VOGONS

Search

Common searches

Analyzing game logic with the DOSBox debugger?

Topic actions

First post, by jez

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Hi, I'm a software developer and I've dabbled in a bit of debugging but never DOS debugging before and I was wondering how viable this is.

I basically want to analyze the game logic of the Sierra/Impressions game Detroit. It has some mysterious game mechanics with how it determines car sales. The DOSBox debugger seems quite rudimentary, so how viable is it for me to debug this game with DOSBox debugger and figure out how it does its calculations?

== Jez ==

Reply 2 of 4, by BloodyCactus

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

I prefer soft ice + idapro over dosbox, but only because thats what I learned back in the days. using dosbox debugger is as viable as any other debugger. if your familiar with debugging on dos, you should be right at home.

--/\-[ Stu : Bloody Cactus :: [ https://bloodycactus.com :: http://kråketær.com ]-/\--

Reply 3 of 4, by jez

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Member
Rank
Member

Yeah but I'm not sure it's viable really. I mean you decompile the EXE with something like IDA or Reko Decompiler and you get a ton of stuff that is almost impossible to follow. I can't really seem to find any tutorials on understanding decompiled DOS binaries either.

== Jez ==

Reply 4 of 4, by BloodyCactus

Posted on 
User metadata
Rank Oldbie
Rank
Oldbie

well, if you cant understand assembler from ida, dosbox debugger is no different. its all assembly.

--/\-[ Stu : Bloody Cactus :: [ https://bloodycactus.com :: http://kråketær.com ]-/\--

Go to top of page Go to top of page
Back to DOSBox Development
Close window
Close window