Dgvoodoo Setup

A: dgVoodoo reads the configuration from a config file named dgVoodoo.conf.
How to create one? Well, while dgVoodoo now has a human readable text format config file, you also have the dgVoodoo Control Panel application to render and modify the content of those config files in a convenient GUI way. So, copy dgVoodooCpl.exe to your desktop or any other folder you prefer and start it. You'll see three different tabs set to the default configuration. If you change something and press 'OK' or 'Apply' button then the CPL writes the current configuration into a config file.

Where does it save that?? To the folder you select on the Config folder / running instance rolldown menu at the top of the CPL. By default it chooses your login-user appdata folder but you can add extra ones manually, say add and choose your game folder if you want your config file be created there. For now, let's just use the global Appdata folder because dgVoodoo finds the configuration file there if none was found in your game folder.

In mind that every instance of XI will use w/e vram you have set so if you dual box and have a 2gb card you will. See full list on pcgamingwiki.com.

  1. DgVoodoo Link: video will show you how to setup DgVooDoo. DgVoodoo is a legacy DirectX and 3DF.
  2. If you're experiencing corrupted or missing graphics, this can be corrected with the dgVoodoo DirectX wrapper. Download dgVoodoo (v2.51 or later) from here.
  3. A: dgVoodoo reads the configuration from a config file named dgVoodoo.conf. How to create one? Well, while dgVoodoo now has a human readable text format config file, you also have the dgVoodoo Control Panel application to render and modify the content of those config files in a convenient GUI way.

So, let's modify dgVoodoo's scaling mode from Unspecified to Stretched, keep Aspect Ratio and run your game again. You should see the game running at a preserved 4:3 aspect ratio without problems and it's done.

Setting up LEGO Island is generally straightforward on PCs of its era, however some extra effort and considerations are sometimes required depending on how modern your system is.

  • 1Installing
    • 1.1Standard
  • 2Playing LEGO Island

Installing

Standard

The stock installer located at INSTALL.EXE should run fine on any version of Windows (ignore SETUP.EXE as it's a 16-bit application that won't run on any 64-bit version of Windows). This will provide a fairly standard install of LEGO Island authentic to the era, with the obvious caveat that it doesn't take into account some extra steps required on modern versions of Windows:

D3DRM.DLL

Main article: Direct3D Retained Mode

Cached

From Vista onwards, D3DRM.DLL - a DLL required to run LEGO Island - was removed from Windows itself and has to be manually restored. While the DLL is on the LEGO Island CD (located at redistdirectxd3drm.dll), it's recommended to use a newer version that was released with Windows XP for better compatibility. You'll want to place D3DRM.DLL into LEGO Island's install folder (usually C:Program Files (x86)LEGO Island).

No-CD Patch

Main article: NOCD.SI

If you want LEGO Island to run without a CD, it's as simple as copying the Lego folder from the CD to LEGO Island's install folder (usually C:Program Files (x86)LEGO Island). You'll want to merge with the LEGO folder that already exists and don't worry about replacing the file NOCD.SI (it's the same file so skipping or replacing it makes no difference).

Japanese Version

For unknown reasons, the Japanese LEGO Island installer features a version check that fails if the version of Windows you're using is not 4.x (e.g. 95, 98, or Me). This means the installer will fail on any Windows version newer (starting with Windows 2000). As such, for this version you should probably use the LEGO Island Alternative Installer.

Alternative Installer

A community alternative installer exists to make up for the shortcomings of the stock installer. It will automatically copy D3DRM.DLL from the CD as well as the LEGO folder if you select a 'Full' install. This is generally a much easier and more fool-proof option than the stock installer.

Playing LEGO Island

Persistent save data

Main article: Compatibility Issues

LEGO Island stores its save data in its program folder, which in modern software is a big no-no due to inherent security risks involved. From Windows Vista, access to the Program Files folder was restricted to administrator access only, preventing LEGO Island from saving game data. The solutions are generally as follows:

  • Using LEGO Island Rebuilder. Rebuilder functions as a launcher that automatically redirects save data to a safe location so that administrator privileges are not required. This is the simplest and most recommended solution.
  • Run LEGO Island as administrator. Relatively simple by right clicking LEGO Island and selecting 'Run as Administrator' or opening 'Properties', navigating to the 'Compatibility' and selecting 'Run as Administrator' so that the game is always run as administrator.
  • Re-installing LEGO Island to a non-restricted location. Often this is a second drive on your PC or somewhere in your home folder. This will work, but may get complicated depending on where you choose to install it.

Turn speed

Main article: Turn Speed

LEGO Island infamously ties the turn speed to the frame rate, meaning the much faster computers of the day heavily impact the game's controls and playability. It's recommended to use LEGO Island Rebuilder which has parameters for separating the turn speed from the frame rate as well as changing the turn and walk speeds in general.

'To configure LEGO Island' doesn't save

This issue is similar to the save data not saving correctly but a slightly different presentation. In this scenario, the data is not being saved to the game's program folder, but rather the registry's HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive - another section of Windows that has become more restricted in over time due to inherent security risks.

For some reason, running CONFIG.EXE as administrator doesn't seem to address this issue. It seems the only way to make it save configuration data is to set its compatibility mode to 'Windows 95' (right click > Properties > Compatibility tab).

General graphical glitches

Main article: Compatibility Issues

LEGO Island relies on various dated DirectX APIs that have seen numerous changes over the decades since its release. As such, using Direct3D HAL can result in various graphical glitches and crashes that impact the game's playability. To address this, it's recommended to either use a software mode instead ('Ramp Emulation', 'RGB Emulation', or 'MMX Emulation') as those are CPU-based and have therefore been largely unaffected by the changes to the Direct3D API, or to use dgVoodoo which translates LEGO Island's outdated DirectX 5 calls to modern DirectX 11 calls. This has the advantage of allowing other graphical tweaks too, such as increasing the resolution, adding anti-aliasing, overriding texture filtering, and more.

Cached

High-definition Patch

Main article: dgVoodoo

Dgvoodoo Setup.exe Download

LEGO Island was only ever designed to run at 640x480 which was relatively standard at the time. Given the much larger variety of resolution available today, it may be desirable to run the game at a higher resolution. Currently, the best way to do this is with dgVoodoo, which allows users to override the resolution to one of their choosing. Note that this is unfortunately not a true widescreen patch, the game will still have a 4:3 aspect ratio that will get stretched to whatever resolution you choose. As such, it's recommended to use a 4:3 resolution to maintain LEGO Island's native aspect ratio (e.g. 1440x1080 instead of 1920x1080). Currently LEGO Island Rebuilder is working on a true widescreen patch to address this issue.

Dgvoodoo Setup

See also

Dgvoodoo Setup Program

Retrieved from 'https://www.legoisland.org/wiki/index.php?title=Getting_Started&oldid=299'