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Running old computer shit
Topic Started: Mar 10 2008, 12:54 AM (399 Views)
Duke Serkol
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I think it's been more than one year now since I (finally) played Silent Hill. Man, I loved that game (so much better than Eternal Darkness...).
Recently I decided to research the horror games genre in the hope of finding more title like that... I was surprised to find out that the origins of horror games by far pre-date Resident Evil going as far back as the NES and early Macs (I do believe I traced the first horror game to the 1986 title "Uninvited").

This got me curious to play some of these prime horror games. Made myself a list... but there's a small problem: I can't get this old crap to run on my comp!

At the moment there's three games I'm trying to get to work: It Came from the Desert for the Amiga, Dark Seed and Daughter of Serpent for DOS.

The Amiga game, I got to work with WinFellow, but the image flickers and the speed is not right, which is a pain in a time driven game when your cursor takes forever to get to its destination.

Dark Seed I can get to work under Windows 98 (yeah, I have both Windows 98 and XP), but without music >_<

Finally, Daughter of Serpent I could not get to work whatsoever, no matter what.

Anybody cares to bail me out of this mess?
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Terra Branford
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Since you're using Windows XP, you can try to run the games in a different "compatibility" mode. If you have installed the game, you can create (or just use) a shortcut icon to do this. Right-click the icon and under "properties" look for "Compatibility" among the tabs, and on the "Run this program in compatibility mode for" option, check it, and set it up for Windows 95. This should help make the games run at the right speed. You can also try ticking the "Run in 256 colors" and "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" options on, and disable visual themes.

You may also want to try dropping your display adapters resolution and color depth (try 800x600 at 24 bit) in addition to the above. This helped me to play Megaman PC (I wanted to see how lame it was) a long time ago. You may still have timing issues here and there, and you might still be missing Dark Seed's sound (since it might not be compatible with your sound card).

The only other option I can think of, would be to try these games out under Windows 95 itself (if you have access to it, that is... which might be unlikely). Win95 handled ancient DOS games like that really well (I had a copy of it on an older laptop and have played some games without much problem this way).

Oh, and if you wanted to, you should download "Sweet Home" (translated) for the NES... a really neat "horror" game. You should also try "Clock Tower" for SNES (also translated). This game plays a little bit like Resident Evil (horror themed, puzzles, and a lot of plot and dialog). These can be played on your favorite emulators without any problem (I play Sweet Home on UltraFCE and Clock Tower on Zsnes 1.42).

Good luck, and I hope that compatibility mode works well for you. It's not a 100% fix, and sometimes doesn't do spit for you at all. The only other tricks I know involve using a Win98/95 OS, and booting into DOS mode (F8 before the Windows Logo) and then using the DOS prompts go to the folder with your games, and try booting up the game with it's exe file. This might even work in XP, but I can't promise you anything (I never do boot-to-DOS these days).
I'm officially retired from beta testing, and resign my duties to those who have the time to do it.
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Duke Serkol
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Tre,Mar 10 2008
09:39 AM
you can try to run the games in a different "compatibility" mode. If you have installed the game, you can create (or just use) a shortcut icon to do this. Right-click the icon and under "properties" look for "Compatibility" among the tabs, and on the "Run this program in compatibility mode for" option, check it, and set it up for Windows 95. This should help make the games run at the right speed. You can also try ticking the "Run in 256 colors" and "Run in 640x480 screen resolution" options on, and disable visual themes.

You may also want to try dropping your display adapters resolution and color depth (try 800x600 at 24 bit) in addition to the above.

Okay, I'll try those, thanks :)

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Oh, and if you wanted to, you should download "Sweet Home" (translated) for the NES... a really neat "horror" game.

I've tried that one, but didn't like it. The idea of backtracking in an menu based rpg game with random battles and no recharge points like inns... wasn't really appealing to me. I would have liked to try out Seirei Gari but I don't think it has been translated.

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You should also try "Clock Tower" for SNES (also translated). This game plays a little bit like Resident Evil (horror themed, puzzles, and a lot of plot and dialog).

I probably should... but from what I've read, this game too seems far too random for my taste (apparently whether the killer finds you in your current hiding spot is based solely on luck).

Quote:
 
booting into DOS mode (F8 before the Windows Logo) and then using the DOS prompts go to the folder with your games, and try booting up the game with it's exe file. This might even work in XP, but I can't promise you anything (I never do boot-to-DOS these days).

