# Final Fantasy 7 DirectDraw? HELP PLEAASE



## Ragnorak (Apr 27, 2007)

Hey everybody. I just bought FF7 for the pc, I didn't realize until I started looking around that there were so many issues with it. I installed the game but it wont even let me do the configuration or start the game up. Right wheni click on it a message pops up saying i dont have a directdraw complient graphics card. I have an Nvidia Geforce 3 card. If anybody can help me out id be VERY VERY happy. Im not very computer savvy so im not sure what card I should buy if i have to. I dont understand why i can't run the game because i can run much newer and complex games. Thanks for all help and patience.


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## greed (Feb 24, 2005)

what is your OS? FF7 for pc was orriginally designed for win 95/98 and isn't completly compatible with others. There is an XP patch somewhere online but not for vista.


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## Ragnorak (Apr 27, 2007)

Its running on Windows XP. Ive been tryin for the past 5 hours to get it to work. Square wont talk to me about it, EA wont talk to me about it, nobody will help out. This is VERY frustrating, ive tried download the xp patch but it wont work, FF7 wont even run, it says i need a directdraw compatible graphics card, i have an Nvidia GeForce3 card? anyone have a suggestion on what WILL work? im veeery frustrated, any help will be awesome thank you


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## greed (Feb 24, 2005)

Square and EA wont help you as the XP patch is unofficial. They will just tell you it won't run on XP. Did you just buy the game or are you trying to replay it? It seems a very old game to buy new... I thought they stopped selling it years ago! 
As for the directdraw thing... I think its an older version of direct3D... its what windows used to use before I think. If your graphics card doesn't run it its likely its because it's too good!
try looking here for info on direct draw:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/191660


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## greed (Feb 24, 2005)

what stops? the installation or game play?


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## Super-D-38 (Apr 25, 2002)

This may offer a little help.. I hope. 
http://wiki.qhimm.com/FF7/Technical/Graphic_problems

Also a small faq and other posts.. Lots to read, but may be an answer in there. 
http://forums.qhimm.com/index.php?topic=2670.msg%msg_id%

Looks like patch 1.02 is best for making it work.

I did have FF7 working years ago on an nVidia FX5200 Ultra card.. Haven't played it for a long time. 
From all I read with problems, the Playstation 1 version is still your best bet to play this great game.


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## Ragnorak (Apr 27, 2007)

thank you for the help super-d-38 and greed. I bought the game via ebay because i didn't want to spend 60-70 bucks for it on ps. I spent 35 instead for the pc and figured it would be better deal because it was new as opposed to new. Until i found out about all of the trouble with compatibility issues. In the end...i traded my xbox, 2 controllers, and 7 games for a ps1 version. Very satisfied! thank you again for the help though


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## Super-D-38 (Apr 25, 2002)

Wow!.. It really costs that much? I got mine for like $20 or less.. Though I've had it for many years.


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## Envy1337 (Jun 2, 2007)

Uhm mby someone can help me here im playing FF7 and when im on date in golden saucer doesnt matter with who tried aeris and tifa at some point during the ride on the thing when one of them starts talking after few lines they freeze its not like game freezes cause they still wink with their eyes but it gets blocked and doesnt advance further i cannot continue with the game :/ So please if anyone knows a solution or cause of this problem say it here or email me at : [email protected]


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## mt2002 (Sep 14, 2005)

> As for the directdraw thing... I think its an older version of direct3D... its what windows used to use before I think. If your graphics card doesn't run it its likely its because it's too good!


DirectDraw was used before Direct3D became mainstream. Direct3D uses
DirectDraw to render directly to video memory. One could say that Direct3D
is for 3d while DirectDraw is for 2d (Or software based 3d)



> Uhm mby someone can help me here im playing FF7 and when im on date in golden saucer doesnt matter with who tried aeris and tifa at some point during the ride on the thing when one of them starts talking after few lines they freeze its not like game freezes cause they still wink with their eyes but it gets blocked and doesnt advance further


Is the disk clean?

I know a few instances in the game where if you take the disk out (as if it was
unreadable) odd things (like what you described) may happen.


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## Envy1337 (Jun 2, 2007)

I even made an image of the cd and copied movies on hdd and it still doesnt help my friend got same problem and few other people we dont know why it happens and which is weird it happens the same on original and pirate versions...


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## mt2002 (Sep 14, 2005)

> weird it happens the same on original and pirate versions...


"pirate version"? What do you mean?

Then again, you are running this on Windows XP, which it does not fully support.

Have you tried compatibility modes...?


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## WHiTE_LickR (Apr 6, 2008)

Try running the patch in XP mode. I initially had probs with getting the patch to run, but doing this fixed it just fine. I don't know if the patch will help with the game at all...haven't gotten that far yet.


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