Email and PM sent, Linda!

You still haven't sent them to me, Marian.
Is there a reason why you're keeping them secret?

Hi

I, too, would be very interested in those instructions ....

Can they not be made "public" ??

Cheers.

Mad

I'd be glad to post them. The reason I didn't just post them publicly is because my notes to Greyfuss had a lot of extra verbiage due to the fact that he had never used DOS before, and I thought that might confuse the issue if I were to post that on a public forum. And reikidave obviously knows much more about this than I do, but here goes..

EDIT: In these instructions, I have assumed that the drive letter of your CD/DVD drive letter is D. (If your CD/DVD drive is labeled something else, like E, you would change the mount d d:\ -t cdrom -ioctl to mount d e:\ -t cdrom -ioctl and then type e: instead of d:, below).

This was one of the easy games to get running.

The first thing I did was to create a new directory on my local hard drive C: called AOT.

Open up DOSBox 0.72 and you will find yourself at a z: prompt.

Then, type the following lines, hitting enter after each command.

mount c c:\aot

c:

mount d d:\ -t cdrom -ioctl

d:

then type install and follow the directions. I chose Soundblaster Pro and told the game to detect my sound settings, which it did with no problem. When finished, you can exit out of the game and then run the game (it will give you the run name upon exit).

The next time you want to play the game in DOSBox, just open up DOSBox and type the following:

mount d d:\ -t cdrom -ioctl

d:

mount c c:\aot

c:

cd\aot

then type aot and the game will start up.

To go to fullscreen after the game begins, hit alt + enter.

And that's all there is to it.

If anyone is confused by this, or I made a mistake somewhere, please let me know. The game is running well. I would be very glad to help anyone get this game running in DOSBox. Oh, and to get out of DOSBox and back to Windows, just type exit after you have quit the game.

Thank you, Marian.
I'm sure a lot of people who are new to DOSBox will appreciate your step-by-step instructions.

Hi Marian

Thanks for that !!

I have stored it - along with other very useful bits of info kindly provided by Gameboomers who know how to do things

Cheers.

Mad

You are most welcome! I also installed Riddle of Masterlu last night and it was just about as simple as this; the only difference was that you had to manually give the game your Soundblaster settings.

It's amazing to me that with some of these games, particularly the ones that needed expanded memory or some such thing, it is often easier to get them running now with DOSBox than it was with the original OS.

People! No offense, but why do we keep bypassing/forgetting about those FAQs we have taken our precious time to compile whenever somebody asks a question about DOSBox or hyperthreading/dual core?!

All the instructions for getting the latest version of DOSBox (0.72 at the time of writing) working are in the 'DOSBox FAQs' page at the top of this very forum:

http://www.gameboomers.com/Members/dosboxfaq.html

And all the concepts involved are nicely explained for newbies there too

And... I did forget to finish my instructions for getting Ripper working in DOSBox with that universal VESA driver. My bad. In addition to my instructions earlier in this thread for loading the VESA driver in DOSBox, you also have to install and run Ripper in a special way:

"Now start up DOSBox, and install Ripper by running the following from the CD:

install /v3

Before running Ripper for the first time, it needs two patches:

http://www.justadventure.com/thejave/html/Games/GamesR/Ripper/rip103.exe
http://www.justadventure.com/thejave/html/Games/GamesR/Ripper/rip105.exe

Those can be applied in Windows, I think.

Then to run Ripper... start up DOSBox again, navigate to the folder where you installed Ripper to, and:

ripper /v3

I believe the 'v3' is the VESA mode."

I don't have a copy of Ripper myself, but those instructions were arrived at by exchanging about 15 e-mails with a reader who did, and they are pretty much guaranteed to work.

I'm going to add the above entry in it's entirety to Steve's XP Games Corner this evening after work. And finally, remember that Steve's XP Games Corner has a new home, now that Quandary is winding down: http://metzomagic.com/

Regards,
Steve (a.k.a. MetzO'Magic)

Hi Steve/metzomagic,

I've learned so much from your explanations that I wouldn't know where I would be without them!

