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Frederik Pohl's Gateway (Legend) and CGA graphics

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First post, by Jo22

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Hi everyone,

I've got a little "problem" and are looking for advice/your experience.

Just right now I'm working on an XT PCs and I can't upgrade graphics card to VGA (it has on-board CGA) so I decided to leave it "as is".
The only modification/upgrade I'm doing is to install a Hercules card, which isn't much of a problem.

What I'm really trying to do is to run Gateway in CGA mode, since the original box says something about CGA support (command is GATE CGA).
For some reason, though, the graphics never do appear. The interface however, yes, it works just fine.
- Not much different to how Wonderland (Magnetic Scrolls) works on CGA systems (no graphics).

So I digged out my original floppies (yes, I liked it so much that I bought the game once) and ran the installer.
To my surprise, though, my copy doesn't have the monochrome graphics. Maybe because it's v1.00?
Apparently, they were available through mail order once..

Now my question is, did the retail version(s) ever ship with the CGA/Tandy/MCGA files?
It's more of me being curious. I've searched the web, but found no screenshots.

The freeware version that was available on former Legend site is a set of zip files (w/ colour graphics),
it doesn't have the original floppy images or the installer.

Any thoughts heartly welcome.

Best wishes,
Jo22

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Reply 1 of 5, by BloodyCactus

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I have the archive big box, cga does not work on my GW1 copy from that cdrom.

the only cga that I can get working was Time Quest and S101. None of my others legend games would show cga.

I dont think EE, S301, GW2 have CGA/Tandy support.

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

Reply 2 of 5, by megatron-uk

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BloodyCactus wrote on 2024-04-12, 13:01:

I dont think EE, S301, GW2 have CGA/Tandy support.

Just tried GW2 now - it ignores the usual 'home.exe cga' parameter and starts in normal VGA mode.

My version of GW1 also doesn't show any graphics in CGA mode (it starts and shows the same mono interface as above). My guess is all the versions floating on the net are probably derived from the free version Legend Entertainment made available, and thus without the CGA graphics.

I'm surprised the missing CGA art wasn't rectified for the CD collections of the various Legend titles.

My collection database and technical wiki:
https://www.target-earth.net

Reply 3 of 5, by BloodyCactus

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megatron-uk wrote on 2024-04-12, 13:39:

Just tried GW2 now - it ignores the usual 'home.exe cga' parameter and starts in normal VGA mode.

My version of GW1 also doesn't show any graphics in CGA mode (it starts and shows the same mono interface as above). My guess is all the versions floating on the net are probably derived from the free version Legend Entertainment made available, and thus without the CGA graphics.

I'm surprised the missing CGA art wasn't rectified for the CD collections of the various Legend titles.

if you try and run ee/gw2/301 etc without vga at all, (ie: like a tandy machine) it will just spit an error message about cant initialise graphics.
I dont think they were built with cga/tandy drivers period.

this is the requirements off my lost adventures archive; no mention of cga/tandy period so I guess I cant quite fault the lack of cga graphics, even knowing cga works fine with TQ + S101.

OBi1DDSh.jpeg

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

Reply 4 of 5, by BitWrangler

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I vaguely remember an insert in my version about mailing for another support disk. I have the big box, but it's not on the shelf next to moonbase where I thought it was, I must have had it out to try on something, but can't remember where I put it at the moment. I hope I didn't put it "somewhere safe" or we may never see it again.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

Reply 5 of 5, by BitWrangler

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Aha, I found my copy, it was on the shelf I thought I looked on, but had a piece of paper flopping over it so couldn't tell...

So it is big box version 1.1 Included according to printed materials, are, VGA and EGA color, which works on 640k+ systems, and CGA, MCGA and Tandy which only render in black and white (640x200 hires 2 color mode) but will run on a machine with only 512k. There is a statement that high res Hercules mono support files can be ordered. I have 4 disks enclosed 1.44MB.

I think I have heard it said that many VGA cards do not support the high res CGA mode, even if they do other CGA modes.

Unicorn herding operations are proceeding, but all the totes of hens teeth and barrels of rocking horse poop give them plenty of hiding spots.

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