new Lode Runner installer (question)

[Daventry]

Hey Collector, have you been able to save your game? Selecting the option from the menu bar doesn't seem to work.

It's not a big deal since it's easy to skip from level to level, but I was just wondering if you've had a similar experience?

[Collector]

I have not had any time to do any testing. I might take a quick look at it, if I get a chance, but I don't have much time to invest in tracking down a solution.

[Daventry]

Ok, no problem; you don't need to look at it really, was just wondering if you noticed it.

[ClockworkBastard]

Hi to all! Sorry for the big post but I needed it.
First of all — thank you very much Collector for creating this installer!

I played Lode Runner: The Legend Returns back then on Windows 98, and I never had a CD version.
Recently I remmebered about The Game and learned about The Mad Monks. I searched a lot but never found anything apropriate. Like this, with a dead links, even maybe on yours early installer
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Lod ... ssage/2143

So I started a mess with virtual machines. I launched it on virtual WinXP. I have Win7x64... And then I saw a video saying that the code was totally rewritten for launching on x64 platforms
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2koqyD ... r_embedded
Then I tried to spy on the installer to get all the files in the system and the registry keys.. Create an portable version there on virtual machine to get it to my real PC.. But all in vain.
And then I tried and tried and tried again and search in any variation forms.. And finally got here!!

Yes it runs on Windows 7x64!
Daventry I've immediately got into a save problem but! I solved it in a split of a second
It was easy, I just thought — what's a problem? Others menus are working kinda well and...
..And we got a window issue!
We must add another compatibilities to the executable (or link) right click->compatibilities... I think everyone here knows where it is

[v] Disable visual themes
[v] Disable desktop composition
And it works!
Collector, you should add it to installer... And one more thing about the installation

First of all I installed The Game to the folder where I have all of them
e:\Games\Lode Runner On-Line\
The installer decided that \Games\ folder is a new \Sierra\ and even put there SHP.ICO and The Sierra Help Pages.url
When I got into a save problem first of all I decided to reinstall it to the directory The Game wanted c:\Sierra\Lode Runner On-Line\ (yes, looks like it wasn't so easy for me solving the saves)
And then I hit uninstall.. and then I see how uninstaller quickly lists in the very top line ALL OF MY GAMES' FILES
Seriously, if I'd have more serious heart issues I'd had a heart attack. I got to task manager and killed the uninstaller... The folders was listing quickly so maybe it was just gathering information before delete.....
You should carefully think about this, my games looks okey but who knows
The uninstaller don't delete Sierra folder, so I hope nothing bad will happen to anyone. Back then, when I was at school I seriously got such a uninstaller bug, and I lost everything.

The NewSierraInstallers page says
Installs entire game to the hard drive for CD-less play.
I thought it's about no-music play.
But I got music and everything is just fine now
When I launched The Game for the first time today there was music disabled, I reinstall and it was already checked, maybe some registry key isn't uninstalling.
We should remember, the CD music will play only if you got disc in the first Optical-disk rom (as I can remember for Lode Runner 2 it was disc D: only) And maybe you should add a text in installer about the first cd-rom

Ok, that's way enough I hope you'll make some changes, because I've got some people to share with, the onces that do miss your installer.
Big Thanks again Collector, Big Thanks.

[Collector]

Thanks for the input about the save issue. This installer was a quick and dirty job for Daventry, since I did not have much time to invest in it to track down all of the issues. I'll check it out to see about including it.

The uninstaller will check the game's parent folder for any files outside of the URL shortcut and icon. If it does not find anything else, it will delete the url and icon and only these two files, before removing the parent folder. The NSIS uninstaller cannot delete a folder that is not empty. I could set the uninstaller to hide the details to avoid confusion.

The CD audio music is discussed earlier in this thread. No reasonable solution short of leaving the CD in.

[Collector]

I just tried your fix, but it failed on my PC. I don't know if it might be an ANSI vs Unicode thing or whatever other differences there may be between out PCs. It did cause me to explore this in ACT and I did find a fix. The new version has been uploaded.

[ClockworkBastard]

Wow thanks for such a quick fixes!
I can test it only 6 hours later.
I did read all the tread now, yep CD music just works that way. I use Daemon tools with an mdf/mds image in it. There is a way to make an auto-mount "thing" launching the game, but I doubt it wouldn't be fast enough to be comfortable. As for me, I feel comfortable having disc image playing an old game, and I know it isn't compressed-reduced mp3s that I hear.

Here is a thread about mounting and unmouting Daemon tools from command line.
http://forum.daemon-tools.cc/f19/comman ... ntax-3888/
I'll try to create bat files by myself for testing, but I dunno when

We will never stop saying thanks to Collector, thanks

[Collector]

Create a batch file with the following, adjusting paths to match where you have DAEMON Tools installed, where your CD image file is and where you have the game installed:

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools\DTLite.exe" -mount 0,"C:\Sierra\Lode Runner Online\LODERUNN.MDS"
"C:\Sierra\Lode Runner Online\Lode Runner On-Line.exe"

This will mount the image then start the game. No physical disc to mess with except for creating the image.

[ClockworkBastard]

Whoa!, I checked it out and... it works,,, and it shows me a Win 3.11 styled window to save and load )) I dunno how you did it, but it's way fine for me and if it is preferable to compatibility then it's "the way it should"

The Man who was the programmer sent the links to the full versions, so, it's like Lode Runner The Legend Returns and other variations is gone freeware! So we should share? share and share

[Collector]

I have a policy of not having direct abandonware links posted here, but I can't control what is in PMs.

[ClockworkBastard]

Sorry, I didn't set any link... Here it is
http://www.daggert.net/Folio/Programmin ... unner1.htm
the link to the website of a programmer of LR TLR

Yep... if one of the company staff is setting a product to download, it does not means it became free

[ClockworkBastard]

Checked everything again.
And the uninstaller. It ask if user wants to leave savegames.. I answered "yes" but it deleted savegames. That's interesting that it left additional puzzle that I made for testing.
Maybe you'll make two files The Sierra Help Pages.url and SHP.ICO created in the main folder... It still creates them on any parent folder, and it's doesn't deleted if on uninstallation.

[ClockworkBastard]

I checked CD image auto-mount via *.BAT
Works fine, mount, run game, unmount on exit. The only thing is.. Daemon mounts a disc for about 5 seconds or more. Since then — everything is okay.

Code: Select all

"C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -mount 0, "C:\temp\LODERUNNER.mds"
"E:\games\Lode Runner On-Line\Lode Runner On-Line.exe"
"C:\Program Files (x86)\DAEMON Tools Lite\DTLite.exe" -unmount 0