The Lazarus Project; or, getting old ain't for sissies!

[Hitman]

Great memories!

I kept my first laptop computer purposedly to run the older games. It is a Celeron 366 (Pentium III era) with 64MB RAM and a 4MB SVGA video card (No 3D capabilities ). OS is Windows 98SE. One of the best things it has is the small size, only a 12,5 inch screen, but it has a vga output so I can connect it to any monitor.

Installed on it and running flawlessly are:

-Command Aces of the Deep
-Silent Hunter 1 CE
-Great Naval Battles IV and V
-Panzer General II
-Pacific General

I heartly recommend anyone this way of keeping old classics alive: An old laptop is the best space-saver and since you don't need to update the hardware, you can pick the one that just meets your requirements. Should be lots out there to buy second hand for incredibly low prices

[Major Johnson]

Neal, did you try reseating the memory on your old machine?? Maybe even replace it?? That might speed things up a bit. Also you might want to try to up the RAM a bit anyway. Can never have too much!

I have an old Compaq 1780. P100. Came with 95 but I loaded 98 on it. Being in the computer field I happen to have access to a lot of spare parts and in my travels I've picked up a lot of simms and I maxed it out. It was my Dad's and I keep for sentimental reasons. I actually got it back from someone I had sold it to like 10 years ago! My mom thinks I'm crazy. Anyway, it was the only computer that would play this old flight sim called Dawn Patrol that I spent hours on back in the day. Seems that the onboard video was one of the few compatible with the game. It is a labor of love though. I got it up and working about a year ago was able to load the game but there was no sound. I haven't started it up since. Saving it for a rainy day, or maybe retirement!!

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Hitman

Great memories!

I kept my first laptop computer purposedly to run the older games. It is a Celeron 366 (Pentium III era) with 64MB RAM and a 4MB SVGA video card (No 3D capabilities ). OS is Windows 98SE. One of the best things it has is the small size, only a 12,5 inch screen, but it has a vga output so I can connect it to any monitor.

Installed on it and running flawlessly are:

-Command Aces of the Deep
-Silent Hunter 1 CE
-Great Naval Battles IV and V
-Panzer General II
-Pacific General

I heartly recommend anyone this way of keeping old classics alive: An old laptop is the best space-saver and since you don't need to update the hardware, you can pick the one that just meets your requirements. Should be lots out there to buy second hand for incredibly low prices

Very good idea, laptops can be stowed making them very portable
I guess I have been ingrained with the concept that laptops do not make good gaming machines, but that has changed, especially for running retro subsims.

Ultimately, my secret project will end up like this. Right now I am concentrating on the game installation and config, but when I run out of old subsims to add and have them all running, I'll start Phase Two. I can't think of a better piece of furniture than a Subsim arcade machine standing in the corner of my office

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by Major Johnson

Neal, did you try reseating the memory on your old machine?? Maybe even replace it?? That might speed things up a bit. Also you might want to try to up the RAM a bit anyway. Can never have too much!

I got it up and working about a year ago was able to load the game but there was no sound. I haven't started it up since. Saving it for a rainy day, or maybe retirement!!

As you know, from my example, you should fire it up every few months at least. I have ordered a 32MB ram chip for it from a PC company ($9.95), and a couple of old soundcards off e-bay ($14 and $3). I'll mess around with it for a few months, seeing what combination works best.

Cheers!
Neal

[ChristopherT]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Ultimately, my secret project will end up like this. Right now I am concentrating on the game installation and config, but when I run out of old subsims to add and have them all running, I'll start Phase Two. I can't think of a better piece of furniture than a Subsim arcade machine standing in the corner of my office

How about a working 1968 Midway Sea Raider coin-operated submarine arcade game? That would definately be a close second to your project!

Christopher

[Bubblehead Nuke]

Originally Posted by Skybird

If you need the discs for Red Storm Rising, I think I have the Amiga version somewhere - but no more Amiga. That one i played a lot.

If you have the workbench disks, you can get WinUAE (windows Amiga Emulator) and play those old Amiga games. That is what I do here. I play my old amiga version of Red Storm Rising, and Silent Service on my PC with that. They have WAY better sound and graphics compared to their PC versions of the same era.

Speaking of emulators, why try and resurrect all these old machines? I understand the technical challenge, but if you are looking for the older OS's for a compatibility issue just get Virtual PC from Microsoft (free download) and install the older operating system and play from that. I have Tom Clancy's 688I and it will not play on ANYTHING but Windows 95. I have a small install of Windows 95 (only 80 megs virtual hard drive) just to play that ONE game.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by ChristopherT

How about a working 1968 Midway Sea Raider coin-operated submarine arcade game? That would definately be a close second to your project!

Christopher

Yeah! If I can find one. If not, I could replicate the cabinet for my project.:hmm:

[Onkel Neal]

Hey, I just noticed the game images on this page seem to be the exact arcade game I played when I was a kid. Of all the arcade machines, this was my favorite. It was electro-mechanical, I really liked it.

