Windows 98 and its DOS mode option

On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 11:46:50 -0800 (PST), rpgs rock dvds
<rpgsrockdvds.RemoveThis@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:

>Regarding the Roland external modules, this could be difficult to
>achieve because as "Mike S" points out, mk2 MT-32s are rare, and I've
>searched for the other recommended models and found no listings.

Every kind of second generation MT-32 is rare on Ebay. Only first
generation MT-32s are commonplace there. You will probably see a CM-32
or CM-64 sooner or later though. Second gen MT-32s and CM-500s you
can pretty much forget about though.

The workaround for the buffer overflow error is easily done. You
simply have to slow down the game. This is particularly easy in DosBox
due to the hotkeys. You can slow down the game long enough for the
sysex messages to get to the MT-32. Then you can speed it back up if
you want to after the game is loaded.

On your Windows 98\DOS configuration, you can use Mo'Slo or some other
slowdown utility. However it is possible that your Dos computer is
slow enough already. I do not remember your specs for that machine. I
think you need around a 486 or less to avoid the buffer error
entirely. I am guessing that you have a Pentium or better though.

Please note that this workaround works most of the time. There are a
few games that will never work on a first gen MT-32. Some of those
games include Lemmings 2, Clouds and Darkside of Xeen, X-Wing and Tie
Fighter.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

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riku wrote:

> On Mon, 25 Feb 2008 09:38:12 -0800 (PST), rpgs rock dvds
> <rpgsrockdvds.DeleteThis@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>>Good luck finding your old Orchid card - I used to have one of those!
>
>
> I do have the Orchid Righteous3D card (4MB 3DFx Voodoo, still
> working), but it is the two installation CDs that came with it I am
> missing, which included e.g. full, 3Dfx enhanced versions of Whiplash
> (aka Fatal Racing) and MechWarrior 2. I think MW2 was later
> re-released with Direct3D support, so I am not missing it that much.
>

Hehe, I still have a AGP Voodoo 3000 16 meg card in my S.O. computer.
What she don't know won't hurt her. She doesn't run any 3D games so
she'll never know.

Rick
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

On Tue, 26 Feb 2008 09:34:30 GMT, riku <riku.TakeThisOut@none.invalid.com> wrote:

>There were quite a lot of them, off the top of my head e.g. Doom 1-2
>or any of their descendants (Heretic, Hexen, Duke3D, Blood, Shadow
>Warrior etc.); Ultima 8, Privateer, Wing Commander 3-4, Black Thorne,
>Descent, Terra Nova, System Shock etc. etc.

Wing Commander 3 does have MT-32 support but you are correct about
several of the others on your above list.

>Make no mistake, all in all MT-32 support was quite widespread, but
>missing General MIDI means you will have to rely on Adlib/SB music in
>many important games and series, or listen to much inferior MT-32
>music which is not really taking advantage of MT-32s features like
>earlier MT-32 games did.

I agree with this which is why I have both a MT-32 and a SC-55 but if
I had to choose, I would choose a MT-32. A good GM card would
probably be better if you stay away from older dos games though.

>It was some discussions in the Quest Studio forums which discuss
>MT-32. Quite a few discussed about getting USB MIDI cables from eBay.
>I didn't quite understand why, have USB MIDI cables suddenly become
>rare items, or only the ones which support e.g. MT-32 properly?

USB Midi cables are quite common on Ebay the last time I checked. And
I remember a discussion about USB midi cables on the forum and I don't
remember anyone pointing out that some cables don't work with the
MT-32. But then again, I only joined the forum a few months ago.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

riku typed on Mon 25 Feb 2008 9:56 PM:
> One solution is also Glide wrappers, albeit I don't yet have much
> experience with them.

I've tried two, and both have worked flawlessly (after tweaking)

For Windows games I've used Zeckensacks Glide Wrapper (free):
http://www.zeckensack.de/glide/

Pretty easy to use. Just run the "configurator" to set options like
how much texture memory, etc. Also can up the game resolution to say
1280x960. I used it to play Independence War 1 Deluxe Edition (which
needed additional tweaking to get working) - looked great! Strangely
could not get software mode to work at all, so could not have played
it without the Glide wrapper (this is in WinXP)

And for DOS games, the only one I know of was GliDOS:
http://www.glidos.net/

Which you might still have to buy to get rid of the logo, unless he
has made it free since I used it (Win98) to play Tomb Raider 1 w/
Glide. It supports a few other games too, like TES: Redguard, that
I had intended to play eventually. Maybe by now there is a free
Glide wrapper out there for DOS games?


--
};> Matt v3.2 <:{
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

riku typed on Mon 25 Feb 2008 9:46 PM:
> Now that I'm getting the hang of it, I am seeing myself using DOSBox
> more and more instead of my retro-machine for running DOS games. At
> the moment I am playing e.g. Magic Carpet Plus on DOSBox, runs great
> with General MIDI music and SB16 sound effects. Great game, got
> hooked instantly even though I've already played it through like 13
> years ago.

Oh man, that was a great game! Back in the day, I was like 25 levels
in (halfway) and loaned the CD to my brother so I could get him hooked
too. Then one day, the police raided his apartment (something to do with
his dodgy roommate and stolen appliances) and they seized *everything*,
including *my CD*! I never got it back! I bet there is probably a police
evidence chest somewhere with my Magic Carpet CD still inside! So I was
left with the original box and manual etc, and no game to play; in fact
I think I still have it upstairs in ex-mint condition (without CD) ...

