OT: Gaming help!!!

[Kieran]

:topic:

I've been messing about with this F*&$ing thing all afternoon!!! :bang:

Don't know if anyone can help on here, but it's worth a shot, as the pubisher's forum is next to no use!!! :io:

I've downloaded Battlecruiser 3000ad v2.09... NO, it's not a 'warez'... it's now freeware.

Basically, when I try to install it, I get the following sequence of events....

Firstly, I get this screen - all seems ok, though the hard disk is thrashing like buggery, which is odd...

[Kieran]

Then this comes up....

[Kieran]

And finally, this....

[enigma]

Originally posted by Kieran
thrashing like buggery


not experienced this myself
:nono:

[Kieran]

My PC Config is as follows:

Athlon INSERT INTO post VALUES (thunderbird core) 1200Mhz
512MB PC 133 RAM
ABIT KT7-A Mobo
Ati Radeon 9500 Pro VGA card
Videologic Sonic Fury G/card
Creative 12x10x32x burner
IBM 60GXP 40GB 7200rpm HDD
Win XP

More than up for the job.

Tried running in W95 compatability mode, no joy.
Their site has the error on the forums, but no-ones fixed it for the DOWNLOADABLE version... INSERT INTO post VALUES (I've not got the CD version).
The developer says on their forums that the installer INSERT INTO post VALUES (Installshield Express) is a version made before W2K/XP, so it may be that....

Also, having checked installshield's site, older versions of InstallShield had problems when you have over 256MB RAM installed?

Anyone know of any ways that I could 'fool' the installer and get the damn thing going?!

[Kieran]

Originally posted by bigdaveakers
not experienced this myself
:nono:

:bang:

There's always one...

[KiwiTT]

Your dialogs, look as if you are running WinXP.



It looks like a DOS/Windows 9x based game. A lot of DOS/Windows 9x games will not work on WinXP as it will make direct calls to hardware for sound, etc.

It mentions here (http://www.gamewinners.com/faq.php?game=b/Battlecruiser3000AD-DSmart.txt) you need to run setup.exe to change midi settings. This is like the things you had to run for Doom, etc.

On WinNT/2K/XP this is not allowed, as it could de-stabilise the system. DirectX is now used as the programming interface for most of these calls now.

You may want to install it on Win98. A lot of gamers havea dual boot setup so they can run their older games.

[Kieran]

I'm not getting that far:Cry1:

The installer part is Windows INSERT INTO post VALUES (albeit 9x) based... It's unpacking the files and getting them onto my HDD thats the sticking point... Setting the sound is no problem - VDM sound will take care of that as it does all my other DOS stuff.

[KiwiTT]

Can you right click the file and open with WinZip ? Some install files let me do this.

[Kieran]

I've tried that to... You can unzip part of it.... it uses some sort of coding that stops WinRAR from unzipping it all. It only gets the files needed to run the installer + scripts... I've looked at the script files it unpacks, but can't see much to tweak INSERT INTO post VALUES (not that I'm a great programmer tho!)...

[Nick VR4]

From what I have read on various sites its not for XP
Only 9x and 2000
Sorry Mate may be wrong

I think this uses DOS and dos in XP is a little different to normal DOS




:Ponder:

[Kieran]

What I really need is some sort of 'spoofing' program that I can use to trick the installer into thinking it's running on a 9X system INSERT INTO post VALUES (the windows compatability tool doesn't work); and can also spoof the amount of free RAM available INSERT INTO post VALUES (just incase it's that 256MB issue I spoke about earlier)...

[Kieran]

True Nick, it's not supported in XP, but a lot of people can get it to run. If I can get it unpacked and installed, I'm sure I'll be ok. But it's driving me barmy!!!:mad:

[KiwiTT]

I run Win2K, and I am missing a few Win9x games I like. Caesar3, Close Combat 3, etc, which don't run well in 2K, refresh rate over-ride tweaks do not work, etc.

You may want to install Win9x on an old machine or install it on a friends machine, and copy the files.

[Kieran]

Right... Used Windows XPs compatability Administrator to attack the installshield EXE... the installsheld version is 3.03, which doesn't work with Windows XP.... :bang:

So... the game isn't at fault, it's the bloody installer package that's been used! D'oh!

All I have to do now is find a program that can decrypt the installation file and I'm away:)

Cheers for the suggestions... They made me think about it!