Alone In The Dark [Archive]

JoA

31-08-2004, 07:21 AM

Downloaded this game today and had a bit of trouble getting it installed - turned out to be my own fault, however there doesn't appear to be any instructions regarding the controls. Presumably it's not a "point and click" and you have to use the keyboard. If this is correct I'm finding the character moves so very, very, slowly that it's hardly worth trying to play. No doubt it's something I'm doing wrong - any suggestions would be welcome.

FreeFreddy

31-08-2004, 08:11 AM

You say the character moves very slowly? :huh: Perhaps you didn't set the cpu-cycles in DosBox high enough? They should be around 7000-10000 usually, you can increase them with CTRL+F12, decrease with CTRL+F11. If you set them higher than your CPU can process, the emoulation is also again slower, so keep around the above mentioned numbers.

Braindead

31-08-2004, 08:57 AM

There's a key you can use for running instead of walking, I forgot which one it was though... :sneaky:

FreeFreddy

31-08-2004, 09:04 AM

It's double hit the forward-key. That doesn't always work, though...

Guybrush

31-08-2004, 09:31 AM

It would probably run much better without DOSBox. I simply run it directly in Windows XP using VDMSound; it works fine with no slowdowns. :)

JoA

31-08-2004, 08:51 PM

Thanks, I don't use DosBox because I only have Win98 - don't think VDM works for that either, seem to remember going into DosBox's site and it saying not to use it for Win98. I'll try double hitting the forward key and see what happens.

Data

31-08-2004, 09:25 PM

there is an alpha version of vdmsound for win98 and dosbox works in it as well

Guybrush

31-08-2004, 09:32 PM

Windows 98 already has real DOS, wouldn't that be better than a slow emulator?

Data

31-08-2004, 09:40 PM

well some old games go too fast.

FreeFreddy

31-08-2004, 09:56 PM

Even then you can play them in Windows 98, as there's a slowdown program available, with it the games still can run at normal speed. Slowdown can be downloaded for free here: http://newton.pbk-solutions.de/ncu_nbu/slowdown.htm

Data

31-08-2004, 10:10 PM

well it depends entirely on the game. Some can't be slowed down using that util
some games have very messed up timer emulation.

Another advanged of dosbox is that if the game hangs you can simply press ctrl-f9 instead of restarting the pc

Guybrush

31-08-2004, 10:22 PM

I hadn't really thought about the old CGA style games that run too fast; I always play them on my XT. :)