VOGONS


First post, by A Final Unity

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Hallo!

I'm running Star Trek: The Next Generation: A Final Unity with the newest DosBox 0.70. Everything works, thanks to the developers, really fine. 😁 But the trouble is that the game freezes when the enemy ship explodes. 😢 Sometimes it also freezes earlier. Besides, tactical works fine, too. However, the critical point is the explosion.
How do I get beyond that point?

My dosbox.conf:

[sdl] # fullscreen -- Start dosbox directly in fullscreen. # fulldouble -- Use double buffering in fullscreen. # fullresolution […]
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[sdl]
# fullscreen -- Start dosbox directly in fullscreen.
# fulldouble -- Use double buffering in fullscreen.
# fullresolution -- What resolution to use for fullscreen: original or fixed size (e.g. 1024x768).
# windowresolution -- Scale the window to this size IF the output device supports hardware scaling.
# output -- What to use for output: surface,overlay,opengl,openglnb,ddraw.
# autolock -- Mouse will automatically lock, if you click on the screen.
# sensitiviy -- Mouse sensitivity.
# waitonerror -- Wait before closing the console if dosbox has an error.
# priority -- Priority levels for dosbox: lowest,lower,normal,higher,highest,pause (when not focussed).
# Second entry behind the comma is for when dosbox is not focused/minimized.
# mapperfile -- File used to load/save the key/event mappings from.
# usescancodes -- Avoid usage of symkeys, might not work on all operating systems.

fullscreen=true
fulldouble=false
fullresolution=original
windowresolution=original
output=surface
autolock=true
sensitivity=500
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,normal
mapperfile=mapper.txt
usescancodes=true

[dosbox]
# language -- Select another language file.
# memsize -- Amount of memory dosbox has in megabytes.
# machine -- The type of machine tries to emulate:hercules,cga,tandy,pcjr,vga.
# captures -- Directory where things like wave,midi,screenshot get captured.

language=
machine=vga
captures=capture
memsize=32

[render]
# frameskip -- How many frames dosbox skips before drawing one.
# aspect -- Do aspect correction, if your output method doesn't support scaling this can slow things down!.
# scaler -- Scaler used to enlarge/enhance low resolution modes.
# Supported are none,normal2x,normal3x,advmame2x,advmame3x,hq2x,hq3x,
# 2xsai,super2xsai,supereagle,advinterp2x,advinterp3x,
# tv2x,tv3x,rgb2x,rgb3x,scan2x,scan3x.

frameskip=0
aspect=false
scaler=normal2x

[cpu]
# core -- CPU Core used in emulation: normal,simple,dynamic,auto.
# auto switches from normal to dynamic if appropriate.
# cycles -- Amount of instructions dosbox tries to emulate each millisecond.
# Setting this value too high results in sound dropouts and lags.
# You can also let DOSBox guess the correct value by setting it to max.
# The default setting (auto) switches to max if appropriate.
# cycleup -- Amount of cycles to increase/decrease with keycombo.
# cycledown Setting it lower than 100 will be a percentage.

core=dynamic
cycles=50000
cycleup=100
cycledown=100

[mixer]
# nosound -- Enable silent mode, sound is still emulated though.
# rate -- Mixer sample rate, setting any devices higher than this will
# probably lower their sound quality.
# blocksize -- Mixer block size, larger blocks might help sound stuttering
# but sound will also be more lagged.
# prebuffer -- How many milliseconds of data to keep on top of the blocksize.

nosound=false
rate=22050
blocksize=2048
prebuffer=10

[midi]
# mpu401 -- Type of MPU-401 to emulate: none, uart or intelligent.
# device -- Device that will receive the MIDI data from MPU-401.
# This can be default,alsa,oss,win32,coreaudio,none.
# config -- Special configuration options for the device. In Windows put
# the id of the device you want to use. See README for details.

mpu401=intelligent
device=default
config=

[sblaster]
# sbtype -- Type of sblaster to emulate:none,sb1,sb2,sbpro1,sbpro2,sb16.
# sbbase,irq,dma,hdma -- The IO/IRQ/DMA/High DMA address of the soundblaster.
# mixer -- Allow the soundblaster mixer to modify the dosbox mixer.
# oplmode -- Type of OPL emulation: auto,cms,opl2,dualopl2,opl3.
# On auto the mode is determined by sblaster type.
# All OPL modes are 'Adlib', except for CMS.
# oplrate -- Sample rate of OPL music emulation.