[MarkShot]

Just curious ... with the ease of use of DOSBOX why people prefer to build and maintain entirely separate machines for old games?

I currently have: AOD, SHCE, RTD, RT1, and BRD running under DOSBOX 0.70 with very new hardware using a secondary 20" CRT which is mainly used for running low res old games. Aside from the simplicity of only having a single system to deal with, you get all the benefits of Window's game play (ie: read email while patrolling) that isn't really available under true DOS. Also, getting the right number of CPU cycles is much easier under DOSBOX, since you can just adjust this by hand. On a multi-core machine with multiple monitors, you can even play multiple games at the same time on different displays with different processors such that they don't even interfere with each other.

Just curious what's the atraction of PC time machines from the 1980's? Thanks.

[Hitman]

Well the CAOD version (Win 95) will not play under DOSBOX, and the increase in resolution (640x480) pays off when you play for some hours, as the DOS version's low res gets annoying and tyring for the eyes quicker. As for SH1, I get it to run well in DOSBOX, but never so fast at time compression as in an older Win98 system. 2048x constantly kicks back to lower levels, and when you have little time to play like me, that is something to consider.

Plus the laptop I have is a very small item, takes almost nil space and is portable

[MarkShot]

Well, here is what I am doing with my old games to get them large (easy on the eyes) with a good refresh.

I have a 21.3" LCD at 1600x1200 and 20" CRT (can run any resolution) hooked up to a NVidia 8800GTX.

I use a multi-monitor utility, ULTRAMON, to preconfigure my DOS games. So, I launch AOD on the CRT in a Window. It is set to run in a 700x400 resolution Window. Then, the monitor is set to display at 720x480/85Hz. This makes AOD practically fill the screen of the CRT. And this is what I do with most my DOS games; I use the CRT to stretch the size of the small game Window by running in a low resolution mode. Works like a charm!

See attached config for AOD [DOS]:

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by MarkShot

Just curious ... with the ease of use of DOSBOX why people prefer to build and maintain entirely separate machines for old games?

I currently have: AOD, SHCE, RTD, RT1, and BRD running under DOSBOX 0.70 with very new hardware using a secondary 20" CRT which is mainly used for running low res old games. Aside from the simplicity of only having a single system to deal with, you get all the benefits of Window's game play (ie: read email while patrolling) that isn't really available under true DOS. Also, getting the right number of CPU cycles is much easier under DOSBOX, since you can just adjust this by hand. On a multi-core machine with multiple monitors, you can even play multiple games at the same time on different displays with different processors such that they don't even interfere with each other.

Just curious what's the atraction of PC time machines from the 1980's? Thanks.

Lol, I have nothing against DOSBOX at all, I just can't figure it out

Seriously, you have a good point, Mark. I needed a Win95 machine to get CAOD running, like Hitman said, plus I plan to build this as a project arcade machine, with all the subsims I can make work. I like the nostalgia, seeing all the old stuff on an old machine. Also, part of the attraction is have a disposable PC (less than $50) so I am not monkeying around with my main workstation.

Have you thought about writing a DOSBOX tutorial for each of the games you listed? Man, that would be great and I would be proud to make it a main feature at Subsim, plus send you some goodies

cheers
Neal

[MarkShot]

Neil,

Regarding CAOD and Win95/98, I would run either Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 or 2007 (free download) under XP or Vista. Effectively, you can then have a 95 or 98 virtual machine running under XP or Vista upon which you can install CAOD. You can share files between the virtual machine and the host. So, you can have easy access to the games installed outside of the virtual machine. Additionally, a virtual machine can be unloaded and reloaded as it exists in memory. So, if you recall AOD does not allow you to save a game in the heat of battle, but with Virtual PC, you can do exactly that save.

It is said that Virtual PC will only run on XP Pro, but I heard that you can ignore the warnings during install and still get it to work on XP Home. However, I have XP Pro ... so, I wouldn't know for sure.

Neil, regarding your offer to write a tutorial, I will consider it. However, at the moment, I am in poor health and don't see myself volunteering for anything. Although I do agree that a general guide to playing older subsims (on newer hardware) would be a valuable addition to the site. Especially, since many of those who would like to play the older games tend to be the less technical among the community. Myself, I am 48, but systems is my profession. So, this stuff comes easy.

[MarkShot]

Neil,

Here are some sample pictures of my configuration running some old classics: Aces of the Deep, Silent Hunter Commander's Edition, and Sid Meier's Railroad Tycoon Deluxe. You'll notice that it is very easy on my old eyes and very ergonomic. For me, despite having lots of desk space this seems a much more workable approach than maintaining a dedicated time machine. By the way, the two monitor approach works nice for newer games like Sub Command too.

http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp1.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp2.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp3.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp4.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp5.jpg
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/marksh...ages/samp6.jpg

[MarkShot]

Sorry for the blurred images. I am not much of a photographer.

But you get the idea.

Despite recently just getting started with SH3/GWX/NYGM/RUB/WAC ... I intend to be playing those classics and others for another 10 years or more.