Warhammer (SotHR, Dark Omen) & Co

[Yannos]

Hope you can get the music to work, I remember it being very awesome and atmoshperic.

I used to (and still do ) love this game to death. I must have played the demo of it a thousands times when I was a li'l kid years and years ago. The mission actually scared me and filled me with tension since it was such a hard and moody level. (defending the church where some woman is hiding from undead. Bernard giving his awesome speeches too! "Stand firm! Back to back we must fight these restless dead ".

Dayyum, if only it was easier to run under xp without having to run in software mode and all that jazz.

 

[Jasede]

btw if you're looking for more games with a similar way of combat, why not give the Total War series a go - it's not even close to being fantasy themed and there's ratppl or any such nonsense, it's just pure to the bone tactical combat(yeah the civilisation light phase is a bit of a drag but you can always skip it and stick to single battles)

btw DoW is more of a C&C/wcx type game(build a base, gather resources, build army and mosh opponents) it's a pretty good one at that though, and even though the WH40k is a horrid setting for any game it's still extremely fullfilling to charge headon with your big screaming green mass of death (where's my goblin fanatics in wh40k? /cry)

All right then. I'll go check out some more Total War games. So far they have this nasty habit of crashing ALL PCs I ever had for no apparent reason. Are they just buggy or was I just really unlucky?

DoW with all add-ons I shall check out in three years or so, when I can get the whole shebang for cheap.

I remember that one. Iirc I placed all of my troops right back, gave the cannons enough range to just hit the edge of the cliff while still being in range of the area from which enemy regiments approach (there's a tower there iirc). I pommeled the regiments with the cannon, mortar and crossbowmen and each hit truly counted (I just remember sitting there and shouting "hit them! HIT THEM FFS!"). If they got too close I would engage with the swordsmen. Then during that small break before the next regiment arrived I charged my grudgebringers on the greenskin catapult and then... something. I recall circling their archers and at the same time using that firebolt sword and lightbolt banner until I got close enough to charge.

That's so fucking cheap that I am going to try this mission right now without using any archers and artillery. I can't sleep.

Hope you can get the music to work, I remember it being very awesome and atmoshperic.

Did, thanks to Sheek.

I used to (and still do ) love this game to death. I must have played the demo of it a thousands times when I was a li'l kid years and years ago. The mission actually scared me and filled me with tension since it was such a hard and moody level. (defending the church where some woman is hiding from undead. Bernard giving his awesome speeches too! "Stand firm! Back to back we must fight these restless dead ".

Dayyum, if only it was easier to run under xp without having to run in software mode and all that jazz.

I wish I could get Horned Rat to run too. I am ALMOST there. The only complaint the game gives me is that "You have not registered Wing32.DLL in the correct directory!". I am assuming I am missing the .reg file, but I can't find one in the gamedirectories and the setup just quits with an exception.

***

More masturbation ahead:

Those two games are really one of a kind and could do with a sequel/remake. They have everything a Codexite ought to like: Choices and consequences (Especially Rat branches like a mofo and how you "treat" your troops - reckless for maximum XP but high losses or careful and slow - directly affects your gameplay), very tight money situation, lots of neat secrets, timeless graphics and a difficulty that'll make console kids weep for months.

And Skaven! Skaven are the coolest furry race I have ever seen in a game. They are dirty, deadly and cunning. Gameshop did something awesome, they made a flavourful, if simply-constructed race that's plain cool and, thanks to their vicious nature and inherent imperfection, that's safe from furry porn artists.

Codexers hear me-

Go play these games! Seriously.

Edit: And Bernhard is like that guy in 300! What more can you want?

Edit 2: How about funny but not immersion-breaking German accents? "Ve must break ze greenskin catapult!"

Edit 3: Damn! First ballista hit took out -4- Grudgebringer cavalary and the orc catapult scored a direct hit, reducing my 16 infantry to... 1.

 

[SlavemasterT]

And Skaven! Skaven are the coolest furry race I have ever seen in a game. They are dirty, deadly and cunning. Gameshop did something awesome, they made a flavourful, if simply-constructed race that's plain cool and, thanks to their vicious nature and inherent imperfection, that's safe from furry porn artists.

Yeah right, "GW did something right" my ass - they ripped the Skaven out wholesale from Fritz Leiber's "The Swords of Lankhmar." That being said, they are a pretty cool race - I played them in our WHFB games and have always maintained a fondness for them.

 

[Shannow]

It's getting a bit tougher already, Shannow. The current mission has me attacking a well-fortified greenskin place- they got two artillery units in good tactical positions, higher ground, and cliffs that the AI "abuses" very well, using their archers for maximum efficiency. Won't breeze through this one. For some reason my Bright Wizard can't teleport anymore- his teleport spell changed for some piss-poor ray of fire.

IIRC your spells were always randomly selected.
I personally never used Teleport and Ray of Fire was my favorite spell. Just use it from the side not from the front. If it hits correctly it will kill a whole line of enemies.
I wiped out whole regiments of mummies with it (6 hit points but vulnerable to fire muahahaha, sry).

