OS/2 Shareware BBS: 8 Other/08-Other.zip/DOSGAMES.ZIP/DOSGAMES.OS2

Text File | 1992-07-08 | 15KB | 448 lines

This file provides guidelines for running various games under OS/2.
The info here has been gathered from postings to the net and from
my own experiences.  Special thanks go to Ron Dippold (hi Ron :-) and
David Charlap for their contributions on the net, and of course to the
many, many people who have posted their personal experiences.  I've
taken the liberty to include direct statements from posts by various
people throughout this file.

Kevin Lowey said something I agree with:

   A lot of people say that OS/2 needs a killer-app.  In my opinion, the
   first killer-app for OS/2 is going to be a game that takes FULL
   advantage of the OS/2 features.

---------------------------------------

GENERAL TIPS:

Read the README file in your OS/2 root directory.  It has tips for
running specific DOS and Windows apps under OS/2.

Read the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games FAQ.  This is very important since it
will tell you about possible problems when running the game even under
plain DOS.  If you can't find a copy of the FAQ in comp.sys.ibm.pc.games,
email Chris Warren, the keeper of the FAQ, at [e-mail] for a
copy, or email me and I'll send you a copy.

In order to achieve maximum performance and speed, especially for graphics
intensive games such as flight simulators, try the following settings:

DOS Fullscreen:  check this option; best performance can always be
    achieved by running the game in a full screen DOS session.
DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION:  OFF
    (so it won't take CPU time when you switch away from it)
DOS_HIGH: ON (more memory for those that need it)
DOS_RMSIZE: 640
DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT: 0  (DOS games don't use DPMI memory)
EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT: 1024  (this is EXPANDED memory.  If a game
    uses more than 1024k, use a higher number; if the game uses no
    EMS, such as Ultimas 4-5 and most of the earlier EGA games
    [SSI games, Tunnels and Trolls, Might and Magic II, Dragon
    Wars, Magic Candle I, Knights of Legend, etc] set EMS to 0)
HW_ROM_TO_RAM: ON  (copies ROM BIOS to RAM--several people
    have said this boosts performance on their machines)
HW_TIMER: ON  (this is important, especially for those games that
    use soundboards.  However, one user noted that when this setting
    is set to ON it causes many games that send sound directly to the
    SB to crash the entire system.  I have not experienced this myself.)
IDLE_SECONDS: 10
IDLE_SENSITIVITY: 100  (this is important)
KBD_ALTHOME_BYPASS: ON  (this prevents the DOS session from
    being shrunk to a window via ALT-HOME; keep it on OFF if you
    want to run your game in a window)
VIDEO_FASTPASTE:  ON  (reported by some to boost performance)
VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION:  OFF  (important for fast graphics,
    though you may have to experiment with this one)
VIDEO_ROM_EMULATION: OFF
XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT:  64  (this is EXTENDED memory; when you have
    DOS_HIGH=ON, DOS can use this 64k which will help give you more
    base memory)

For best performance close ALL windows and apps (especially DOS apps) before
you run the game so that the game can get as much of the CPU as
possible.

-----------------------------------------

SOUND CARDS:

Soundblaster: make sure that you don't have your Soundblaster set for IRQ7.
    OS/2 uses IRQ7 (which is LPT1) to print, even though DOS doesn't, so
    under OS/2 you need to change the default IRQ for your SB from 7 to
    5 (or to some other available IRQ).

Roland LAPC-1: the default IRQ2 and 330 address work fine.  IRQ2 is
    automatically mapped to IRQ9 on 386 and 486 boards.

------------------------------------------

SPECIFIC GAMES:

Use the settings detailed above for the following games, varying EMS
as needed.  Exceptions to the above settings are noted where applicable.
I have decided to include all the games that were mentioned on the net
by OS/2 users--even if there were no problems reported--to allow those
who are thinking about buying a game to know how it runs.  A complete
list will also let people post or email additional hints when they see
their game listed.

[NOTE: "runs fine" means I've tested the game myself.  "Reported to
    run fine" means that the game was mentioned on the net as being
    compatible with OS/2.]


ACES OF THE PACIFIC:

--reported to run fine.


ATLANTIS:

--reported to run fine.


A-TRAIN:

--only one report about this game, and here it is:

   Play it under Dos.  I haven't found out how to get it to work under OS/2.

Anybody got it to run?


BATTLE CHESS:

--reported to run fine.


