Guide to Multi-Res w/PlugY for Diablo II

Guide to Multi-Res and Median XL
In the interest of answering all questions related to this topic...

FAQ
Q: What do I need to play Diablo II with Multi-res?
A: Read the guide below. You will have to play with patch 1.12a, which means single-player, TCP, or Hamachi only; no realms, sorry!

Q: Pt.1 - Do I need a crazy-ass video card to use high-res without lag? Pt.2 -Which is better, Glide 3dfx or Multi-res?
A: For the first part, any video card made within the last 12-years or so will suffice. For the second part, I'd have to go with Multi-res. The truth is, playing in Glide will show much improvement in performance in 3D mode only, but playing in 2D with Multi-res will have the same results. So why do I think Multi-res is better? Because high-res graphics look beautiful and are much better than the pathetic 3D Diablo offers; some of the buildings move in a way that looks like you can see behind in 3D... whoop?

Q: I've heard Multi-res is not compatible with PlugY/Offline-Tools/D2SE/Ultimative/Realms/etc...
A: Multi-res is compatible with everything except Whist's Utility Mod and Realm play (both of which are designed for patch 1.13c). Other posters have claimed to have gotten Multi-res working with D2SE, however I have not, but that is not to say it's not possible so I won't list it as non-compatible.

Q: Can I play Diablo II with Multi-res, but without PlugY using your setup guide?
A: Yes, instead of starting the game with PlugY, start it with D2Multiresgame.exe; note, be sure to right-click and disable Desktop Composition and give Admin rights.

Q: What will I loose by playing Multi-res? I heard that patch 1.12a does not have as many features as patch 1.13c!
A: In MXL and MXLU, you won't loose anything. You can still respec with the Offline Tools. In classic/vanilla cLod, you re-gain the ability to use some exploits that 1.13c fixed, such as TPPK and Aura Stacking. So you don't loose anything in MXL, and you actually "gain" something in Classic, if you can call it that. Offline Tools can be found (Here).

Q: How do I view my PlugY pages?
A: In the chat window, type the page number you would like to view as so: /page 2

COMPLETE INSTRUCTIONS
1) Install D2 + Expansion (clean install only; it is important that you choose 2D for the graphics)
2) Download Patch 1.12a (HERE)
3) Install Patch 1.12a
4) Download PlugY zipped version (HERE)
5) Inside the Diablo II directory, extract PlugY there
6) Download Ultimative (link on bottom of the forum)
7) Inside the Diablo II directory, extract the Ultimative zip there and overwrite the PlugY.ini
Download MultiRes (HERE)
9) In the Diablo II folder, extract MultiRes
10) Open PlugY.ini and put "dlltoload=D2MultiRes.dll" (please note that I also did this for PlugYDefault.ini which is inside the PlugY folder in the DII dir)

Code:

[GENERAL]
ActivePlugin=1
DisableBattleNet=1
ActiveLogFile=0
DllToLoad=D2multires.dll
DllToLoad2=mmap.dll
ActiveCommands=1
ActiveCheckMemory=1
ActiveAllOthersFeatures=0

11) Download WindowBorderlessGaming (HERE)
12) Install WindowBorderlessGaming (and read instructions:)

1. First time, run the app and start up a game.
2. Make sure you run the game in windowed mode before adding it to the app.
3. After you have set your game to run windowed, click the app's tray icon and select "Add window"
4. Go back to your game and while the game window is active press "F3"
5. From now on, your game should automatically be in windowed border-less mode, your settings are saved!

Note that if you need to adjust the starting position, set the X: Y: coordinates for the game. Without Windowless, you have to adjust your window to fit perfectly on the screen every time you start-up, the ugly bar at the top shows, and part of the bottom of the screen is hidden from view!

WITHOUT WINDOWLESS:


WITH WINDOWLESS:


13) Create PlugY.exe shortcut and add to desktop
14) Start up DII in full-screen and set your screen resolution to match your desktops then Save and Exit
15) Now, on the PlugY shortcut, add -W to the parameters, give it Admin rights, and disable Desktop Composition
16) Run DII, position your window in the top-left corner, then run WindowBorderlessGaming and "add window", then return to DII and press F3. WBG automatically loads on computer start-up.

Congratulations, your finished! Now every time you want to play MXLU, just click the PlugY icon on your desktop and your good to go!


OPTIONAL
The following adds graphical enhancement to your game. I highly recommend it! The Font Fix makes the fonts in DII beautiful! And mMap v0.4 automatically reveals each act without a key-press.

1) Optional if you use a maphack: "dlltoload2=maphack.dll" (see code from post #10) (HERE)
2) Download D2fixup.mpq and PlugYFontFix.zip (HERE)
3) In the Diablo II folder, extract PlugYFontFix
4) In the Diablo II folder, extract d2fixup.mpq

Not sure about the WindowBorderlessGaming, D2fixup.mpq, or PlugYFontFix.zip; But I did not have to do a clean install when I tried Multires.
(I installed Multires without the three aforementioned things)

How add -w parameter in windows 7 to D2MultiResGame.exe because there is no target options like in windows XP so dont know where add -w parameter

There is if you make a shortcut, not in the programs folder. Make a shortcut and send it to the desktop. From there, right-click/properties/target.

too bad it doesn't work on realms

anyway, thanks for this guide !

I do not remember I gave a cookie or not,but here is one

I dont mind ! Cookies taste gooda!

Edit: Nvm, realm can't have 1.12...

Thanks for the guide though!

Quirinus wrote:Edit: Nvm, realm can't have 1.12...

Thanks for the guide though!

There is actually a Multires that works for 1.13c but it only gives you one possible resolution.