Update the twelfth!

Like a magnet caught in a steel mill, I just won't go away!

This week's scripted video was about games that were entirely free, but also sported a great replay value! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDJfvKDWSzc

I also provided a channel update, outlining what I plan on doing over the next while, including a poll that expires by the time you read this. Helpful! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ti3cPYW5i8Y

Unlike the tremendous free games in the main video, the random selection this week was one of the worst I have ever seen. We had some company-sponsored advertisement game in MER Adventure Climbing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vyRsjVlUiA This was followed by a CGA gangster shooting game called Dugsy which was playable at best. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96Td-2oy8XY The other two are so bad I'm not even going to link them!

Next week's update will be substantially better than this one, but for now that's your lot!

Update the thirteenth!

Like an inexorable slow-motion motorway car wreck, you scream out "no!" but Lawnie keeps coming with the retro gaming videos!

This week's scripted video was part 3 of a countdown series I do that highlights the best games from the last 100 episodes of the Random DOS Game Show! Who made the 25 this time around? Click to find out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BDlwolIMeo

We kick off a new season of the aforementioned show with the time-breaking The Legend of Kyrandia, an excellent point and click adventure game from Westwood. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWfPIWAQ6bA

Three other titles followed but they were mostly forgettable. The ball-based action puzzler Rollin being the most intriguing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2gwJ8BmSuw

This week also saw the debut of a new series where I take a random WAD from Doomworld and play it before giving my thoughts as a distinctly average Doom player. The first WAD was Mayhem by Tovi Grossman. It didn't impress me. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud0ixvfMxNw

Keep your eyes peeled like bananas in a monkey house, because there will be another update this time next week!

Update the fourteenth!

What does everybody want? Not more GET OFF MY LAWN content! Like a bubbling geyser powered by the very core of the Earth, the content keeps sloshing out at an unstoppable rate.

This week's scripted video was a list of DOS gaming classics that everyone should play at least once, even if they hate them! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DmN3SYEYms

May the 4th was celebrated with a special spotlight video on The Force Engine, an engine replacement for Dark Forces and Outlaws. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=679hbliCfLQ

The Random Game selections were pretty terrible though, with the only standout being the entertaining real-time puzzler Pushover! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oK6Q6iBpV3c

Will the wheels finally start to come off? Will Lawnie lose his mind by uploading too many videos? Find out... next time!

Update the fifteenth!

Like a paper mill that's completely out of control, Lawnie is back with more updates for your delectation!

There were two scripted videos this week! The first was a look at Hegor the Barbarian, the protagonist of the worst DOS game I have played so far. I explored some of his adventures on other systems, it did not go well! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzJJIVl9K_Q

The second scripted video was a long-awaited countdown of the ten best moments in Lee Carvalho's Putting Challenge! A modern remake of a game from the mid-90s that never existed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK5LE7sK3cA

The Random DOS Game show came across three very interesting titles this week, with the legendary Theme Hospital being the first. No guesses as to where that will end up in my next Top 25! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RzCBVZDh3M

This was followed by a childhood favourite, Might & Magic II! The CGA RPG Blobber to end all them all! Both titles blasted through the time limit with ease, making it a very enjoyable week's gaming. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95tlN6ivO8M

Last but not least, despite its obvious flaws, In Pursuit of Greed was a very interesting Doom clone that I shall definitely be taking a closer look at in the future! Plus I hear there's a source port in the works, so that'll be intriguing to test... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAnm13WXDIQ

Including the other vids not linked here, that's an hour and a half's worth of rambling about various things! You could have spent that time watching a quality movie! Instead you chose to listen to Lawnie, you fool!

Will next week result in more videos? Magic 8 ball says chances are likely... until next time!

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-16, 15:17:

Last but not least, despite its obvious flaws, In Pursuit of Greed was a very interesting Doom clone that I shall definitely be taking a closer look at in the future! Plus I hear there's a source port in the works, so that'll be intriguing to test...

Funny thing about "In Pursuit of Greed", people from the doom community ended up using the enemy sprites in mods, same with the music. I'm pretty sure "Rampancy" by Yholl uses some of the robot sprites from GREED.

"Beyond Reality" by Darsycho uses a lot of Andrew Sega music, including some written for GREED.

DracoNihil wrote on 2021-05-17, 10:04:

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-16, 15:17:

Last but not least, despite its obvious flaws, In Pursuit of Greed was a very interesting Doom clone that I shall definitely be taking a closer look at in the future! Plus I hear there's a source port in the works, so that'll be intriguing to test...

Funny thing about "In Pursuit of Greed", people from the doom community ended up using the enemy sprites in mods, same with the music. I'm pretty sure "Rampancy" by Yholl uses some of the robot sprites from GREED.

"Beyond Reality" by Darsycho uses a lot of Andrew Sega music, including some written for GREED.

I noticed recently that there was a project to take all the graphics from the game and use them wholesale for various Doom levels. Apparently there's also a source port in the works, so I'll definitely be checking that out when it's stable!

