Just updated to the latest version, more observations:
- Single Processor Affinity is always set by default.
- Default / ddwrapper rendering = invisible initial screen
- Default / ddwrapper + windowed mode = can start the game but poor performance (with or without the graphics patch). Window borders are annoying.
- IE-ddraw = poor performance in any combination of windowed mode + graphics patch
- TS-DDraw = random crashes in the initial / in game menus (with or without graphics patch). If I manage to launch the game, performance is OK, but have to avoid the menus and can get a random crash without going to the menus as well..
- DxWnd alone = poor performance
- DxWnd + graphics patch = great performance, but random freezing after a while (need to alt+tab)
- DxWnd + graphics patch + windowed mode (no window border) = Performance is perfect, no freezing played for an hour (yay). BUT there seems to be a strange lag in the in-game menus, i.e. need to wait 5-10 seconds before an option changes.
Furthermore, there seems to be a missing script in the keyboard customization in-game menu when using DxWnd. Basically when you try to select different commands - the placeholder that is supposed to show the assigned key is empty. Furthermore when you are changing the command category - list of commands on the right stays the same... This is true for both normal and windowed modes (doesn't appear with any other rendering, just DxWnd).
So basically I need launch the game in other rendering, customize the keys (if I need), then launch DxWnd + patch + windowed and I can play forever (with laggy menus, but I don't really need them for anything). Good progress!
Also another question, did you guys do any other customization of the game like balancing, unit damage, etc.? I have a feeling that the campaigns got much harder (which is not a bad thing). Is it possible to see the patch notes somewhere?