CASTLE WOLFENSTEIN (WOLF3D):

--this is one of the most finnicky games, and may require some
    experimentation to make it run well.  According to net reports,
    this game uses a special split-screen mode of the video card,
    and thus its behavior tends to rely on a person's hardware
    peculiarities more than OS/2 itself.  I find that I can run this
    game fine, but if I switch away from the game and then switch back
    to it the bottom portion of the screen will no longer display
    the statistics for my character.  Also, my soundblaster special
    effects (people talking, doors opening) gets lost after a brief
    period of time.  To cure this I just bring up the help menu,
    then go back to the game to "reset" the sound.  This loss
    of sound has been reported by many users who play the game
    under plain MS-DOS and DR DOS, so it appears to be a fault in
    the game's programming.


CIVILIZATION (Microprose):

--Make sure you have the updated version.  It will have the "rename" button
    on the city screen.  This version performs much better under OS/2.
    If you don't have this version, you can download an update from the
    Microprose forum on CompuServe.
--Always use fullscreen mode, and when the program starts up, use vga
    resolution and ibm sound.  (ega or no sound slows it down.) If you
    want to turn off sound, do it from the options menu.
--one person reported that he could not start a new game in vga since
    he got a divide by zero error in the dos box.  But it was
    possible to load a saved game into vga mode.  Another person
    reported that he cured this divide by zero error when he set
    COM_HOLD to ON.
--another user made the following observation:

   I had been having speed problems running the game in adlib/soundblaster
   mode (and believe it or not I never tried anything else). However:
   When I ran Civilization in PC SPEAKER mode, then quit, and ran it
   again in soundblaster/adlib mode (in the same DOS session), it ran
   at the correct speed!  Since doing this on a regular basis would be
   a pain in the ass, I wanted to find another way to 'prep' the system
   for Civilization: and I found it. I ran SBFMDRV.COM (comes with the
   soundblaster) before running civilization. This way I can run Civ
   from a batch file called by a WPS icon.


COMMANDER KEEN 3:

--reported to run fine.


CURSE OF THE AZURE BONDS:

--runs fine.


DRAGON WARS:

--runs fine.


ELF:

--reported to run fine.


EYE OF THE BEHOLDER I:

--runs fine.


EYE OF THE BEHOLDER II:

--reported to run fine, though one user made the following note:

   It appears that when running EOB2 under OS/2 2.0, the Ice Storm
   spell does not work.  Instead, the session ends with no specific
   OS/2 message (it gets back to the DOS prompt of the DOS
   session if the video_switch notification is left off, but with
   the wrong video mode).


F17:

--reported to run fine.


FALCON 3.0:

--if I remember correctly, there is a patch available that will allow this
    game to run under an extended memory manager (such as QEMM).
    If you have problems running this under OS/2 you may need this
    patch.  Any clarifications about this?
--one user reported that he needed to have the HW_TIMER set to OFF or
    the game hung.  But when he set it to OFF the screen updates were
    excruciatingly slow.

Any other tips for this game?


GLOBAL DILEMMA:

--one user made the following observation:

   Well, here's one for the "better DOS than DOS" department: I just
   noticed that "Global Dilemma" (or Guns & Butter), which ran just fine on
   my Compaq 386, won't run on my new 486; the AMI Bios doesn't seem to like
   the way the game addresses the keyboard.  That's under real DOS-5.
   In a DOS task under OS/2 it runs just fine.


GUNSHIP 2000:

--reported to run fine.


INDY 500:

--reported to run fine.


KING'S QUEST IV:

--reported to run fine.


KING'S QUEST V:

--runs fine.


KNIGHTS OF LEGEND:

--runs fine.


LEMMINGS:

It is important to have this game configured with HW_TIMER=ON,
VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=OFF, and to have it configured to run in
a full screen session.

You may also have to install the game under plain DOS if you get a protection
violation under OS/2 during installation (even though it will run under OS/2
after installation).

One user reported that Lemmings wouldn't run except in a "Specific DOS"
session, so if you have troubles try that.  Also, if performance suffers,
or if you have flickering problems, try NOT running the game in "High
Performance PC" mode.


LINKS:

--one user posted this helpful notice:

   I have adjusted my Links settings and think that I have the best
   solution for running LINKS under OS/2 2.0.  First, Migrate it to
   the DOS File.  Next, instead of executing the file LINKS.BAT, use
   the SETTINGS to have it run GOLF.EXE with NO optional parameters
   (the /t in LINKS.BAT appears to be for the title screen).  As soon
   as the program starts, select SYSTEM and turn off ALL sounds.  This
   last step will alleviate the slow down immediately after the swing
   as Links tries to create the sound even if HW_SOUND is turned off.
   I also have HW_NO_SOUND set to ON and MOUSE_EXCLUSIVE_ACCESS turned ON.

