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(re: Running older games on Windows XP)
> Windows XP and 2k are NT.
I know. But games that don’t run on NT (like GK3) *can* be played on XP by using compatibility mode.
There are a lot of games (not just Sierra games) that won’t even let you install without compatibility mode, because whatever checks they do at the onset determine that the OS is incompatible. In my experience, these cases are where compatibility mode has been most useful.
-emily
(re: re: Running older games on Windows XP) Windows XP and 2k are NT.
King’s Quest V checks the resoution before Compatibility Mode can change it. I came up with an easy work around for KQ5. Make a batch file to replace the Windows shortcut and set the bat file for Compatibility Mode. Right click on the Windows shortcut and choose properties. Copy what is in the “Target:” box and paste it in Notepad. Save it with a “.bat” extension and set the bat file to run in Compatibility Mode, 640×480, 256 colors. When you launch the game from this bat file, the resolution will already be what the game wants when it checks, and the game will then launch.(re: Running older games on Windows XP) Yes, this feature has helped with old Windows games. It can be found in Windows 2000 with the service packs, too. It also gives a convenient way to change your resolution/color depth to 640×480 256 colors for the games that require it. This does not, however, address many other issues that plague old 16 bit Windows programs running under an NT OS. Much effort has been made by the fans of these old classics to get them to run on modern machines with XP. There are some problems, though, that refuse to be solved. This is why projects such as DOSBox are so important.
As far as the timer bugs go, a new development is a patch that someone from the message board of SpaceQuest.Net is developing a patch for the SCI games. This patch is nothing short of amazing. It has solved the “Error 52” problem in the DOS QfG 4, Yorics Maze in QfG 1 VGA, the timer bugs in Space Quest 4, 5 and 6. In “Conquests of the Longbow” Robin head no longer spasms.
Read through the thread and get the patches here:(re: Running older games on Windows XP)
Compatibility mode works in some cases, not all. For example, KQ5 will only launch if you’re in 640×480 resolution & 256 colors… you can set these using compatibility mode, but KQ5 still won’t run. You have to change the resolution manually before you can run the game (which can be done, but it’s not as obvious how to do it as it is in win98).
On the other hand, GK3 won’t work unless you set the installer to win98 or win95 compatibility… it thinks you’re using NT.
-emily
(re: re: Computer Sound)
“There is a special version of DOSBOX (a full DOS emulator for Win2K and XP) that also “emulates” a MT32 and it is pretty close in it’s sound.”
But only if you can find the MT-32 ROM
(re: Computer Sound)
I saw a demo of KQ4 in a computer shop with a Roland MT32 sound module and was I hooked.
I seriously wanted one but was scared what my dad would say if he found this huge box sitting next to my PC and asked me how much it cost.
Fortunately Roland later also made the compatible and slightly better LAPC-1 which was on full length ISA card which meant I could hide it away inside my PC case.
My “soundblaster” sure sounded bloody amazing after that.
There is a special version of DOSBOX (a full DOS emulator for Win2K and XP) that also “emulates” a MT32 and it is pretty close in it’s sound and it can be found at
(re: re: Website Layout) This layout is great!! it is far more inviting and not that “squared” like our current “regular” layout.
If you could leave at least the menu-titles as they look now (and also the stripes above, although you could change their color) – I think that will be preferable.Oh well, maybe you can do a poll on this subject?
-Eyal
I’ll work on getting a version of this layout that doesn’t have the negative connotations – and hopefully get it online within the next week.
For now, we’re back to black…
-Ken W(re: Setting up a 486 to play older (late 80’s -> early 90’s) Sierra games, and a question…) Josh,
I just did basically the same as you with a Pentium 1 that I’ve underclocked to 75Mhz. I went ahead and bought an MT-32 off E-bay a couple weeks ago. I’ve got it connected to my SB16 using a MIDI cable and am using the MT-32/SB MIDI driver (found on QuestStudios.com). I’ve been very pleased with the results even though the MT-32/SB MIDI driver doesn’t work with all Sierra games. I’m looking for a MPU-401 or compatible to finish out my system as well. I agree with one of the previous posts, the Roland SCC-1 makes a good choice since a lot of the newer games that are General MIDI compliant work well with it from what I’ve read on the Internet.
