Vampire: The Masquerade -- Redemption refuses to use dedicated GPU, relies on Intel HD Graphics instead
I just bought Vampire: The Masquerade -- Redemption and wanted to play it. However, the game doesn't see my laptop's dedicated GPU as a graphics device and uses Intel HD Graphics instead.
I can't run high resolutions due to that (1024x700 was the best thing I got) and can't use dynamic lighting since Intel HD Graphics doesn't seem to support it (at least it doesn't work). Other games seem to run on GPU (my GPU monitor shows activity while I play them).
I am in the beginning, in the mine, and I hardly see anything even if I try to use a torch. I tried spawning a flashlight and a flare -- they don't affect lighting either. I tried switching the game manually to usage of GPU through NVIDIA Control Panel application, and using GPU is a general setting on my PC -- didn't work.
I also tried to turn Intel HD graphics off -- it didn't help, game just refuses to start and crashes even before the video intro, and games that normally use GPU start to have low FPS.
All the problems are present in both unmodded version from GOG.com and Age Of Redemption mod.
My system specs are:
- Windows 8.1 (64-bit)
- 8 GB RAM (game actually uses around 100 MB)
- Core i7 (4 cores)
- NVidia GeForce GTX 950M
Solution 1:
The nVidia 950M is dedicated yes, but also a budget card and subject to how the laptop was laid out. For your specific issues, remember you're talking about a game that was released in 2000, nearly 17 years ago - long before the features today were possible.
But, similar questions have been asked on GOG and Steam, as well as Vampire Masquerade-centric sites.
Some people download an unofficial patch to resolve their graphics issuse, while others perform the following based on the GOG support forum:
IF YOUR COMPUTER IS EQUIPPED WITH A DEDICATED (MORE POWERFUL) NVIDIA OR ATI/AMD GRAPHICS DEVICE
You should perform the steps below to use the superior card.
For an NVIDIA card, go to NVIDIA Control Panel -> Manage 3D settings. You should be able to select the NVIDIA card as the preferred device or create a profile for the game to use it.
GOG.com suggests that if the above does not work, to visit the developer site. The problem is, Nihilistic Software (developer) is defunct and Activision (publisher) no longer supports the title. This means that the game may be too old for the hardware you have and you get what you get unless players develop their own solution.
Scouring the Internet, just yields that unofficial patch (you'll have to find that on your own - sorry) and little to nothing more.
Solution 2:
I downloaded the game again on the same PC and tried it under Linux Mint 18 "Sarah". I used Wine 4.2.10 and NVIDIA drivers 375.66. The game goes perfectly, dynamic lighting works, the intro video doesn't jam, etc. I am going to try it with the Age of Redemption mod, but I am sure that it will also work.
I am accepting this answer as this solution worked for me and I am going to use it.
If you don't want to install Linux as your main system, you can use VirtualBox by Oracle, a free virtual machine program, and use Linux on a virtual computer. V:tM -- Redemption is a very old game, you won't notice the emulation overheads on a modern PC.
I think, the problem is either with the NVIDIA drivers or with Windows compatibility mode being worse at launching old games than Wine. Definitely not with NVIDIA GeForce 950M being a bad graphics card.
I will probably try other solutions later.