Ava Romero
Sid Meier's SimGolf is a golf simulation game released in 2002. While the game works fine on Windows 7, issues have been reported with running the game on Windows 8 and Windows 10. Common issues include the game not launching, crashing, and not displaying text/fonts. Suggested fixes include running the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or 3), running regedit.exe and modifying the Start entry, and using GPU scaling. Additionally, players have found ways to play the game in windowed mode using D3DWindower and Lossless Scaling, which allows for upscaling the game's resolution for modern monitors.
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What You'll Learn
Using D3DWindower
D3DWindower is a tool that enables you to run games in windowed mode, even if they don't natively support it. It is lightweight and easy to use, with no complicated setup.
To use D3DWindower to play SimGolf in windowed mode, first download the game ISO file, NoCD executable, and v1.03 game patch. Go to the install directory and rename "golf.exe" to "_golf.exe".
Next, click the plus button to add a game, and browse to the SimGolf install directory to select the NoCD "golf.exe" file. This will add SimGolf to the list of games in D3DWindower. Right-click on the game in the listing and go to Options. Set the following settings: Common: 800x600 resolution, Use Windowed Mode, Use Background Resize.
Close out of Options and play the game by clicking on the computer icon next to the gear icon. After the game's starting menu loads, Alt-Tab to D3DWindower, right-click on the game in the list, and click Window Operation, and change to Normal. You are now running SimGolf in windowed mode at the original 800x600 resolution.
Note that this method may cause the game to appear tiny on modern monitors, but it is certainly playable. Additionally, some users have reported issues with in-game sound when using D3DWindower with SimGolf.
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Adjusting settings in Lossless Scaling
To run Sim Golf windowed, you will need to download and install Lossless Scaling from Steam. Lossless Scaling is a third-party utility that allows PC gamers to enhance performance and visual quality across windowed applications. It provides both spatial upscaling (increasing image quality when running at lower resolutions) and temporal scaling (frame generation to increase perceived smoothness).
After installing Lossless Scaling, go to your game's options and ensure you have either borderless fullscreen or windowed mode selected. Change the custom settings to borderless and then select your upscaling type. AMD FSR is a good base option, and LS1 is recommended for modern games.
Next, make a new profile titled "SimGolf" and apply the following settings:
- Scaling Type: LS1
- Performance: On
- Frame Generation: LSFG 2.2, Mode: X2, Performance: On
- Cursor: Clip Cursor: On, Adjust Cursor Speed: On, Scale Cursor: On
With the game running, click on the Scale button in the top-right corner, then click on the windowed SimGolf game. Alternatively, you can use the Scale Hotkey in the Lossless Scaling settings to scale and unscale the game while playing.
Note that you will also need to download the game ISO file, NoCD executable, and v1.03 game patch, and rename "golf.exe" to "_golf.exe" in the install directory. Additionally, you may need to run the game in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 2).
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Running regedit.exe
To run Sim Golf windowed, you will need to download D3DWindower and Lossless Scaling from Steam. You can then follow the steps below:
- Download the game ISO file, NoCD executable, and v1.03 game patch.
- Go to the install directory (C:\Program Files (x86)\EA Games\Firaxis Games\Sid Meiers SimGolf is the default) and rename "golf.exe" to "_golf.exe" in the folder.
- Right-click on the NoCD "golf.exe", go to Properties, Compatibility, check "Run this program in compatibility mode for", and select Windows XP (Service Pack 2) in the drop menu. Hit Apply.
- Click the plus button to add a game, and browse to the SimGolf install directory to select the NoCD "golf.exe" file.
- Right-click on the game in the listing and go to Options. Set the following settings:
Common: 800x600 resolution, Use Windowed Mode, Use Background Resize
- Play the game by clicking on the computer icon next to the gear icon. After the game's starting menu loads, Alt-Tab to D3DWindower, right-click on the game in the list, and click Window Operation, and change to Normal.
- Make a new profile titled "SimGolf" and apply the following settings:
- Scaling Type: LS1, Performance: on. Adjust the sharpness to your liking.
