True Patch Gold Edition -- DIRECT DOWNLOAD LINK

[Schu]

Tessera, I gave your new update (TPG_update7_x64_vampire) a try over the weekend, and I got a pleasant surprise.

Normally when using the Mega-Mod on Win7 64bit, the game will crash once-in-awhile. Now this doesn't happen very often,
usually only when I play for hours on-end. To me it is a known memory issue, one that I thought was Win7 related, not game
related.

Well, I loaded your update, then immediately changed the memory switch to 640000 (roughly 500MB), instead of 384000, to
give it try. The game only crashed on me once all weekend, and that one, was my own fault.

I haven't noticed any issues or bugs with the update yet, so I would think you managed to fixed my other issue. Great work,
and thanks for this update.

[Tessera]

My pleasure, Schu.   

Yes, the latest TPG update should help VTMB make better use of system memory on 64-bit systems.

[perez007usa]

No headaches in between, TPG all the way to Gold

[Schu]

Yes, the latest TPG update should help VTMB make better use of system memory on 64-bit systems.

Ain't that the truth.

One more thing I just figured out about the update. It seems as though the game is loading faster using 500MB instead of 300MB.
Also it looks like the loading screens between areas is slightly shorter. Or maybe its just me.

[Prisoner416]

*** TPG OPTIONAL UPDATE #7 ***


I am releasing an optional, non-critical engine update for True Patch Gold users.

This update is for those of you who are playing Bloodlines on a 64-bit computer. It consists of a single file... the "vampire.exe" file. Once again, I have altered the main executable of Bloodlines, in order to make it work better with 64-bit operating systems. NOTE: if you are not playing Bloodlines on a 64-bit computer, then this update will not be of any use to you. This update will ONLY be of benefit to 64-bit users.

By installing this update, you will enable the Bloodlines engine to make better use of system RAM on 64-bit computers. Aside from making the game run faster and more efficiently, this update will also allow you to increase the "-heapsize" command line switch, in order to allocate much larger amounts of cache RAM than the original engine would allow. This in turn will help the game run even smoother on 64-bit systems, with less stuttering and also, with less random crashes (particularly on Windows 7 x64 systems).

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://www.tessmage.com/tpg/TPG_update7_x64_vampire.zip


OPTIONAL UPDATE #7 -- INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

(1) First, locate your existing vampire.exe file and rename it vampire.exe.bak so that you have a backup copy (for safety).

(2) Download this update and then unzip it to a neutral location on your hard drive (any temporary folder will do nicely).

(3) Copy the vampire.exe file from this update and then paste it into your main VTMB folder. It will thus replace the original vampire.exe file.

(4) Play the game. Everything should now work perfectly on 64-bit computers.

---------------------------------------------------

OPTIONAL -- INCREASE YOUR GLOBAL HEAP SIZE

(1) Right-click on your desktop shortcut for VTMB and select "Properties."

(2) In the command line ("Target") window, add the following switch to the end of the command line (if you have not already done so)...

-heapsize 800000

The above command line switch will allocate 800 megabytes of additional cache RAM to VTMB's memory pool, whenever you launch the game. You can experiment with higher amounts of RAM if you want to, but in practice I have found that there is no particular benefit to setting up a RAM cache much larger than 800 megabytes. As a matter of fact, making the RAM cache too large can actually SLOW DOWN the game at times, so my advice would be to keep the "-heapsize" number to anywhere between 384000 to 800000. You may wish to experiment with different values, in order to determine whether or not you are getting any significant increase in VTMB's performance.

Note that the number after the "-heapsize" switch refers to how many kilobytes of RAM. Thus a figure of "800000" is actually 800 megabytes.

---------------------------------------------------

WHAT THIS UPDATE DOES:

By modifying the vampire.exe file, the game engine will now be "more aware" of 64-bit systems which have more than 4 GB's of system RAM installed. This should give the game more stability and better performance on 64-bit systems. It is also possible that this update will allow the game engine to make better use of multiple CPU's on dual-core, quad-core (and higher) computers.

This update is fully compatible with all versions of the True Patch Gold Edition... past and present. It may not be compatible with other versions of Bloodlines, however. If you are not a True Patch user and if you are not playing the game on a 64-bit computer, then you are advised NOT to download this update.

Enjoy.  