Yeah, I thought about trying that, but it has been so long for me too, that I don't even remember how to change directory and run executables in DOS, and I'd be afraid of not being able to turn it off and back into Windows :lol:
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Terra Branford
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Duke Serkol,Mar 10 2008
09:44 AM
Okay, I'll try those, thanks :)
No problem, I hope that it works for you, since it did for me in the past. You almost have me tempted to play a couple of old DOS games again... but I'm too lazy to dig out my backup discs with them. ^_^'

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I've tried that one, but didn't like it. The idea of backtracking in an menu based rpg game with random battles and no recharge points like inns... wasn't really appealing to me. I would have liked to try out Seirei Gari but I don't think it has been translated.
Ah, that's a shame. I've always been into menu based RPGs (big ~retro~ Final Fantasy gamer, and enjoyed Maniac Mansion). I don't know about Seirei Gari... you could check around Zophar's to see if someone made a translation patch for it.

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I probably should... but from what I've read, this game too seems far too random for my taste (apparently whether the killer finds you in your current hiding spot is based solely on luck).
You might be right about the "luck" part... though there are a few times I wanted to see what would make the killer attack me (like going into the bathroom and messing with the shower curtain), and he appeared each time in the same manner. So I don't know. I got pretty far in it, but haven't played it in ages.

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Yeah, I thought about trying that, but it has been so long for me too, that I don't even remember how to change directory and run executables in DOS, and I'd be afraid of not being able to turn it off and back into Windows :lol:
If you boot up in DOS mode (without Win98 ever loading) you can just restart your computer after you're bored and it will take you to normal windows. That's what I always did. DOS and Windows aren't tied to each other in such a way that you have to worry that Windows will never show up again if you play a DOS only game. :D

As for changing directories, just type in "CD" followed by the next directory (with a space!), and "CD .." (or "CD..") to go back a directory. For instance, at C:/My Documents/ you'd type CD .. then hit enter, and you'd be at the main drive (C:/) and ready to go anywhere you wanted to in your computer. In DOS, you don't even have to type like "CD "Windows"" to get into the Windows folder from C:/ (you don't use quote marks at all really) and if you need to get to a specific folder and know the exact location of a file, you can do a long command like: "CD Documents and settings/Tre/My Documents/My Pictures" and it will take you to the folder with your file in it, then in the next prompt you just type in the file you want to run. For instance to open a picture like "Cake.jpg" you just type in "cake.jpg" at the new prompt and hit enter, and it will open.

It's really easy, and I'm willing to help a little bit with DOS prompts, since I used to do all kinds of crap with it in the past (yes, I'm old enough to have been a DOS user, let me be!). It's worth a shot, especially if you already have the games sitting in your hard drive ready to play. I like to make it really easy to find files in DOS... so maybe put it in C:/DOS/Games/... (... being the name of the folder for the game you want to play). This way you don't have to go digging around in DOS for an hour because you saved it in a "personalized folder" instead of a generic. ;)
I'm officially retired from beta testing, and resign my duties to those who have the time to do it.
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chief117
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Dosbox?


;)

Edit: And while I'm at it...you like horror? Well its not really sacary but its creepy and hard, good hard:

http://pid.bungie.org/



Youll need a old mac emu to run it:

http://basilisk.cebix.net/


and a rom file (bios) from a mac (if you dont own a mac youll have to "find" one) as well as the game.... If you cant seem to personaly find it and need a miracle
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Terra Branford
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Hmmmm... I never once thought to use a DOS emulator as a front end for the games. This could be of use to me in the future... thank you, Chief.
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Garrett
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DOSBox is the way to go if you have a good computer. It runs almost all games now, but running more demanding games requires a more powerful CPU (other computer components aren't as important). A dual core CPU is a must; a modern Core 2 Duo system should be sufficient for DOSBox to run even the most advanced DOS games at full speed. Before I did this upgrade I had considered creating a DOS partition, but now that I can emulate everything at full speed I have no reason to use DOS ever again.

If you use a frontend (I recommend D-Fend Reloaded) you don't even have to know any DOS commands. Many games will run fine on the default settings, and if they don't you can tweak them with a nice GUI. You can even create one-step desktop shortcuts for the ultimate in seamless play.

As for the Amiga you might have more luck with WinUAE, although I haven't used it enough to help you with it.
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Duke Serkol
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Tre,Mar 10 2008
05:07 PM
If you boot up in DOS mode (without Win98 ever loading) you can just restart your computer after you're bored and it will take you to normal windows.

Yeah but... how do I restart while in DOS? I forgot! :lol:

Quote:
 
I like to make it really easy to find files in DOS... so maybe put it in C:/DOS/Games/... (... being the name of the folder for the game you want to play). This way you don't have to go digging around in DOS for an hour because you saved it in a "personalized folder" instead of a generic. ;)

That's a very good idea :)

Garrett,Mar 10 2008
10:34 PM
If you use a frontend (I recommend D-Fend Reloaded) you don't even have to know any DOS commands.

Now that's interesting... I actually tried DOSBox, but couldn't figure it out because of the odd Z directory it starts in (WTF?)
So, do I use this frontend on DOSBox? Patch it perhaps?

Quote:
 
As for the Amiga you might have more luck with WinUAE, although I haven't used it enough to help you with it.

