Unofficial patches for Thief and other PC games

[spekkio]

Yeah, I assumed everyone knows about JA2 1.13.
But it should be added.

 

[Euronymous]

Doom, Doom 2, Hexen, Heretic, Strife

Chocolate Doom is a source port for Doom and other games based on the same engine.

I keep getting a problem with Chocolate Hexen, it always closes after I pass the first level.

 

[Astral Rag]

Font enlargement patch for Divine Divinity

 

[Gragt]

Doom, Doom 2, Hexen, Heretic, Strife

Chocolate Doom is a source port for Doom and other games based on the same engine.

I keep getting a problem with Chocolate Hexen, it always closes after I pass the first level.

I assume something is wrong on your side because the whole thing works perfectly fine for me.

Does it give you an error message or does it simply returns you to the desktop?

Are you using the latest version (2.0) of Chocolate Hexen?

Is your HEXEN.WAD correct? Assuming you are using the full version, there are only 3 valid versions of the WAD, being the beta, 1.0 and 1.1. Use the checksums on this page to see if your WAD is correct. If not, I guess that's the problem. If it isn't 1.1, you'll probably want to update to it.

 

[Euronymous]

It just returns to my desktop, always after loading a different level after playing the first one.

 

[spekkio]

Added moar stuffies for Command & Conquer series:
http://nyerguds.arsaneus-design.com/cncstuff/0_files.html

And some thingies for Die by the Sword:
http://forum.hazardx.com/viewtopic.php?t=64

 

[Gragt]

Dune II

Some bugs were left after Westwood released the last official version (1.07). This patch fixes them, including the infamous "team bug" that prevents the enemy AI factions to join together and make combined attack teams against your base. As a result this makes the last missions tougher. Note that your copy of Dune II must already be patched to the official 1.07 version or this might make the game unstable.

It also modifies the setup utility to allow you to select multiple sources for music and sounds, in case you have more than one sound card—which is pretty much the case with DOSBox. Unless you have special hardware, the best sound quality will be achieved by selecting Sound Canvas for the music (allowing the use of General MIDI), and Sound Blaster Pro for the sound effects and digitised voices.

 

[spekkio]

Added:
1) New installer for Red Alert 1 (allows installing the game on x64 systems)
2) Unofficial patch for Dune 2 (thanks, Gragt).

I plan to add links to source ports like Chocolate Doom, EDuke32 or DXX-Rebirth in the OP. Post them if you know them and (preferably) used them (so we know that they aren't shit).

 

[Gragt]

I plan to add links to source ports like Chocolate Doom, EDuke32 or DXX-Rebirth in the OP. Post them if you know them and (preferably) used them (so we know that they aren't shit).

Well in that case …

Rise of The Triad: WinRoTT.
Rise of The Triad on Windows. Works well and there is an OpenGL version in development for those who like that sort of thing.

Marathon serie: Aleph One.
It comes with the three games for free; try them, they are cool! Not specifically a PC game in the Windows sense, but Marathon 2 was released for Windows at some point, so …

Wolfenstein 3D: ECWolf.
First Wolf3D source port I found that wasn't a pain to use. Maybe not the most accurate, but then Wolf3D isn't a game where that matters much, unlike Doom and its hoard of user content.

Outrun: CannonBall.
Not a PC game but worth a mention anyway: it's a new engine for the old Sega arcade classic Outrun. Features various enhancements, the ability to mix tracks from Japanese and US versions, play all tracks in one big game, fixes the music bug that affected the game for two decades, etc. Requires the original ROMs (MAME ROMs work). Not vanilla at all but that isn't its purpose, so if you want that you better stick with MAME.

Dungeon Master & Chaos Strikes Back: CSBwin
Not really a source port, since the source was never officially released, but it's a port written from reverse-engineering, and apparently quite faithful. It plays Dungeon Master and its stand-alone expansion Chaos Strike Back just like they played on the Atari, with some small addition like remappable keyboard shortcuts. Configuration isn't user-friendly though as you need to manually edit the config file, but once set you won't need to touch it again.
WARNING! Chaos Strikes Back is rated "Not For Bitches".

