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Telstar 10 CD ROM Box Set - Trouble Getting Games To Play

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First post, by Telstar

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I found this old CD in a drawer with ten games on it, so I decided to try playing it again. I can get it to run the menu screen easily in DOSBox but I can't actually get the games to play.

<CD Drive>:\TITUS
is the command to run the game, then the menu screen has:

A Game 1
B Game 2
C Game 3
etc

I choose a letter then get the instructions screen but when I press another key it goes back to the main menu. The instructions in the CD case are in German but are the same as the game instructions on the actual CD anyway.

Reply 1 of 11, by MiniMax

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What is that TITUS thing? A BAT-file? If so, what does it contain?

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Reply 2 of 11, by eL_PuSHeR

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Old Titus games were famous for having an assembler coded disk protection. I hope they have it removed. What games are these?

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Reply 3 of 11, by Telstar

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Yes, TITUS is a .BAT file. I'm not sure what you mean by "What does it contain". I'm new to DOS after not using it since around 1994 but I'm fairly competent with XP.

eL_PuSHeR wrote:

Old Titus games were famous for having an assembler coded disk protection. I hope they have it removed. What games are these?

The ten games on the CD are:
Titus The Fox
Prehistorik
Prehistorik 2
Crazy Cars 3
Blues Brothers
Blues Brothers Jukebox Adventure
Fire & Forget 2
Super Cauldron
Titan
Battlestorm

I'll get some screenshots soon if you want.

Reply 4 of 11, by IIGS_User

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Telstar wrote:

Yes, TITUS is a .BAT file. I'm not sure what you mean by "What does it contain". I'm new to DOS after not using it since around 1994 but I'm fairly competent with XP.

Right-click -> "Edit Titus.bat"

Klimawandel.

Reply 5 of 11, by Telstar

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IIGS_User wrote:
Telstar wrote:

Yes, TITUS is a .BAT file. I'm not sure what you mean by "What does it contain". I'm new to DOS after not using it since around 1994 but I'm fairly competent with XP.

Right-click -> "Edit Titus.bat"

Thanks.

ECHO OFF
CDZFLI ANIM.FLI
EMPTYKB
TELSTAR
TEXT
CLS
GOTO ENGLISH
TYPE LANGUAGE.DOC
:RETEST
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=71 GOTO RETEST
IF ERRORLEVEL=70 GOTO FRENCH
IF ERRORLEVEL=69 GOTO ENGLISH
IF ERRORLEVEL=68 GOTO RETEST
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
GOTO RETEST
:FRENCH
CLS
TYPE GAMES.FR
:RETEST1
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=90 GOTO CHESSDEMO
IF ERRORLEVEL=89 GOTO LACDEMO
IF ERRORLEVEL=88 GOTO QUIKDEMO
IF ERRORLEVEL=75 GOTO RETEST1
IF ERRORLEVEL=74 GOTO TTF
IF ERRORLEVEL=73 GOTO TITAN
IF ERRORLEVEL=72 GOTO SCAUL
IF ERRORLEVEL=71 GOTO PRE2
IF ERRORLEVEL=70 GOTO PREH
IF ERRORLEVEL=69 GOTO FFII
IF ERRORLEVEL=68 GOTO CCIII
IF ERRORLEVEL=67 GOTO BBJBA
IF ERRORLEVEL=66 GOTO BLUES
IF ERRORLEVEL=65 GOTO STORM
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO RETEST1
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
GOTO RETEST1

:QUIKDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\QUIK
QUIKDEMO
CD ..\..
GOTO FRENCH

:CHESSDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\VCHESS
POLYFACE
..\..\EMPTYKB
VGA_000
VGA_001
VGA_002
VGA_003
VGA_004
VGA_005
VGA_006
VGA_007
VGA_008
…Show last 349 lines
VGA_009
VGA_010
VGA_011
VGA_100
VGA_101
VGA_102
VGA_103
VGA_104
VGA_105
VGA_200
VGA_201
VGA_202
VGA_203
VGA_204
VGA_205
VGA_206
VGA_207
VGA_208
VGA_209
CD ..\..
GOTO FRENCH

:LACDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\LAC
LAC
CD ..\..
GOTO FRENCH