Edit – The SCC-1 isn’t a good replacement for the MT-32 because it doesn’t “do” LA synthesis…it just has the patches from an MT-32 along with the GM/GS patches. I assume this would work well with some games, but from what I’ve found out (and you may already know), Sierra games typically write out a lot of customizations to the MT-32 that I don’t think will do anything on an SCC-1. Over on QuestStudios forum, I’ve found several that are using the SCC-1 as the MPU-401 interface for their MT-32 so they get the best of both worlds (LA synth and GM/GS compatibility).
I found that I’ve quite enjoyed putting the system together…almost as much as I’ve enjoyed playing all the old Sierra games that I’ve kept all these years (almost, but not quite!).
Enjoy!
GeoffP(re: Setting up a 486 to play older (late 80’s -> early 90’s) Sierra games, and a question…)
You can receive lots of help with the MT-32 from Quest Studios. A SoundBlaster can work, but may not be ideal, especially form pure DOS. My MT-32 seems to work just fine with my Audigy, though from with in Windows with VDMSound.
(re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) Alright here are the covers I’ve scanned.
V1 N1 “V3” (is this V1 N3 then?) V2 N1 V2 N2 V3 N1 V3 N3 V4 N1 Fall 1992 Spring 1993 Fall 1994 Holiday 1994 Spring 1995 Fall 1995 Holiday 1995 * alternate Torin Fall 1996 * alternate Lords Spring 1998 Fall 1998 Holiday 1998 * race cars(re: re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) Excellent.
I had planned on just scanning all the covers in the meantime, so we could have a visual record of the magazines that we have in our midst. Let me know which ones you scanned so I don’t dupe. Thanks
-Brad(re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) Fall 1996 Lords cover – done
Holiday 1998 front + back covers – done
Vol 1 # 1 – done (full)
Vol 3 – done (full)
Spring 1998 – sorry, no time (full) – front cover – done
I also scanned an assortment of other covers. In case they are better quality than yours. They have no mailing stickers or anything on them and they’re all near mint.(re: re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) I have both the Gabriel Knight, and Torins Passage Holliday 1995 Covers – so no.
I only have the Bobby Labonte Cover for the Fall 1996 – it has his mug on it in a helmet. So I guess I need the Lord of the Realm.Thanks.
Wow.. I had forgotten about that. Hmm… I would guess that since you could send your money it that it must have gotten at least so far along. I wonder if it did get canned, and people got a refund. Hmmm…well I guess John will know – will wait for an answer. I will type up another email soon, that has the complete final list of magazine that we need.
=Brad
(re: Website Layout)
Hi Ken !
This layout is great!! it is far more inviting and not that “squared” like our current “regular” layout.
If you could leave at least the menu-titles as they look now (and also the stripes above, although you could change their color) – I think that will be preferable.Oh well, maybe you can do a poll on this subject?
-Eyal
Hey Ken, sounds good. If you would, ask John if he has any extra issues still (or other interesting Sierra stuff) that he’d be willing to pass on – unless you know already if he does or not.
I remember discussing doing this, and think you are right – we tested seeing if people would pay for Interaction on CD, but had very few takers and shut the effort down..
My brother, John, ran the magazine. I’ll be seeing him tomorrow night and will ask him what he remembers.
-Ken W
(re: Setting up a 486 to play older (late 80’s -> early 90’s) Sierra games, and a question…)
“What is the name of the interface card”
MPU-IPC, MPU-401, anything with “MPU” in it (MPU stands for MIDI Processing Unit).
“does it require software?”
Not for DOS-based computer games; they’ll talk to the card directly. You might need drivers for Windows, but those are included with your Windows distribution. 🙂
Generally, I think it’s pointless to get a seperate MIDI interface card. I’d also advise against an MT-32, because that thing is noisy as hell.