   This seems to have the game working quite well for me in full screen
   mode.  I hope that it helps others.


MAGIC CANDLE I:

--runs fine.


MIGHT AND MAGIC II:

--runs fine.


MIGHT AND MAGIC III:

--runs fine with the exception that the digitized intro speech by
    Sheltem at the beginning of the game will not work with a
    Soundblaster under OS/2.


NOVA 9:

--reported to run fine.


POOL OF RADIANCE:

--runs fine.  Ironically, this game does not run under MS-DOS 5.0, but DOES
    run just fine under MDOS (OS/2's DOS 5.0 emulation).


RED BARON (Dynamix):

--this game runs fine, but two users observed that although RB's music
    played OK for them, the sound effects (such as guns and engine
    noise) were silent.  The cure for this is simply to run Red
    Baron's install program (with RB already installed) and choose
    the appropriate options again to make them take effect.
--Although I have had no problems running RB with my Soundblaster and
    with my Roland LAPC-1, another user noted the following:

   At least on my machine (486, 8 Megs and Soundblaster Pro) this program
   locks up if you set the sound option to Sound Blaster; however if
   you set the option to Adlib, you still get digitized sound and the
   program runs fine.


SECRET OF THE SILVER BLADES:

--runs fine.


SIMEARTH:

--reported to run fine.


SPACE QUEST IV:

--runs fine, with the exception that some of the digitized sounds
    on the soundblaster may be cut short.  For example, I noticed
    that the lightning sounded fine when I was far away from it,
    but when I drew near the sound of the thunder would be cut
    short (this is on a 386/33 with Roland music and SB speech).


SPELLCASTING 101 and 201:

--reported to run fine.


STELLAR 7:

--reported to run fine.


ULTIMA 4 and 5:

--if you have trouble with the keydisks for these games being recognized,
    boot a real copy of DOS in a vdm (see VMDISK in the Command
    Reference for details).


TUNNELS AND TROLLS:

--runs fine.


ULTIMA 6:

--runs fine.


ULTIMA 7:

--this game will NOT run under OS/2 since it uses its own memory manager.
    No amount of tweaking will make it run, so don't waste your time.
    Instead, spend the time to write Origin and tell them to patch it!


ULTIMA UNDERWORLD:

--there is a patch that fixes many inventory bugs in this game.  Check
    comp.sys.ibm.pc.games for more details.
--this game will not run in a window since it will be distorted.
--the digitized intro speeches for this game will not work reliably
    under OS/2 with a Soundblaster; this is the only time in the
    game where there is digitized speech though.  To READ the
    intro speeches, configure the game for no sound (or PC speaker)
    and then run the intro.
--some people report no problems with this game, other people can't get
    it to run under OS/2 at all.  Most people are able to run the game
    if they start the game in one of the following two ways:

   1)  Set the game to start minimized with background execution OFF.
    Start the game and WAIT until all disk activity stops (about 10-15
    seconds on my 386/33).  Then switch to the game.  This works best
    for me, and allows me to switch back and forth from the game safely.
    I've never had the game crash on me doing it this way, and I've
    switched back and forth from my word processor hundreds and
    hundreds of times.
   2)  Set the game to start in a windowed DOS session.  The game will look
    garbled, but wait until you see the blue title screen come up.  Then
    switch the game to full screen mode with ALT-HOME.  If the keyboard
    doesn't respond after doing this, tap the ALT key to unstick it.


WHERE IN THE WORLD IS CARMEN SAN DIEGO:

--reported to run fine.


WING COMMADER I-II (and SM1-2, SO1):

--these run fine, even with the speech pack.
--I have found that in WCII my soundblaster's digitized voices in
    battle often hang causing me to have to hit ESC to "unstick"
    them.  This happens only when there are lots of enemy ships
    in the area.  I have a 386/33; testing it on a 486/33 didn't
    exhibit this problem.


WOLF3D:

[listed under "Castle Wolfenstein"]


WONDERLAND:

--runs fine.


WWF:

--reported to run fine.


------------------------------------------------

   Steve Smith       | __|__ |    " #*&<-[89s]*(k#$@-_=//a2$]'+=.(2_&*%>,,@
<[e-mail]. |   |   |      {7%*@,..":27g)-=,#*:.#,/6&1*.4-,l@#9:-) "
  ohio-state.edu>    |   |   |
  BTW, WYSInaWYG     |   |   |                           --witty.saying.ARC