This post probably should have been made in the DOSBox general forum. Perhaps a mod can move it.

What is optimal for one PC may not be optimal for another. One user may have no trouble with the default settings with more demanding games and others may need to play with cycles or frame skip, etc. Then the main thing that most newbies have trouble with is mounting. This is not something that can be easily preconfigured. Mounting will be specific from PC to PC. Many will not have their CD drive as D:, for example. My new Sierra installers work because most of the Sierra games are not resource demanding and the installers write the dosbox.conf based on the fly, based on wherever the user installs the games, automating the mounting setup.

While, I just read this article: http://ipggi.wordpress.com/2008/03/16/dosbox- … -pcjr-hercules/

It seems to suggest (or really out right states) that some games can only be played with different graphic cards, something that is consistent from one PC to another.

It also suggests that some games, although they are few, need higher ram in order to work at peak.

I was also reading: http://my.opera.com/Japofran/blog/2008/06/05/ … -in-dosbox-conf

It says that "ems" is game specific rather than computer specific.

It looks to me as though there is a fair bit of configuration that is game specific rather than computer specific.

I even wonder about your statement about cycles or frameskips. Could there be a note in the game specific file that at say at 700mhz processor speed, frameskip might be needed? Or Would someone on a 400mhz machine be fine & one on a 1.2ghz need frame skip? I tend to think that computers are generally more or less calculable. (but am always happy when demonstrated to be wrong)

Does this make any sense here or am I going off on my own little adventure?

Dr. Sassafras

There are some settings that a few games may need, but this is only part of what may be necessary. The point is that it is not practical to have pre-made dosbox.conf files for any given game that all you have to do is drop it in the game's folder. For one thing, you have to get DOSBox to use the right conf file. The best that you can really do is to have a list of games that need a specific setting in the conf file to use along with mountings and any optimizations needed to run on a specific machine, to help make a dosbox.conf file to use to run that game.

You also have the issue of personal preference. Some people like VGA for their old game, some want EGA.

Some like PC Speaker, some want Soundblaster, etc etc and on and on.

Who determines which is "better"? The user who wants to play the game that's who.

collector + DosFreak, I think you are a bit too pessimistic here. Yes, CD-mounts will be difficult, but that could be handled by careful use of the -c option when launching DOSBox. CD-mounts are also not a problem for all the freely downloadable games out there.

I think you misunderstood my post. Its all there if read carefully. I have not brought up the case of personal preference. Sometimes games need tweaking to work. They need tweaking because the DEFAULT PREFERANCES do not produce a game that is nice to play. I suppose you are right, one person could say that he does like it better when his graphics card does not handle the game properly and the images are all blocky, or that one prefers audio that garbles occasionally, or is of much less definition, but come on... There is president for what I am talking about here. Its president enough in the DEFAULT PREFERENCES distributed with each DOSBox. If I understand both of you correctly, it would be much better do delete this to make sure each and everyone one has to choose each option? I am not suggesting that one take away the ability to change options here. I just thought that games that work when you install them would be nice. Oah and yes, it I did think (but did not say) that it would be great if perhaps ultrasound was enabled on games that support it. (I know some people might want to use pc speakers or soundblaster) but why not deliver the highest audio quality when its possible. For games that do not support it, it could be disabled (yes I know, someone could hypothetically want to run a sound card that is not supported) & yes I know DOXBox does not come with the ultrasound drivers installed.

GRRrrr.

I can see I am not in like company. I will stop bothering you.

Well DosFreak is a grumpy bugger at the best of times 😉

This has been brought up a million times before. What you suggest requires a central database to store the config files, some kind of hash system to hash the game files so you are using the proper config for a certain version of the game, etc etc etc etc.

The simplest way to accomplish the above is for the companies that release the games to provide proper configuration files themselves obviously that won't help the thousands upon thousands of DOS games that will never get re-released. So basically someone will have to provide for FREE or ideally subscription a central server to handle config duties and of course support would have to be built into DOSBox for automatic download, usage and scanning of their local game files to download the proper config.

Since the devs have no interest in supporting abandonware some sort of "proof of purchase" method would have to be provided if the devs were to integrate such a system.

If none of the above were to be implemented by the DOSBox devs then the simplest way to accomplish the above is just for people to manually submit dosbox.conf files to a public webpage and have people download them which would pretty much accomplish nothing since there is actually only a few options per game that need to be changed so probably just a listing of dosbox.conf changes instead of actually dosbox.conf files would be the best approach but unfortunately 99% of people won't go to the page because 99% of the population does not know how or refuses to read.

Is there a way to have an append config file, so you can list only a couple configurations that will override the default one?

If so, users could submit these files to a website (where nobody except for the less lazy dos freaks & unsupported enthusiasts) would browse through. They could all be loaded into a database.

After a while there would be quite a collection of them. Provide a database longin with read rights to any fronted to wants it. Let them create the interface. DOSBox is the only organization here with enough people going to it to make it a success, but the frontends could take advantage of it. So could some people who are trying to get a game to work & perhaps read the readme file, where a note could be placed.

& By the way, I really don't see how people could be too lazy to read if they are in fact getting there games to work well. It took me hours of research just to figure out what the options are, I still have a hard time knowing when to modify what. But that is beside the point.

What do you think. I have satisfied your argument that it would be too much work for the devs.

I don't see how a proof of purchase is relevant here. Is this for being able to make the game work? What about a proof of purchase for dosbosx, because it makes these games work? If I am missing the logic, please fill me in.

I don't see the need for a hash system. if you are playing tank wars & a different config modification is needed for different version of the game, just entitle the file tank wars v1 tanks wars v3 tank wars all versions etc. The config file will have to manually be lined up with the game anyhow.

If its better currently for someone to have a list of the configuration options on a website instead of a file, have people upload a file & then DISPLAY the contents of the file on the screen as suggested changes. This way it brings it to what you suggested as ideal, (that it be displayed) & its also expandable when its robust enough for some fronted to take advantage of it.

What complaints do you have with this idea? I think we are getting somewhere!

A much less frustrated enthusiast.