Spiderweb A tutorial on how to use WineVDM so you can play Exile on modern operating systems

[jebsmoker]

Do you like Jeff Vogel's older games? Do you want to play Exile on your 64-bit operating system, but don't know how? Don't despair, WineVDM is here! I'll show you how to use it for Windows 3.1-era games. From what I can tell, the installation process for WineVDM writes new registry entries so that it integrates itself into Windows Explorer. This makes it *very* easy to play Windows 3.1 games on your Windows 7/10 install.

Firstly, download it from here: https://github.com/otya128/winevdm/releases

I would suggest extracting the contents of it to a file meant for WineVDM in your root directory. For comparison, mine is C:\otvdm-master-1056

After you've extracted it to the directory of your choice, you have to use the registry registration file dubbed 'install'. Before you do that, you have to make sure that the directory defined for the "MappedExeName" variable is correct. You'll have to edit install.reg with a text editor. Notepad++ is probably the best program for this. In my case, the directory defined for it, wrapped in quotes, is C:\\otvdm-master-1056\\otvdm.exe. Please note that the .reg file needs two backslashes for each directory - you'll see examples of bad and good variable properties above.

Once you've defined what directory your WineVDM sits in in your install.reg file, close out of the text editor and double click on it. It'll ask you if you want to commit the changes in it to your registry. Say yes. After this, you should be able to install this and play it:

www.spiderwebsoftware.com/ftp/installers/win/EXILINST.EXE

Go through the installation process, and enjoy Exile.

If you want to uninstall WineVDM, just use the uninstall.reg file.

 

[mondblut]

Sounds more convenient than having a Win3.1 installation in dosbox, that much is true.

 

[jebsmoker]

it really is

 

[OSK]

Why is this so much more difficult to do on Windows than it is on Linux?

 

[cruelio]

I can’t wait to play Exile on a modern operating system.

 

[OSK]

I'm going to write the Linux tutorial.

Step 1: Install Lutris (https://lutris.net/downloads/). Your distro's repository likely already has it available.
Step 2: Go to this link https://lutris.net/games/exile-escape-from-the-pit/ and click install. It'll automatically download and begin installation.
Step 3: Click next through the installer.
Step 4: Enjoy!

 

[CryptRat]

Thanks.

 

[AdolfSatan]

Nice, great info FEDSMOKER !

Alternatively, get the ez-install version on https://www.old-games.com (either by donating or taking the free link that downloads much slower) and run it "natively" on x64.

Why is this so much more difficult to do on Windows than it is on Linux?

Yeah, but before that why don't we consider how many steps it takes to get any of those OS's running.

Windows
Step 1: Load the installation image to a pendrive
Step 2: Boot it
Step 3: Install and update whatever has to be updated
Step 4: Play your fucking vidya

Linux
Step 1: Load the installation image to a pendrive
Step 2: Boot it
Step 3: Install and update whatever has to be updated
Step 4: Something got broken along the way. Now you're stuck on a resolution of 600x400 with no audio and the drivers for your wifi adapter aren't officially supported
Step 5: Take two weeks off from work to chase obscure bugs and ask for support in fora
Step 6: Spend the rest of your life being cocky about it for some reason

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for open source software; I've even contributed a bit how I could back when I was more into it, but claiming anything to be much more difficult to run in the pop OS's than Linux is quite the stretch.

 

[OSK]

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for open source software; I've even contributed a bit how I could back when I was more into it, but claiming anything to be much more difficult to run in the pop OS's than Linux is quite the stretch.

When was the last time you've used Linux and which distro(s)? I get the impression you haven't used a desktop Linux OS in several years. With major hardware manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo offering desktops and laptops pre-installed with Linux, hardware support has improved drastically over the last few years. Nowadays the hardware that typically has problems are things like scanners and fingerprint readers. Distro matters because some distros have extra hoops to jump through before installing non-open source drivers. Others make getting cutting-edge hardware to work optimally more challenging. They're trivial hurdles, but they can definitely trip up people new to Linux.

When it comes to gaming on Linux, it's usually not the hardware or the OS itself that trips you up. There's a recent thread in General Gaming that has more information if you're curious: https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/gaming-on-linux.135602/

 

[AdolfSatan]

Yeah, I dropped it a long time ago when I stopped learning programming. Afterwards it didn't (still doesn't) have the kind of software I need for what I do, so out the window it went. But m'lady recently had to make an install of buguntu to fit what the rest of a team she joined was using... We tried all of its variants and there wasn't a single one that didn't come with its own issues. On two different laptops. Before that she was using one of those command-line only ones and it worked just fine, but that's not precisely what I'd call friendly for new users.

I dunno, you're probably right. They're working towards reaching a wider spectrum of computer users and eventually they might get there, but I've gotten frustrated enough with linux that I don't think I'll be giving it another chance in the near future. Windows might be a pile of scrapped rubbish barely held together by the work of incompetent softwaredesigners but it does everything I need without giving me any trouble.

But I digress. Back on topic: Already got my hands on Exiles 3; if anyone wants one of those copies with pre-baked dosbox I can upload it somewhere.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Sounds more convenient than having a Win3.1 installation in dosbox, that much is true.

. Wine or DB??
Speaking of which, has anyone had success with THIS INSTALLTION?

I will use one of THESE.

I'm going to give it another go since I had no luck with the DJgames installation.

I'd like to know how they compare. And yeah, I'll test with Castle of the Winds.

 

[samuraigaiden]

Can you imagine being the guy who is sitting at home wishing he could play Exile on a modern PC?

 

[JarlFrank]

If you wanna play Blades of Exile and its dozens of user-made scenarios, there's an open source port of it that runs natively on 64 bit systems. I tested it in Windows 7 and ran a few modules with it. It works perfectly well.
http://openboe.com/

 

[mondblut]

Can you imagine being the guy who is sitting at home wishing he could play Exile on a modern PC?

Beats playing any iteration of Avernum any day.

 

[jebsmoker]

If you wanna play Blades of Exile and its dozens of user-made scenarios, there's an open source port of it that runs natively on 64 bit systems. I tested it in Windows 7 and ran a few modules with it. It works perfectly well.
http://openboe.com/

this source port is fantastic. i hope the three exile games get ported to this, since the engine improvements make a big difference

 

[Lord_Potato]

I just have all the Exiles installed on my old ass laptop with Windows XP. Works good, but I might look into this Blades of Exile open source port too.

 

[newtmonkey]

The map does not seem to work (completely black) in Exile 1 when using winevdm. Can anyone confirm that it works on their system?

[EDIT] I was able to resolve this by using the installer provided here:
http://www.columbia.edu/~em36/otvdm.html