playuing the old games on win xp

[discobobdude]

i recently installed my kings quest collection series games. im trying to run kings quest 6 but for some odd reason it will not play. im using win xp sp 2. how do i get all these classics to play on my pc?

[Ari]

try DOSBox

[Ghost_Rider]

Discobobdude, sounds like other people are having similar problems on newer PCs.  You might find what you are looking for in some of the other threads in this section.  One in particular that might be helpful is the Conquests of the Longbow topic.  

http://queststudios.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1007

Sometimes making a shortcut, and then setting the game to run in Win95 compatibility mode helps.  (Right-click on your shortcut, go to the compatibility tab, select Win95 mode, and 640x480, and 256 colours).  Problem is the sound is usually still funky, so DOSBox might be your best bet.  You should be able to find some helpful info by browsing through the past topics though.

[Alistair]

/me points out that compatiblity modes do nothing.. at least nothing useful

If you have a specific query, like 'King's Quest 6 gives me so and so an error when I start it up', I'll fix it as best I can. Otherwise.. I won't.

That said, XP SP 2 is apparently not good..

- Alistair

[discobobdude]

well okay, so some specifics.

i do have my kq6 to run in all the compatibility modes and still it wont boot up. i haven't tried messing with sound stuff yet seeing as i cant get the darned game to work yet.

[discobobdude]

Okay here is my updates for all the games.

All the dos games
KQI Remake
KQ IV
and LBI will play, however no sound (maybe i need to change some settings or use a patch. i dunno).

For the three windows games i installed (KQV, VI and LB II) i put on compatibility for
Run as in Win 95
Run in 256 colour
Run in 640 res
and Disable Visual Themes

here is what happened

KQV- got error message saying
"Your current display driver is not supported by this game. You can install a different driver by selecting appropriate options from the controll panel. you may also exit windows, and install and play the game under dos."

So im assuming i have to install the dos version of this game. Hopefuly this will not be too tough (at any rate im not TOO concerned, i dont even really mind not playing this game.)

KQVI- EXTREMELY weird. my display goes black (obviously to change into the proper modes) and then i see my screen with the new colour mode, then i get my black screen and it returns back to normal. the game never boots or anything. no error message. nothing. This REALLY concerns me, because i REALLY want to play this game. Perhaps a dos version is require for this aswell.

LBII - this so far works the best out of all of them.
for some odd reason it doesn't change me resolution, however the game boots up, i hear the sierra theme, see the logo and can start the game. HOWEVER i have no dialogue playing. THIS i remember from playing back in the days of windows 98, however i dont remember how i fixed it then or now. i think it was a dos solution, however once agian that will probably cause more headaches.


there we go. if ANYONE can help me out that would be fantastic.

(anyone interested in compiling a sierra resource website where we explain how to fix these darned games? lol)

[discobobdude]

hey everyone. i thought i'd make things a little easier for those SIERRA EXPERTS out there and let you know which kings quest collection i actually have, because maybe this may help. it was part of the Collection Series , had KQ 1-7, apple II games, Laura Bow 1-2 and Mixed Up Mother Goose (remake)

i cant actually find the box art, however i know it had a picture of a crown, with two swords going through it, and a skull in the bg on a pile of rocks, and some lighting.

here is a link to a site talking about it.

http://www.cdaccess.com/html/pc/kingqc2.htm

i hope this helps. and thanks to everyone whos being such a huge help! YOU ALL ROCK!

i really wish sierra would just re-release all this stuff one last time with everything fixed up for brand new computers. it'd be oh so nice of them. and i know many of us would go re-buy the stuff.

oh yes! one more thing. i dont know if this will make a difference or not but i do have a copy of LSL 7, and it plays wonderfuly, so i dont know why these other ones wont.

[Zemus]

LSL7 was made for Win95 and is therefore a bit newer. The older Windows games were all made for Win3.1 so they don't work that well with newer Windows versions. My suggestion would be to run the DOS versions of the games that don't work. You can try out either VDMSound which is a soundcard emulator for DOS games or DOSBox which emulates a DOS environment for your games to run in. DOSBox also emulates some soundcards.

[discobobdude]

okay thanks. i will try that.

[Alistair]

KQV/VI will NOT run under Win XP.. but might under DOSBOX.

Everything else should run fine (DOS games, that is). I don't know why you'd want to play Windows versions anyway.. but that's your prerogative.

Some Windows versions will work. But they're better in DOSBOX. All DOS versions of games 1993 and older (i.e. SQ5 and before) run best with NewRisingSun's timer fixes, appropriate sound fixes, and VDM Sound.

But since I don't know which games in DOS you are stuck with, or what sound card you have, or anything, I'm at a loss.

- Alistair

[Boogeyman]

Just to prove Alistar wrong, you CAN run the windows versions of KQ5 and 6 in XP.

For 5, just set the screen size and resolution manually rather then through comp mode.

For 6, just use VDMSound, even though it is a windows program. Don't forget to set the screen size to 640x480 and the resolution to 256 colors in comp mode.

Use DOSBox for all of the DOS games(KQ3-4,LB1)

Don't know about the LB2 issue though.

[Alistair]

(On a side note, I've actually got both working in XP. But it's so bloody complicated I can't be bothered typing pages of instructions.)

Honestly, why don't people buy old machines? They seem to have the money for Roland Sound Canvases and new computers..

- Alistair

[discobobdude]

They seem to have the money for Roland Sound Canvases and new computers..

i am the acception to this.

the dos games i was having difficulty with  was kq 1 remake, 4, and lb1.

All DOS versions of games 1993 and older (i.e. SQ5 and before) run best with NewRisingSun's timer fixes, appropriate sound fixes, and VDM Sound.

where can i get these filez?

thanks again for everyones help! MUCH ABLIGED!!

(btw, i was serious in asking if anyone would want to put up a site explaining how to play old games. i would help, i just dont want to do it on my own.)

[Alistair]

They seem to have the money for Roland Sound Canvases and new computers..

i am the acception to this.

the dos games i was having difficulty with  was kq 1 remake, 4, and lb1.

All DOS versions of games 1993 and older (i.e. SQ5 and before) run best with NewRisingSun's timer fixes, appropriate sound fixes, and VDM Sound.

where can i get these filez?

thanks again for everyones help! MUCH ABLIGED!!

(btw, i was serious in asking if anyone would want to put up a site explaining how to play old games. i would help, i just dont want to do it on my own.)

NRS's timer fixes:
www.geocities.com/belzorash

Sound fixes: Ask me which game, and I'll tell you.. ;P

VDM Sound: http://ntvdm.cjb.net

- Alistair

P.S. KQ1SCI/KQ4/LB1 should run fine on XP. Use VDM Sound with Speedset (found on http://vogons.zetafleet.com) and perhaps General MIDI music drivers (http://www4.ncsu.edu:8030/~rniyenga/sci/gm.zip) and you should be set.

P.P.S. I've always intended to create such a site.. or add it to my existing one. Some huge 'Sierra FAQ'. Hmm..