I think one of the problems with DOSBox instructions in general is that, no matter how clear and explicit the instructions are, there are many people without a historical knowledge of DOS. This makes the instructions seem more intimidating than they really are, and confuses people because they don't really understand WHY they are doing what they are doing. This took a while to kick in for me, as well--what gave me a wee bit of an edge was a vague recollection of DOS, having used that OS many, many years ago.

Anyway, I highly recommend checking out metzomagic's website, everyone. He's got some really good advice about DOSBox, Virtual PC, and Windows XP, and he's also posting some new reviews that used to be on Games Domain, among other things. I'm checking things out there every day.

Marian, hi,



*sigh* Yes, you are right there. I used to *program* in DOS, and sometimes I forget that others haven't been exposed to it at all. I know I come across a bit heavy-handed at times, but what I was trying to say above is that when we get a whole bevy of us tech savvy people posting with a lot of conflicting advice (yes, *I know* it's all well-intentioned, but...) then the person you are trying to help, in this case the venerable GreyFuss, just sees this 'wall' of tech info and it probably puts them off instead of helping them like it's intended to... and there I go again - lecturing

But anyway, I am aware that there are a lot of folks out there who don't know anything about DOS, and so a while ago I prepared a...

DOS Tutorial

That at least shows you how to navigate around and launch programs in DOS.

And Marian, thanks a bunch for the plug for the new site Steve Ramsey (your very own 'flotsam'), Clint Mullins ('Cayra'), and myself were all writers for Quandary, and will be posting new material there on a regular basis. Who knows, we might even manage to coax Rosemary and Gordon out of virtual 'retirement' for the odd piece or two

Cheers,
MetzO'Magic

Hi Steve
No offense taken. I value your knowledge and the different opinions of all the others here at Glitches. With all due respect it is exactly tutorials like the one at the top of this page and the ones printed up by Dos savvy members here and other sites that DO intimidate and frustrate me and I wanted nothing to do with it.

When Windows 95 arrived on the scene is when I got into computers and gaming. After buying my first Dos game I then refused to buy another, preferring to wait for developers to make a Windows version of the game. We always hate that which we don't understand and I don't understand Dos nor do I have the time or patience to try and read everything about it too understand it. This is why I value all opinions here.

Marian gave me a "Game Specific" guide for Ark of Time that was a no brainer for me.

A. Download Dosbox and install
B. Put in Disk
C. Type this
D. Play Ark of Time

I don't have any more knowledge of Dos or Dosbox than I had before but I am playing Ark of Time courtesy of Marian.

Now that I have broken the ice with DosBox who knows but here is a suggestion that just might get more used to it...

Have Game Specific DosBox Guides with exactly the step by step directions without the lesson's or lectures. Just bare bones instructions. Could be alphabetical list of games that you savvy techs have already played in Dosbox where I or another gamer can just follow the ABC's to play. Or is there one already out there?

I don't care about how DosBox works or commands and such...

>>>>>>> I Just Want To Play A Game <<<<<<<

Happily playing Ark of Time. Up next: The Riddle of Master Loo using Marians game specific DosBox guide and Ripper using Metzomagics game specific Dosbox guide.

BTW...Steve, thank you for starting your new site and not just fading away. Your knowledge and wisdom is appreciated.

GreyFuss, hi,



You see, that's the thing. Once DOSBox 0.70 arrived, the set-up is *the same for every game*. So there is no need to do that which you are asking for. Prior to the latest versions, you used to have to adjust the cycles= parameter in dosbox.conf according to the game in question and the speed of your processor. But now you just set cycles=max, and DOSBox figures out how fast to run the game automatically

Ripper is a very extreme exception to the norm, because it happens to require a VESA driver. I don't know of any other DOS game that requires this.