:TTF
CLS
TYPE DOC\TTF.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO TT
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:TT
CD TTF
..\CDRUN TTF.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:TITAN
CLS
TYPE DOC\TITAN.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO TI
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:TI
CD TITAN
..\CDRUN TITAN.SQZ /V
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:SCAUL
CLS
TYPE DOC\SC.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO CA
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:CA
CD CAULDRON
..\CDRUN CAULDRON.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:PRE2
CLS
TYPE DOC\PRE2.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO PR2
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:PR2
CD PREH2
..\CDRUN PRE2.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:PREH
CLS
TYPE DOC\PRE.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO PR
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:PR
CD PREH
..\CDRUN PREH.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:FFII
CLS
TYPE DOC\FF2.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO F3
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:F3
CD FF2
..\CDRUN FF2.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:CCIII
CLS
TYPE DOC\CC3.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO C3
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:C3
CD CC3
..\CDRUN CC3.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:BBJBA
CLS
TYPE DOC\JBA.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO BA
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:BA
CD BBJBA
..\CDRUN JBA.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:STORM
CLS
TYPE DOC\STORM.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO ST
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:ST
CD STORM
..\CDRUN STORM.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:BLUES
CLS
TYPE DOC\BB.FR
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO BL
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:BL
CD BLUES
..\CDRUN BLUES.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO FRENCH

:ENGLISH
CLS
TYPE GAMES.UK
:E_RETEST1
KEY
REM IF ERRORLEVEL=90 GOTO E_CHESSDEMO
REM IF ERRORLEVEL=89 GOTO E_LACDEMO
REM IF ERRORLEVEL=88 GOTO E_QUIKDEMO
IF ERRORLEVEL=76 GOTO E_RETEST1
IF ERRORLEVEL=75 GOTO E_RETEST1
IF ERRORLEVEL=74 GOTO E_STORM
IF ERRORLEVEL=73 GOTO E_FFII
IF ERRORLEVEL=72 GOTO E_TITAN
IF ERRORLEVEL=71 GOTO E_PREH
IF ERRORLEVEL=70 GOTO E_SCAUL
IF ERRORLEVEL=69 GOTO E_BLUES
IF ERRORLEVEL=68 GOTO E_PRE2
IF ERRORLEVEL=67 GOTO E_BBJBA
IF ERRORLEVEL=66 GOTO E_CCIII
IF ERRORLEVEL=65 GOTO E_TTF
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_RETEST1
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
GOTO E_RETEST1

:E_QUIKDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\QUIK
QUIKDEMO
CD ..\..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_CHESSDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\VCHESS
POLYFACE
..\..\EMPTYKB
VGA_000
VGA_001
VGA_002
VGA_003
VGA_004
VGA_005
VGA_006
VGA_007
VGA_008
VGA_009
VGA_010
VGA_011
VGA_100
VGA_101
VGA_102
VGA_103
VGA_104
VGA_105
VGA_200
VGA_201
VGA_202
VGA_203
VGA_204
VGA_205
VGA_206
VGA_207
VGA_208
VGA_209
CD ..\..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_LACDEMO
CLS
CD DEMO\LAC
LAC
CD ..\..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_TTF
CLS
TYPE DOC\TTF.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_TT
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_TT
CD TTF
..\CDRUN TTF.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_TITAN
CLS
TYPE DOC\TITAN.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_TI
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_TI
CD TITAN
..\CDRUN TITAN.SQZ /V
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_SCAUL
CLS
TYPE DOC\SC.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_CA
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_CA
CD CAULDRON
..\CDRUN CAULDRON.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_PRE2
CLS
TYPE DOC\PRE2.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_PR2
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_PR2
CD PREH2
..\CDRUN PRE2.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_PREH
CLS
TYPE DOC\PRE.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_PR
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_PR
CD PREH
..\CDRUN PREH.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_FFII
CLS
TYPE DOC\FF2.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_F3
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_F3
CD FF2
..\CDRUN FF2.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_CCIII
CLS
TYPE DOC\CC3.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_C3
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_C3
CD CC3
..\CDRUN CC3.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_BBJBA
CLS
TYPE DOC\JBA.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_BA
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_BA
CD BBJBA
..\CDRUN JBA.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_STORM
CLS
TYPE DOC\STORM.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_ST
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_ST
CD STORM
..\CDRUN STORM.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH

:E_BLUES
CLS
TYPE DOC\BB.UK
KEY
IF ERRORLEVEL=28 GOTO E_BL
IF ERRORLEVEL=27 GOTO END
:E_BL
CD BLUES
..\CDRUN BLUES.SQZ
CD ..
GOTO ENGLISH


:END
CLS
ECHO ESC PRESSED !
GOTO THEEND
:THEEND

Reply 6 of 11, by MiniMax

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Hmmm... If I should venture a guess, the problems are with the programs EMPTYKB and KEY.

EMPTYKB probably empties the keyboard input buffer, and KEY waits for a new key to be pressed. Maybe those programs are doing something to the keyboard buffer that DOSBox do not support.

Since the TITUS.BAT file is on the CD, it will be hard to change it 😀 Can you copy the whole CD to some folder on your harddisk, and mount the the folder as your D-drive in DOSBox? If so, you could try removing the first 'ECHO OFF' in the TITUS-file, remove all the CLS commands, start TITUS, and see if you can spot any error messages.

PS: Instead of removing the ECHO OFF and CLS commands, you can just insert a REM in front of them:

REM ECHO OFF
REM CLS

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Reply 7 of 11, by DosFreak

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You can also insert PAUSE into the .bat file to help troubleshoot.

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Reply 8 of 11, by Telstar

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MiniMax wrote:
Hmmm... If I should venture a guess, the problems are with the programs EMPTYKB and KEY. […]
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Hmmm... If I should venture a guess, the problems are with the programs EMPTYKB and KEY.

EMPTYKB probably empties the keyboard input buffer, and KEY waits for a new key to be pressed. Maybe those programs are doing something to the keyboard buffer that DOSBox do not support.

Since the TITUS.BAT file is on the CD, it will be hard to change it 😀 Can you copy the whole CD to some folder on your harddisk, and mount the the folder as your D-drive in DOSBox? If so, you could try removing the first 'ECHO OFF' in the TITUS-file, remove all the CLS commands, start TITUS, and see if you can spot any error messages.

PS: Instead of removing the ECHO OFF and CLS commands, you can just insert a REM in front of them:

REM ECHO OFF
REM CLS

Doing that, after pressing return having chosen a game from the list I get:

D:\>If errorlevel=28 GOTO E_TT
D:\>If errorlevel=27 GOTO END
D:\>CD TTF (I chose "A" which is Titus The Fox)
D:\TTF>..\CDRUN TTF.SQZ

Thanks for the help so far. It might be easier for me to just look around for somewhere to download the games.

Reply 9 of 11, by DosFreak

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It looks like it CD's into the directory and then calls the program "CDRUN" in the root of the CD to execute the file (in this case TTF.SQZ).

Going to have to load up DosBox and see if that works in DosBox.

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Reply 10 of 11, by Telstar

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Hey, I got it working! It turns out I just need to learn some of the features of DOSBox. I found out how to mount a virtual CD drive within DOSBox using the mount d d:\ "-t cdrom" command. 😊

I started a game and it came up with a message saying "Yeeeah! You're still playing *something (couldnt really make it out)* in 2007!"

Sorry for being a nuissance. 😅

Reply 11 of 11, by MiniMax

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Telstar wrote:
Doing that, after pressing return having chosen a game from the list I get: […]
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Doing that, after pressing return having chosen a game from the list I get:

D:\>If errorlevel=28 GOTO E_TT
D:\>If errorlevel=27 GOTO END
D:\>CD TTF (I chose "A" which is Titus The Fox)
D:\TTF>..\CDRUN TTF.SQZ

Yes, that looks correct. The ASCII code for A is 65, and you get to that part of the TITUS.BAT from the check above that goes:

IF ERRORLEVEL=65 GOTO E_TTF

So the keyboard routines seems to work fine despite my initial guess that they were the culprits.

Telstar wrote:

Thanks for the help so far. It might be easier for me to just look around for somewhere to download the games.

Nah - that would not be as fun as figuring out how to make this work 😀

Next step - what is this CDRUN thing? Another BAT-file?

CD TTF
..\CDRUN TTF.SQZ

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