I think the best solutions for perfect old game sound would be either:1) A LAPC-1; it’s an MT32 on-a-card, including the MIDI interface, OR
2) A Roland SCC-1 (which gives you General MIDI the way it’s supposed to sound, AND also the MIDI interface) PLUS a Roland CM-32L or CM-64.. Those are fully compatible to the MT-32, but have better sound quality.(re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) V1N1: Yeah the size is a pain, it doesn’t QUITE fit on my scanner… but JUST barely. I’ll do my best and you can decide if it needs to be re-scanned later – one good thing, is it has large margins.
Do you need the alternate Torin’s Passage cover for Holiday 1995?
Do you need the alternate Lord Of The Realm II cover for Fall 1996?Now HERE’s something interesting. This advertisement is from the Spring 1995 issue of Interaction and it’s for… guess what? Yes, Interaction on CD. Did this ever happen? Does anyone out there have any Interaction CDs? I guess it’s probably an idea that was started… but never went too far because maybe not enough people interested?
I guess Brad and I should get in touch with John, to find out more info about this, Interaction in general, and also on the small chance John has any extra issues still. I’ll send him an email.
http://www.sierragamers.com/uploads/49/11421.jpg (Interaction on CD (452 kb))
(re: Sierra games changed my life!)
Steve, the same thing happened to me right after college. It was quite a shock to realize that in 4 years, adventures had literally disappeared from the shelves. I must have been studying really hard!
Luckily, there are a lot of good new games available. Not Sierra games, but adventures that wouldn’t be around if not for what Sierra did for the industry.
Some new(er) games you should check out are Runaway, Shadow of Destiny (also available on Playstation), The Longest Journey, the Law & Order games, and Broken Sword: The Sleeping Dragon. These should all be available commerically. There are others but these are the ones that come to mind. They can be hard to find at retail (although just today I saw every single one of these on the shelves at either CompUSA or EB Games), but you can also order them online from places like Amazon and Chumbo.com.
Also, check out Tierra Entertainment’s site (link below) and download their KQ1 and KQ2 remakes. The first is a straight VGA remake of Sierra’s King’s Quest 1; the second is a wonderful “extended” version of KQ2 with all new story, graphics, and music, but with all of the same elements of the original game.
🙂 emily
(re: Sierra games changed my life!)
Steve,
Like many of us here, you have quite a few memories wrapped up in Sierra. I think we all feel the same way when we reflect on the past.
I strongly encourage you to dig through your parents garage, and try to dig up what you can. As you page through here on the board – you will find several archiving projects in progress for preserving Sierra’s past. One project in particular is the Interaction Magazine Archive.
We are still missing several of the Interactions/Newsletters and there might be a chance that the “pile of Interactions” that you mentioned might be one of them that we need to add the archive CD that is being produced – if you do manage to come across them, please let us know what issues you have!
Welcome to the board!
-Brad
(re: re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”))
If you have to pick and choose between which magazines to scan in their intirety – I would rather you scan the Vol 1#1 (it might be hard – it is a newspaper sized one – not 8.5×11) or the Vol #3 one.. since they are scarcer then the 1998 one (although as I said this is the only one I haven’t come across elsewhere) All that being said, Ken will still have them after you leave – I doubt they are going anywhere soon – so don’t sweat over it. Thanks. hope you got some cool stuff scanned in.
(re: InterAction Mag. (“Volume 3”)) At least, I can scan Holiday 1998 covers and hopefully V1#1 and V3 from cover to cover… And I’ll do my best with the Spring 1998 issue, obviously it’s a lot longer than the earlier ones.
I’m here today and tomorrow… and then on Friday I’m visiting Al Lowe. I’m trying to finish Roberta’s design documents today. I’ll give everyone a full run down in a couple days.(Codename: iceman)
I’m playing codename iceman for my first time and I’m stuck trying to control the sub for the first time. I’m told to acknowledge green board, however, nothing I type seems to do this. I’ve already closed the hatch… is there anything else I need to do before acknowledging green board?