The download page I linked stays within the general theme of annoyance of setting the thing up, but the latest executable as of writing seems to be the 12.8 release, dated 2013-11-02. There is also a template config file you might need. The games are on this page and already contain an older CBSWin executable that you can easily replace with the newer one.

Dune II: Dune Dynasty
A modern port of Dune II based on reverse-engineering of the original. Adds a few enhancements like a bigger viewport, multiple unit selections, or a construction bar on the right side—pretty much what you'd expect to see in the C&C serie. It might make the game too easy because of this, but it certainly makes it more enjoyable for those used to modern features—I always found it painful to select each unit one by one before sending them to assault the enemy base. There is an option for a more brutal AI, probably to balance this. It displays briefings and cutscenes as expected, so it really plays like a modern update of Dune II. Not vanilla since it isn't the purpose, but stays faithful to the original.

Ultima VII: Exult
The classic!

X-COM: UFO Defense: OpenXcom
Not a source port but a clone that tries to replicate the original, fixing bugs and adding a few optionnal features. Not 100% vanilla but can get pretty close if you set it up that way.

I already wrote about Chocolate Doom earlier, and it might go beyond the scope of this thread, but I might as well mention Crispy Doom. Crispy Doom (the ill-named) is a fork of Chocolate Doom that offers a few enhancements while staying compatible with Vanilla Doom. The most visible feature is that the resolution has been doubled compared to the original, so you can enjoy Doom in 640x400 (many official ports apparently do this, including the old MacDoom and Doom95), but it also raises the limits so larger maps that would crash under Vanilla and Chocolate Doom will play fine in Crispy Doom—one of the best examples of this would be the No Rest For The Living episode (NERVE.WAD) that comes with Doom 3 BFG Edition and is actually a great set of levels for Doom II. It includes some definitely non-Vanilla features, like jump—I consider this a cheat but some new Doom maps are designed with that feature in mind—, but these are disabled by default. If you are concerned about this, you can have it play just like Chocolate Doom but with higher limits for larger maps—it's even possible to change the resolution back to 320x200 if you are an absolute purist, although the origins of that limit are purely technical. Development is strongly tied to Chocolate Doom, so any new version or patch will see an update of Crispy Doom. Development focuses mainly on Doom, and though it is possible to play Heretic, Hexen, and Strife, in Crispy Doom, they are likely buggy.

Else for those who want more bells and whistles, I recommend ZDoom as the port with enhancements. It has many screen size and aspect ratio options, pretty much removes all limits so it will play everything Doom related you throw at it, and fixes all engine bugs. It is apparently smart about it and will reactivate bugs needed for some maps of the classic WADs so they can play properly. It of course can play all modern WADs that are based on it, like Chex Quest 3, that won't play at all on Vanilla Doom. From my own experience, it deviates too much from the look and feel of classic Doom—Romero said that one of the great things about the Doom engine is that it is naturally scary with the way it adds darkness to the map, so he didn't have to bother too much about that and just design his maps and the engine would take care of the scary atmosphere for him—but I know many aren't bothered by it. If anything, it kinda manages to be very modern while staying true to its classic foundation, so there's that.

So basically I'd say go for Chocolate/Crispy Doom depending on how much of a purist you are (Chocolate Doom is preferable at this point for Heretic, Hexen, and Strife), and ZDoom if you do not care for all this stuff and want the new shit. I'd stay away from stuff like Doomsday as the dynamic lighting effects regularly screws up the look and feel of classic Doom, but that's just me.

 

[spekkio]

Added links to source ports / other stuffies for: Descent 1/2, Doom engine games, Duke 3D, Dune 2, Dungeon Master, Freespace 1-2, Frontier - Elite 2, Marathon games, RoTT, Ultima 7, Wolf3D / SoD, X-Com. Thanks, Gragt.

Shit looks decently cluttered now.



Still, I would like to know more about ports of following games, since I know they're available:

- Quake 1,
- other Build Engine games (Blood, Redneck Rampage, Shadow Warrior),
- Frontier - First Encounter - almost all of them (JJFFE, GLFFE) went gaga (home pages down). Only FFE D3D is still available.

 

[Gragt]

Shit looks decently cluttered now.

Rock on!