Tried it, but couldn't get it to work :(

Thanks for the help everybody!
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Garrett
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The D-Fend installer includes DOSBox, so you only need the one download. When you create a game profile it automatically sets up the game's directory to be mounted as a virtual C: drive. With the wizard it only takes a few clicks to set up a profile (some games are picky about the amount of RAM or type of sound card or whatever but many will run fine without any alterations).

As for DOSBox starting at Z: that's because it's already mounted with some basic software (type dir or dir/w to see). It can't use A:, B:, or D: because many games expect files to be in those particular places (unlike Windows software, which generally scans all applicable drive types), and it can't be in C: because that's where you want to mount the game data. Using the last letter for this predefined drive means it won't get in the way of anything or be forgotten.
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Terra Branford
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Quote:
 
Yeah but... how do I restart while in DOS? I forgot!
Just push the restart button on your computer, or do the Three-Finger-Salute (Ctrl+Alt+Del). You won't have to do anything special to restart other than that. Though if you're using Garrett's program, you won't need to enter DOS at all.

Either way, since I think Garrett's and Chief's DOSBox+D-Fend Reloaded program is better than using real DOS, especially if your computer can handle it... well I won't harp on using DOS and all that, unless you really want to.
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Duke Serkol
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Ok, so I'm trying this D-Fend... well if I wanted horror, I'd say this is the right program. 'cause it's assolutely horrifying how complicate it is >_<

Damn, why can these things never be easy...

Anyway, if you guys wanna help me set up this beast (like with a step by step mini-tutorial) I'd really appreciate it.
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Terra Branford
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As I've never used a DOS emulator, I can't really give any "step by step" instructions... however, if it's supposed to pretend it's DOS, those above steps I gave you should help. Mind you, this is just from what I've read in this thread (regarding D-Fend and DOSBox), but if you start up the program and it dumps you to "Z:", you'll want to type in the following:

CD C:

That should boot you to the master drive of your computer (C:/) and you should have a C:/ prompt appear. If you do, then go to your DOS games folder I suggested you create.

CD Games/DOS

You should have now been taken to the DOS folder (this assumes you have one in the path I wrote). So now you should be here at C:/Games/DOS/

Then go ahead and go to the game you want to play. If you have seperate folders for each DOS game, you'll need to do another CD (Change Directory) to that folder. Ie: "CD Megaman" to go to the "Megaman" DOS game folder. And then you would just type the name of the .exe file for your game. Ie: "Megaman.exe" and then hit enter.

That should run the game for you... that is, if DOSBox and D-Fend run like real DOS and give you your correct "C drive" under C:/. Otherwise, I can't even begin to help you out on that.
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Duke Serkol
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Tre,Mar 13 2008
05:31 PM
if you start up the program and it dumps you to "Z:", you'll want to type in the following:

CD C:

That should boot you to the master drive of your computer (C:/) and you should have a C:/ prompt appear.

Thanks, but unfortunately, I got a "unable to change to: C" message -_-
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Terra Branford
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... *Drop kicks DOS box for you* I'm sorry that I don't know enough about it to be helpful to you, Serkol.

Where exactly does it start you out, when you run it? Maybe you can get away with using some of the other DOS commands... which I will list, command first, then name, then details.

DIR - Directory. Lists all contents of a folder.

/P (DIR /P) - Pause (Directory by page with pauses) - Lists all contents of a folder by pages with a pause (you need to hit a key to see the next page).

/W (DIR /W) - Wide
  • (Directory Wide list) - Lists more than one file per line as it shows the contents of a folder.

    You can chain all three together for best results as: DIR /W /P

    /S (DIR /S) - Sub-Directories (Sub-Directory listing) - Lists all of the files in a folder, and all the files in folders inside that folder.

    I tend to stick with: dir /w /p though, since you don't really need to know what's in all folders if you have your games in the main folder.

    You should still be able to use the "CD" (change directory) and "CD .." (change one directory up) commands in DOSBox.

    If you can't change to "C:/" then maybe it will be in another directory?

    And on another note, I don't think you need to go all the way up the directories with CD .. (or CD..), but you might have to in DOSBox. So make sure if it's stuck you in a path like Z:DOSBox/Directory/Utilities/ that you use the ChangeDirectory command three times to get to Z:/ and then use CD C: to get where you need to be. But I highly doubt that's the problem.
I'm officially retired from beta testing, and resign my duties to those who have the time to do it.
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Duke Serkol
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Tre,Mar 13 2008
06:19 PM
... *Drop kicks DOS box for you* I'm sorry that I don't know enough about it to be helpful to you, Serkol.

That's okay, thanks Tre. And nice drop kick ^_^

Garrett seems to actually have gotten through this spectacular mess of a program, so maybe he'll be able to write up some kind of guide for us noobs... maybe in echange for our immortal souls?
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