Topic: Dark Messiah: Might & Magic -- Patch 1.02 Released! (thanks Xessive!)

[MysterD]

Patch 1.1 released for Dark Messiah: Might & Magic, 24 MB file

Dark Messiah of Might & Magic Patches [November 08, 2006, 11:32 am ET] - Viewing Comments

The first Dark Messiah of Might & Magic retail patches are now available, updating the German and International editions of Akanke's M&M action/RPG to version 1.1 by cleaning up a number of bugs and other issues. Downloads are available on Ubisoft's FTP Server and mirrored on 3D Downloads, 3D Gamers, FileFront, Gameguru Mania, and Worthplaying.

Patch 1.1 changes and bug fixes

- Crash fixed on Save/Load if player has an object in their hands.
- Health and poison effects are no longer displayed during credits.
- Player’s hands don’t appear behind the credits when you combine the Skull of Shadows with an equipped spell.
- All game menus are hidden when a video starts.
- Problem fixed when the player tries to switch between Xana mode and an equipped scroll.
- Indestructible shields are now really indestructible
- Crash fixed when the player tries to throw a dagger, then immediately jumps and parries.
- Crash fixed when the player tries to switch between casting a fireball and taking an object.
- The DM fonts now support all Eastern European languages.
- Bug fixed. Player cannot re-use a scroll multiple times after switching to Xana mode.
- Saving is now disabled during end game credits to avoid system anomalies.
- The player now dismounts correctly from the top of ladders, even when moving backward.
- Leanna no longer shows the wrong animation when exiting from the giant spider’s lair.
- Fixed a bug that could occur when saving a game at the end of level 12_A. The chain that allows you to exit from that part of the level won’t be shortened (unusable) if you reload at this point.
- Instantaneous spells (Magic Protection, Heal, Wizard Eye) no longer break other spells like Firetrap.
- Climbing NPCs can't be charmed and fall if shrunken.
- Bug fixed that allowed player to break the planks from the last house of the l07_a without being inside the house.
- Bug fixed. When the player uses magic against Aratrok, his bodyguards now react.
- Fixed getting stuck on door on Level 11, when jumping on a rope attached to it.
- Fixed weapon being unequipped after jumping in certain conditions
- Fixed when pressing E multiple time in certain conditions would quicksave the game
- Fixed when pressing E very quickly to get his backpack back at a specific location, backpack was recovered but all objects were missing
- Localisation: while in game pressing esc and then switchwing to MP, the confirmation window was not tranlsated.
- Fixed not being able to take any objects under certain conditions
- Fixed game crash after de-equipping a weapon in certain conditions
- Fixed a potential first person hands animation problems
- Fixed being stuck sometimes in some specific locations close to stairs
- Fixed looping dagger and staff sound when doing a power attack and parrying in the middle.
- Fixed some scrolls that could be used several times (much like a spell)
- Fixed teleporting that could occur when using lockpick
- Fixed Fireball staying stuck to the player until it explodes
- Localisation: German: fixed improper wall signs
- Fixed the mission failed message not appearing when killing the wounded guard on the island.
- Fixed, shrinked enemies are now sensitive to melee weapon
- Fixed a crashwhen killing a NPC with a fire weapon when he is knee deep in the water
- Fixed Percy getting stuck in a window
- Fixed Percy not reacting properly to certain players choice (avoiding spoiler)
- Fixed a certain NPC (still avoiding spoiler..) still looking Alive when he is should be dead
- Fixed invisible wall present on level 7
- Fixed a crash when at the raggdoll in level 2 with a fire arrow spell
- Fixed collision disapearing on Trap behing the barn after a reload
- Fixed lockping becoming a weapon (melee animations played)
- Fixed Lighting bolt scroll not working
- Fixed issue with telekeninesis not always working as intended
- Fixed issues with "Adjust Brightness Level" still being in game after using it in the menu.

Special fix for language problems:

If you don't have the language you selected during the installation of Dark Messiah, please follow these instructions:

- In the following folder you'll find files named ".reg" : C:Program FilesUbisoftDark Messiah of Might and MagicSupport

- Double click on the .reg file of the language you wish to use. (Note: This won't CHANGE the language, only repair it).

