akula65 wrote:

If you are experiencing a lack of in-game music in all levels after Level 7 while playing the DOS version of Interplay's Descent […]
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If you are experiencing a lack of in-game music in all levels after Level 7 while playing the DOS version of Interplay's Descent, you may be interested in a set of fix programs and scripts that I have put together. I am attaching a ZIP archive which includes DOS, 32-bit Windows, and 32-bit OS/2 binary programs designed to bring back the music in Level 8 and subsequent levels. The archive also includes a Bash script which will do the same thing as the binaries mentioned above for Linux users who may be playing the game in an emulator.

If you are aware of additional releases of Descent for DOS which are not mentioned in the documentation, I would like to collect information about those releases for inclusion in the documentation.

Comments and suggestions are welcome.

File info for the ZIP archive is as follows:
File size: 50901 bytes
MD5: a2d24ad8f474be3da08b6ceaaf786c80
SHA1: 128dbb8995290bad9a7bdb4339eb711289c78c72

All you need to do is not use the v1.0-v1.5 patch for Descent. Due to some error in the patch, applying it will cause music to drop out starting at level 8.

Instead, just apply the v1.0-v1.4a patch, and then if you really want to patch to v1.5 (which just adds support for 3D VR helmets/glasses) apply patch v1.4a-v1.5. In this way, you're at v1.5 and you keep the music all the way through the game.

Your suggestion is appropriate for someone lucky enough to own a Version 1.0 copy of Descent, but unfortunately Interplay (and perhaps other distributors) later released CD-ROMs which had already been patched to Version 1.5 using the bogus Version 1.0->1.5 patch. The .ZIP file above is principally intended for those people who have been left in the lurch by Interplay.

This topic is covered in the documentation in the .ZIP file.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Really?! I didn't know that Descent v1.5 was published on CD; I thought one could only obtain v1.5 via patching, and then only if you owned v1.0 because the version of Descent included on the Anniversary Edition CD could not be patched to v1.5.

Sorry about that.

Nice work on the fix, BTW.

You're not alone. I didn't know about the Version 1.5 releases until I came across this thread last May:

http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17932

I was very unhappy when I discovered that six out of the ten copies of Descent that I own were bogus Version 1.5 copies. I was particularly unhappy when I found out that the copy in Descent I and II: The Definitive Collection was broken.

This is an issue that Interplay should have addressed ten years ago, but I guess that their attention was so focused on Descent II and Descent 3 that they didn't really care.

I'm looking for more information on the Descent patches. I have version 1.4, not 1.4a. This is from The Definitive Collection except my CD is labeled CD-H95-700-0, not CD-H95-700-3. There don't seem to be any 1.4 -> 1.4a or 1.4 -> 1.5 patches available.

I don't recall ever seeing any patches to or from Retail Version 1.4. There was apparently no patch to get users to Version 1.4 of the shareware version either (it had to be downloaded in its entirety). So this may be another instance of the retail customer being left high and dry by Interplay. If that is the case, then the only way around this issue is for someone to develop a custom patch as I did for the bogus Version 1.5. This would entail a file-by-file comparison of Retail Versions 1.4 and 1.4a.

there are these patches
Descent 1.0 to 1.4a (registered)
Descent 1.0 to 1.5 (registered)
Descent 1.4a to 1.5 (registered)

PlanetDescent and the Descent Network have copies of a Registered Version 1.0=>1.4 patch:

http://www.planetdescent.com/site/files/d1/patches/

http://www.descent2.com/patches/d1/

I did a comparison of Version 1.4 and 1.4a installations, and there are four files that are different:

README.TXT
DESCENTR.EXE
SETUP.EXE
DESCENT.HOG

I haven't had a chance to see just how different they are.

In March, during Lockdown and isolation, I fancied playing Descent II again and reminiscing about networking it in the 90s with then friends.

But, my Descent II CD was v1.1 and Descent LOTW 1.4a. So, I did some searching for the patches. And in that, came across a post of yours stating how 6/10 of your CDs were unpatchable. I also found the D1LOTW to not like the patches and the levels buggy and the CDs a rushed out unpatchable mess.

Which is a shame because it’s a great game series. In addition to that, if you use the DXX-Rebirth series, you are using data from buggy CDs.

So, I wondered, if it would be easy to fix Descent to v1.5 and make a new CD? The set that should have been? The set Interplay had not the time to check and double check and be pedantic over?

So, I located an ISO of Descent v1.0 and began again...

