MGS2 and Vista

[Johnny S]

Hi, I have Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance, and installed it on Vista, but when I run it I just get a blank screen. Any ideas on how to fix this? I see that many people have this issue with the game, but have not seen anyone actually solve it. My specs are: Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB RAM, 500GB HDD, Radeon HD video card and Sound Blaster X-Fi. I've tried the obvious things like updating drivers and such, with no luck. I've even tried installing the patch, but that didn't help either.

I've also asked this question in several places, and have never found any solution that worked. So if you can solve this, you're a God!

[s.L.m]

I don't have a lot of experience in this ... but did you try to run it with XP-SP2 compatibly ? ...

+ what about turning off the UAC ? ... it had some problem with me with some game ... full screen mode issues ...

I hope that helps ^^; ...

[Johnny S]

Yes, I have tried compatibility mode. I've also tried disabling UAC, but that didn't help either. I'm not having any full-screen issues because, as I said, the game won't even start up. Thanks though.

[Crashed]

The game seems to have problems with Vista because Vista's DirectSound implementation is only emulated in software and therefore lacks hardware acceleration, which MGS2 seems to require. However, there is a workaround named "Creative ALchemy" (it can be found here), which translates DirectSound calls to OpenAL. MGS2 (and other games requiring DirectSound hardware acceleration) should run fine after you configure it.

I also used to have this problem (I also have an X-Fi video card), and ALchemy fixed it. :)

[Johnny S]

Thanks for the reply Crashed. But I have one question: how would I configure ALchemy correctly? Please guide me through it.

[Crashed]

Once you have downloaded and installed it, start it, click the "Add" button and enter "Metal Gear Solid 2" (or whatever you like, without the quotes) in the "Game Title" section. Select "Use Game Path" and enter the path where the game is installed (C:\Program Files\KONAMI\METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SUBSTANCE, by default), click "Install into Sub Folder", enter "bin" (without quotes), and click "OK". Now open "Computer" and find the game's path within (again, normally C:\Program Files\KONAMI\METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SUBSTANCE), enter the "bin" folder contained within it and set the game's exe to Windows XP SP2 compatibility mode, start MGS2 and configure the sound. Then check the sound section and make sure that the only sound options available are your Sound Blaster X-Fi and "Primary Sound Device".

Now you can start and it should run perfectly, just as it did for me. :)

Edited January 19, 2008 by Crashed

[Johnny S]

Thank you very much, that worked brilliantly and I am now able to play the game. Crashed, you are a genius and a God, seriously! As I said, I have asked this same question on several different places on the internet, but got no solution from anyone which actually worked. Yours worked like a charm though! Thanks for making everything so simple for me!

Thanks once again!

[Crashed]

You're very welcome. :)

[skubik]

Hi there!

Realy great solution and help Crashed! But can you(or anybody) help me please, cos? I don?t have th X-Fii> or any otheSoundBlasteri> oCreativei> card(so that ALchemy can?t be installed on my PC). I?m usiConexant HD-Audio SmartAMC HD2 and have the same problem(black screen, CPU 95-97% both cores). Is there somthing(some app. which simulates these sound functions(Open AL or DirectSound hardware acceleration) "missed" in Vista)

THANX in advance!!!

[warioman]

i think i ahve the same problem as the above user.

It's the problem where i can't download the alchemy because i don't have xi-fi or soundblaster.

i've looked for places to download soundblaster or xi-fi, but when i start up those installers they have the same problem as when i run alchemy which is that they can't start up because i don't already have a supported device on my computer.

Does anyone know how i can get xi-fi or soundblaster on my computer

or even creative alchemy

thanks a lot for any help.

[warioman]

well does anyone know how to do it if on your computer you don't have a physical soundcard (soundblaster or xi-fi)

again if anyone can help it would be greatly appreciated.

[VitorF7]

Well guys it seems that everyone is having the same problem. I have a Sony VGN-FZ28M Laptop with 200GB HDD, 4GB RAM, NVIDIA GeForce 8400m GT GPU, Sigma Tel High Defenition with Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit. I have installed the great game Metal Gear Solid 2:Substance and when I try to load it it just comes up with a big White Screen and it just stays there doing nothing other than using CPU and nothing else. I know that "Crashed" has solved the problem for the other guy but my problem is that i do not have a Soundblaster of X-Fi Card so CAN PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME SOLVE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO PLAY THIS GAME.

Thanks Guys

[RmKuND]

You need to download the program that is comparable to Alchemy(for realtek HD audio it is 3D sound back beta). I have not tested it yet, but it should work. I found it by googling: "creative alchemy realtek audio". You could probably find others the same way.

Edit: it didn't work when I tested it, but ill fiddle with it and see if i can get the game to run.

Edited August 26, 2008 by RmKuND

[VitorF7]

You need to download the program that is comparable to Alchemy(for realtek HD audio it is 3D sound back beta). I have not tested it yet, but it should work. I found it by googling: "creative alchemy realtek audio". You could probably find others the same way.

Edit: it didn't work when I tested it, but ill fiddle with it and see if i can get the game to run.

If you can help me I will appreciate it very much because it does not make much sense not being able to play this game on a laptop with the spec that my one has and then being able to play newer games that demand more powerful machines.

Thanks for helping me

[warioman]

The creative alchemy is also a no-no by the way. It also requires that you have those devices in the 1st place.

I HATE VISTA!

[warioman]

Hey all, if you want to sign a petition to get a patch or something for mgs2 to make it work go here:

http://www.petitiononline.com/mgs2pc/petition.html

A petition probably won't work, but it's worth a try!

[Misfire]

thanks, googled for this solution and found it!

For those non creative guys, I will upload the alchemy files directly so you can put them into the mgs2 directory.

[shpigo]

Once you have downloaded and installed it, start it, click the "Add" button and enter "Metal Gear Solid 2" (or whatever you like, without the quotes) in the "Game Title" section. Select "Use Game Path" and enter the path where the game is installed (C:\Program Files\KONAMI\METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SUBSTANCE, by default), click "Install into Sub Folder", enter "bin" (without quotes), and click "OK". Now open "Computer" and find the game's path within (again, normally C:\Program Files\KONAMI\METAL GEAR SOLID 2 SUBSTANCE), enter the "bin" folder contained within it and set the game's exe to Windows XP SP2 compatibility mode, start MGS2 and configure the sound. Then check the sound section and make sure that the only sound options available are your Sound Blaster X-Fi and "Primary Sound Device".

Now you can start and it should run perfectly, just as it did for me. :)

First, I would like to personally thank you for making me able to play this game after trying to play and giving up on it a few times in the past two years that I own vista.

It works!! yay!

However, do you know how to solve the strange sound randomness problem? Footsteps sounds like... well not like footsteps but some other annoying as hell type that (even tough your enemies can not hear), it is a bit of a mood killer.

I have a realtek HD onboard card.

Great game so far!

Thanks again!

[kranmer]

to fix the sound problems a few people have come up with fixes. most people just install SP2 for vista which will fix the problem but i disliked this idea since SP2 is still beta or RC and can only be used as a trail so i personally found after trying for hours that you can fix the problem by using 1 DLL from SP2 on vista SP1 and that will fix the problem. i posted links on how to do this here

http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/adventure/metalg...1500&page=0

hope this helps. let me know how you get on.

[rajputwarrior]

thanks kranmer, and welcome to the forums! stay around, help like yours is always welcome and appreciated