 

[Yannos]

Only spell I really remember from Shadow is the Flock of Doom spell.
Killer birds munching up entire regiments was always fun.

 

[Elwro]

I quite liked Mark of Chaos and I recommend buying it if it's cheap. [/hides]

 

[Yannos]

Oh Jasede (and everyone else),
here is how to play the game under XP (I tested it and it works) :

1)Copy RMORPH folder contents to your windows\system32 folder.
2)Copy WARFB folder to C:\GAMES folder (or whatever folder you want, but then you'll need to change paths in reg file).
3)Create empty folder TEMP inside WARFB folder.
4)Create folder UPDATE inside WARFB folder.
5)Create folder BINARY inside WARFB\UPDATE folder.
6)Copy only files (not the folders!) from <your>\WARFB\FILE\BINARY to C:\GAMES\WARFB\UPDATE\BINARY folder.
7)Run the included file SOTHR.reg to register required dlls.
8)In your WARFB folder set for game executable compatibility option "Run in 256-color mode".
9)Run the game. If you want windowed mode, ALT-TAB from it and then select it from taskbar, it should stay windowed.




<haven't got the reg file uploaded anywhere, but just make a reg file yerself with the following contents :

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB]
"Options"="1,1,1,1,1,2,1,1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\InstallDir]
@="C:\\GAMES\\WARFB"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\InstallOption]
@="Maximum"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\Language]
@="ENG"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\LocalDir]
@="C:\\GAMES\\WARFB\\FILE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\RemoteDir]
@="C:\\GAMES\\WARFB\\REMOTE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\SaveDir]
@="C:\\GAMES\\WARFB\\TEMP"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\UpdateDir]
@="C:\\GAMES\\WARFB\\Update"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs]
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WING.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WING32.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGDE.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGDIB.DRV"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGPAL.WND"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RLDDF.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RLDDI.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFTF.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFTI.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00





Enjoy!

 

[kingcomrade]

DoW with all add-ons I shall check out in three years or so, when I can get the whole shebang for cheap.

Uh. You only need to buy Dark Crusade, it is standalone, unless you plan on playing the campaigns (which are a bit meh). And you can get DC pretty cheap, probably 15-20 dollars.

 

[Jasede]

-snip-

I found this guide posted somewhere using Google, but it was missing the .reg file-

That said-

I did all this.
It WORKS.

IT WORKS.

I am playing Warhammer: Shadow of the Motherfucking Horned Rat - the BEST fantasy regiment-based tactical game there ever was, is and ever will be- I really like Dark Omen but SotHR is more everything: Harder, bigger, longer, everything. This is marvelous!

Thank you, Yannos, I owe you a favour.

 

[Kingston]

Jasede, stop being so fucking chirpy. We aren't used to happy people. It's very annoying.

 

[JoKa]

ok, now another try at codex tech-support:
i got dark omen (thanks again!) today.
i did the trick with the registry to get it to run, i get into teh main menu safely.
but now it's telling me this (roughly): game termination because of out-of-date display drivers. i'm feeling like a noob here, but is there a compability mode in win2k...? downgrading the graphics drivers doesn't sound too appealing to me...

 

[Jasede]

Hmm. Me too, again:
SotHR runs, but in battle, the top left of the screen, the field view, stays all black all the time.

Also, HOW do I activate the mini-map in Dark Omen? Don't tell me they removed it? I know I can hit tab or space, but I can't give orders on that map.

Edit: Somehow got it to display graphics!

Now- where did that map in the top right go in Dark Omen? It was VERY helpful. Also, where did the stats at the bottom go? I kinda liked seeing all of them, it helped me assess a regiment all the better (and you could see them improve as regiments gained XP).

 

[Yannos]

It seems that some people just have to click in the middle of the blackness a few times and it'll show up. I myself don't seem to have that problem.

(and fuck that "against the grain mission" )

 

[Jasede]

That's a tough one, but compare it to that orc revenge mission right at the beginning after saving Ilmarien. 2 black-orc regimens, 100s of orcboyz and way more and you got, what, 80 man total? Ow. and it isn't even optional!

Edit: Made some screenies to clarify:

This mission is mandatory and very early in the game, only mission 6 or so. It gets better: This mission pay NO reward at all, apart from the XP. None. Zilch.

Forces you have:

1 Cavalary (12 units)
1 Heavy Infantry (16 units)
1 Elven Hero, if he dies the game is over
1 Amber Wizard

Force you MAY have if you hired them
1 Light Infantry (22 I think)
1 Crossbowmen squad (totally optional and easy to miss if you don't do the optional mission)

Yep, that's all. Now the opposition-

The first picture is what you see of it at deployment, the lower one what's actually there.

4 Light Infantry (large)
1 Medium Infantry (medium-sized)
2 (very) Heavy Infantry (medium-sized)
1 Archers.

Apart from that there are (useless) AI-controlled dwarves (onyour side) and the NPC regiment you need to save between the archers and the light orc infantry.

Let me sum this up again-

1 Light & 1 Heavy Infantry as well as 1 Cavalary regiment & Crossbows(+ useless AI dwarves) versus
4 Light, 2 Heavy, 1 Medium and a squad of archers.

