Diablo2 LOD doesnt like new drivers!

[Grego]

I have been playing d2-LOD alot (to the dismay of my girlfriend ) and have never had any graphics-related problems.

When I installed the new drivers and pd 6.72 the game wouldn't load anymore, couldnt even get it to the menu-screen, instead I got the following message:

error 25: A critical error has occurred while initializing direct3d.

Before the new drivers I used the beta-release from august, and now I have installed pd 6.51 and it works flawlessly.

I am running all the latest patches and drivers for my system, any suggestions?

[PeTe]

Hmm.

Really dont know anything about your problem, but it nice to see that someone else "likes to play" D2-Lod.

This game just ROCKS in Closed Bnet. I got hooked on it after the first try, didnt really play that much solo anyway.. when i bought the LOD-exp pack ( at the same day it was released.. tried to get it sooner, but no one in Finland would sell it before the release date ).. never even tried the solo game.. Closed-Bnet all the way.

At this point i have about 2 accounts full of chars that i play and 2 accounts mules with some items i found. By now i really should have better items, but i didnt do any %MF runs untill recently..

I have noticed that i like to build up chars up to level 70 and then i pretty much loose intrest on them.. exping comes alot slower after that, and i like to tweak the skill + items with a new char a lot more than just run bloodruns to get to level 99. Just started to play some PvP and those games feel like the first times in doing diablo in D2-classic. Next thing would be start playing HC more, but my playing style is kind of ... recless.

PeTe

[Grego]

I agree the game really rocks

My accountname is *grego(mu) lets kick som demonbutt sometime.

I also agree about the way that one looses interest in the high lvl chars, only one exception my shapechange druid, he is the most fun to play with and has some really cool gear, he is able to stand his ground against Lister and family on hell diff (unless I do something stupid or lag gets me!). I have stopped doing mf-runs, and very seldom make a bloodrun, now I just want to play the game and have fun.

hope to cya

[Hati]

Drivers are o.k.

Hello Grego,
after reading your post I gave the new drivers a try.
I have no problems playing D2/LOD (Vers. 1.09).
Must be something else, not the drivers.
I'm running Win98SE.
Infos from the Matrox control panel:
DirectX 4.08.00.0400
G400SH 32MB
Bios 2.1-35

Hati

[Thorgal the red]

i have no problem with latest driver in d2x

i also use dx8.1(latest beta) with it

[PeTe]

About kicking some demonic ASS. =)

Hmm.. sorry about not msging you in the closed Bnet, i have played some, but not that much.. BUT, going to play on europe most of the weekend, mainly itemhunt+exp for my pvpsorc.. but like allways, i like to just play sometimes.

Btw, last nights saldo from pindleskin was couple runes, that paladin armor with +15% to all max res, pretty good ravenfrost (229/20) and a 197% bartuc claw from memphisto ( pretty good for memphi, because i only did 3 runs =). Sure i got a sh*tload of other items, but i really dont want pic up cr*p anymore.. just good eceptionals+elites+nice set items.

Wondering about making a pvp+exp paladin.. any suggestions on the skills ? ( Got one MAX fana+zeal paladin but thats fu*king booooring and useless in pvp. )

Pete

[Grego]

Thats some good stuff! Is that Ravenfrost for trade? If you are interested in runes I have some up to and including um.

Im far from an expert on pvp paladins, but the ones I have fought against use zeal and charge dont think they use any auras?!

The important thing is equipment, the best paladin I played against used baranars star (perhaps with a shael in it), storm shield, shaftstop, string of ears and vampiregaze.

When my druid goes against a pk, I use Gerkes Sanctuary (poor mans Stormshield) , Baranars star, Gladiators bane with pul-rune (1576 def is nice, if they cant hit u no need for damage reduction!), IK boots cant beat that +40% faster run, cats eye amulet (a must!) and Jalals Mane.

Unfortunately Im not online this weekend, but maybe another time.

[PeTe]

Those paladin items.

Yep, i have baranars with my zeal paladin, but going to move it to the new pala soon as i can get it levelled up.. got 3 shaftstops.. one with my amazon, one with my druid and one extra one.. guessing that max res armor will be better against sorcs, but shaft for anything else.

hmm.. only have one stormshield and one gerges.. gerkes is pretty good actually.. nice block, res and some -damage. Got atleast 4-5 ears so thats easy to move to that char.. only have one "crappy" vampire (M6%/L8%/D-15%/12) but was going to use that with that stormshield with my amazon.. ( that would make -95% damage on that char. =) But if the pala comes out right, might try them with it too.

And sorry, need that Ravenfrost myself.. its just too good to trade for some runes/items that i dont need.

PeTe

[PeTe]

Just wanted to add something that i found late saturday night.. Pindle dropped TAL RASHAS ARMOR.

Man that Armor rocks with my MF sorc. Now i can get +2 skills and HUGE resistances + 900 def armor, +70 mana, +50 life with FULL mf gear compared to wealth armor, goldwrap belt and a mf amulet (= no res from armor, no life, no mana, got a prismatic 22% mf amulet, but still ). And i get more %MF than i did before.