- Click 'Yes' then 'OK'.

- Your Steam register key has been updated to your chosen language. Your game is now correctly set.

Technical issues

Single player:

Steam and retail versions:
It is not recommended that you install both steam and DVD version of DM on the same machine.

Make sure to have all latest drivers:
- including your CPU drivers for XP:
AMD: http://www.amd.com/gb-uk/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871,00.html?redir=SDT303
Intel: http://downloadcenter.intel.com/scripts-df-external/Detail_Desc.aspx?DwnldID=11454
- Video card manufacturer
- Sound cards

If you have a Nvidia 6 series:
Strangely it seems that some Nvidia 6 series video cards (6800 ultra for instance) don’t work well on the latest drivers with DM. Reverting to older drivers 84.21 seems to fix that problem.

If you have the demo installed:
- It seems that it may create a problem for some users. You should uninstall it prior to installing the game.
- If the game is already installed we advise you to uninstall it, then uninstall the demo, and then reinstall the game.

Video settings:
If you encounter bad performance or instability:
- Make sure to bring all your visual settings to the minimum,
- Texture quality should be set it to medium or low
- Disabling HDR may be of great help on some systems
- For steam users, make sure to run a file integrity check, maybe some files got corrupted during the install.
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Support
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Here you will find the most recently updated information since the games release.

Also please make sure that your computer meets the minimum system requirements, as our support representatives will be unable to assist customers whose computers do not meet these criteria.

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[Xessive]

Quite a bit of fixes. I'll worry about it when/if I get the game.

[MysterD]

Another patch coming soon for the Dark Messiah: Might & Magic -- Single Player Campaign

More Dark Messiah Patch Plans [November 30, 2006, 10:14 am ET] - Viewing Comments
The French Ubisoft Forums offer word on plans for a single-player patch for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic in addition to the planned multiplayer update reported here last night (story). Thanks to our French friends at NoFrag for the news, as well as a rough translation of what's in the works, which include ramping up the game's highest difficulty level, a "very hard" difficulty level will be added, the later half of the campaign will be more difficult to compensate for your characters advancing abilities, new texture resolution options, and fixes for all the major identified bugs.

For Dark Messiah: Might & Magic -- Multiplayer, there will be a new addition to the MP: Capture The Flag!

Dark Messiah CTF Coming [November 29, 2006, 9:50 pm ET] - Viewing Comments
The Might and Magic Website (thanks Frans) offers details on an upcoming version 1.02 multiplayer patch for Dark Messiah of Might and Magic. The update outlines character changes, map changes, optimizations, and more, including a new Capture the Flag game type, which is described in detail.

EDIT:
Well, here's the entire list for patch 1.02

Dark Messiah - Patch 1.02 Fixlists
by Garrett, 11:27

Ubisoft released the fixlists for the upcoming patches 1.02 for Dark Messiah - first for single player:

