It's understandable that you're encountering graphical glitches with the original Diablo II on your Intel Iris Xe integrated graphics, even though it's an older game. While modern integrated graphics are generally powerful, legacy games like the original Diablo II (pre-Diablo II: Resurrected) often rely on older rendering APIs and display modes that can conflict with contemporary hardware and drivers. [1] The flickering lighting and dark appearance you describe are common symptoms of such incompatibilities.

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One of the primary reasons for these issues is that the original Diablo II was designed for DirectX 7 and older GDI (Graphics Device Interface) modes, often running in 8-bit color depth or specific resolutions that modern operating systems and graphics drivers don't natively support or emulate well. [2] Intel Iris Xe graphics, being a modern architecture, is optimized for DirectX 12, Vulkan, and OpenGL 4.x, and its drivers may not properly handle the legacy calls made by Diablo II. [3]

Potential Solutions

Here are several steps you can take to try and resolve the graphical glitches:

1. Run in Compatibility Mode:
   • Locate the Diablo II.exe and Game.exe files in your Diablo II installation directory.
   • Right-click on each executable, select "Properties," then go to the "Compatibility" tab.
   • Check "Run this program in compatibility mode for:" and select an older Windows version like "Windows XP (Service Pack 3)" or "Windows 98 / Windows Me." [4]
   • Also, check "Run in 256 colors" and "Run in 640 x 480 screen resolution" (though this might make the game look very pixelated, it can sometimes resolve rendering issues).
   • Check "Disable fullscreen optimizations."
   • Check "Run this program as an administrator."
   • Apply the changes and try launching the game.

2. Use a Glide Wrapper:
   • The original Diablo II primarily used the Glide API for 3D acceleration, which was proprietary to 3dfx Voodoo graphics cards. Modern GPUs do not support Glide natively.
   • A Glide wrapper emulates the Glide API, translating its calls into DirectX or OpenGL, which your Intel Iris Xe can handle. [5]
   • Popular Glide wrappers include Sven's Glide Wrapper (Sven's Glide Wrapper).
   • Download the wrapper, extract its contents (usually a .dll file like glide3x.dll) into your Diablo II installation directory.
   • Run the wrapper's configuration utility (e.g., glide-init.exe) to set up resolution, refresh rate, and other options.
   • In Diablo II's video options (accessible via the "Video Test" utility in the game's directory or through the game launcher), select "3dfx Glide" as your video mode.

3. DirectDraw Compatibility Tool (DDrawCompat):
   • DDrawCompat is a community-developed wrapper that aims to fix issues with old DirectDraw games on modern Windows versions.
   • Download the latest release of DDrawCompat from its GitHub page (DDrawCompat GitHub). [6]
   • Extract the ddraw.dll file into your Diablo II installation directory.
   • This tool often resolves flickering, color issues, and performance problems without extensive configuration.

4. Update Intel Graphics Drivers:
   • While less likely to directly fix legacy game issues, ensuring your Intel Iris Xe drivers are up to date is always a good practice for overall system stability and performance.
   • Download the latest drivers directly from the official Intel website (Intel Driver & Support Assistant). [3]
   • Avoid relying solely on Windows Update for driver updates.

5. Adjust In-Game Video Settings:
   • Once you get the game running, go into the in-game video options.
   • Experiment with different resolutions. Sometimes, lower resolutions or specific aspect ratios can reduce glitches.
   • Ensure "Perspective" is enabled if you want the 3D effect, but sometimes disabling it can help with stability.

6. Consider Diablo II: Resurrected:
   • If all else fails and you're looking for a modern, compatible experience, Diablo II: Resurrected is a faithful remaster that runs natively on modern hardware and operating systems, offering updated graphics while retaining the original gameplay. [7] It's a separate purchase but eliminates all compatibility headaches.

By systematically trying these solutions, particularly the Glide wrapper or DDrawCompat, you should be able to significantly improve or eliminate the graphical glitches you're experiencing with the original Diablo II on your Intel Iris Xe laptop.

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