Confused Over Dos Games

kaz69

dosbox.bat and dosbox.cfg.

Thanks, i'm still new to this so i may get something wrong here. I have created my folder horde.pc (game is called horde), now with the dosbox.bat and dosbox.cfg files are these files I need to download from a website and then copy to every .pc folder I have?

and with Under Dosbox.bat, you define in general the same as in the original dos bat-file, what does this mean?

Dragu

You will need an editor to create the files, or copy them from elsewhere, like dosbox.cfg from the above link, and the black frame. And modify.
The original dosbox.conf is found under
\recalbox\share\system\configs\dosbox\dosbox.conf
In the example from the link you have already some important modifications inside. Also change name of keymapfile to horde.map.
And create a text file dosbox.bat with (horde.exe?) inside, or if existed in old game directory horde.bat, the content of it.

kaz69

@Dragu

I think im getting it, but im needing to break it down. so the below is about the .pc file and the dosbox.bat file.

So I have created a folder named horde.pc in the dos rom folder (recalbox/roms/dos)

in the horde.pc folder I have extracted all the game data (see image for files extracted) and created a dosbox.bat file which has the command line
:horde.pc/horde.pc/horde.EXE

is this all correct? I want to make sure this is before I attempt creating the dosbox.conf part.

thanks

Dragu

Just "horde.exe" under the bat file, no directory because at the moment that dosbox start, we are already in horde.pc, and anyway linux.
Now, also necessary to look into install.bat and install2.bat, depending what he make there, you need first installation ...

kaz69

@dragu

install.bat reads

@echo off
if %1!==! goto USAGE
set COLON=
:VALIDDRIVE
if %1 == c: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == d: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == e: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == f: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == g: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == C: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == D: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == E: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == F: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == G: goto INSTALL1
if %1 == c goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == d goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == e goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == f goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == g goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == C goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == D goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == E goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == F goto NEEDCOLON
if %1 == G goto NEEDCOLON
goto USAGE
:NEEDCOLON
set COLON=:
:INSTALL1
diskfree %1%COLON% 14200000
if ERRORLEVEL==5 goto USAGE
if ERRORLEVEL==4 goto DIRPROBLEM
if ERRORLEVEL==3 goto NEEDSPACE
if ERRORLEVEL==2 goto INSTALL2
if ERRORLEVEL==1 goto USAGE
goto end
:INSTALL2
cls
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º    The Horde(tm) Hard Drive Installation Utility    º
echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¹
echo º                                                     º
echo º    This utility will decompress files from the      º
echo º    Horde floppy disks to to your hard drive.        º
echo º                                                     º
echo º    If you don't want to install The Horde           º
echo º    on your hard drive, press CTRL-C now.            º
echo º                                                     º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
pause
echo making directory %1%COLON%\HORDE...
md %1%COLON%\HORDE 
:BEGIN
snoop
if ERRORLEVEL 66 GOTO LOGB
:LOGA
SET DRIVE=A
goto INSTALL3
:LOGB
SET DRIVE=B
:INSTALL3
copy install2.bat %1%COLON%\HORDE 
%1%COLON%
cd \HORDE
call install2.bat
del install2.bat
set COLON=
set DRIVE=
goto end
:USAGE
echo 
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º      PROBLEM:  Valid hard drive not specified.      º
echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¹
echo º   Please specify the drive (C-G) to which you       º
echo º   would like the Horde copied. For example:         º
echo º                                                     º
echo º         install C:                                  º
echo º   or                                                º
echo º         install d                                   º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
goto END
:DIRPROBLEM
echo 
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º       PROBLEM:  Couldn't make HORDE directory       º
echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¹
echo º   Please check that you specified a valid drive.    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
goto END
:NEEDSPACE
echo 
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º  PROBLEM:  Not enough disk space on selected drive. º
echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¹
echo º   To install the Horde you will need                º
echo º   14,200,000 bytes free on your hard drive.         º
echo º                                                     º
echo º   Try deleting unnecessary files on your hard       º
echo º   drive and then run INSTALL again.                 º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
goto END
:END

