SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - The Lazarus Project; or, getting old ain't for sissies!

MarkShot · 05-24-07, 10:15 AM

Neal,

To help you out here. DOSBOX ...

The three basic steps to using DOSBOX:

(1) Install DOSBOX.

(2) Configure for your game. This may be two steps as you may need to first configure to install your game and then configure to run your game. DOSBOX uses the native Windows file system unlike VPC.

(3) Install/adjust your game.

DOSBOX for a particular game is driven by a *.CONF ini-type file. Latest version is 0.70. The install will contain a TXT FAQ file; very useful. Also, the default CONF file has lots of useful info worth reading. Once you have an CONF file for your game, then you can just create a shortcut to launch it/the game.

There are two ways to get a CONF file. First, you can just edit it by hand; this is my preferred approach. Or you can download and install another tool, DFEND (DOSBOX Front End), which will give you a more friendly interface for producing CONF files.

Here are the areas/things you need to concentrate in the CONF file:

(1) Setting graphic options and deciding whether you are going to play full screen or windowed. Besides resolutions, you can also do some screen rescaling for small sized older games. If you are running into graphic performance problems, you can usually skip some frame rendering to improve the performance at the cost of smoothness.

(2) Setting the amount of CPU. Some games will run poorly if they get too much CPU (scroll too fast or events happen too fast). In 0.70, you can also use settings such as AUTO and MAX for CPU. Otherwise, you pick the number of cycles. (You can also adjust it dynamically and see how the game is impacted and then edit in your final value.)

(3) Sound. This is usually simple. In the DOSBOX, you usually just pick Sound Blaster and in your game sound config pick Sound Blaster.

(4) You put a few lines down at the bottom for an Autoexec. Thus, instead of getting a DOS prompt which you may want when installing configuring your game, you tell DOSBOX where to find (MOUNT) the game and then launch it straight away.

Once you get the hang of it, it is really pretty easy. I'll PM you a phone number where you can reach me if you run into problems.

05-24-07, 10:15 AM	#56
MarkShot Ace of the Deep Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 1,134 Downloads: 93 Uploads: 0	Neal, To help you out here. DOSBOX ... The three basic steps to using DOSBOX: (1) Install DOSBOX. (2) Configure for your game. This may be two steps as you may need to first configure to install your game and then configure to run your game. DOSBOX uses the native Windows file system unlike VPC. (3) Install/adjust your game. DOSBOX for a particular game is driven by a *.CONF ini-type file. Latest version is 0.70. The install will contain a TXT FAQ file; very useful. Also, the default CONF file has lots of useful info worth reading. Once you have an CONF file for your game, then you can just create a shortcut to launch it/the game. There are two ways to get a CONF file. First, you can just edit it by hand; this is my preferred approach. Or you can download and install another tool, DFEND (DOSBOX Front End), which will give you a more friendly interface for producing CONF files. Here are the areas/things you need to concentrate in the CONF file: (1) Setting graphic options and deciding whether you are going to play full screen or windowed. Besides resolutions, you can also do some screen rescaling for small sized older games. If you are running into graphic performance problems, you can usually skip some frame rendering to improve the performance at the cost of smoothness. (2) Setting the amount of CPU. Some games will run poorly if they get too much CPU (scroll too fast or events happen too fast). In 0.70, you can also use settings such as AUTO and MAX for CPU. Otherwise, you pick the number of cycles. (You can also adjust it dynamically and see how the game is impacted and then edit in your final value.) (3) Sound. This is usually simple. In the DOSBOX, you usually just pick Sound Blaster and in your game sound config pick Sound Blaster. (4) You put a few lines down at the bottom for an Autoexec. Thus, instead of getting a DOS prompt which you may want when installing configuring your game, you tell DOSBOX where to find (MOUNT) the game and then launch it straight away. Once you get the hang of it, it is really pretty easy. I'll PM you a phone number where you can reach me if you run into problems. __________________ War games, not wars! --- Only a small few profit from war (that should not stand)!