VOGONS


First post, by IMeganElisabeth

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Do game installers utilize 3D or is that only implemented into the actual games themselves?

Reply 1 of 6, by keenmaster486

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They might check for the existence of a 3D card, but it would be a lot of work for nothing to somehow make the game installers use the 3D functions of the graphics card.

World's foremost 486 enjoyer.

Reply 2 of 6, by IMeganElisabeth

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keenmaster486 wrote:

They might check for the existence of a 3D card, but it would be a lot of work for nothing to somehow make the game installers use the 3D functions of the graphics card.

Okay thank you. I was just hoping to be able to test if a game will try to install and therefore is compatible with different OS’s in VirtualBox. So hopefully this will work then since it won’t be asking VirtualBox to try to render 3D.

Reply 3 of 6, by keenmaster486

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IMeganElisabeth wrote:

Okay thank you. I was just hoping to be able to test if a game will try to install and therefore is compatible with different OS’s in VirtualBox. So hopefully this will work then since it won’t be asking VirtualBox to try to render 3D.

Keep in mind that if the game installs, that doesn't necessarily mean that it runs.

The only reliable way to check for compatibility is to actually try to run the game.

Fortunately, depending on the OS you are using, you can install the VirtualBox driver pack which has Direct3D support.

Also, the game may have software rendering, in which case it would work whether the emulated graphics card has 3D support or not.

World's foremost 486 enjoyer.

Reply 4 of 6, by IMeganElisabeth

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keenmaster486 wrote:
Keep in mind that if the game installs, that doesn't necessarily mean that it runs. […]
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IMeganElisabeth wrote:

Okay thank you. I was just hoping to be able to test if a game will try to install and therefore is compatible with different OS’s in VirtualBox. So hopefully this will work then since it won’t be asking VirtualBox to try to render 3D.

Keep in mind that if the game installs, that doesn't necessarily mean that it runs.

The only reliable way to check for compatibility is to actually try to run the game.

Fortunately, depending on the OS you are using, you can install the VirtualBox driver pack which has Direct3D support.

Also, the game may have software rendering, in which case it would work whether the emulated graphics card has 3D support or not.

Ah, thank you very very much for all of your information and help! (: I’m basically hoping to be able to try installing Win98, 2000, and XP games on the newest OS (highest possible resolution) they’ll run on. However, since I know VirtualBox isn’t as good for older games as PCem/QEMU I’m wanting to test if the games will actually open and be capable of running on whichever newest OS through VirtualBox before the more lengthy process of researching the best hardware to use for setting up that OS through PCem/QEMU.

Reply 5 of 6, by leileilol

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I know C&C Renegade has to use Direct3D for its installer. That's all I can recall off the top of my head (As Westwood in 1995-2003 had to make flashy looking install programs for increased immersion and mood setting)

Also don't expect those old video cards and drivers to behave with the 4K resolution you want. 4K VGA wasn't a thing. The common maximum was usually 1600x1200, and the systems you're looking to emulate would work best in 640x480/800x600 anyway.

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long live PCem

Reply 6 of 6, by IMeganElisabeth

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leileilol wrote:

I know C&C Renegade has to use Direct3D for its installer. That's all I can recall off the top of my head (As Westwood in 1995-2003 had to make flashy looking install programs for increased immersion and mood setting)

Also don't expect those old video cards and drivers to behave with the 4K resolution you want. 4K VGA wasn't a thing. The common maximum was usually 1600x1200, and the systems you're looking to emulate would work best in 640x480/800x600 anyway.

Ah so it is possible then. Unlikely with mine though I think. Well, I’ve found the cards that support the highest resolution (not 4K until Digital with the GeForce 700 series) that will work with Windows 2000/XP and the maximum for Windows 98 being the 6800 GS which isn’t 4K yet but the highest resolution that is officially supported available. I am wondering though... will the Emulators go digital and not VGA..? Yep I’m just wanting to try it out! I’m hoping you’ll be right because that will be much more simple. Lol I just know when I bumped up to 1600x1200 although it’s not upscaling the game itself I noticed it was still making that display within the OS make the game appear more clear and sharp. Moreso than when scaling with only the emulator display options.