install2.bat reads

echo Decompressing files from Disk #1... 
%DRIVE%:part1.exe > nul
:DISK2
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º          Please Insert The Horde Disk #2            º
echo º          and then press any key.                    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
pause
if not exist %DRIVE%:part2.exe goto DISK2
echo Decompressing files from Disk #2... 
%DRIVE%:part2.exe > nul
:DISK3
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º          Please Insert The Horde Disk #3            º
echo º          and then press any key.                    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
pause
if not exist %DRIVE%:part3.exe goto DISK3
echo Decompressing files from Disk #3... 
%DRIVE%:part3.exe > nul
:DISK4
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º          Please Insert The Horde Disk #4            º
echo º          and then press any key.                    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
pause
if not exist %DRIVE%:part4.exe goto DISK4
echo Decompressing files from Disk #4... 
%DRIVE%:part4.exe > nul
:DISK5
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º          Please Insert The Horde Disk #5            º
echo º          and then press any key.                    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
pause
if not exist %DRIVE%:part5.exe goto DISK5
echo Decompressing files from Disk #5... 
%DRIVE%:part5.exe > nul
:DISK6
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º          Please Insert The Horde Disk #6            º
echo º          and then press any key.                    º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼
echo 
pause
if not exist %DRIVE%:part6.exe goto DISK6
echo Decompressing files from Disk #6... 
%DRIVE%:part6.exe > nul
cls
echo ÉÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ»
echo º            The Horde has been installed!            º
echo ÌÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¹
echo º            To start the game, type HORDE            º
echo ÈÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍÍ¼

voljega

@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?

kaz69

@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:

@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?

Try Control + F9 thats what it says on the read me folder, you may need to plug in a keyboard

voljega

@kaz69 ok thanks didn't see it in the readme although i read it

kaz69

@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:

@kaz69 ok thanks didn't see it in the readme although i read it

Yeah i missed it before but was right at the end

kaz69

@Dragu

Manage to run a quick test for the game and when I select the game Dosbox comes up and the dos screen shows it found the horse.exe file but then stops and goes back to recalbox screen. So I'm guessing it's something on the install.bat command line then?

Dragu

@voljega said in Confused Over Dos Games:

@dragu how do you escape dos games ? i tried a very simple one but htokey+start didn't exit the game ? do you need a keyboard ?

Hi, voljega,

The Hotkey is under Dosbox nothing that a normal key. As long as you are not back into ES (game title display), your buttons and joysticks function after the definition in the keymap file.
So as example, I put directionnel keys on joystick 1, mouse on joystick 2, select as ESC, Enter on player buttons and so on. So I even definded Shooting in Nukem 1+2 on hotkey button from player 2, because on my bartop, you keep hand lying on the table, very suitable.
But as you are back in ES, again you are in the ES button definition.
Now, for Save Games or special actions, it is sometime tricky, but you arrive.
I just put you an example about Nukem I
alt text

voljega

@dragu so there is no quick way to quit a game ? you have to escape through the menu of the game ?

Dragu

@kaz69 said in Confused Over Dos Games:

@Dragu

Manage to run a quick test for the game and when I select the game Dosbox comes up and the dos screen shows it found the horse.exe file but then stops and goes back to recalbox screen. So I'm guessing it's something on the install.bat command line then?
HI kaz69,

do you already define the dosbox.cfg file in the horde.pc directory. Compare with the description that I made in the link before. There can be memory issues that are defined in the cfg file, not in the bat.

kaz69

@dragu

Should I just copy the command line from the two install.bat files and create them as dosbox.cfg?

Dragu

@kaz69
You mean dosbox.bat, I suppose.
I am not sure, because I dont know what is Snoop?

In general it seems that it is necessary to unpack part1.exe to part6.exe.
Ok, I think you can make this in a first version of dosbox.bat, putting all part1-6.exe, seems they are just auto-decompressing.
I would try to unpack before by 7zip or something like 7zip on my pc and just copy the result on horde.pc. I guess, its just zip files.

abunille

@kaz69

I have seen an 8MB file (1993) and a 500MB file from 1994.
Are you sure you have a good one?
This part1.exe etc..... does not look normal for "me personally".
I have not the time at the moment to check your problem, i try to test this weekend.

kaz69

@dragu

Im going to unpack all the files in my folder and then give it another try tonight and let you know how it goes.

thanks

kaz69

@abunille

I've had a search for the rom online and the 1993 download is 8mb but the only 1994 one I can see is for the emulator 3DO which is 500mb.

kaz69

@Dragu

Done all the unpacking of the files and copied the install.bat to a dosbox.cfg and it's working, but the problem I have now is that the game screen is tiny and is in the bottom left corner of my tv screen.

Not sure why but at least one problem sorted now it's getting the screen sorted

Dragu

@kaz69 said in Confused Over Dos Games:

dosbox.cfg

you mean dosbox.bat ?

You need to have a dosbox.cfg local with the datas corresponding to the screen that you use.
Like I told you, if you copy and adapt my version from the posted link, more easy.

Solved Confused Over Dos Games

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Solved Confused Over Dos Games

Want to support us ?

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85
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