Ultima VII: Why would anyone use Exult over Dosbox?

[Zeus]

Why would anyone use Exult instead of Dosbox?

Exult is literally a fan remake with official graphics pasted on top. As far as I know, they have no idea what went on under the engine and were guessing at best. I mean, I guess if I couldn't figure out how to set up Dosbox, or didn't care about stealing, party animations, and absolutely needed a "Multiracial Avatar," I'd pick Exult. But knowing that it's not a true engine port, just a close approximation, would make me pick Dosbox for the original experience.

 

[Jaesun]

Will respond later. Thanks for making this Zeus.

 

[Zeus]

Will respond later. Thanks for making this Zeus.

No prob, my man. Look forward to hearing the ins and outs.

 

[Xi]

Why would anyone use Exult instead of Dosbox?

Exult is literally a fan remake with official graphics pasted on top. As far as I know, they have no idea what went on under the engine and were guessing at best. I mean, I guess if I couldn't figure out how to set up Dosbox, or didn't care about stealing, party animations, and absolutely needed a "Multiracial Avatar," I'd pick Exult. But knowing that it's not a true engine port, just a close approximation, would make me pick Dosbox for the original experience.

The same could be said for DaggerXL. I'm assuming this is an engine remake that simply reconnects the original assets.

 

[Alex]

Just a clarification. As far as I know, Exult did re-implement every piece of static code, but it also used the original files whenever possible. So, it isn't just the graphics that are being reused, but also the maps, item dispositions, attributes, etc. The most important of these files are the usecodes, which are basically scripts used in game to guide conversations, spawn enemies, interact with items, etc.

So, while stuff like combat rules may not be exactly equal, conversations, plot points, sound changes among others are all the same as the original. he only problem that may appear here is that the new engine may not handle some usecode instruction or other correctly. But it still is much more faithful to the original than any remake could hope to be.

 

[Unkillable Cat]

This is all mostly from memory and the last time I checked on Exult, which was a while ago, but while "barebones" Exult does little else than get the game running with about 90-97% accuracy, there are fan-mods which take things a bit further, like adding some functionalities from Serpent Isle into Black Gate (keyring, character screen) as well as fixing some usecode errors.

Examples of some errors fixed are how the ghosts in the haunted alchemist's house north of the Serpent Isle lighthouse respond as if you're talking to the Chaos Hierophant, and that you can now talk to Candra after you've resurrected her on Monk Isle and healed her madness.

Unfortunately, I recall that these fan-mods also add in new content, that I haven't managed to check out yet due to Exult's instability. But if you do install it, look for a suspicious-looking bloke outside of Lord British's castle.

So based on this information, if you want a absolutely perfect playthrough of U7, warts and all, use DOSBox. If you're willing to settle for the next best thing with some of the warts removed, then Exult is for you.

 

[mondblut]

One word: keyring.

 

[bhlaab]

because its better

 

[Excommunicator]

As someone who has played the game to death and knows the subtleties of the mechanics, I have similar feelings to Zeus. Exult may have a lot of new features, but there are still many small things - particularly combat-related - that are not right in Exult. I have no preference for Exult over Dosbox.

 

[made]

Looks better, more convenient, less buggy...

It's not like exult breaks a super sophisticated combat model.

 

[Jaesun]

Unfortunately, I recall that these fan-mods also add in new content, that I haven't managed to check out yet due to Exult's instability.

The key ring fan made mod has 1 new side quest (which was done quite well, and fully stays in character within the lore and the setting). What instability are you talking about?

 

[Andhaira]

Good thread.

I would say that it's a matter of preference. If you want ease of use, go with Exult. If you want the original experience, go with dosbox.

 

[Elzair]

I decided to use Exult for my LP (that is badly in need of an update) because its interface is more responsive and because it fixes some bad bugs (and the key ring, of course).

 

[zelda64whatagreatgame]

There's a bug in the latest version of exult that makes items dissapear and crashes the game to desktop. this affects all savegames. it's a big drag.

 

[Jaesun]

There's a bug in the latest version of exult that makes items dissapear and crashes the game to desktop. this affects all savegames. it's a big drag.

Obvious troll post is obvious. Seems a bit odd no one has reported such a bug since the 1.4.9rc1 on 21 October 2010 don't you think? Also pirated version of U VII are known to have problems.

.5/10

I have played this build many many times. No problems for me and many others as well.

 

[zelda64whatagreatgame]

http://exult.sourceforge.net/forum/read ... 7&t=340617

there you go buttface.

 

[Jaesun]

http://exult.sourceforge.net/forum/read.php?f=1&i=340617&t=340617

there you go buttface.