    Patch 1.02 changes and bug fixes

        * Combat Difficulty has been raised for "Hard" mode
        * Added a new "Hardcore" difficulty mode
        * Re balanced NPCs strength & health on the second half of the game for all difficulty modes
        * Added an intermediary "Texture" setting between "Medium" & "High". "High" could create an overload with some video card memory, so to offer more scalability, it has been renamed to "Very High" and the "High" option now offer "Medium" textures for the scenery but "High" textures for the NPCs.
        * No More Crash on NPCs behead (that happened with the “head_link” error message)
        * Fixed the black BINK playback problem with GeForce FX video cards
        * Fix FPS drops with GeForce 6800
        * No More graphical glitch on GeForce FX cards when player is under water
        * No More graphical glitch on GeForce FX cards when player is being hit or is almost dead
        * No More graphical glitch on GeForce FX cards equipping a Magic Weapon.
        * If you still have trouble, please set GFX Detail to “Low”
        * Fixed additional stuttering problems, linked to Expression files being
        * Saved Game system changed to the new Async System to prevent too much stuttering when the game is auto saving (if you’re still experience problem, you may want to disable the Auto Save feature in the “Gameplay” options menu)
        * GFX Option is now properly Saved
        * Avoid Rope Bow to disappear under the world surface before getting it
        * Fixed inconsistency with the way Xana behaves during “City of the Flames” chapter events depending on player’s choices
        * Fixed a bug where the giant spider was not spawned at all.
        * Fixed a bug with some potions being destroyed on map spawn in the “Temple of the Spider” chapter
        * GFX Detail level Option is now properly translated in the french version
        * Avoid user from being stuck in the walls while using the Rope Bow
        * Final Boss has been re-balanced
        * Removed some dev button that could be found behind some walls in the Epilogue
        * Fixed the way some objectives were badly managed with the Pao Kai in the last chapter
        * Removed an improper “use” flag on some wooden beams in “Gleam of a Cold Knife”
        * NPC immune to Telekinesis can't be grabbed using Telekinesis Spell when they are in ragdoll behavior
        * Arrows that are out of the Game world are now Removed properly to prevent Framerate to slowly decrease to zero
        * Max number of potions/food you can stack in your inventory is now properly checked
        * Avoid the Ghoul script to be broken in some cases if player used the bow to attack the creature in “Dead Man's Trail”
        * Remove small memory leak on the Particle System
        * Remove small memory leak on clear value

...and for Multiplayer:

    Patch 1.02 changes and bug fixes

    New Content
    New game mode
  # Capture The Flag
    Significant optimisations for sounds, textures and particles on lower-specification hardware
    New Map
  # CTF_1
    New Map
  # CTF_2
    CTF RULES
    Defend your team's flag while stealing the enemy flag.
    You must have both flags at your own base to score.
    Scoring a flag will give XP to all players on the scoring team.
    Returning your own flag also gives personal XP.
    Flags will not appear until there are players on both teams, and the 'battle begins' timer has finished
    Picking up a flag will slow you down, disables your weapon and briefly highlights you to the enemy team.
    Pressing fire when holding a flag will drop it and allow you to fight (be careful not to pick the flag up again when fighting)
    Dropped flags return to their base when touched by their team, or after 20 seconds.
    Optimisations
    These can be found in the Options->Gameplay tab, and will generally require a restart of the game engine to use.
    Character LOD values lower by default (can be returned to higher quality by users in config files)
    Option to use alternative particles
  # New high performance particles for all spell effects. Total particles reduced, 'distort' effects removed, dynamic lights reduced. (This replaces the particle sliders)
    Option to disable streamed sounds
  # prevents sound being streamed from the hard drive during play. May improve framerates, but will disable some ambient noise.
    Option to use lower quality texturemaps
  # reduces load times and increases framerates for almost all users.
    Option to force simplified texture surfaces (this disables Normal mapping and Specular mapping). Will speed up loading times, especially for low RAM users, but the visual quality is reduced.
    Map Changes
    MP1
  # Recompiled
  # spawn point error fixed
    MP2
  # Recompiled
  # ambient sounds improved, framerate optimised, spawnpoint error fixed
    MP3
  # Recompiled
  # framerate optimisations (detail models now fade earlier)
    MP5
  # Portcullises at final Undead point now lock open for last flag. New route added to final quadrant. Ambient sounds optimised.
    Character Changes
    Assassin Backstab improved
    Assassin Triggered Poison Orbs
  # Recharge time added, Mana cost added
    Mage Lightning Orb
  # no longer instant-fire, must be charged, will not hit behind caster when cast.
    Mage Flame Arrow & Lightning Shock damage adjusted for maxed elemental alignments.
    Mage FireBlast
  # Projectile flight speed reduced
    Priestess is now informed how many team-mates have been mass resurrected or healed
    Warrior Leaping Attack fixed
    Warrior Safeguard now defends only in an arc in front of the character (you will need to track lightning orbs/fireballs to be protected)
    Warrior Safeguard now costs mana to create, and takes mana if it is hit by a spell. If mana is depleted, the Safeguard will fall.
    Warrior Safeguard now emits a noise telling players it is active
    Warrior shield no longer interferes with the movement model with when hit by an arrow
    Miscellaneous
    Smoothed Spectator Cam
    Game Timer now shown on main screen and it highlights when time is short.
    Teamkill menu now available for 15 seconds after a teamkill

[Xessive]

Cool, I'll consider playing it again way later.

