Ran Online D3D9 Application Error

Due to a friend's request, I downloaded Ran Online again last night. I was surprised to find the full client chopped into 9 parts, with two extra files named the "latest patch" and the "current patch" (huh? I first thought the two are just the same files but no, they're two different ones). From what I can remember, the full client used to be just one file. Now, you have to bear with the clutter of 9 zip files (plus 2 exes - namely current and latest) in the directory wherever you download your stuff, in my case, the desktop (lol).

So I installed it this morning hoping to play with my friend who has just been introduced to the game and is currently super enjoying it. But then this D3D9 Application error (pictured above) pops up. Description says: "Generic application error. Enable debug output for detailed information."

I got so confused cuz according to Google, D3D9 is video related. And confused I was cuz I was using a 1 Gig video card. What could possibly go wrong?! Is my 1 Gig video card suddenly behind Ran Online's platform?

The Ran Online forum shows threads regarding D3D9 Application errors but I was so disappointed to find no real answer to the problem. Replies also come from Ran Online players who, just like the thread starter (and me) do not know what could have possibly caused the problem. So the threads are full of guesses and hunches and maybes. Some of the threads even have no reply at all, to think that those threads are in the forum's "technical" section. I wonder where all their techies have gone.

After hours of tinkering with my video card's control panel, trying out different resolution settings, reinstalling the game, downloading a new d3d9.dll, scanning my registry, etc... I decided to reinstall the game without running the "latest patch" and the "current patch." I decided to just patch it through their autopatcher... and lo and behold! Darn it! It worked!

It was a long wait, give or take 45 minutes, but I did it because I can't think of anything else to do to make it work. Like if autopatching still didn't work, I would've given up on it.

But then, spending all day trying to make Ran Online work was irritating. So irritating it conjured up old irritations with the game - disconnections, heavy lag, frequent emergency maintenance, lost premium items, wasted premium items due to emergency maintenance, bullying in-game, bad customer support, etc, etc...

By lunch time, I was already decided I wouldn't play anymore. I just tried to make the game work on my PC for personal satisfaction. I really don't like giving up on anything.

So to those who are having the D3D9 Application errors, just don't download the two manual patches and just let the client auto patch itself.

Latest patch... current patch... redundancy = error!