Hi. I'm trying to run my old KQ7 game. I've installed DOSBox in "Program Files (x86)" and ran this website's KQ7 installation from my CD-ROM which went smoothly. However, whenever I try to run the game, it shuts down on its own right after the crown-shaped cursor appears (and the screen is still black). I have tried modifying the screen size to full and changed other options, but the same happens. Got any ideas? Please note that my game is in French, but I assume it should crash at that particular point based on that...
Here's my log:
======================== System Info ========================
Windows 7 HomePremium (6.1.7601.2) 64-Bit, French
Service Pack : 1
Account type : Administrator
UAC status : Off
CPU : Intel(R) Core(TM) i7 CPU Q 720 @ 1.60GHz, ~1595 Mhz
Memory : 4021MB RAM
Graphics Adapter : ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5730 w/ 256MB of memory.
Screen Resolution : 1600 x 900, 32 bit color
DirectX Version : DirectX 9.0c
CD-ROM Drive(s) : E:\
========================= Game Info =========================
Game : King's Quest 7
Game Version : 2.00b
Game Path : G:\King's Quest 7
Installer Version : 2.0
NSIS Version : v2.46
Start Menu Directory : Sierra\King's Quest VII- The Princeless Bride
UninstallString : G:\King's Quest 7\uninst.exe
================== Game Configuration File ==================
The game is missing some files. This is probably due to you having a localized version of the game. I am surprised that the installer worked at all with your version. I would guess that the French version is essentially the US version with separate language patch files. I would need information about the file layout of your copy to add support for it.
I actually copied the whole content of the CD to my KQ7 folder right after you said there were some missing files, and it's still not working... I hope you have other solutions in mind because I don't! Thanks a lot!
Oh, I've found something that might be very helpful. I decreased the CPU speed to 1000 cycles, and noticed an error message was popping up and disappearing very fast. Here's what it states:
We're sorry, you have encountered an internal game error. Please restart your game and restore a saved game. If you have continued problems, please report the following information to Sierra Technical Support:
Error 62: Can't find id corresponding to offset 6f73 in script 15..\script.cpp(232) Script 64994/$877
Man, that's assembly isn't it? Were Sierra games coded in assembly? xD I wouldn't have expected that.
[Edit] I've also tried your suggestion from another forum, but same thing happens: "You have a pre 2 version of the game. Delete the SIERRAWS.EXE file from your installed folder and copy SIERRAW.EXE from the CD and rename it to SIERRAWS.EXE".
The KQ7 installer works with some pre v2 copies of the game because it does a binary level patch to upgrade it to v2.00b, which includes a DOS interpreter. That is why I am surprised that the installer even completed. Many of the files on the CD are not needed by the DOS version, such as the DLLs. Copying the files from the CD on top of the installed game can cause conflicts. The SIERRAW/SIERRAWS EXEs are the Windows executables and will not help with the DOS interpreter. Try doing a clean reinstall and then copy just the ALTRES.* files I listed above, if the installer misses them again.
KQ7 is an SCI game. Programming in SCI was closer to LISP or even C++. The error is not unusual debugging output.
It's on my CD-ROM and it's not in my KQ7 folder anymore since I've reinstalled it. Anyhow, it contains: ADL.DRV, DACBLAST.DRV, HELPKQ7.txt, KQ7CD.BAT, RESOURCE.CFG, SIERRA.EXE and VESA.DRV.
I removed everything inside RESOURCE.CFG in my KQ7 folder except videodrv, sounddrv and audiodrv and the game ran! However, the sound is extremely choppy and the game crashed after clicking on Intro. That's a start, though.
[Edit] I put back the rest inside resource.cfg excluding patchDir=.\;.\PATCHES;.\AVI, and now the sound is working! Only one button seems to work at that point. It's Quit lol. Intro gives an error then shuts down, and Play Game does nothing.
[Edit] I deleted all the patches from inside the patches folder and put "patchDir=.\;.\PATCHES;.\AVI" back inside the resources and it crashes again. So there must be something in that line that my game doesn't like.
Sorry for triple posting, but I got it working!!! (I think) I replaced the buggy line with "patchDir=.\PATCHES" and it seems to be working. I might show up again if it crashes later on .
Thanks a lot for your help, I wouldn't have been able to figure it out without you!
[Edit] Dammit! It crashed when I tried looking at an item...
I am not sure how possible it might be to adjust the installer without a copy of the French version, but if could you zip the contents of the PATCHES folder from the CD and post it here I'll see what I can do. It looks like it may have DOS files for v1.51. I need to examine them.
Thanks a lot!