What was initially to be an experiment to make a Descent v1.5 CD has evolved into a very time taken (many days) rebuilding everything. I started over. I found a way to rebuild Descent II - had a brainwave. All not possible in the 1990s...

I now have finally (after much correction) 3x Discs...

CD1 - Descent v1.5: LOTWF and Descent II v1.2. Plus a VERTIGO+.SOW.

CD2 - Descent II v1.2: LOTWF/VERTIGO+.SOW and Descent v1.5.

DVD3 - DXX-Rebirth (using data from
CD1 and CD2).

All discs compliment each other.

CD2 has the Descent 2 tracks replaced with Vertigo tracks. So in DOSBox 0.74-3 you can now play any of these tracks during the game. My enhanced versions install fixed versions of the ‘Winning’ Interplay LOTW levels and a couple I liked the look of.

My DOSBox install has been rewritten a couple of times. Few issues there. I started again as the initial config size caused problems. It was too clever...

So, this now all looks super. The configs both have a switch (change a goto line) so that you can choose the install type. You can have the whole experience of installing updated 1990s discs... I have been very OCD here...

I’ve also tried to make the discs work well in pure DOS. Basically some scripts on the CDs. I’m sadly not an exe programmer! Novice.

The Vertigo+/LOTW2 only works on this version. On Descent v1.2 only, levels won’t install. A couple seemed to prefer the Vertigo v1.2 exe.

All levels have tidy msn/mn2 so they view nice under DOS and added the author to each where I know. So credited as best as I can.

Emails are very likely dated now and a lot of junk texts I don’t care for. I did what I wanted... So they’re gone.

Install and Setup are the same files but work differently depending how used. So taken latest builds of these and (sorry) hex edited the v1.4a and v1.1 to say v1.5 and v1.2. These were not upgraded. I’ve also altered the end messages to match Descent II v1.2 and Vertigo+. I’ve tweaked Verite message to match the batch info I made.

I cannot find a v1.2 exe so that stays as is for cosmetic. Not needed. 3Dfx patches are on the CD now....

Possible with either build but no Vertigo... I’ve made a SOW installer.

I’ve removed all the demo junk in Descent v1.4a: Buggy LOTW. Turns out an exe runs before the old setup.exe, so just needed part 2.

I’ve removed all the dated ereg stuff - horrible annoyance. Gone forever!!! You would just buy the download now.
Stops install, play to be a nuisance nag. Easy to remove line in bat and the exes there...

So all that remains is what to do with it. I don’t care about financial gain (although be nice), I just want the games to be in a buggy-less form.

I’ve date stamped all the files with 25/12/2020 14:00. One because almost my birthday albeit five minutes. Two it’s Christmas!!! 😀. Maybe time for Parallax to release it?

So, now I hope Parallax will do something with it (emailed the current team) and I hope I won’t be the only one to enjoy it...

Again, I started this for me, but my motivation is to keep the game alive. Documented...

I guess Retromancave (YouTube) has been an influence too...

The Mole.

Hi,

I'm also trying to get in a quick game of Descent.

I downloaded a version from GOG, no idea what version it is though or if it needs this patch?

I'm having trouble getting it to run on my retro DOS 6.22 PC (MiSTer FGPA).

I did managed to get it to run under Windows 95 but some of the textures were missing. It also runs fine under DOSBox of course.

Most of the other old DOS games are running fine, this is the only one I'm having trouble running (so far!)

Thanx 😀

The GoG version is already patched (properly) to the highest official version.

Okay thanks, that's good to know.

Is there anything special I need to do with regards to memory management etc to get it running with DOS 6.22?

DOS4GW general fault error

Great, thanks 😀

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4v3uZSShyI

https://www.dosbox.com/wiki/TOOLS:DOS32A

😀

Here is a rough, early build. Still have a few ideas to implement (and need a better PC). Scripts are workarounds to some bugs/former protection.

[link removed]
*Extract folder from ISO.

Descent I/II (2x Discs). CTRL+F4 to swap audio. Previous was just audio CD only. Script upgrades Standard v1.2 to v1.2 Vertigo.

DOOMED! needs a fix for Hexen to work under C:\GAMES. As primarily using DOSBox, most install to C:\. Hexen installer has a bug so cannot fix it. Be a patch of the location.

Lemmings All New. I recreated the discs from hacked versions. Allowed me to tweak an original CD (but of old build) to later one. Not cracked, just updated some files.
There are versions with standard audio and CDDA. Fixed it all.

The Mole.

*Cannot use PM as not posted enough.

Hi The Mole,

Please do not post links to pirated content here. If you have written bugfix patches, you must provide them as patches only.

Thank you.