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-19, 12:28:

I noticed recently that there was a project to take all the graphics from the game and use them wholesale for various Doom levels. Apparently there's also a source port in the works, so I'll definitely be checking that out when it's stable!

I too, am anticipating this highly. Though since GREED uses the same underlying engine as Shadowcaster I wonder if one could potentially, with some reverse engineering, also come up with a decent enough sourceport for that game as well.

DracoNihil wrote on 2021-05-19, 15:40:

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-19, 12:28:

I noticed recently that there was a project to take all the graphics from the game and use them wholesale for various Doom levels. Apparently there's also a source port in the works, so I'll definitely be checking that out when it's stable!

I too, am anticipating this highly. Though since GREED uses the same underlying engine as Shadowcaster I wonder if one could potentially, with some reverse engineering, also come up with a decent enough sourceport for that game as well.

I looked into this a bit more and it would appear that Shadowcaster and Greed are VERY different from each other. Greed uses a much more advanced version of the Raven Engine and Shadowcaster appears to incorporate additional code from Origin's Ultima Underworld. There is a source port of Shadowcaster called Windowcaster though, so check that out!

Update the sixteenth!

Like a steel ball bearing on a decline, there's simply no stopping me!

This week's scripted video was the start of a new series! 100 More Worthwhile DOS Games! Where I replace every title on the 100 Worthwhile DOS Games list with a suitable alternative. The inaugural entry was the impressive Westwood point and click adventure The Legend of Kyrandia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TavXP-3_yFk

In unscripted land I also had the opportunity to talk at length about Wacky Wheels, which was neat except I was suffering from a bad infection while doing so. The video turned out great despite this! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7sn0LL_lRY

The pick of the Random DOS Game Show this week was Comanche: Maximum Overkill. A Novalogic helicopter sim with awesome voxels for the time! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-lQqxZVKkk

There was also some animated chess game of some sort by Interplay, but who cares about that, right? 😉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Viefmvbfmdc

Will next week bring even more videos? Why yes, yes it will! Until then!

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-23, 17:25:

which was neat except I was suffering from a bad infection while doing so.

I'm really sorry to hear about the infection, I hope you're recovering alright...

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-23, 17:25:

The pick of the Random DOS Game Show this week was Comanche: Maximum Overkill. A Novalogic helicopter sim with awesome voxels for the time!

Funny thing about Commanche, they were trying to port this game to the SNES using SuperFX 2, but other than a really obscure trade show demo that someone recorded on a old cam corder or something, there's not much info about it. It was cancelled before even leaving prototype stages and I don't think there's a leak of any prototypes of it.

Cheers for the fun content and input to the scene we all love. It's pleasing to see.

The count introducing each update here was an unexpected cameo! 😉 /wacky interpretation engendered by reading the entire thread at once!

Lawnie, hope you get to feeling better. By chance do you have any updated news on the Tie Fighter total conversion project?

DracoNihil wrote on 2021-05-23, 21:19:

I'm really sorry to hear about the infection, I hope you're recovering alright... […]
Show full quote

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-23, 17:25:

which was neat except I was suffering from a bad infection while doing so.

I'm really sorry to hear about the infection, I hope you're recovering alright...

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-23, 17:25:

The pick of the Random DOS Game Show this week was Comanche: Maximum Overkill. A Novalogic helicopter sim with awesome voxels for the time!

Funny thing about Commanche, they were trying to port this game to the SNES using SuperFX 2, but other than a really obscure trade show demo that someone recorded on a old cam corder or something, there's not much info about it. It was cancelled before even leaving prototype stages and I don't think there's a leak of any prototypes of it.

I went to hospital, was put on a boat load of antibiotics, had an allergic reaction to that, saw a doc, and now I'm on the mend. It was one of the worst they had seen apparently. It has been a hell of a month. That's what I get for soldiering through the pain!

As for Comanche... that's quite interesting they were considering that at all! Really shows how well-optimised the game engine was for the time. I don't know much about the SNES but I always considered it more a 2D console, though I was aware it was capable of more. A shame they never completed it.

Shreddoc wrote on 2021-05-24, 00:20:

Cheers for the fun content and input to the scene we all love. It's pleasing to see.

ONE NEW SUBSCRIBER. AH HA HA.

TWO NEW SUBSCRIBERS! AH HA HA.

THREE NEW SUBSCRIBERS!

That post amused me far more than I am willing to admit.

buckeye wrote on 2021-05-25, 13:18:

Lawnie, hope you get to feeling better. By chance do you have any updated news on the Tie Fighter total conversion project?

Much better, thank you!

I've been chatting with the project lead and working on some additonal music for the project (classic GUS/AWE32/SC-55 music captured by one of our amazing team members) and we're currently shooting for June/July. This will not be a case of it being pushed back over and over again like certain other mods. Without going too into detail, the delay is due to a combination of some serious IRL issues with members of the team, severe engine bugs we've uncovered and tried to fix, and last minute model/OPT changes that we've had to work the release date around.

Update the seventeenth!

Like a vampire with a counting habit, the number of these updates just keeps going up!