- Tessera -
2012


...now let's see how long it takes Wesp to steal this one from us.

This REALLY should be promoted. To me, it's basically the best selling point of the True Patch. As far as I know... well, actually, I DO know, Wesp's creation has NEVER offered improved x64 stability.
It could be quite a decisive factor to the right audiences.

[Tessera]

This REALLY should be promoted.

Then by all means... please do so.   

As far as I know... well, actually, I DO know, Wesp's creation has NEVER offered improved x64 stability.

Give him some more time. He hasn't gotten around to stealing it from us yet.

[Tessera]

*** NEW VERSION RELEASED ***


A newly updated version of the True Patch Gold Edition has been released.

This new version includes every single Hotfix, including the recent Hotfix #7 (which adds superior stability and better memory usage when VTMB is running on a 64-bit operating system).

It is strongly recommended that all TPG users download the latest version of our patch. Even if you are already using the TPG and have applied all of its various hotfixes, it is still wise to have a fully up-to-date version of the patch archived on your computer (I recommend burning it to a CD or a DVD).

The download link for the TPG has been updated as well, both in my original post in this thread, as well as on our Downloads page...


http://www.tessmage.com/tpg/True_Patch_Gold_FINAL_with_Hotfix7.rar


This newly updated version of the True Patch Gold Edition will work perfectly with any and all modern versions of the Windows operating system (both 32 and 64 bit).



SPECIAL NOTE TO VTMB MEGA-MOD USERS: if you decide to re-install the True Patch, you will likewise need to re-install the entire Mega-Mod and all of its updates AFTER you have re-installed the TPG. This notice only applies to the users of Tessera's VTMB Mega-Mod.

[Prisoner416]

The Steam sticky has been updated to include the True Patch.

I think it might be a good idea to set up a dedicated mirror on an external site that doesn't have 18+ requirements, in order to make the fixes available to as many people as possible.

[Tessera]

I think it might be a good idea to set up a dedicated mirror on an external site that doesn't have 18+ requirements, in order to make the fixes available to as many people as possible.

The True Patch Gold Edition is available to everyone, regardless of their age. It is not restricted.

This area of our Forums is likewise open to everyone, so long as they have not done anything
to get themselves banned from our board. It is also viewable by unregistered guests.

[Schu]

The Steam sticky has been updated to include the True Patch.

Well, it looks like that thread, gave us what I was attempting...a fair compromise.

Prisoner, thanks for taking the brunt of the grief in that nightmare. I didn't start it to pick a fight, but the UP goon squad try's to get any thread locked or deleted that even mentions the TP, so they take things out of context, and pick a fight.

Hell they are the reason it stayed on the front page for so long  :laugh:

I also left a final post, letting DarkByke know that the kink leads too the public part of these forums.

[Linkinc]

Really like this mod and upon playing I've ran into nearly no bugs. 

[kurtis64]

Fortunately, this is not a mod

[Tessera]

Fortunately, this is not a mod

Far from it. The TPG is simply a bug-fixes-only patch. Always has been... always will be. Hence the name: the "True" patch.

Nobody should take it upon themselves to shove arbitrary content (mods) down anyone else's throats.

[Killalots]

The Steam sticky has been updated to include the True Patch.

I think it might be a good idea to set up a dedicated mirror on an external site that doesn't have 18+ requirements, in order to make the fixes available to as many people as possible.

Wouldn't have found this place without that "intervention"! Downloading the TPG now

[Cubanpete]

As someone who played VTMB a Loooooooooong time ago, I am glad that there is such a great community and support still around for this game which I have decided to pick up once more. Thanks alot to all the modders etc for keeping the patches, and this game, alive

[Tessera]

Thanks alot to all the modders etc for keeping the patches, and this game, alive

You are very welcome. And thank you, too... for your show of support. I am gratified to see
that the True Patch community continues to grow larger and larger each year. 

[Zenskas]

Thank you very much for this! I never played VTMB when it was released so was somewhat disappointed by it's overall stability on my current Win 7 x64 machine the first time I did play it. This patch fixed all of the issues I had

[Tessera]

Thank you very much for this! I never played VTMB when it was released so was somewhat disappointed by it's overall stability on my current Win 7 x64 machine the first time I did play it. This patch fixed all of the issues I had

You are most welcome... and I hope you will continue to enjoy VTMB for many years to come.