Page 1 of 2

New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:30 am
by Collector
Originally Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:44 am

I have started to make some new installers for the Sierra DOS games. I will be making more over time.
You will need your original discs to install, but can play solely from the harddrive. Just put the discs in the drive and run the installer. They include all relevant patches.

Also, jafa's XP/Vista installers for the Sierra Windows only games. These should be the first thing to try for the supported games.

Edit: I have made this a sticky and added a link to jafa's pages.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:30 am
by Tawmis
So very awesome. I will download and check these out when I get home today. (Life kept me busy this weekend so I didn't get a chance to check it out). :)

If I have no said it before, let me say it now (or again) - Collector, you rock. I love all the hard work you do for us old timers who want to keep playing these 16 to 256 color games on modern day machines! It sounds silly but Sierra was pretty huge in influencing me in a lot of things (as a young whipper snapper!) - so I love that there's people like you who do all of this hard work so people like me (who refuse to let go of certain things) - can keep enjoying the games they (Sierra) made in the past! :D

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:31 am
by Jules
:nods in appreciation:

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:31 am
by Collector
I'm not ready to tackle multi CD games, yet, but I am open to suggestions for which one to do next.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:32 am
by Almirena
Collector, I reiterate Tawmis' praise.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:32 am
by LaughingMan008
Fantastic. I'm looking for the Floppy version of Freddy Pharkas, but the Larry 7 one should come in handy....

Will that work with "The Ultimate Pleasure Pack" edition? I don't know how all that is set up.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:34 am
by Collector
I could do the floppy version Freddy, but I would like to do some others, first. I do not have The Ultimate Pleasure Pack, but if it has the same layout as the stand alone version it should work.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:34 am
by Collector
I have written a new installer for the CD version of LB2. As with the others, you will need your original CD to install the game, but it will setup LB2 to run completely from the harddrive in DOSBox. You will then be able to start the game from a Windows shortcut on the desktop or Start Menu. It will work with the standalone CD version of the game, the 1999 2nd KQ collection (disc 3) and possibly the Roberta Williams Anthology (disc 4).If anyone that has the RW Anthology tries this installer, please let me know if it works for this version of the game.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:34 am
by LaughingMan008
Fantastic!
Can't wait to give it a try!
I have that second King's Quest collection, and was having trouble installing some things....
Think youll make an installer for the rest of the games in that set? :)

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:35 am
by Collector
Perhaps.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:35 am
by Tawmis
I don't have the RW Anthology (as much as I'd like to have it, for some of its extras) - but will give this a swing on the regular copy of LB2.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:38 am
by Collector
I now have an installer for The Colonel's Bequest. This will install the floppy, the 2nd KQC or the RWA versions of the game. All you need to do is to select which version you have when the installer asks.

Also, a new version of the LB2 installer. This one, like the TCB installer above will install the floppy, standalone CD, the 2nd KQC or the RWA versions of the game. One caveat with the floppy version; I am unable to find the syntax for decompressing the RESOURCE.AUD file, so as a work around I have the uncompressed RESOURCE.AUD available for download here. If I can find any information on how Sierra's installer decompressed it I will try to incorporate it in the installer.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:38 am
by Tawmis
So should we download the resource.aud file anyway? Or only for floppy? (Sounds like an obvious question, I know). :)

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:39 am
by Collector
Tawmis wrote:So should we download the resource.aud file anyway? Or only for floppy? (Sounds like an obvious question, I know). :)
The file is only required if you have a floppy version of the game. The CD version has a completely different version of the file tha does not need to be unpacked. It is the file that stores the speech. It is far larger than the one included with the floppy version. The file was packed to fit on a floppy and the original installer unpacked this file from 857 KB to 1.65 MB. The CD's is 338 MB.

Re: New DOSBox Installers

Posted: Mon Feb 08, 2010 1:40 am
by Collector
In response to LaughingMan, I have started on an installer for the 2nd KQ collection, the King's Quest Collection Series (1997). I am making separate installers for each disc. I have disc1 done. New King's Quest Collection Series DOSBox Installers.