The scripted video this week wasn't as popular a topic as others have been, but it was one dear to my heart so I made it anyway! I introduced a new series called 10 of the Best, which is me selecting 10 classic games from a specific genre and presenting them in a countdown format. The inaugral effort is 10 of the Best Classic Football Games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuC3Pih3OZc

Speaking of new series, the Doom WAD Show returned with another short episode of yours truly taking on a random WAD from Doomworld. This time it was Jungle Fever from 1995. It was not a good time. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZSNauk255M

In Random DOS Game Show land there were two real stand-outs this week, the first being a non-English isometric title called Aladino. I wander around a forest trying to obtain lamps and getting bitten by rats and cut to pieces. It's actually quite good, but I couldn't figure out the attack button. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CopoYA1o5I4

Last but not least is a puzzle platforming game with a Lemmings vibe. Sink or Swim has fantastic pixel art, great sound, a tremendous MT-32 score and some great mechanics. It seems practically unknown but it's definitely worth a play, and typifies what this show is about! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XP_J-e2wUE

A big thank you to all the well-wishes I've received over the past month, it was both appreciated and entirely unexpected! It's a horrible feeling losing your health to something your immune system just can't seem to fight off, but I'm near 100% now and will be back to taking over YouTube one retro video at a time. There will be no break in the content, but if I sound a little worse for wear in next week's videos it's because I was at the time of recording.

Will GET OFF MY LAWN ever stop spamming Vogons? Will Lawnie take the hint and leave people alone? I would say 'find out, next time' but I think we already know the answer!

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-30, 09:06:

buckeye wrote on 2021-05-25, 13:18:

Lawnie, hope you get to feeling better. By chance do you have any updated news on the Tie Fighter total conversion project?

Much better, thank you!

I've been chatting with the project lead and working on some additonal music for the project (classic GUS/AWE32/SC-55 music captured by one of our amazing team members) and we're currently shooting for June/July. This will not be a case of it being pushed back over and over again like certain other mods. Without going too into detail, the delay is due to a combination of some serious IRL issues with members of the team, severe engine bugs we've uncovered and tried to fix, and last minute model/OPT changes that we've had to work the release date around.

Thanks Lawnie, in anticipation of this I just bought the Tie Fighter package form GOG so can't wait to try it out!

buckeye wrote on 2021-06-01, 14:26:

Lawnie wrote on 2021-05-30, 09:06:

buckeye wrote on 2021-05-25, 13:18:

Lawnie, hope you get to feeling better. By chance do you have any updated news on the Tie Fighter total conversion project?

Much better, thank you!

I've been chatting with the project lead and working on some additonal music for the project (classic GUS/AWE32/SC-55 music captured by one of our amazing team members) and we're currently shooting for June/July. This will not be a case of it being pushed back over and over again like certain other mods. Without going too into detail, the delay is due to a combination of some serious IRL issues with members of the team, severe engine bugs we've uncovered and tried to fix, and last minute model/OPT changes that we've had to work the release date around.

Thanks Lawnie, in anticipation of this I just bought the Tie Fighter package form GOG so can't wait to try it out!

Don't forget to check out the configuration video by Phil's Computer Lab, who also posts on here!

Update the eighteenth!

Like John Dillinger around a particularly poorly-guarded bank, I just can't be stopped!

This week was a bumper crop, with two scripted videos! The first was the second, which totally makes sense. The second episode that is, of 100 More Worthwhile DOS Games. As an RTS fan this one was particularly easy to do, and judging from the likes but lack of comments, most people seem to think 'yeah, that's about right'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsJNgIAvpmE

The second scripted video was also about Dune 2, but this time it was informing people about the great new Alpha build of Dune Legacy that sports a brand new CampaignAI. Don't know what any of that means? Click on the link and find out! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0oy8u3rcA0

In the unscripted realm, The Legend of Kyrandia got the badly-greenscreened talking head feature video, for point and click adventure fans who weren't happy with it only having two videos on the channel so far. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgTxTAo6DZY

And in the usual slew of Random DOS Games there were some really good finds. Golden Axe is a classic beat 'em up with a decent port for the time that's distinctly long in the tooth now. Better playing the Genesis or Arcade version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcCwnH9pXwI

Dragonsphere looked like an interesting point and click adventure game, even if it was slow going at the beginning. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_LgvHStyl0

And of course there's Hovertank 3D, which is by the id Software boys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai3lnMPomeU

That's three out of the four games that were enjoyable to play! The fourth game? Well... it was Veteran. And Veteran was one of the worst games I have ever played. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRIIV42sBM8

Will there be more great stuff next week? You betcha, partner! Lawnie, OUT!

Lawnie wrote on 2021-06-06, 08:04:

And of course there's Hovertank 3D, which is by the id Software boys. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ai3lnMPomeU

You might want to set the soundblaster type in DosBOX to sb2 or sbpro1, and the IRQ to 7 instead of 5. (Or if it's already at 5, then to 7)

And also launch the game with 5000 fixed cycles. There's supposed to be really dumb soundblaster sounds. But it's likely a combination of the SB type being "too new" and cycles being "too fast" that the sound detection refuses to work.