The elven hero is as fragile as eggshell so he's basically useless, the light infantry on our side is useless too unless they attack a regiment that's already busy fighting another regiment and- well, it's all a huge "fuck you" if you're new to this game, this kind of mission so early.

How can you win, then? Well... you have an amber wizard. He can cast Amber Spear. Together with the crossbows that's enough to mop up the light and heavy orc infantry that's coming from the north-east. Abusing the wizard further you may, just may get some kills in the second heavy orc infantry regiment, just enough so that your cavalary can finish them while your two own infantrymen try to keep the orcs from north-west busy. And praying helps too.

There ought to be more games like this.

 

[Yannos]

Don't even know how I won that one, I know that I had massive casualties and I even accidently killed some slaves. Only regiments left that hadn't fled were the wizard, grudgebringer cav (4 guys) and crossbows and the Black avengers (16/24). But you get to rehire alot of lost troops afterwards. Also, the elven hero may get killed, he's too important for the story to have get killed apparently.

 

[Jasede]

Just won that mission with heavy losses. And now look at this:

This is what I miss in Dark Omen so far. Choices and consequences. Marching to Zhufbar now will make it easy to defend. Revenge will to to some branch of many super-hard missions (Against The Grain x.x, Orc Camp Assault), but also yield lots of XP and Ragnar's Wolves, a great cavalary regiment. Going to Loren now is pointless but you can try doing it, leading to some super-super hard missions that you're meant to lose, but suffering through them will give TONS of XP.

Each choice has its consequence and will affect the future campaign one way or another. The best thing is to do "Vengeance" now, THEN go to Lorien and (attempt) the super-hard missions there and THEN go to Zhufbar, but by then IIRC the Skaven will already have overrun it and you're in for some seriously tough reclaiming. Versus dastardly accurate warp cannons. No matter what you do, it's gonna be really hard.

 

[Marsal]

If you're going to pirate the game, do it right (no rips and crap).

Full version:

http://thepiratebay.org/tor/3438860/Warhammer_Fantasy_-_Dark_Omen

Instructions (+color cursors):
http://hjem.get2net.dk/gamewizard/pages/games.html

Tested, works (tutorial, didn't start the campaign yet). I didn't have to alt-tab or anything. It worked just fine the first time. Mount on daemon tools and do a minimum install (cca 20 MB).

Works in 3d mode too, if you force vertical sync (actually I forced AA, AF and everything else ), but the image is too dark and gives the impression of flickering (it doesn't outright flicker, but it's not solid either). It's playable and looks great, but CPU rendering is much brighter and more enjoyable.

 

[Shannow]

@Jasede: I hope you are shooting tents and buildings in DO. Sometimes magical items fall out of them. In fact, that was something I hated about SotHR and DO. In SotHR items looked so crappy that I completely overlooked them in my first playthrough. I only noticed those blinking spots after a friend told me about them. In DO they fall out of buildings or enemy companies. Which means you can miss them by not shooting the building or if the enemy routs and flees the battlefield. I would have prefered the option to loot after a won battle...

 

[Yannos]

You said you could play Dark Omen on Virtual PC fine ye?
Did you have to do anything special? if I install it on virtual pc, it just goes black when I start it up.

(under XP I it freezes (music keeps playing) after the intro's)

 

[pkt-zer0]

You said you could play Dark Omen on Virtual PC fine ye?
Did you have to do anything special? if I install it on virtual pc, it just goes black when I start it up.

Nothing special, I just installed DOS+Win98SE and then Dark Omen. Works just fine, though without 3D acceleration, since Virtual PC emulates some sort of S3 Trio generic video card, IIRC.

 

[Trash]

Shadow of the horned rat is one of my all-time favs. The missions were friggin hard, the cut scenes were cool and there were plenty ways to go through the game.

Dark Omen was better in most aspects, but the presentation lacked. The cool drawn cut scenes and characters were replaced with badly animated 3d faces. I really hated that, even when almost everything else in the game was made better.

Great thread btw, I might try the games out again with these pointers.

 

[Jasede]

You said you could play Dark Omen on Virtual PC fine ye?
Did you have to do anything special? if I install it on virtual pc, it just goes black when I start it up.

(under XP I it freezes (music keeps playing) after the intro's)

I get this problem (without Virtual PC) when I don't do what was posted earlier, IE use the registry fix.

 

[Yannos]

Can you hook me up with this registery thing too?
Thankee's

 

[Jasede]

Ummm, but you posted it yourself in this thread, on this page.

 

[Yannos]

I was talking about running Dark omen on VirtualPC, not Shadow of the Horned Rat.
Sheek said something about PM'ing you the Registery fix on the first or second page.

Yannos wrote:
You said you could play Dark Omen on Virtual PC fine ye?
Did you have to do anything special? if I install it on virtual pc, it just goes black when I start it up.

(under XP I it freezes (music keeps playing) after the intro's)

I get this problem (without Virtual PC) when I don't do what was posted earlier, IE use the registry fix.