> I'm guessing the DOSBox needs to be changed in such a way to allow tandy to work normally

What is "work normally" and how would you do that?
Where did you get that the game is tandy only?
Did you try machine=pcjr?

Well, I was told that it was only Tandy (by a guy over at Mobygames)...

I tried the machine=pcjr (didn't even know DOSBox supports that) and it's greatly improved (still doesn't work 100% though).

It there a way to change this?

BTW if I decrese the cycles it gets a bit better, but the character starts moving left and up and if I increase the cycles the character starts moving right and down (it's probably connected to the joystick controls) - so I can't play much with that...

Can anybody help? I can't seem to improve no matter how I set things up (even in PCjr mode).

What do I mean by normal...

*** Moving to DOSBox Games/Apps. section ***

> Well, I was told that it was only Tandy (by a guy over at Mobygames)...

Did you get the game from that guy? As the list on mobygames doesn't
hint at this game being tandy-only.

> Can anybody help? I can't seem to improve no matter how I set things
> up (even in PCjr mode).

Set the cycles very low (start with 500 or so, depending on your system)
and use the normal core.

> What do I mean by normal...

Yes?

I think he refers to the comments on the screenshots.

Yes, I'm refering to the comments next to the screenshots...

The problem seems to be that the graphics aren't "stable". As I comented, only about every 10th frame seems to have normal graphics (the first screenshot), all the other have some broken down graphics).

>Did you get the game from that guy? As the list on mobygames doesn't
hint at this game being tandy-only.

No, I didn't get the game from that guy, but I thought he knew... I guess he wasn't (so maybe the tile of the thread should be changed).

>Set the cycles very low (start with 500 or so, depending on your system)
and use the normal core.

I start at 300 cycles and I've tried various core settings, but no change (everything over 500 or under 200 starts messing up the controls - the character starts moving on its own - probably because of the joystick settings - I'm not sure).

Another thing is, that the game it still too fast even with 200 cycles, but even if I slow it down to the normal speed (around 80 cycles) the graphics are still flickering.

Couldn't get the version i got to work in a useful way on other emulators
(including tandy stuff).

The graphics in the introductory screens seem to be fine with machine=pcjr,
and the flickering is not too annoying when the cycles are really low (80),
but i couldn't get further than loading the car.
Will try to patch that part (hal's joystick stuff maybe), but you're most
likely out of luck with this game.

the joystick needs the hal stuff. (actually my stuff) to get it usuabble. although hal stuff is fine as well as the tiny bug in there might help actually.

The flickering actually only starts after loading the car (and that can not be done without the joystick - you need the ghosttrap from screen two - just press 2 - in order to start).

Up to that point the graphics in PCjr mode are OK and even Tandy seems fine (until you start loading stuf to the car, then it seems like the newer sprite just deletes the previous one).

OK, sorry for bumping this thread, but I've been trying everything - without succes, but I've noticed things that might help.

Further info about the game (not emulated):
This game works on both PCjr and Tandy 1000's identically (though on a Tandy the timing only works correctly on a 4.77 Mhz machine).

Game problems:
The game has two parts that work differently. The intro and the ending seem to be animates and the player only needs to input a name, a Y/N answer and a few numbers. Then still at this first (intro) part you need to move some sprites (at this point there is already some flickering, but it's nothing serious).
The second part of the game (and you can't start this one without the use of a joystick) has heavy flickering!!!
The game requires machine=pcjr, then the intro speed is normal and the music works OK, but...
There seem to be 4 or 5 different frames. One looks normal, but withouth the counter and message bar. One shows only the changing message bar (with the counter), and the other 2/3 frames show most of the picture but in different color paletes. 1 frame has a lot of black color and the other has a lot of blue color. There's one more frame that looks almost like a standard CGA game.
I think that those frames should all apeare at the same time (or in such short intervals, that the transition between them shouldn't be visable). So I'm guessing it's got something to do with the refreshing rate of the frames.

The flickering is the least visable with cycles set to aroung 80, but it's still there. Frame skip doesn't help at all.
I've tried different outputs and opengl/openglnb give different results as the other three options. They make the whole game flicker. This means the motion and the music also keep breaking up (stoping), as if the game would pause for a little while every time it should refresh the screen.

Joystick problems:
The game requires a joystick. Qbix provided a joystick patch, but it works only with speeds between 220 and 520 cycles (aproximately). If there are more or less cycles the comands get screwy. If the cycles are decresed the character starts moving left and up if they are increased it starts moving right and down. But at 220 cycles the game is still too fast (it requires around 80-90 cycles).

Summery of the problems:
The game should be set around 80 cycles (otherwise the gameplay is too fast). At that speed there are joystick problems (it keeps going left and up). The graphics flicker a lot, five freames that should probably be seen as one are shown in a sequence. The intro and the ending (do not flicker - or the flickering is minimal). The topic title should change into: A PCjr game only

Please help!!!

You could try it on TandEM if it really worked on a tandy. Never got that
thing to work though, but it's pretty advanced.

I'm not positive but I think the problem with this game is it appears to switch video modes near the bottom of the screen every time the screen refreshes. So the top half of the screen is in 160x200 mode, and the bottom in 320x200; you get low res blocky graphics up top, and sharper medium res text at the bottom. (some photos below of the game running on a Tandy 1000, not great quality but you should get the idea). I'm imagining that the flickering is probably caused by some issue with the timing related to this switch.

The game runs on both Tandy and PCjr's. on machines faster than 4.77 Mhz though the game is too fast and will occassionally show some odd glitches on screen. I think maybe the joystick calibration in this game is a little suspect; on my real Tandy and PCjr's I can't play the game unless I set the joystick calibration dials all the way to the extreme left; most other games work better with them set somewhere near the middle. These joysticks are in kinda weak shape though so who knows.

As to my knowledge there are other versions of the game for different machines/consoles. If you really want it to run on an emulated Tandy 1000HX/PCjr machine try using MESS. It looks to work fine with that. I couldn't succeed in having sound to work and the game may eventually hang though.

Hello everybody.

Actually , I do own an Original version of the game (boxed and all) and I can confirrm is a pcjr/tandy only. I'll upload a scan of the box or manual with the system requirement asap, but rite now i'am off country.

I have a gameport joystick at home, I'll try and see if there is any success with this, instead of usb.

the pcjr seems a clone of the commodore 64 version (visit the ghostbusters game site I own if you what to know more: Ecto-Web)

I also tried mess, but it says tandy development as been put on hold for the moment, so how you were able to do that? ( Answer me privately if you think this is off topic).

I've been trying to run this game on dosbox for quite sometime, and I'am pleased to see some advancement.

Way to go guys!!!