DOS box WTF?

Bluegrazz · Jul 14, 2008

I really want to try many of the older DOS games , but do not understand how to use/set up DOSbox and then run the games. I have used Emulator programs for SNES and GBA and they were really quite simple "plug and play" where you just pretty much selected a ROM, picked a control scheme, set a screen size and begin play- DOSbox, however (when I tried it last year) required alot of weird setting up and placement of files etc. and I was unable to get it to run properly (or run at all, lol)
I am a bit confused because I can access MSDOS on my machine (isnt windows just basically a "visual" way to run DOS? I mean arent all PC's really running DOS?) so what does DOSbox do that is diffrent than the DOS I can access from program files/accessories in Win XP?
I apologize for my lack of understanding on this issue, I just dont really get it (and want to understand so I can play the Abandonware games)
Is there a difference between diffrent versions of DOSbox in ease of operation and use? Is there a "visual" plug and play type version out there? Is there somewhere I can go to get step by step and easily understandable instructions as to how to set it up/run games for a complete noob or is it merely there for those who understand how to use Dos already?
I have no problem "playing around" with it to try and get it to work, BUT is it possible to screw up my computer by manipulating DOS or whatever? I would hate to mess up something that I will be unable to fix.
I appreciate any help you can give. Thank you.

larpingdude14 · Jul 15, 2008

lol what a noob

Bluegrazz said:
Is there a "visual" plug and play type version out there?

http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/

or

http://home.quicknet.nl/qn/prive/blankendaalr/dbgl/

Bluegrazz said:
Is there somewhere I can go to get step by step and easily understandable instructions as to how to set it up/run games for a complete noob or is it merely there for those who understand how to use Dos already?

http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Basic_Setup_ ... _of_DosBox

Bluegrazz · Jul 15, 2008

yeah, I will admit to my noobism. But thank you very much for links

DraQ · Jul 15, 2008

Bluegrazz said:
I really want to try many of the older DOS games , but do not understand how to use/set up DOSbox and then run the games.

Re-roll with higher INT and WIS stats or RTFM (it's all explained there, really).

(Codex doesn't scale to your level.)

isnt windows just basically a "visual" way to run DOS? I mean arent all PC's really running DOS?

It was more or less true in Win95, but it doesn't work that way any more - there is more to the OS than grey letters on black screen.

Regarding your problem:

You can put all the commands you want executed at DOSbox' startup (like 'mount') in [autoexec] section of your dosbox.conf . You can even put some more visual interface, like Norton Commander there and run it under DOSbox for the ease of use.

Mareus · Jul 15, 2008

Those links look a bit confusing for a newb so I ll just writte here what you need to know to start the game, because I bet you are anxious to start playing some of those oldies

You will learn the rest with time anyway.

Let's say you have your game in D:\Games\Heroes\Heroes.exe

1. You open DOSBox
2. type:
mount d d:\ (press enter)
3. type:
d: (press enter)
4. You should now be on D disk. If you have C disk you should just mount c c:\
5. type:
cd games\Heores (press enter)
6. If your exe file is named Heores.exe just type:
heroes (press enter)

PS. If the game hacks and runs slowly or too fast you can slow down the game or make
it run faster by using CTRL+F11 or CTRL+F12
Also note that some older games will require you to setup the sound card. Usualy you will have setup.exe or install.exe file in the game folder so when you come to part 6 of my short tutorial just type:
setup (press enter)
or
install (press enter)
Usually you can setup the soundcard by just autoconfigure. If not you will have to test a bit, but usually Soundblaster 16 or Soundblaster AWE works fine. The ports go 220; DMA5, IRQ 1 if I remember correctly.
Sometimes you will have an option to setup the graphical card too, so just chose the card which works the best with your PC.

PS2. Some recommenadtions:
Albion
Heores of Might and Magic 1,2
Wizardry 7
World of Xeen
Thunderscape
Masters of Magic
Transport Tycoon
Theme Hospital
Anvil of Dawn
It came from the Desert
Toonstruck
Day of the tentacle
Indiana Jones Fate of Atlantis
Monkey Island 1,2
Discworld 1,2
etc.

Enjoy,

mondblut · Jul 15, 2008

http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/DOSBoxFrontends

I am using D.O.G. personally as of late.

Dark Matter · Jul 15, 2008

The simplest way to run a game in Dosbox is to drag the .exe file for the game onto the Dosbox icon.

MetalCraze · Jul 15, 2008

Hmm I didn't know that, thanks.

DraQ · Jul 15, 2008

skyway said:
Hmm I didn't know that, thanks.

Eh, kids these days and their fancy, 'user friendly' interfaces.

Thrasher · Jul 15, 2008

I'm curious to see if you get DOSbox working well for the gold box games. They may be next on my list.

My own experience with DOSbox was mediocre at best when playing Daggerfall. Choppy, slow, and crashy, not to mention tedious to setup and tweak. Tried updates to DOSbox, but they killed my game installation somehow. A lot of trouble.

It's freeware, and you get what you pay for.

mondblut · Jul 15, 2008

Goldbox games run flawlessly from pure windows. Unless you desperately need to read every "Kingcomrade hits goblin for 3 hitpoints" message (which otherwise skip instantly even on lowest speed setting on modern machines), you need no dosbox to run them at all.