So your obvious troll post posted on the Exult forums is proof? LOL

0/10.

Try again!

 

[zelda64whatagreatgame]

I love increasing my post count by not using the edit button!

Date: 11-24-10 18:44

I have one problem that I haven't encountered in the previous versions. Sometimes, objects just suddenly disappear. For example, the puppet show thingy at Carroccio's vanished, taking some fences above with it. Well, I didn't care about it, so I just continued playing. Later at Serpent's Hold, some walls disappeared. Even later, EVERY object (but not walls) in Britain disappeared. It's quite interesting, tho, because they are still there: I tried moving the roof of Blue Boar inn with Hack Mover, and I could see the table; the moment I stepped in it was gone again.

author: Leonardo Gimenez (---.fibertel.com.ar)
Date: 11-24-10 19:38

Same problem, objects disappear.
All objects disappear in britan castle , even the bridge. I must use magic to enter the castle.

and front page of exult site:

Let's start off with the the bad news:
We have a bug that causes random objects in the games to disappear forever. When this happens Exult tends to crash badly. Unfortunately this bug is unpredictable and we have no sure way of reproducing and thus fixing it. We have some ideas of what is happening but no fix yet. This is a real show stopper and unless we fix it we can't release another release candidate or a final version. If you encounter this bug (disappearing objects, random crashes, especially in combat) best you can do is revert to an earlier savegame.

 

[zelda64whatagreatgame]

perhaps it is caused by using pirated software though, anyone else played it recently with a proper copy of the game and the latest version of exult?

 

[Jaesun]

perhaps it is caused by using pirated software though, anyone else played it recently with a proper copy of the game and the latest version of exult?

I always download the latest SVN builds of Exult and Pentagram just to help out both of these teams and provide bug information. I DO OWN the Ultima Collection that came out a few years ago, it is the real CD, not a pirated version. I have played the RC Build as well as the latest builds and I have never once come across this problem, nor has the Exult team. No one has been able to reproduce it yet.

 

[zelda64whatagreatgame]

well then i must aquire this "ultima collection" of which you speak.

 

[Jaesun]

well then i must aquire this "ultima collection" of which you speak.

There are 10 used ones if you happen to live in the US: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... ition=used

Granted that price they are asking is absurd. r00fles!

 

[Daemongar]

Exult is literally a fan remake with official graphics pasted on top. As far as I know, they have no idea what went on under the engine and were guessing at best. I mean, I guess if I couldn't figure out how to set up Dosbox, or didn't care about stealing, party animations, and absolutely needed a "Multiracial Avatar," I'd pick Exult. But knowing that it's not a true engine port, just a close approximation, would make me pick Dosbox for the original experience.

This is a pretty ignorant post, honestly. They do have a more thorough idea of what went on "under the engine" (?) than anyone here and are not guessing. Every interview with a designer of U7 or Serpent Isle was posted on their forums and discussed to death. They made improvements:

1. Fixed bugs (missing bodies in Minoc anyone, extra Alagaine, etc)
2. Allowed the game to be ported to other platforms natively
3. Improved the audio greatly
4. Iimproved the gumps in U7 to include paperdoll images, a keyring
5. Added difficulty setting, a customizable interface
6. Added scalers to the game to allow it to be played at resolutions greater than 320x200
7. Added the ability to play at resolutions greater than 320x200 - up to 1600 x 1050 on my video card with the laltest build

In addition, they added a brain dead easy editior to allow people to modify the original game, added cheat menus to fix in game bugs with the original (Fedibiblio stealling a wand in SI I remember too well) and some other stuff. Do some homework next time, OP. This is just lazy.

 

[Sceptic]

Exult may have a lot of new features, but there are still many small things - particularly combat-related - that are not right in Exult. I have no preference for Exult over Dosbox.

TBH combat in the game is such a clusterfuck that I don't really mind the fact it behaves slightly differently in Exult - it was a clusterfuck in vanilla, it's still a clusterfuck in Exult. For Black Gate I don't see any advantage to Exult if you're trying to play vanilla, though the keyring makes life SO much easier. I do have a marked preference for Exult when SI is concerned though, simply because of the mods that fix all the usecode errors (and there were a whole bunch in SI). I don't recall now if the Hierophant thing was game breaking, but it definitely broke the plot if you were trying to follow it properly.

 

[Silellak]

I decided to use Exult for my LP (that is badly in need of an update) because its interface is more responsive and because it fixes some bad bugs (and the key ring, of course).

Speaking of your LP, do you think you'll include the key ring side quest? I've never actually done it, and I think it might be interesting to see.