sbtype=sb16
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=22050

[gus]
# gus -- Enable the Gravis Ultrasound emulation.
# gusbase,irq1,irq2,dma1,dma2 -- The IO/IRQ/DMA addresses of the
# Gravis Ultrasound. (Same IRQ's and DMA's are OK.)
# gusrate -- Sample rate of Ultrasound emulation.
# ultradir -- Path to Ultrasound directory. In this directory
# there should be a MIDI directory that contains
# the patch files for GUS playback. Patch sets used
# with Timidity should work fine.

gus=true
gusrate=22050
gusbase=240
irq1=5
irq2=5
dma1=3
dma2=3
ultradir=C:\ULTRASND

[speaker]
# pcspeaker -- Enable PC-Speaker emulation.
# pcrate -- Sample rate of the PC-Speaker sound generation.
# tandy -- Enable Tandy Sound System emulation (off,on,auto).
# For auto Tandysound emulation is present only if machine is set to tandy.
# tandyrate -- Sample rate of the Tandy 3-Voice generation.
# disney -- Enable Disney Sound Source emulation.

pcspeaker=true
pcrate=22050
tandy=auto
tandyrate=22050
disney=true

[joystick]
# joysticktype -- Type of joystick to emulate: auto (default), none,
# 2axis (supports two joysticks), 4axis,
# fcs (Thrustmaster), ch (CH Flightstick).
# none disables joystick emulation.
# auto chooses emulation depending on real joystick(s).
# timed -- enable timed intervals for axis. (false is old style behaviour).
# autofire -- continuously fires as long as you keep the button pressed.
# swap34 -- swap the 3rd and the 4th axis. can be useful for certain joysticks.
# buttonwrap -- enable button wrapping at the number of emulated buttons.

joysticktype=auto
timed=true
autofire=false
swap34=false
buttonwrap=true

[serial]
# serial1-4 -- set type of device connected to com port.
# Can be disabled, dummy, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# Additional parameters must be in the same line in the form of
# parameter:value. Parameter for all types is irq.
# for directserial: realport (required), rxdelay (optional).
# for modem: listenport (optional).
# for nullmodem: server, rxdelay, txdelay, telnet, usedtr,
# transparent, port, inhsocket (all optional).
# Example: serial1=modem listenport:5000

serial1=dummy
serial2=dummy
serial3=disabled
serial4=disabled

[dos]
# xms -- Enable XMS support.
# ems -- Enable EMS support.
# umb -- Enable UMB support.
# keyboardlayout -- Language code of the keyboard layout (or none).

xms=true
ems=true
umb=true
keyboardlayout=none

[ipx]
# ipx -- Enable ipx over UDP/IP emulation.

ipx=false

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.

mount c c:\
mount d d:\ -t cdrom
c:
cd sttng
sttng

Thanks!

Reply 2 of 23, by A Final Unity

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I have tried it with core=normal and cycles=20,000.
Except for a slower setup of the tactical station it worked likewise. The freeze problem when an enemy ship explodes is still there.

Reply 4 of 23, by red_avatar

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This is odd, I didn't have that problem when I tried the game in one of the 0.66 betas. I blew up the Garelian war ship at the beginning of the game and it just exploded normally. I'll give it another go tonight on 0.70. Does it happen with ALL battles though?

Reply 5 of 23, by A Final Unity

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I never tried 0.65 since the DosBox-site stated that 0.63 would be the best supported version for AFU (now I would say 0.70 is the best). And with version 0.63 the same problem occured. I doubt it would be any better if I tried 0.65. Could it be that the explosion sound overstrains the sound emulation?
The game works almost perfectly, instead of the sound. The sound is ok but it has an ambient noise that sounds like the range scanners in Alien 2.

@ red_avatar:
I never battled the garidian warbird since I decided for the peaceful solution. On account of this decision my first battle contact was after the Romulan invasion with the warbird Cionex.

