OS/2 Shareware BBS: 11 Util/11-Util.zip/gg2-aug.zip/GGUIDE2.ZIP/GAMERS.HLP

OS/2 Help File | 1995-08-05 | 85KB | 196 lines

ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1. The OS/2 Gamer'S Guide Main Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The main window consists of two sections:

 1. the Game List
 2. the Game Information


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.1. the Game List ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Game List box is where you select which game you are interested in.

By clicking on a game title you will bring up the information on that game in
the Game Information part of the screen.

If you double-click on a game title you will bring up the Edit Game dialog
window.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 1.2. the Game Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The Game Information part of the main window is where you view information for
the game selected from the Game List.

Depending on the information in the database for that game you will see the
title of the game, the game developer, the type of game, the associated icon,
and some game notes.

You will also have access to up to three push-buttons on the bottom of the
screen depending on the game settings.

These buttons will allow you to view information on how to contact the
developer of the game, create an OS/2 desktop object for the game, and view a
textfile such as a FAQ, cheat codes, or some other user-defined file.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 2. About the OS/2 Gamer's Guide ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

The OS/2 Gamer's Guide is a tool which allows for the storage and quick
retrieval of DOS game settings. Once a game has been added to the program's
database you can just point-and-click to automatically recreate a customized
WPS desktop object, complete with a user-defined icon, for that game.

The program is being distributed in the form of freeware in the hope that OS/2
users will add settings to it so that it becomes the comprehensive collection
of DOS game settings available.

If you get a new game and manage to get it working under OS/2 please add it to
your personal copy of the database but also send me a description of the game
and a copy of the settings.

I will add these to the master copy of the database and release the updated
database on a monthly basis.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 3. Notes from the Author ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This program is released as freeware which entitles the user to use and
distribute the program at no cost. However, I retain copyright to the program
and the user may not disassemble, reverse compile or resell it without my
express written consent.

I also include no warranty with the program and the user accepts all
responsibility and consequences of using this program.

Included with the main program are the run-time libraries for VX-Rexx and
Watcom SQL. Both are copyrights of Watcom International Corp. and are subject
to the licensing terms and conditions outlined by them.

All game titles listed in this program are copyright of their respective
developers and/or publishers.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 4. DOS Settings ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

When you are attempting to get a new DOS game running under OS/2 use the
following information as a guide.

 1. Create a program object for your game by dragging the Program template from
    the Template folder.
 2. Enter the full path and filename for your game as well as any necessary
    command-line parameters on the first page of the settings notebook.
 3. On the seond page select DOS FULL SCREEN and press the DOS SETTINGS button.
 4. Select ALL DOS SETTINGS and then OK.
 5. Adjust the settings as recommended by any included game documentation or
    else use the following information as a guide.

DOS_BACKGROUND_EXECUTION=OFF (DEFAULT=ON)
   Set this to OFF for most games as it is unecessary for most games to be
   running in the background.

DOS_FILES=NN (DEFAULT=20)
   Increase the number of files as recommended by the game documentation.

DOS_HIGH=ON (DEFAULT=OFF)
   Set ON to provide more conventional memory for your game. However, if the
   game prefers to acces the high-memory space directory, (DPMI games), then
   leave OFF.

DOS_UMB=ON (DEFAULT=OFF)
   Adjust this setting the same as the DOS_HIGH setting. If you have turned the
   DOS_HIGH setting ON then turn this ON as well.

DPMI_DOS_API=AUTO
   If the game you are setting up uses the DPMI memory manager (DOS4GW.EXE)
   then try setting this to ENABLED or DISABLED.

DPMI_MEMORY_LIMIT=4
   If you have enabled the DPMI_DOS_API setting then I recommend adjusting this
   limit to one megabyte less than your real system memory. (ie. on a 16Meg
   system set to 15).

EMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=2048
   Adjust this as recommended by the game documentation.

HW_ROM_TO_RAM=ON (DEFAULT=OFF)
   Setting this to ON usually improves performance and can help eliminate
   screen flicker.

HW_TIMER=ON (DEFAULT=OFF)
   This should be set to ON for games that need direct access to hardware
   timing ports.

IDLE_SENSITIVITY=NN (DEFAULT=75)
   Set this to 100 for most games to disable idle-detection. Setting this to
   100 overrides the IDLE_SECONDS setting.

INT_DURING_IO=ON (DEFAULT=OFF)
   Set this to ON to avoid choppy audio in DOS games.

SESSION_PRIORITY=NN (DEFAULT=1)
   Adjust this setting under Warp to give your game more processor attention. A
   setting of 32 is usually appropriate for most games.

VIDEO_8514A_XGA_IOTRAP=OFF (DEFAULT=ON)
   Set to OFF for most games to provide faster, unrestricted access to the
   video device.

VIDEO_FASTPASTE=OFF
   In some cases where a game seems unresponsive, setting this to ON can
   provide a minor benefit.

VIDEO_RETRACE_EMULATION=OFF
   This should be left OFF for games to improve performance.

XMS_MEMORY_LIMIT=2048
   Adjust this setting as recommended by the game's documentation.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 5. Joystick Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

Getting your joystick to calibrate properly for a lot of games under OS/2 can
be difficult. However, IBM has recently licensed a joystick driver from Robert
Manley that improves joystick setup under a lot of these problem games.

The driver can be found on the IBM BBS or on the Internet at ftp.ibm.net
/pub/games where it is called JOYSTICK.ZIP.


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 6. Additional Sources of Information ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

If you have access to the Internet there are a number of places to look for
assistance in getting new games working under OS/2 including:

 1. comp.os.os2.games - a newsgroup dedicated to games under OS/2
 2. http://eyelab.msu.edu/os2games/ - the OS/2 DOS Games List
 3. http://wcl-rs.bham.ac.uk/GamesDomain - the Game Domain


ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ 7. Add/Edit Game Window ΓòÉΓòÉΓòÉ

This window is displayed when you select Add a Game or Edit a Game from the
database menu.

When you are editing a game you can change any information on the screen except
for the title of the game. Selecting <SAVE> will update the database.

When you are adding a game, if you mark the "Works under OS/2" checkbox then
you will be asked for the path and filename of the encoded settings file when
you save the information.

This encoded file will be parsed and the appropriate settings will be imported
into the database for you. Make sure you have this file before you add a game.

The encoded file can be created when you first get a new game running under
OS/2.

Open the settings notebook for the game's object; select the DOS settings page;
select All Settings; select the Print button;

select Encoded file and give it an appropriate name.

Now, when you add a game to the OS/2 Gamer's Guide database and it asks for the
encoded file, give this filename along with the complete path as in the example
below.