- Quake 1,

Quake works fine in Windows, even x64, with the official WinQuake port, and it's my favourite way of playing it because it looks as intended. GLQuake is a nice display of what could be done with the engine, but it makes the textures look blurry and doesn't support some effects available only in software, like underwater distortions—interestingly, though Quake 2 was built from the start with 3D acceleration in mind, there were some similar effect that are only available in software. Source ports in Quake almost exclusively on enhancement, not compatibility, though they tend to fix some engine bugs and sometimes break compatibility with older content in the process. There have been some ports aimed only at removing engine limits to play bigger maps, but most projects seem to have been abandonned.

Aguire's GL and WinQuake went that way but there hasn't been an update since 2007 and his WinQuake version produces a small but noticeable pause whenever the screen flashes, like when you pick up an item. ProQuake looks rather nice, and if I wanted 3D acceleration in Quake I'd use it. It used to have a WinQuake version but they dropped it a couple of years ago, though you can look for it in the page for older releases. I'd be using it if it didn't get rid of some effects, like water, for some reason.

Edit: This is why I prefer WinQuake to modern ports: https://www.quaddicted.com/engines/software_vs_glquake

- other Build Engine games (Blood, Redneck Rampage, Shadow Warrior),

Blood and Redneck Rampage, to my knowledge, do not have ports because the source for these two wasn't released. For Shadow Warrior, unless there is another one I missed, it comes down to JFSW and SWP, with the latter being a fork of the former with some improvements. I haven't used SWP in a while but from what I remember it used to work ok.

 

[spekkio]

Added source ports for Shadow Warrior and Frontier - First Encounters (uploaded my file, since the home page is down).
Uploaded files for Machines and Prince of Persia 3D.

 

[Euronymous]

Quake works fine in Windows, even x64, with the official WinQuake port, and it's my favourite way of playing it because it looks as intended. GLQuake is a nice display of what could be done with the engine, but it makes the textures look blurry and doesn't support some effects available only in software, like underwater distortions—interestingly, though Quake 2 was built from the start with 3D acceleration in mind, there were some similar effect that are only available in software. Source ports in Quake almost exclusively on enhancement, not compatibility, though they tend to fix some engine bugs and sometimes break compatibility with older content in the process. There have been some ports aimed only at removing engine limits to play bigger maps, but most projects seem to have been abandonned.

Only thing I want is for my mouse wheel to work in WinQuake, then I'll be happy.

 

[FuelBlooded]

- Quake 1,

I use darkplaces

 

[Severian Silk]

Has anyone written a patch for AoD yet?

 

[Astral Rag]

- Quake 1,

I use and recommend Quakespasm, a very faithful port based on Fitzquake. Make sure to configure the renderer to your liking.

Check out this thread for more information and more good Quake stuff.

also:
https://www.quaddicted.com/quake/recommended_engines

 

[Gragt]

Command & Conquer series

Unofficial patches / fixes / installers by Nyerguds
Unofficial RA1 installer by FunkyFr3sh

Just a bit of information about this one. The Nyerguds page is mostly relevant to the first C&C (aka Tiberian Dawn), especially with his patch—he's pretty much the expert on that game, and his knowledge served with the other games in the serie. His Red Alert patch works but since RA isn't his main interest, there are better alternatives.

The RA installer by FunkFr3sh is pretty good but has a few shortcomings. For one, it misses the musics and movies of the expansions. If I'm not mistaken the base game has 17 tracks, and The Aftermath brings that count to 35, which is pretty much the double. Movies are mainly recycled from the main game but Counterstrike adds two cinematics for the hidden Giant Ants campaign and, well, I'm sure you'll agree that it just ain't the same without cheesy cinematics with giant ants! The Aftermath adds only one new cinematic, and though I have no idea of when it plays since I never played the missions, it is missing from the Funkyfr3sh install.

The second, and bigger, problem is that it uses a very outdated version of the Iran patch. The reasoning is that the purpose of this installation is mainly multiplayer, and this version of the Iran patch is considered very stable for it, but it leaves some bugs that were corrected in the next versions, some of which may prevent some missions from being completed or unnecessarily makes them harder.