[Xessive]

Yarr! Patch 1.02 fer yer Dark Messiah o' Might n' Magic 'as been released!

Patch v1.02 @ 3D Gamers

[Pugnate]

It came with my video card. Man this game is gorgeous looking.

[Xessive]

It came with my video card. Man this game is gorgeous looking.

Any time MyD

Yeah Pug, I thought the game looked pretty sweet, but for some reason none of the critics seem particularly impressed or even satisfied with the visuals. I think it looks better than HL2 and F.E.A.R., and those games were (and still are) being praised for their looks. I enjoyed it, but I can see how it could lose points for replay value. This is one game where I really, really enjoyed killing baddies. I loved kicking them into all sorts of traps and long drops. You can imagine how ecstatic I was when I first used the rope bow to lower get the drop on some unsuspecting enemies. I really abused the stealth abilities I was granted

I'd buy it, but right now I need to save my cash for travel funds. I'm thinking I might buy it through Steam when I get back home, but I'm not too sure. I'd rather have the disc rather than download something like 7 gigs.

[Pugnate]

If there is one thing that sucked about F.E.A.R. it was the engine, though with patches they fixed a lot of stuff. It still doesn't look as good as it should have for the performance suck.

I can't believe it. Why was this game discounted for visuals?

[Pugnate]

From gamespot who gave the visuals an unfair 7.0/10.0

Graphically, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic scales pretty well, looking good at lower resolutions and looking much better if you've got a stout machine that can handle the load of the Source engine. Much of the game is dark, and you're running through the same sorts of areas from start to finish, so there isn't really too much to look at along the way. That same Source engine provides plenty of realistic-seeming physics, though this often looks a little odd. Executing enemies with powerful sword slashes sends them hurtling to the ground with appropriate force. But then you'll bump into benches and see them move around or drop scrolls on the ground and hear them rattle around infinitely as they roll in place, and the effect is ruined. The game has a decent amount of blood in it, which will awkwardly turn your entire sword red after a few fights and stain spots on the ground.

Does anyone think reviewers are getting too anal? Have they forgotten their love for games? Why the fuck is that 'awkward'

I only played this for about 15 minutes, but the visuals were impressive, and the sword soaked with blood looked sweet.

7/10 for visuals? I just lost some respect for gamespot.

IGN's review was typically full of poor writing, but when they broke the score down at the end, they gave the visuals a fair 8.5. 

I am not saying the low scores are off, as I haven't played the game. I just think the game is quite good looking.

[Xessive]

If there is one thing that sucked about F.E.A.R. it was the engine, though with patches they fixed a lot of stuff. It still doesn't look as good as it should have for the performance suck.

I can't believe it. Why was this game discounted for visuals?

Yeah, I know what you mean. Monolith are notorious for that though.

I don't know, every review I read generally suggested the visuals were "meh" or coulda been better. The most common thing that came up was the relevance of the Source engine and comparisons to HL2.

The only complaint about the visuals I have is the night vision (it's not even a big issue). I kinda wish the effect was cooler, but I liked how it was great for the dark but detrimental in well-lit areas.

[MysterD]

Performance is often taken into consideration for a game's score on the Visuals/Graphics, too.

If I recall, Dark Messiah definitely is NOT a great running game, framerate-wise and all -- the demo sure wasn't. Framerate was all over the place and I had to change some settings, to get it going decent and all. I'm sure by now, w/ patches behind it, it probably does run a hell of a lot better. (Please, confirm that someone!)

GameSpot really slapped NWN2 for graphics for pretty much the reason I stated above, the game not running so great, despite the fact it still looked quite good. Finally, w/ patch 1.03, NWN2 is running the way it should've been out the box -- and I can crank them visuals up, too!

I think GameSpot slapped also Gothic 3 for the same reasons, too -- saying it looked great, but the game ran all over the place, framerate-wise.