(all relevant adventure mode information asks for enter/space to continue)

Bluegrazz · Jul 15, 2008

Wow guys, thanks alot. I really appreciate all the help

...... I hope I have leveled up.
EDIT: K, everything is working fantastically. 1 question though (although its probably a total noob question)... I have to mount the drive each time I want to play. Its no big deal but is there a way to save the info that your drive is mounted? In other words, each time I shut down dosbox and restart, I cannot just type c: to get to where I am mounted, I have to type mount c c:\dos\ and then c:
Thanks again as you have opened my world up to tons of gaming

DraQ · Jul 16, 2008

Bluegrazz said:
I have to mount the drive each time I want to play. Its no big deal but is there a way to save the info that your drive is mounted?

DraQ said:
You can put all the commands you want executed at DOSbox' startup (like 'mount') in [autoexec] section of your dosbox.conf .

MetalCraze · Jul 16, 2008

graphical interfaces for DOSbox also let you make "presets" for running games.

Dark Matter · Jul 16, 2008

Thrasher said:
I'm curious to see if you get DOSbox working well for the gold box games. They may be next on my list.

My own experience with DOSbox was mediocre at best when playing Daggerfall. Choppy, slow, and crashy, not to mention tedious to setup and tweak. Tried updates to DOSbox, but they killed my game installation somehow. A lot of trouble.

It's freeware, and you get what you pay for.

Most games can be played easily on Dosbox using the method I mentioned above, and they run just fine. Daggerfall is one of the few exceptions.

Edward_R_Murrow · Jul 16, 2008

I'm going to stuff the elitism and chime in that DOSBox is definitely a bit underwhelming and overcomplicated when compared to other emulators. I mean, going from say...ZSNES which has a nice easy to use interface, runs games flawlessly, comes packed with extra features, and hardly ever crashes and then going to DOSBox, which is a bitch to use, rarely runs games without a hitch, is pretty bare-bones, crashes a lot, and often requires other programs in tandem with it as well sometimes.

Luckily for me, most of the games worth playing with no alternatives besides DOSBox, aren't really my style (Realms of Arkania, Darklands). Still want to give Betrayal at Krondor a second try, but DOSBox seems to reject it.

Spectacle · Jul 16, 2008

Edward_R_Murrow said:
I'm going to stuff the elitism and chime in that DOSBox is definitely a bit underwhelming and overcomplicated when compared to other emulators. I mean, going from say...ZSNES which has a nice easy to use interface, runs games flawlessly, comes packed with extra features, and hardly ever crashes and then going to DOSBox, which is a bitch to use, rarely runs games without a hitch, is pretty bare-bones, crashes a lot, and often requires other programs in tandem with it as well sometimes

This is a perfect emulation of the original DOS experiance :lol:

mahdi · Jul 16, 2008

Spectacle said:
This is a perfect emulation of the original DOS experiance

Exactly. I remember spending 3+ hours trying to get the voice working in Sam & Max talkie version. Good times.

Jasede · Jul 16, 2008

Yes. In MS DOS, part of the gaming experience is fiddling with your config.sys and autoexec.bat, playing with drivers and EMS settings and Loadhigh and wrestling with MSCDEX /L:H /D:000001 or whatever it what, I don't quite remember.

But damn if you didn't feel good after finally getting Ultima 7 to boot; damn voodoo memory manager it used.

Dosbox is a paradise of easy configuring compared to good old MS DOS. I'm actually starting to dislike all the frontends a lot; if only I could find my Norton Commander diskette; then I could install that, run it from Dosbox, and play my games from there.

Comrade Hamster · Jul 16, 2008

Thankfully, I don't need to mess with all that DOSBox emulator crap because I've saved my old computers of yore. It's a nice nostalgic feeling working with a computer you've had since you were five.

Mareus · Jul 16, 2008

Comrade Hamster said:
Thankfully, I don't need to mess with all that DOSBox emulator crap because I've saved my old computers of yore. It's a nice nostalgic feeling working with a computer you've had since you were five.

I still have my ZX spectrum and it is still running. Talking about nostalgia. Too bad some of the cassets are damaged and some buttons on the keyboard are not working.

android · Jul 16, 2008

Jasede said:
if only I could find my Norton Commander diskette; then I could install that, run it from Dosbox, and play my games from there.

You lost your NC? Go get it now, it works like a charm in DosBox http://www.abandonia.com/utility/NC.zip

DraQ · Jul 16, 2008

android said:
Jasede said:

if only I could find my Norton Commander diskette; then I could install that, run it from Dosbox, and play my games from there.

Click to expand...

You lost your NC? Go get it now, it works like a charm in DosBox http://www.abandonia.com/utility/NC.zip

Fuck you! I wanted to gloat over his loss of NC and post wall of text describing the elegant beauty of the twin blue tabs my DOSbox has been graced with.

DOS box WTF?

Novice

Scholar

Novice

Arcane

Magister

Arcane

Prophet

Arcane

Arcane

Erudite

Arcane

Novice

Arcane

Arcane

Prophet

Arcane

Arcane

Liturgist

Arcane

Liturgist

Magister

Novice

Arcane