So... that's why I want people to just point newcomers to the DOSBox FAQs. It's the same set-up for every DOS game. Really!

Regards,
MetzO'Magic
P.S. Full instructions for Ripper now at Steve's XP Games Corner. Just follow the link in my sig.

"D" did as well, and for a long time the only was to play it was with a CVS build. That all changed when 0.65 was released.

Hi

I expect I might be classed as one who has some DOS experience because I played and still do play many DOS games - but on an old computer. And that's all I have ever done with DOS.

So, I feel obliged to say (in my defense and that of other non techie folks) that using DOSbox to run a game has always seemed far more complicated than actually using DOS.

I have no idea what "mount" or "D-fend" means and I am very nervous of messing with things like "autoexec" and "config" files in case I do some irreparable damage .... and believe me I certainly have done irreparable damage in the past by fiddling with things I shouldn't have fiddled with !!

So, although DOSbox is by repute becoming easier and easier to use, it still might be some time before people like me pluck up the courage to give it a go

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad,

You don't have to mess with auto.exec and config files in DOSBox; that's one of the great things about it. DOSBox automatically configures expanded and extended memory for you, among other things.

D-Fend is just an extra program you can download that some people find easier to use to set up their games in DOSBox, and it's entirely optional.

"Mount" is just the word that you use with DOSBox to tell it where your CD/DVD drive is located and where the game is located that you wish to run.

See, it isn't scary at all.

Hi Marian

"D-Fend is just an extra program you can download that some people find easier to use to set up their games in DOSBox, and it's entirely optional.

"Mount" is just the word that you use with DOSBox to tell it where your CD/DVD drive is located and where the game is located that you wish to run."

Ahhhh ....
But how many people actually say things like that in their instructions

I have downloaded many different types of "How To Use DOSbox" instructions over the years - in the hope that if/when my real DOS becomes unavailable because my old computers fail and can't be repaired I will perhaps be able to understand ONE of them.

I must admit that with the later issues of DOSbox the instructions do seem to be getting simpler so maybe I WILL find one I can understand and use.

At the time of writing .... possibly yours !!

Cheers.

Mad

Mad, hi,

Can you tell me what's wrong/complicated about the instructions at the top of this very forum?:

GameBoomers DOSBox FAQs

I don't see how we could make it any simpler than that, but if you can give us some feedback as to how it could be made simpler, we'll certainly give it a try!

Regards,
MetzO'Magic

Hi metzomagic

I've just taken a peek at the latest instructions posted and I have to say that they DO look very reasonable and understandable and so maybe I will now be able to cope much better

Earlier instructions I have downloaded (and not just from Gameboomers) have had me lost after the first couple of sentences - and too much of that eventually deterred me from keeping up to date with later postings

So, a pat on the back and a big Thank You would seem to be in order !!

Cheers.

Mad

Thanks everyone. I have successfully played through Ark of Time in DosBox and the experience with DosBox was good.

Thanks Marian for giving me the push and thanks to all for your opinions and suggestions I learned a lot.

I figured now that I have one game under my belt I will tackle the Ripper the exception to the rule. Always take down the big guy first and the rest should be easy. However I feel that I have taken a few steps backward as once again I am confused and frustrated. Sorry Steve your instructions given here I think assumes that the reader knows more than what is explained. Sorry Steve I know you are doing your best here.

I understand about getting the Vesa driver in but I can't even find the DOS Tutorial you advise to read on your site in Steves XP Corner about changing folders. See a lot of DosBox but no Dos. Looks as if there is missing commands in the instructions. This is like Einstein explaining the Theory of Relativity to a grade schooler and he can't see why nobody understands his easy instructions.

Is there a step by step set of commands out there, game specific for Ripper or is this just wishful thinking? Type this...enter.....type that...enter...play the game.

