There is an SVGA patch, have you tried that ?

http://dlh.net/cgi-bin/dlp.cgi?lang=eng&sys=p … t1_7.zip&ref=ps

If your graphics card is not supported by the univbe driver the game was shipped with, you might have better luck with a newer version - univbe 6.7 or Scitech Display Doctor 7 beta might help. But there is also a set of patched univbe drivers for older, embedded univbe versions (Uvelib ? what was that called ?)

Thanks J76. I looked for game patches but didnt see the one at Patches Scrolls - def try it out tonight. It may work with Overlord too since they share the same/similar VESA technicals.

The games have a VESA setup routine that offers several possible drivers geared for cards common in the day, and a 'Universal VESA Driver' in case you don't have a named part. I'll check out the Univbe links too, never messed with them before but I may now have a reason...

EDIT: extracted the Dawn Patrol patch files and looks pretty much like what I have installed though I won't know for sure until I get home. The Univbe stuff looks promising though...

The patch didn't help so I downloaded Univbe SDD [freeware version hosted by a distinguished Vogons member] and installed it. Not quite sure about it's usage yet. Ideally I'd like to associate the driver only with the few games that need it - invoking it during a custom Boot to Dos session. I need to figure out which file or files are involved and what the optimum autoexec.bat parameters are. I don't think I need the diagnostic software but I'm not sure.

Anyone with any pointers?

I have Dawn Patrol running in Hi-Res mode under DOS using the SDD Univbe dos driver. However the autoexec/configsys that works for Dawn doesn't yield enough conventional ram for Overlord. The big mem drain seems to the EMM parameter needed for these games to run in it's current configuration:
DEVICE=C\WINDOWS\EMM386.EXE I=A000-AFFF

Conventional memory is 609 if the I= stuff is changed to a normal RAM entry, but the games need the I= and mem falls to about 550, just enough for Dawn but far short for Overlord.

Any thoughts?

I think you may be able to include more memory locations for more place for loading drivers high. read about those /switches in dos's help.com and try msd.com for locating possible free memory areas. Also trying older dos ver may give you more mem

the memory tricks/settings in Rowan's detailed readme [same in bth games] only covers dos 3-6 which make sense if you say an older dos may help. I'm taking my first stabs at allocating mem locations in the EMM line, slow trial/error work, and yet an new undiscovered land...

With my hardware I can run Dawn Patrol in hi-res with full sound, just. Overlord requires more conventional memory and the best I can do for now is hi-res, music and gun sounds - no engine noise or other ambient efffects. Not really a go.

The issue is that unless you have a specific card like a Herculese or S3 which can use the in-game video drivers, you are forced to use the Universal driver which requires an I=A000-AFFF parameter to be included *in lieu" of a Ram parameter in EMM386. The net effect is nothing can be loaded high without the Ram parameter, so there is no way to beef up conventional memory with LoadHigh or DeviceHigh.

Just loading CtMouse [3kb] and Vibra16.exe [25kb] is too much for Overlord, but squeeks by with Patrol. If there were a way to load devices high with the I= parameter in EMM there would be no problems. Or if one had a lower profile dos audio driver, or native SB16 you could do it too. Perhaps UMBPCI.com can configure EMS and still load devices high..

1 out of 2 isn't that bad...