Still trying to get those elite weapons, but after getting that armor im pretty confident that ill get them someday.

PeTe

[Grego]

It seems as if good old pindle is feeling rather generous towards you

Hov much mf does your sorc have? On another note I just found Skullders Ire yesterday for my sorc, that saved my day

[PeTe]

Hmm.. only did about 10-15 pindle runs last night.. ( only played for 30 minutes ) and i got the Unique LUNA and Trang owls BELT, guessing the belt is pretty rare, thats the second time i have EVER seen a troll belt... first one was white item from pindles minios.

About the %MF from my sorc.. dont really remember how much i have on, but ill post the items i wear..

Hat: Harlequin Crest, v1.09 ( P.Topaz) = 74% MF
Amulet: Tal rashas amulet, 0% mf
Armor: Tal rashas armor, v1.09 (P.Topaz) = 112% MF
Belt: Tal rashas belt, v1.09 = 14% MF
BONUS from 3 Tal rasha items, 65% MF.
Rings, 2 x Nagelrings, 29% and 30% MF
Glowes: Chance Guards, 39% MF
Boots: Rare Boots, v1.08 ( 30% fast run, 46% light res and 34% MF)
Shield: Rhyme runeword tower shield, 25% MF ( switch shield a HIGH block shield, exp-set item )
Weapons: GULL, v1.09, 100% MF ( switch weapon Oculus )
Charms: some small 6-7% MF charms guessing about 60-70MF from charms.. ( trying to get this one up, but i have alot of pvp-items and charms with that char.. so need to move something out).

So that means that my sorc has about ... 582-592% MF. Got a pair of 49% War travellers, but need more str to wear them.. that would increase MF with 15%, but i would loose alot of Light res.. with the setup im using now i have MAX light res in hell, with war travellers it would drop to about 50-60%.

So i pretty much have now some of the best items that i could get.. if you dont count in those idiotic Ali Baba + 2 IST and 3 IST runes in shield.. witch would get me a extra 100% MF and those IST runes would cost about 10 SOJs.. no thnx. =) For now its SO much easier to get those 7% MF runes. And after 500% you really wont get that much more chance to find uniques/sets.

PeTe

[Grego]

Your setup definately is better than mine, i have app 460-480 in mf, have no charms. Trang ouls belt is very rare, and highly sought after, how do you find that cool stuff? I know its basically luck, but good old pindle doesnt give me anything

[TiG]

LoD seems to be the only thing i play these days

One thing I've learnt with the game is that it's a lot smoother using DirectDraw, rather than Direct3d. The fps is lower but more consistent. There is a slight colour shade difference between the two.

Living on the big island (Australia), and having dialup I only ever get to play singleplayer. Also the asia server seems incredibly flaky. So i don't know if this would make any difference on closed bnet, however it should.

Also : People should play the Glacial/Etc/Ancients Way more often. They are probably my favourite areas.

[Kruzin]

I too am hooked on the game.
Been building up a Druid. He's up to level 71 now, in act 2 of hell. First character I've taken this far...the rest are lvl30-40 in nightmare.

I don't have jack for mf bonuses....I go for the bonuses that keep me alive, or help kill

Here's one of my latest finds...got it near the end of act 5 nightmare, and had my characters name embossed on it:


Other goodies he's carrying/wearing:
Blessed Ornate Plate of Simplicity (magic, socketed with jewel)
721 def
+40% enh damage
+60% enh def
replen life +5
-30% requirements

Glyph Visor Totemic Mask (rare, socketed with perf skull)
156 def
+10 energy
+58% enh def
+3 life
replen life +5
regen mana 19%
13% fire resist
poison length reduced 25%

Death Fist Demonhide Gloves (rare)
30 def
3% life stolen/hit
+8 str
+12 mana
18% fire resist
24% lightning resist

Glyph Clasp Demonhide Sash (rare)
47 def
+36% enh def
+26 life
replen life +4
+6 max stamina
78% extra gold

Storm Spur Wyrmhide Boots (rare)
61 def
10% faster walk/run
+2 dex
27% fire resist
24% poison resist

Mahim-Oak Curio Amulet (unique)
10% attack bonus
10% enh def
+10 def
+10 str
+10 dex
+10 vitality
+10 energy
+10 all resistances

Stone of Jorden ring (unique)
+1 all skills
+1-12 lighning damage
+20 mana
+26% max mana

Entropy Gyre ring
10% to cast lvl3 nova when struck
+42 attack rating
+2 energy
replan life +8
29% fire resist

I usually just hang back with my ballista, and back up my merc and summoned beasts. When I need to get into the mix, I use a nice runeworded War Scythe:

"Honor"
War Scythe (5 sockets, runeword)
AmnElIthTirSol
50-106 damage
+1 all skiils
160% enh dam
+9 min & max dam
+250 attack rating
7% life stolen/hit
25% deadly strike
+10 str
replen life +10
+2 mana/kill
+1 light rad

My merc is a kick arse high level pally I've had with me for most of the game, who is mighty nicely equipped also

[Rags]

It's a sad day, indeed, when Kruzin starts playing those wuss games