Last edited by A Final Unity on 2007-03-09, 17:39. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 9 of 23, by A Final Unity

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I tried it without sound. No discernible effect. The dosbox.conf also states that the sound would be emulated though if the sound is shut off.

red_avatar wrote:

This is odd, I didn't have that problem when I tried the game in one of the 0.66 betas. I blew up the Garelian war ship at the beginning of the game and it just exploded normally. I'll give it another go tonight on 0.70. Does it happen with ALL battles though?

Hmm. Is there any chance to get this beta-version?
Is anyone so kind?

@ red_avatar:

OK, I try to battle the Garidian warbird at the start. 😉

Last edited by A Final Unity on 2007-03-09, 19:49. Edited 2 times in total.

Reply 11 of 23, by A Final Unity

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Ok, the Garidian warbird is destroyable.

wd wrote:

If you disable the sound in the game (setup/install whatever) it isn't emulated.

I will try this proposal as well.

Last edited by A Final Unity on 2007-03-09, 19:50. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 12 of 23, by leileilol

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I've had it freeze when talking to Data once 🙁

Oh and another weird final unity problem with the setup, the cd speed check hangs, if you play from an image that is

apsosig.png
long live PCem

Reply 14 of 23, by LoneLines

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leileilol:
I ran a long test about CD speed checks, it usually works fine on dynamic and cycles = max (it hangs on others I think when running from CD Image)
Also it doesn't really hang, it's just working really really slow (leave it for about 10 minutes and come back)

A Final Unity:
Make sure you configured the sound to use IRQ7
Also, if you want us to test the ship blowing up, please post a save game with instructions on how to reproduce the problem

LoneLines list of workarounds for various games in DOSBox:
http://ADogsBox.jellofishi.com

Reply 15 of 23, by A Final Unity

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I've shut off the sound via the game setup. I've also tried several other sound options. And the problem's kept the same.

LoneLines wrote:

A Final Unity:
Make sure you configured the sound to use IRQ7
Also, if you want us to test the ship blowing up, please post a save game with instructions on how to reproduce the problem

In the game setup is Soundblaster 16/AWE32 selected. 220, 7, 5. So IRQ7 is selected.

I have attached a rar of my saves.

Instructions:
1. Choose ingame save Mission 3. The Enterprise is almost at its destination.
2. Choose twice answer 1.
3. The battle against the Romulan warbird starts.
4. Before its destruction the Commander of the Cionex talks to you.
5. Whatever answer you choose the Commander will selfdestruct his warbird.
6. Explosion of the warbird. Game freezes.

Attachments

  • Filename
    SAVEGAME.rar
    File size
    91.16 KiB
    Downloads
    464 downloads
    File license
    Fair use/fair dealing exception

Reply 16 of 23, by red_avatar

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I used your save game and nothing happened. After the ship self destructed, I went back to the bridge. You seem to be using a german version though because it said "sterrenflotte" or something like that. Maybe you need to try and reinstall the game?

Reply 17 of 23, by A Final Unity

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red_avatar wrote:

I used your save game and nothing happened. After the ship self destructed, I went back to the bridge. You seem to be using a german version though because it said "sterrenflotte" or something like that. Maybe you need to try and reinstall the game?

I don't know what a reinstallation should change.
So more different than the english version shouldn't be the german since I can also choose via the game setup english text. Then it's identical with yours.
I only came through one time but I unfortunately didn't save. Although it would be frustating there will be no other choice for me to maybe try hundred times to come through another time.
Thanks anyway.

Reply 18 of 23, by red_avatar

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I could go past the point and make a savegame for you - but that wouldn't solve the problem of it happening. Try installing anyway - if a certain sound file is damaged ... Is this an original CD?

Reply 19 of 23, by A Final Unity

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red_avatar wrote:

I could go past the point and make a savegame for you - but that wouldn't solve the problem of it happening. Try installing anyway - if a certain sound file is damaged ... Is this an original CD?

Yes, the CD ist of course an original.
I don't know how a sound file could have been damaged.
But I remember that many years ago under native DOS I probably had the same problem in order to coming past the Cionex-destruction, too. How I solved that problem and prevented the game from being freezed I don't know any more.
But a save shortly thereafter as an attachment would be very kind. 😘
I think the destructions of other ships than the Cionex should be as unproblematic as the destruction of the Garadian warbird, so I should be helped out until the game's end.