widescreen options one may want.

For example if it doesn't want to work with the files of the installed Thief 3 game it tries to download them, making it useless if there is no internet connection on the PC it's being used on. Compared to the things I linked to which simply work with every install I've used them on without any problem and don't require downloading things from the internet so there's not problem using them in places that don't have internet access.

Also the others have no install, other than the widescreen one having to be run from the game folder, it doesn't get simpler than that.

Yes it would be if that worked, doing that and even disabling it and other relevant things via the registry don't always work to prevent it causing the problem I've mentioned and even when it does it's often short lived as the problem just starts up again later down the line. Out of more than 10 Windows 7 machines I've done it on (both 32 and 64bit) it's worked once maybe twice so it seems it's a luck of the draw presuming it doesn't start up again when trying to play another old game.

Edit,,,
Oh I remembered something else that can help in preventing that dreaded Game Explorer leading to rundll32.dll problem, if disabling the options in Game Explorer and other tricks still don't stop it from messing with your games starting you could try to unregister the gameux.dll from the command prompt (run > CMD) running this

on 32bit system
regsvr32 -u c:\windows\system32\gameux.dll

and for 64bit (64bit requires both these)
regsvr32 -u c:\windows\SysWOW64\gameux.dll

If wanted you can re-register them with these

on 32bit system
regsvr32 c:\windows\system32\gameux.dll

64bit system again needs you to run both
c:\windows\SysWOW64\gameux.dll

If all else fails you could stop rundll32.dll from being called by renaming (don't remove or delete it) this file C:\Windows\AppPatch\AcGenral.dll , then change it's name back when done playing.

With so many "solutions" out there to this Game Explorer nonsense from people who either aren't connected to the internet or have a secure system it's clear changing the settings in Game Explorer doesn't work for just me or the PC's I've tried it on then having to resort to other mesures.

Fair enough. The binary it downloads is the T3Main.exe that comes with the editor - it's the only version that will work properly with fanmissions. The editor pack is 300 MB, so kind people put it on the web by itself.
I don't think that a small download will be a problem for many GOG users...

It's fantastic news that TDS has finally made it's way to Gog.com, as it is one of my favourite games of the last ten years. I spent a long time trying to get the work on Windows 7 Home Premium Edition, with absolutely zero luck, regardless of tips, tricks and fixes from the internet. The problem was always the same. The game would lock up at the very start of the first mission.

If they wizards at Gog.com have managed to deal with the problem, then they have my money, but my main concern is that they seemed to have pulled off a miracle in getting the game to work. I have a Radeon 5470 on my laptop, and it has no problems with any other post-2005 game. (Even runs Quake 4 just fine!)

Can someone assure me that the game will run without problems? I'd hate to buy it and have it crap out. :(

my game, works that way
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=138607

T3: DS version GOG

Thanks Snobel for the sneaky upgrade.

I have tried it and although it has installed well, I still have some few graphical issues that have not yet been resolved:

In the main menu (or any other menu for what is worth) the mouse dagger pointer is plastered to the centre of the screen, encapsulated in a black box.

When I move my mouse however, the menu options illuminate (as they would when the pointer is passed over them) though I can not see the pointer.

Other than that, the game runs and looks/sounds great.

Any suggestions as to how I can resolve this graphical issue? Saving and menu browsing is a nightmare!

Thanks

I've never had or heard of that bug before, so I haven't got much to suggest, but...

- Try setting T3Main.exe to run in XP (SP2) compatibility mode
- Set the affinity for T3.exe to core 0 using imagecfg or a shorcut (don't do it through the task manager after starting the game)
- In the display driver settings, set your display to run at 60 Hz if it's currently higher, and force vsync on
- Also try disabling game specific optimizations (Catalyst AI etc.)

Is it independent of resolution? Does it occur only after patching the game?

Thanks for replying Snobel.

I'm about to fall asleep now but will thy these suggestions out some time after work tomorrow.

zzzz....

Don't get me wrong I admire and, even though I don't use it and prefer other options to your's, appreciate any work like that people do for games especially keeping great old games going. Also I agree and think you're right that it (probably) won't be a problem for many GOG users. Though all that said.

You misunderstand or misread, my issue isn't with the size of the download I didn't even mention that, infact it being a small download makes it all the more annoying. Imagine it wouldn't work just because it couldn't download a 2kb file, smaller can sometimes be more annoying in that sense if you know what I mean. For example one of the things I like about supporting GOG is that the games work without any internet requirements.