<*argh*> You guys are giving me serious nostalgia with all this retro
gaming talk ... (LOL)


--
};> Matt v3.2 <:{
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

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 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

On Wed, 27 Feb 2008 09:27:45 GMT, riku <riku.RemoveThis@none.invalid.com> wrote:

>I couldn't locate the discussion anymore. I located one cheapo
>USB-midi cable in a local shop, I'll probably go get it tomorrow. My
>only criterion at this point was that some of those cables said they
>are compatible only with e.g. WinXP and MacOS, not Windows Vista. I
>want to be able to use the cable also on my future PC which will
>certainly have Vista. Hmmm, I wonder if they have 64 bit driver for
>Vista though...?

Yeah I think mine is XP only. But I remember that there were several
being sold on Ebay that will work in Vista.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

On 21 Feb, 22:10, noman <no_m....TakeThisOut@zzzyahoo.yycom> wrote:
> On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:18:53 GMT, Mike S. <m....TakeThisOut@nowhere.com> wrote:
> >On Fri, 15 Feb 2008 06:26:38 -0800 (PST), rpgs rock dvds
> ><rpgsrockd....TakeThisOut@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >>Thanks.  I've bought components for a new fast PC, and when I get it
> >>working, the first thing I'll try is DOSBox!!
>
> >Heh. You just may be more old school then even me.  First game I am
> >going to try when I get a new machine will be Bioshock, Gothic 3 or
> >something. Certainly not Dos freaking Box.
>
> When I bought 8800GT in December, I had Crysis, Bioshock and
> HL2-OrangeBox in my backlog and Vista OS for trying out these games in
> DX10. The first game I ended up playing was Pandora Directive on
> DOSBox
>
> Actually, I sold my previous card (X1900XT) on CraigsList, and waited
> a few weeks to get a good deal on 8800GT. During that period, I had an
> old DX8 compliant backup card, and thought about finishing up some DOS
> games. 8800GT arrived while I was in the middle of Pandora Directive,
> and I took few days and finished the game before installing Bioshock.
> --
> Noman

Re Pandora Directive: I just love the intro where Tex meets up with
that old geezer in the cafe, and it's all rainy outside, and he
scribbles out that cheque and hands it to him. Way cool.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

On 23 Feb, 19:54, Mike S. <m... DeleteThis @nowhere.com> wrote:

<snip>

> If it turns out you can't use your Audigy or even a Live! with your old DOS games, you can probably get a real Sound Blaster16ISA  dirt cheap on Ebay so don't worry about it. <snip>

I felt a bit queasy after I forked out 66GBP for a SB live! plat card
on ebay, and a week later and I nearly spit my cornflakes out my mouth
when I saw my overnight snipe bid for a sealed AWE64 cost me $118US.

But things have righted themselves a bit, cos I just picked up quite a
nice looking SB16 card for 1p GBP.

Still, I think I was right in bailing out of the scc-1 auction which
ended up going for about £95.

(All prices incl postage, etc)

-Robert.

PS, been playing Outcast on my "new" Win98 box, cool game, interesting
16:9 display option.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option 

On 14 Feb, 09:20, rpgs rock dvds <rpgsrockd....TakeThisOut@hotmail.co.uk> wrote:
> I'd like to be able to play all my old games again, so I was thinking
> of setting up a dual boot system with XP and98.  Say I boot into98,
> and then choose the "restart inDOSmode"optionthat it gives you -
> will thisDOSmode(version 7 I think) run all oldDOSgames?
>
> Also, should I format98for FAT16 or FAT32?  Basically I just want
> one machine that will guarantee to run nearly all my PC games ranging
> from oldDOSgames to XP ones.
>
> Thanks, regards, Robert.
>
> PS ~ read up about Virtual PC 2007 and it requires XP *Pro*, and I'm
> not sure if that's a route I want to take ATM.

I know this thread is now finished, but I just wanted to quickly
update it with some minor progress on my legacy dos gaming machine
project. The advice given to me about voodoo2 cards hasn't been
archived in google groups, which is why I am replying to my OP instead
of to "rik u" who I think recommended a voodoo2 card for early dos
3dfx games.

I got two voodoo2 cards from ebay very cheaply, 8+4=12mb versions and
SLI'd them together and inside win98 control panel it tells me I have
24mb which I'm very pleased about. They run hot! Have a 80mm fan
perched on top of them (case is on its side) and this keeps them from
frying - beforehand I forgot to prop the fan against them and I think
thermal failure set in because the screen went dark and strange
looking.

Jedi knight (apologies, I know this is action not rpg) runs fine on
1024x768, but it's sadly not much of a match when I run it on my XP
box as this offers higher resolutions. Still it works, and it was
very interesting to get it working, and it will offer me a very good
solution if a game fails to function on XP.

I also managed to get an ancient sb16 isa card working too. Horrid
midi music, just as bad (understandly I guess) as the sblive! dos midi
emulation, which makes me want some kind of Roland card even more now!

Regards, Robert.
 >> Stay informed about: Windows 98 and its DOS mode option