Yes, I know, GreyFuss is such a pest
Cheers

Dos Tutorial is ***here***

Or
1. Go to www.metzomagic.com
2. Click link for Steve's XP Game Corner at left under Site Menu
3. Do a search for
dos tutorial
either by using Control-F to bring up the search box or by using your browser's toolbar menu (probably Edit\Find)
Behold! -- it finds the words "DOS Tutorial" and it's a link to the DOS Tutorial page.
4. Click the link

Thanks Jenny100

Your "Here" link works but I still can't find it by going to his site. Those look more like DosBox commands you are giving just to find this. I will need a tutorial to find the tutorial.

More stuff to read and I don't see how to change folders in Dos. I am hopeless. Now I remember why I wanted nothing to do with Dos games back in 1995.

I think I will leave well enough alone and be satisfied that I at least got to play one game in DosBox. Marian has given me the ABC's to Master Loo so maybe I will give him a go.

You are not hopeless at all; I had all the same confusions you did, GreyFuss. After a while (quite a long while! ), I began to understand what I was doing and why, and it started to make sense.

You change folder by doing this:

1)
Say you are the C:> prompt and want to go to the folder "C:\Game\Ripper"

Then you use the command cd - like this:

cd game - Enter - and your promt looks like this C:\game>

cd ripper - Enter - and now it's C:\game\ripper>

2)
Should you want to go back to a previously folder, you use the command cd.. - with the two .. after.

Like this:
C:\game\ripper> cd.. - And your back at C:\game>

3)
If you want to see the files in a folder, the easy command is:
dir
(it shows ALL files at once).

If you want just a little at a time, since the window CAN'T show them all you use this:
dir /p
(that way you have to press a/any key to continue the list of files)

NOTE:
Remember when using DOS, that all folder/file names, that are MORE than 8 letters will change name.

Say you have a folder called Spacequest, which is more than 8 letters - then it will change to spaceq~1

Every name over 8 letters will change to the first 6 letters then add ~1 after.

So going to that folder in the games folder would be:
C:> cd game
C:\game> cd spaceq~1

(I don't know about your keyboard, but on mine I get the ~ with ALT Gr + they key with that symbol on

A caveat for anyone who has followed this subject. Success using either the VDMSound, DOSBox, or just WinXP directly depends on the video and sound cards (or chips) in use. This most definitely is not a "one size fits all" subject.

For example, uniVBE does not recognize modern video cards and therefore will either crash or just not work for you in DOSBox. If your video card contains VESA support, DOSBox may prevent your card from working. DOSBox prevents the built-in VESA support in an nVidia 7600GS from working. The 7600GS also is not supported by any version of uniVBE.

For an example of game problems, I would be able to play Ripper directly in WinXP but for my audio card, Audigy2. I am able to set up Ripper for SoundBlasterPro (which WinXP emulates) but the sound quality in the Ripper is unusable forcing me to use DOSBox or VDMSound. DOSBox (for Ripper) has a VESA malfunction so VDMSound is a forced choice. Contrary to Inferno's instructions, I don't use VDMSound VESA support because the 7600GS already has it.
On the other hand, The Riddle of MasterLu runs perfectly in DOSBox.

One more point, you can get more recent versions of uniVBE (with registration codes) from
http://www.scitechsoft.com/ftp/sdd/
VDMSound is now a Sourceforge project.
http://sourceforge.net/projects/vdmsound/

I purchased this game several years ago still shrink wrapped, so I've never opened the box. But... DOSBox claims the game has been supported since release 0.63 with the following comments:

Copy INSTALL folder from CD1 to HDD. Apply 1.03 patch. Apply 1.05 patch. Run SETUPV.BAT. Run RIPPER.EXE /v /v3. Enjoy!!!

Have you tried to run the game with the patches applied and the command line switches?

Edit -

Forgot to mention that VDMSound was discontinued several years ago, and the support was incorporated into DOSBox. You might want to give it another shot.