It's that there is a download at all and that limits when/where it can be used, that's the problem. Despite what some seem to believe not everyone has an internet connection, especially people who can only afford older hardware limiting them to older games, such as Thief 3.

Also what you say about the fan missions requiring that verion of the T3main.exe also doesn't add up, as your app claims it can't install with the T3main.exe I have yet fan missions work without a problem for me. Just to make sure I checked this moments before posting this by quickly playing two fan missions, The Crypt and The Hotel, both worked/played as they should.

If your's included the T3main.exe (and made a backup of the one it replaces during install) it would make a difference, cutting out the internet requirement. Though until then I'll stick to ways that don't require the internet as there isn't much that's more annoying than going to a friend's place to share/fix/install something only to have the fun ruined because there is no internet and something suddenly won't work without it.

Also I think it's worth mentioning that if people are going to play fan made missions they will probably use something like the Garrett Loader which includes a T3main.exe (the same T3main.exe your app wants) incase it can't work with the one in the System folder, so that makes your app that requires internet access to download that same provided file superfluous and limiting.

Please don't think I'm bashing you, if anything take it as constructive criticism and an explanation as to why I prefer the ones I mentioned and explaining why I think they're better due to them always easily working and never requiring the internet, especially not for a file people likely already have for the same reason you gave for downloading it.

I'm not going to include any copyrighted files in the installer, but I'll see if it's feasible to make a patch against the original ('shipping') version of the file, in effect morphing it into a patched 'release' version. Some missions do have problems, IIRC it's the objectives screen showing up empty. It's why the reiease version is included with GarrettLoader.

So Snobel, I tried out all the options

- Try setting T3Main.exe to run in XP (SP2) compatibility mode

Tried that, no graphical difference in the main menu.

- Set the affinity for T3.exe to core 0 using imagecfg or a shorcut (don't do it through the task manager after starting the game)

Tried both options in fact, still no luck.

- In the display driver settings, set your display to run at 60 Hz if it's currently higher, and force vsync on

Check. No luck.

- Also try disabling game specific optimizations (Catalyst AI etc.)

Well, I have tinkered around with the NVIDIA control panel (My laptop has a GT540M GPU) and regardless of whatever configuration I've tried (and trust me, 2 hours today...) still no success.

Is it independent of resolution? Does it occur only after patching the game?

I tried the standard resolution as well as 1920x1080p and the result was the same.
Prior to patching, the game didn't even start!

I have found the following links to other players with similar problems:

http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=49740
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135448
http://forums.eidosgames.com/showthread.php?t=38623
http://www.ttlg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=126900

I tried some of the suggested solutions on those pages (other than ones that I cannot) and still there has been no success.

I look forward to hearing some feedback from you guys regarding this.

Other than the pointer being stuck and invisible, the game runs fine. Just saving and other takes ages as I have to move the mouse about until I spot the relevant option light up.

Thanks

I fail to see how that would be any different to including the copyrighted file (presuming they even mind especially after releasing it into the "wild") as the result will be the same, your application creating/duplicating that copyrighted file on the target computer, if this was an acceptable means to bypass distribution of copyrighted material it would be prolifically widespread (you seem to have some strange logic about doing things, not meant as an insult, it's just strange to me). Regardless this is completely off topic from what I was getting at about your app for thief and I've done more than I would like in derailing the thread.

What you say indicates you know that file is included with the Garrett Loader yet make an application that will flat out refuse to install becoming useless without internet access to download that file, claiming it's so people can play fan missions yet chances are if they play fan missions they use Garrett Loader which already includes that file........do you not see this going in a circle, a self defeating argument.

You seem to completely avoid any point I make so I don't see any point in "debating" it further. Either way good luck with your app, no doubt it does help certain people even if it can be useless to others.

Obviously I wouldn't even consider it if the 'release' version were not already freely available. As for only supplying patches, call it a principle. And I agree that further 'debate' on this subject is futile. I fail to see your logic here: If you have GarrettLoader installed when you apply my patch there will be no need for a download, because GL will already have installed the file needed.

@TSandullo: I'll have a look at those links later.

Thanks Snobel, look forward to hearing your response and advice.

@Grogger - I love American McGee's Alice. Cheshire was seductively awesome.

Still not much to suggest - in one of those threads, someone had it fixed by reverting to an older graphics driver, but I guess you tried that already?

Another place it's mentioned that the game can be confused by multiple input devices, so disabling your touchpad might be worth a shot. (Better do it thoroughly by disabling it in device manager and rebooting.)

A quick search brought up this, which says "disable aero" - have you tried that? (There is a couple other things in that thread too.)