Go Back   Forums > Abandonia.com > Troubleshooting
Memberlist Forum Rules Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read
Search Forums:
Click here to use Advanced Search

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 18-02-2020, 09:50 AM   #1
3xistence
Newbie

 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 6
Default Syndicate (bullfrog) Dosbox old pc

Goodmorning at all,
i'm having some little problem by running Syndicate (bullfrog) on a very old system using dosbox.
Actually seems that the game and the sound works pretty well: the only problem i have is about the ingame itself.

Pratically the game stutter and have some little freezes (1-3 seconds) here and there without any particular reason.
I don't know if there's some kind of option to solve it or it's just my system that isn't powerful enough. I don't know if there are also some other games to try with the same performance impact but, for now, Syndicate is the only one with this problem.

Any suggestion or config to try?

Thanks in advance for any answer and help
Best regards
3xistence is offline                         Send a private message to 3xistence
Reply With Quote
Old 18-02-2020, 07:29 PM   #2
zirkoni
Game Wizzzzzzard
 
zirkoni's Avatar

 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Tampere, Finland
Posts: 508
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 3xistence View Post
on a very old system using dosbox.
Very old? So, maybe it's also not powerful enough for a protected mode DOS game in DOSBox.


If you're already using core=dynamic and cycles=max, I don't really know what else you could try. Maybe increase frameskip to 1 or 2, shouldn't matter much for this game. And changing the output option of DOSBox might help as well.
__________________
www.youtube.com/@zirkoni42
zirkoni is offline                         Send a private message to zirkoni
Reply With Quote
Old 20-02-2020, 02:42 PM   #3
3xistence
Newbie

 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 6
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by zirkoni View Post
Very old? So, maybe it's also not powerful enough for a protected mode DOS game in DOSBox.


If you're already using core=dynamic and cycles=max, I don't really know what else you could try. Maybe increase frameskip to 1 or 2, shouldn't matter much for this game. And changing the output option of DOSBox might help as well.
I'm trying right now with dynamic but still have those little freezes (the music still play and just the game and sounds hangs for few seconds, mouse cursor disappear also).

Do somebody remember what kind of minimum specs Syndicate had in past? 486dx 66mhz?

Can be something about cpu type (or memory umb ems xms) ?


I want to try some game with the same minimum specs and understand what's the problem and if their behavior is the same or they will go smooth
3xistence is offline                         Send a private message to 3xistence
Reply With Quote
Old 21-02-2020, 07:55 AM   #4
Scatty
Treasure hunter
 
Scatty's Avatar

 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Little big small world
Posts: 1,906
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 3xistence View Post
I'm trying right now with dynamic but still have those little freezes (the music still play and just the game and sounds hangs for few seconds, mouse cursor disappear also).

Do somebody remember what kind of minimum specs Syndicate had in past? 486dx 66mhz?

Can be something about cpu type (or memory umb ems xms) ?


I want to try some game with the same minimum specs and understand what's the problem and if their behavior is the same or they will go smooth
For Syndicate back in the day requirements actually were quite low, considering the 640x480 256 color resolution, afaik it was just 486 DX-33 for good results.


You might try setting cputype= to 486_slow or pentium, and cycles= to a set amount instead of max, something like 25000 probably should be fine. That is, if your system is strong enough to handle it, can only guess here as you didn't provide any details. Very old sounds like it might actually not be strong enough.
Also what DosBox version are you using?
Scatty is offline                         Send a private message to Scatty
Reply With Quote
Old 21-02-2020, 05:40 PM   #5
3xistence
Newbie

 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 6
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scatty View Post
For Syndicate back in the day requirements actually were quite low, considering the 640x480 256 color resolution, afaik it was just 486 DX-33 for good results.


You might try setting cputype= to 486_slow or pentium, and cycles= to a set amount instead of max, something like 25000 probably should be fine. That is, if your system is strong enough to handle it, can only guess here as you didn't provide any details. Very old sounds like it might actually not be strong enough.
Also what DosBox version are you using?
Thank You for your kind reply,
actually i'm using the SVN version of Dosbox on platform Android.
Can't be the machine unable to handle it, i tested something a little bit more "pumped" like Duke Nukem 3D and Shadow Warrior and both works pretty well.
Only Syndicate gives me those little freezes with the music still playing normaly.

Usually if i raise too much the cycles i will get stuttering and corruption of the audio, right?
3xistence is offline                         Send a private message to 3xistence
Reply With Quote
Old 25-02-2020, 03:47 PM   #6
Smiling Spectre
10 GOSUB Abandonia
20 GOTO 10
 
Smiling Spectre's Avatar




 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Cherkessk, Russian Federation
Posts: 2,078
Send a message via ICQ to Smiling Spectre Send a message via AIM to Smiling Spectre Send a message via MSN to Smiling Spectre
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by 3xistence View Post
Usually if i raise too much the cycles i will get stuttering and corruption of the audio, right?
Right. So try to _lower_ cycles then?

Also, check audio itself. I checked eXoDOS, and there only specific settings was machine=svga_s3 and memsize=16 (for videocard) and irq=5 (for SB), so it must be nothing unusual. What soundcard do you use?
__________________
Smiling Spectre is offline                         Send a private message to Smiling Spectre
Reply With Quote
Old 05-03-2020, 07:07 PM   #7
Neville
Super Freak

 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Lerida, Spain
Posts: 166
Default

For "Syndicate" I would suggest cycles=9600 (that's more or less equal to a 486/66) and memsize=8.

The memory bit is because I used to have game crashes between missions when I added more memory.
Neville is offline                         Send a private message to Neville
Reply With Quote
Old 05-06-2021, 07:36 AM   #8
WhiskeyBob
Lurker

 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: ,
Posts: 1
Default

Try to run in windowed mode and 'play' with different renderers.
WhiskeyBob is offline                         Send a private message to WhiskeyBob
Reply With Quote
Reply


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Syndicate Kosta Games Discussion 245 09-08-2019 04:13 AM
Syndicate Plus [GoG] Juanca Invalid Requests 20 05-05-2012 01:59 PM
Syndicate Wars D-1-Viper On site 6 22-05-2010 06:59 PM
Syndicate War Is Freeware Except Syndicate Goldenbird05 Old Suggestions 21 04-05-2007 03:08 AM

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Forum Jump
 


The current time is 10:50 AM (GMT)

 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.