Axis and Allies '98 Nvidia PATCHED

[aqrit]

Axis and Allies '98 Nvidia/Vista PATCHED
by AQRIT

Axis and Allies has a drawing problem
( only the background is visible on screen )
It occurs on systems using Vista and/or Nvidia graphic cards.
 
Download the patcher from: www.aqrit.cjb.net

Known Issues after patch:
 1) pressing ctrl+alt+del causes Ctrl to
    "stick" on. When you return to the game window
    be sure to tap the ctrl key! ( Group Movement Modifier )

 2) dice screen flickers once if any hits occur

 3) quit dialog button text drawn incorrectly


FYI: some Vista users may not be able to run the Axis and Allies installer...
     I'd hate to be you.

FYI: Computers with more than one CPU should
     set the process affinity mask to a single CPU
     this allows the cinematics to play.


I'm guessing the problem with Axis and Allies
drawing code is that the game doesn't lock it's surfaces before
drawing to them....

my patch does NOT fix this...

instead my patch:
 sends all the drawing to address 00444B09
 unless the source is also the destination
 in which case it lets DirectDraw Blt it as normal


Patch Info:
Module: AxisAllies.exe (any version?)
File Address: 00044AAB   (VA: 00444AAB)
Old Value = 3B D0
New Value = 3B F5


Quick hacking reference:
0044771D  // call create DirectDraw 2 object
004478E5  // call createSurface primary
00443CEE  // call createSurface offscreen

00444840  // sub draw
00444FEO  // sub Blt the back to front (like a flip)
00431CD0  // sub draw Main Menu

// after the primary surface has been created then...
[0x005CA720] + 0x98 = primary surface front buffer
[0x005CA724] + 0x98 = primary surface back buffer
[[[[0x005CA720] + 0x98]] + 14] == ddraw.Blt()

It is possible to run in windowed mode if you hack it...
I don't know if there is a switch somewhere for it?
( and i haven't tried this patch in window mode )

///////////////////

I'd appreciate it if people mirrored my patcher
( which is half the size of this post )
as it currently is hosted on a sketchy free site that
doesn't get indexed by search engines and
can't be reached at all using Firefox?
if you do, post a link in this thread

Good Luck, Have Fun!

[_Plotinus]

Mirrored at:

http://eWarZone.com/aadrawpatch.zip

[_Plotinus]

BTW, hats off to you if this works widely.

[aqrit]

AADrawPatch version 2.0 released

www.aqrit.cjb.net (Internet Explorer only...)

[aqrit]

version 2.1 released

www.aqrit.cjb.net (Internet Explorer only...)

[vtrevs]

aqrit, thanks for all the patches. Any chance that you might have one for a dual processor soon? Sorry to ask for more when you've done so much already. Just had to ask since I miss this game so much since I had go to a new laptop.

[aqrit]

v2.1 has been merged it into the Starter Pack at http://ewarzone.com/aa.html
 
the original files are at:
 
http://ewarzone.com/downloads/aadrawfix21.zip and
http://ewarzone.com/downloads/aadrawfix21_src.zip

Any chance that you might have one for a dual processor soon

v2.1
limits the game threads to a single cpu...
having dual processors shouldn't be an issue?

can you describe the problem your having?
not that I can think of any way to impove my patch at this time

[shimrod]

version 2.1 released

www.aqrit.cjb.net (Internet Explorer only...)

Forgive my utter lack of computing skills, but I am trying the patch...after unzipping it, I try running it. It then gives me a message ("Version 2.1 yada Vista Users need permission...") followed by the "Open" screen...only there is no file name to open. I am rather stuck.

By the way, I'm on a 64-bit computer running Vista (big thumbs-down to both, but it's my gf's computer).

[aqrit]

shimrod,

you should be opening the games main exe ( AxisAllies.exe )

if you can't get it to work then use
The Starter Pack at http://ewarzone.com/aa.html
which is pre-patched