My take on this is to use PortableRA. It's Iran's version of the game, so it is obviously based on his patch but uses the latest version. It also features the extra tracks and cinematics from the expansion. Also, as the name says, it's portable, so you only need to combine the files once and then you can keep the folder and transfer it to another computer without worries.

If you prefer to use Freakyfr3sh's installation, it's possible to download the basic package of PortableRA (roughly 10 Mb) and extract the ra95.exe file to your RA installation. You'll see the version number change in the title screen and that'll get rid of some bugs. If you want the extra musics and movies from the expansions, I made these files, so just extract them in your RA directory. [movies] [musics]

 

[spekkio]

Great job as always, Gragt.
Personally, I plan to play C&C1 and RA1 using only CnC-Ddraw.
But installing these games on Win7 x64 required using VMWare and Win98 installation. Stupid Westwood and ITZ fancy installers.

Also: I don't know if that's just me, but using Nyerguds' patch for C&C1 + CnC-Ddraw introduces a noticable lag when movies launch (~2 seconds). Vanilla install + CnC-Ddraw works fine (no lag).

 

[Gragt]

Funny, the Nyerguds patch doesn't seem to introduce any lag for me in C&C. I used his own installer with the movie add-on and that's it. It might be some setting with CnC-Draw—I use 640x400 GDI because I kinda dislike missing the little sprite details at something higher.

Anyway the original installers are 16-bit, so incompatible with 64-bit Windows. Stuff like Nyerguds or PortableRA do not change the game much if you do not want them to, mainly the way it's installed and the compatibility.

 

[spekkio]

I use 640x400 GDI

Same here, don't know what's causing the problem. Oh, well.

 

[Gragt]

Might be the mouse hack or forcing the game to use a single core. I think I pretty much need the mouse hack but apparently only RA may need the CPU fix.

Edit: I think I found it after a minute of testing. It's the CPU fix. In ddraw.ini with singlecpu set to True (default), I get 2 seconds of pause before every video plays. When set to False, it doesn't happen. Again, from what I read, RA is the game that mostly needs it so try to disable it in Tiberian Dawn and see if it works. Hopefully the game won't crash after that. When enabled in RA, it doesn't produce the pause for me.

Edit: Well it seems the single core CPU can be forced directly in ra95.exe with the Iran patch, bypassing the ddraw.dll. Makes sense that it doesn't produce a pause then.

 

[spekkio]

Just some stuff and things.



1) Descent 3: added links to modified exe, which enables 32bpp support for Opengl renderer.

Before the fix (16 bpp):

After the fix (32 bpp):

This fix is useful on Win7 x64, since Direct3D is borked (menus / 2D elements corruption) - probably driver-related problem:

2) Machines: added instructions for running it on Win7 x64 (below) and links to Machines Config Tool 1.11 (enables hidden options).

3) Red Alert 1: added Gragt's links / files.

4) Quake 1: added Astral Rag's links.

 

[spekkio]

Machines - running on Win7 x64

1) Install the game (no compatibility options required).

2) Update with official 1.15 Patch.

3) Update with unofficial WinXP fix by Ken.

4) Grab "d3drm.dll" from teh webz (old DirectX component), since the game won't run without it:

I used this version:

5) Set "machines.exe" to "Windows 95" compatibility mode - speeds up launching time.

6) Run the game.

640x480 is kinda meh:

And you can go as high as your monitor allows:

But 1024x768 looks good enough:

 

[spekkio]

Added links for Homeworld and H: Cataclysm things (running on newshit OS, higher resolutions, command-line options, stuff).

Tested both games on Win7 x64 - work fine. No problems reported here. WinNT compatibility setting + Opengl renderer.

1024x768:

1680x1050 (font too small for my taste, but it works):

 

[Baron Dupek]

Brigade E5: New Jagged Union.
Immortal Badass 2.13 mod is equivalent of Blue Sun Mod for 7,62 High Calibre (sequel of Brigade E5) - it fix bugs, broken quests, scripts, add hueg amount of guns and make game somewhat harder.
Download it here.
And remember to install patch 1.13 (what a coincidence...). Or grab Steam/DRM free version from somewhere cause can't find that patch for other than PL or RU version.