Boss kill question

[eventfulhoryzon]

I've been experiencing this for as long as I can remember: When a boss (usually Diablo and Baal) dies, the game "freezes" like it's trying to load something, and when everything syncs up, people have already picked up the goodies. Now, this doesn't happen every time, maybe one out of every 5 or 6 times. Shouldn't be my specs:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6300 (1.86 Ghz)
2 GB Corsair Dominator RAM
XFX GeForce 7950 GT (512 MB)
Seagate 320 GB Hard Drive (7200 rpm)
Windows XP Home
Wireless Broadband

Poor programming perhaps? Meh, I'll get over it, but I was just wondering what y'all thought.

[LozHinge the Unhinged]

Wild stab guess - are you using 3D mode or 2D? The video test programme in your D2 folder will tell you which you're using. Try switching from 3D to 2D.

[/wild guess]

[JME]

Also try running diablo in windowed mode, which seems to help a lot with issues such as these.

*Some of it is bad programming (even new computers have problems at some places), some of it is server lag, some of it is your internet, and some of it is your computer. Basically, if one of these acts up you get lag. If multiples of those factors act up you get long "hangs" with nothing happening.

Running in direct draw and windowed mode can help.

[eventfulhoryzon]

I am already running in windowed mode. I have this issue in 2d and 3d. On multiple computers, too.

[HalcyonLister]

It happens to me all the time too. I've just accepted it as part of the game play. When I want to make sure I get some drops, I MF by myself or with a couple people I can trust on B.net. When I need exp runs, I don't bother with drops and let the little 'grabbers' swarm the kills all the time. It's far too frustrating to try and snatch and grab when a boss dies only to realize that sometimes the items don't even hit the ground before they are picked up.

I had a baal run where he apparently dropped "nothing" two times in a row. No sounds, nothing on the ground, just nothing.

We got to the third game and someone said what I was thinking "Wow, two baal runs and NO drops!? That's wierd" To which 5 people chimed in that they all had gotten something in the last two runs.

So, it's not worth it to me. I just MF on my own now or with a friend or two in a private game. Works better for me anyway.

[Lanceor]

Sounds like a wierd suggestion, but try turning off the music. It seems the game freezes when the CD has to spool up to play the boss's requiem or something... at least on my comp.

[eventfulhoryzon]

I think I've tried that too. My music is muted, and it still happens. What I've ended up doing (in the last ladder when I had complete characters) is tagging along in 8 player hell Baal or hell Chaos runs, and doing the opposite (hell Baal while they do hell Chaos and vice versa).

[HalcyonLister]

I think I've tried that too. My music is muted, and it still happens. What I've ended up doing (in the last ladder when I had complete characters) is tagging along in 8 player hell Baal or hell Chaos runs, and doing the opposite (hell Baal while they do hell Chaos and vice versa).

I think his suggestion was actually turning the music off. Even though your speakers are muted, it still plays the music off the CD. I don't know if D2 even has this option but if it does, give it a shot.

I might have to do that too. Because any time it accesses the CD for anything, I get a second or two of hang time.

[eventfulhoryzon]

I think his suggestion was actually turning the music off. Even though your speakers are muted, it still plays the music off the CD. I don't know if D2 even has this option but if it does, give it a shot.

I might have to do that too. Because any time it accesses the CD for anything, I get a second or two of hang time.

There is no "mute" button for the music, persay. What I did mean was that my music slider is all the way to the left (off). Sounds are still on, obviously (how entertaining would that be?!) Plus, isn't the music playing off of your hard disk?... wait a minute. This seems to happen most often with Shenk and Baal. I just checked my installation of D2, and d2music.mpq is there, but the expansion .mpq music archive isn't. It's on the CD (d2xmusic.mpq). If I moved that to the D2 install directory, would it recognize it there first and not have to go to the CD?

[badapple]

you could make an image of the cd and mount it from the hd with alcohol 120. then everything is playing off the hard disk. on my older computer that is what i do because it prevents having to spin up for anything. plus if i accidentally eject the cd nothing bad happens then.

[eventfulhoryzon]

you could make an image of the cd and mount it from the hd with alcohol 120. then everything is playing off the hard disk.
That is an option, I never thought of that... although I'm not sure if that violates the EULA. Does anyone know?

[badapple]

11. Limitations on License. Nothing in this License Agreement shall
preclude You from making or authorizing the making of another copy
or adaptation of the Program provided, however, that (1) such new
copy or adaptation is created as an essential step in your
utilization of the Program in accordance with the terms of this
License Agreement and for NO OTHER PURPOSE; or (2) such new copy or
adaptation is for archival purposes ONLY and all archival copies are
destroyed in the event of your Transfer of the Program, the
Termination of this License Agreement, or other circumstances under
which your continued use of the Program ceases to be rightful.

there you go. you are creating your copy on your hard drive for the sole purpose of following the license agreement. you don't change anything about the copy, you don't try to make anything happen that isn't supposed to happen. you are allowed to run it from the hd. PWNd.

[eventfulhoryzon]

there you go. you are creating your copy on your hard drive for the sole purpose of following the license agreement. you don't change anything about the copy, you don't try to make anything happen that isn't supposed to happen. you are allowed to run it from the hd. PWNd.

Nice find! Thanks! Now... how to go about doing that...

[badapple]

Now... how to go about doing that...

1. get a virtual drive software. you could try this one (http://www.softwarepatch.com/windows/xpvirtualcd.html) if you are using win XP, it probably gets the job done.

2. make ISO image of expansion CD.

3. Mount ISO image in virtual drive software.

4. Enjoy following license agreement.

5 Rinse thoroughly.

[AnimeCraze]

I am already running in windowed mode. I have this issue in 2d and 3d. On multiple computers, too.Did you change the 2D/3D in game, or did you use change it to DirectDraw in the video test? Changing it ingame does nothing, while running the video test and changing it to DirectDraw does wonders. Heck, I can summon and spam poison nova's all I want with DirectDraw.

[Psyrus]

This seems to happen most often with Shenk and Baal. I just checked my installation of D2, and d2music.mpq is there, but the expansion .mpq music archive isn't. It's on the CD (d2xmusic.mpq). If I moved that to the D2 install directory, would it recognize it there first and not have to go to the CD?
Yes. Then appropriately, the CD-reading "lag" after killing Shenk, Nihlathak, or Baal for the first time (or any others in the expansion who have death music scores) will cease.

The music entries in both music mpqs are the leading cause for this issue since they are in wav format, hence they are rather huge to load.

[Lyrs]

i used to experience the same issue. now that i have an image of the cd on my hdd, i rarely experience the boss kill lag. exceptions are such things like the shenk aftermath animations and sometimes baal when it's really crowded (minions + auras)

[poorDiiNoober]

i think the problem is either u got a slow pc or internet caz it only happen to me when i had 2much programs running or use up 2 much internet connection

[eventfulhoryzon]

Slow PC? I run CS:Source at 120 fps no problem. I made an image of my Expansion disk and all is well now!

[badapple]

I made an image of my Expansion disk and all is well now!

damn optical drive spinup time.