Problem With Dark Sun :shattered Lands Install

[Variable]

So I recently obtained my old disk version of Shattered Lands and I was itchin to play it again, but after the full install (all 5 disks) it returns a "OBJEX.GFF not found in path C:\Darksun" error. I reinstalled 3 times, and even went as far as uncompressing each disk to search for the file myself. It simply does not exist. Can anyone who has this game explain this, or at best, send me the OBJEX.GFF file?

[Variable]

Nevermind! Fixed it!

-Edit-

But wait, theres more!

It seems in this game, as well as others, the sound/interface is choppy for some reason. Has anyone else experienced this? I need to find a solution for this or else SL is virtually unplayable.

[FreeFreddy]

Well, first try for solving: try to play the game in DosBox that you can download from this site. Here's the link: http://www.abandonia.com/main.php?nav=programs

[Variable]

Sorry, probably should have clarified this- this is playing through dosbox .61, and i've tried soundblaster, gravis and roland emulation and i still get the choppy behavior.

[TheVoid]

:w00t: DAAAATAAAA!!!

[Danny252]

DATA! HERE, BOY! NOW!

[FreeFreddy]

Originally posted by Variable@Sep 17 2004, 05:01 PM
Sorry, probably should have clarified this- this is playing through dosbox .61, and i've tried soundblaster, gravis and roland emulation and i still get the choppy behavior.
Did you try without sound and music too? If that's better then, here's your problem.
Also you can increase the cpu-cycles (emulation speed) of DosBox with CTRL+F12 and decrease with CTRL+F11. Perhaps that helps?
Also DosBox needs at least P3 with 1000 Mhz to be able to emulate smaller, older games smoothly. P4 2000 for larger / better games. More - better. ;)

[Data]

you could also try in dosbox.conf
output=surface => output=overlay

Futher don't use 24 bits display depth on your pc. as that slows dosbox down a lot.

[Variable]

Tried the color depth/output changes to no avail. After examining it some more, the slowdown seems to be directly related to cursor movement in the game. If I'm not using the mouse, just keyboard hotkeys, everything runs smoothly. The second I move the mouse cursor the music/effects/entire game slows down. Unfortunately, the game requires the mouse, so its not as simply as just using the keyboard for everything.

Oh, and the game runs the same without music or effects as well. Very confusing.

[FreeFreddy]

Did you try to speed it up? And is your PC fast enough for DosBox (see my last post)?

[Variable]

Yes and Yes, running an athlon 2700+ and I've tried clock cycles from 3k-15k

Thanks for all the effort here guys, I really appreciate it

[FreeFreddy]

You don't use the mouse by chance at the ancient COM1 port, don't you? If yes, better connect it to the special mouse-connection port that's found on newer PC's... Or just to USB-port.
Well, the only other game I know of that's running slow like this in DosBox is Blood & Magic... But there's mostly the sound and music the problem, they slow it down, though it's slow even without them although it shouldn't be... :rolleyes:
Ok, here I'm at end with the knowledge and help, didn't play Shattered Lands yet. Sorry. :(

[Variable]

Nah, USB mouse, dual optical. Right now I'm at my wits end too, I'm going to start tweaking the sampling rates of my mouse to see if thats causing some sort of interference...I really wish Shattered Lands were Abandonware, but it seems some online distributors still have a handful of copies in stock.

Of course, with SSI now defunct, the game IS technically abandoned...does it count if there are still a few crummy stores with copies lying around? I'd love to add this to the archive here...

[FreeFreddy]

Sorry, but as long it's still sold in quite some places, it is not abandoned. Therefore it cannot be uploaded to this site. ;)