I'm currently attempting to play an old DOS game Dark Seed by Cyberdreams. I'm stuck in day 1.
You are to pick up a package delivered to the front door. No matter when I attempt to pick up the package within day 1, the game crashes and starts over.
I hope someone remembers this game and can give me an idea what to do; a work around, patch or saved game. I've tried everything I can think of including reistalling the game. The game I'm playing is on CD. I downloaded a fresh copy of the game from the net hoping the problem was my CD. However, the downloaded version had the same problem.
If anyone played this game did they encounter the same problem?

Yep, I had the same problem - under XP, with DOSBox - what OS are you running?

Hi InlandAZ!
When it comes to the OS I about tried them all. We keep our old computers (if they are functional) when we upgrade. So I've tried Windows 98SE, Windows 98, Windows 95, all in various modes, (MSDOS window, restarting in DOS, changing program to ignore Windows). The game basically runs fine in them all, except for that goofy problem in Day 1 with the package. I thought maybe I wasn't supposed to pick it up, but all walkthroughs indicate you must in order to get to Day 2. I didn't try the game in our XP SP1 or XP SP2 computers, I figured that would be a lost cause. I guess if someone doesn't come up with an answer, I'll have to put the game back on the shelf. It's probably something stupid I'm doing but I can't for the life of me figure out what it could be.
All and any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Well here's my $.2 worth...it is not your computers..there was a glitch there in day one..no matter what OS you have, it's gonna do it to you! I played it, and someone did come up with a solution..I will look for the game and see if I was smart enough to "jot" something down to help..Ya'all know my memory won't do it! Will get back as soon as I can find it [or not find it] Meanwhile...maybe someone else will come by and really help! Glynn

No not stupid - what Glynn said rings a bell - I think there was a patch for the day 1 problem...

I'm able to get through it under XP with DOSBox. When the game starts, what version does it report? Mine is 1.5 (which I believe is the patched version).

Ok...I'm back! The only thing I could find in my notes was....after you type CD\Darkseed [return] type "DS attrib-r" [return] not sure if there's a "slash" between the DS & attrib-r or not..sorry I will see if I can load it on XP and see if I can figure it out..Sure hope this works so I will know I haven't lost it completely!! I thought I remembered there was something extra that you typed in when starting the game..If this should work, let me know..if not, feel free to throw tomatoes! P.S. I searched everywhere I could think of for a "patch" even "Google" didn't come up with one! Glynn

attrib -r
probably has a space between the attrib and the -r

I think attrib -r will remove the read-only attribute of the file, if it has one.

http://www.computerhope.com/attribhl.htm
http://www.computerhope.com/attribhl.htm#02

Thanks Jenny! I had no idea what it meant, just that when it was typed in, I got through the first day! I'm sure this game is 8 yrs [or older] and it seemed everyone "crashed" when the package was picked up! Glynn

I'm watching this post intently as my game crashed too at the very same spot. So, sorry I can't solve the problem but I sure could use a solution. Someone, somewhere, on some kinda setup got into Day 2....like those people who wrote the walkthroughs saying, "Pick up package...."

Hello Fellow Boomers!
Thanks to all who were kind enough to respond to my post.
Hi InlandAZ!
Games states it is Version 1.51 at one place and Version 1.5P at another place (indentity crisis I think). Did I understand your post correctly, that you managed to get to Day 2? If you did, do you have a saved game of that magic moment? I would be thrilled if you could share it with me.
In the mean time.
Hi Jenny100!
I read Glynn's advice about the Attrib -r. Maybe I have the syntax wrong cause it didn't work. I looked at the sites you suggested, but I still can't figure it out. If you could please supply the syntax line as you think it should read would be a great help.
I don't know guys, that little ANAL part of my brain just won't let me put this game back on the shelf.

If you want to remove the read-only attribute, an easier way in Windows might be to right-click the file you want to remove the "read-only" for, choose Properties, and look for a checkbox for "read-only" that can be unchecked.

I don't know why removing the read-only attribute would help with the crash, but I don't have the game.

If you want to remove "Read-only" attribute for all the games in the game folder, it might be easier to use the DOS command for it. You'd use CD to go to the game folder, which I'm guessing is C:\Darkseed

I guess you could do that by typing

CD \ <enter>
CD Darkseed <enter>

(when I say <enter>, don't type that out just use the Enter key)

Then

ATTRIB -R *.* <enter>

would remove the read-only attribute from every file in the Darkseed folder.

I have it written down as "CD\Darkseed" <enter>
then "DS Attrib -r" <enter> if that dosen't work try a \ after DS {could be that this only worked with Win95 under DOS} Glynn

I've torn up my computer room by moving 3 desks. All the computers except this one are stand-alone boxes with unattached piles of tangled cables on the floor. In a few days when I get an old computer up & running, I will try out Glynn's solution.

I too can't bear to put a non-functional game aside. Sometimes I've fussed with one for years. (like this one)

Here's hoping.....promise to report back.

Sounds like you are having fun, Yapette! I sure hope it works for you..I know I tried everything I could think of to get that package without crashing! Glynn

Greetings All!

Update on Dark Seed.

Tried the Attrib -r idea on my Windows 95, Windows 98 and Windows 98SE machines. It definitely removed the read only settings; however, the game still crashes when the package is picked up.

I'm open to another idea, suggestion, etc. If someone has a saved game of the beginning of Day 2, that would be most excellent.