- Frame Generation: LSFG 2.2, Mode: X2, Performance: on.
- Cursor: Clip Cursor: on, Adjust Cursor Speed: on, Scale Cursor: on
With the game running, click on the Scale button in the top-right corner, click on the windowed SimGolf game, and wait a few seconds for Lossless Scaling to do its thing.
Now, for your other request, here is a guide on running regedit.exe:
- Press Ctrl+⇧ Shift+Esc to open the Task Manager.
- Click the "File" menu, hold Ctrl, and click "Run new task".
- Type ".regedit" and press Enter. You can do this from any location in the Command Prompt.
- The Registry Editor will open in a separate window. You may be asked to confirm that you want to open it.
- Navigate through the registry entries using the menu on the left side of the Registry Editor. Many folders will contain multiple levels of subfolders. Keys in each folder will be displayed in the right frame.
- Edit a key by double-clicking on it. When you double-click a key in the right frame, a window will appear allowing you to edit the values.
Note: Editing the Windows registry is an advanced way to change system settings. You should only edit keys if you know what you are doing or are following qualified instructions, as modifying keys can cause Windows to malfunction.
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Enabling GPU scaling
GPU scaling is a feature that allows you to adjust the aspect ratio of your games to match your monitor. It is particularly useful for playing older games that may have been designed for a different screen resolution. For instance, most modern gaming monitors have a 16:9 aspect ratio, while older games were designed with 4:3 monitors in mind. Without GPU scaling, such older games are often stretched to fit the native aspect ratio of the screen, resulting in a distorted image.
To enable GPU scaling, you will need a compatible graphics card, such as AMD 2nd gen GCN, NVIDIA Turing, or Intel Gen 11 GPUs or newer. With a compatible graphics card, you can enable Integer Scaling, which removes blur and distortion, resulting in better image quality.
- Right-click anywhere on your desktop and select AMD Radeon Settings (for AMD graphics cards).
- Navigate to the GPU Scaling option and switch it to On.
- Choose your preferred Scaling Mode from the drop-down menu. The "Maintain Aspect Ratio" setting is generally the best option for most users.
- Save the changes, and GPU scaling will now be enabled on your computer.
It is important to note that while GPU scaling improves image quality, it may introduce slight input lag, as it forces your graphics card to render each image and frame with additional effort, potentially lowering your frames per second (fps).
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Compatibility mode
To run Sim Golf in windowed mode using compatibility mode, you can try the following methods:
Using D3DWindower
D3DWindower is a tool that allows you to play the game in windowed mode. First, create a new profile titled "SimGolf" and apply the following settings: Scaling Type: LS1, Performance: on, Frame Generation: LSFG 2.2, Mode: X2, Performance: on, Cursor: Clip Cursor: on, Adjust Cursor Speed: on, and Scale Cursor: on.
Next, download the game ISO file, NoCD executable, and v1.03 game patch. Go to the install directory and rename "golf.exe" to "_golf.exe". Copy over the NoCD executable "golf.exe" to the install directory. Right-click on the NoCD "golf.exe", go to Properties, and select "Run this program in compatibility mode for Windows XP (Service Pack 2)".
Using DxWnd
DxWnd is another tool that can force the game to run in non-fullscreen mode. However, it may result in missing terrain textures or transparency issues. To use DxWnd, download and install the tool, then launch it and add the Sim Golf executable file ("golf.exe") to the list of games. Configure the settings to force the game to run in a window, specifying the x and y coordinates for the window.
Using Program Compatibility Troubleshooter
If you are running Sim Golf on Windows 10, you can try using the Program Compatibility Troubleshooter to resolve any compatibility issues. Go to the Search bar next to the Start Menu and type "Troubleshooting". Click on View All in the left panel, then select Program Compatibility Troubleshooter. Follow the instructions to install the gaming application on your computer.
It is important to note that some users have reported issues with running Sim Golf in windowed mode, even when using compatibility mode. This may be due to the game's age and the workarounds needed to get it playable on modern equipment.
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