I remember fighting this around 2009 wrt WINE ... some of these game titles use direct-input (dinput.dll), others use gameport.device or such. Iirc the dinput based games don't work in DOS, so you have to use gameport devices.

giantclam wrote on 2024-01-07, 00:15:

I remember fighting this around 2009 wrt WINE ... some of these game titles use direct-input (dinput.dll), others use gameport.device or such. Iirc the dinput based games don't work in DOS, so you have to use gameport devices.

Hey thanks for the response. I think I'm following what your saying.
Its really weird how AOE works natively and AOTP does not. Those games were released within a year from each other... (I think)

Also for further clarification.
Using the ACES CD edition.
I have tried different versions of RB to the same effect.

Not directly related, I can't speak for the rest of them or Red Baron, but I do know a bit about A-10.

There's been a least 1 joystick patch for a version prior to v1.5 (last version, additional campaigns) and maybe prior to v1.4.
IIRC the joystick patch was just a joystick patch it wasn't given a version no.
And the old v1.4 patch I found was by random (seems to be v rare). I was looking for something else at the time when I stumbled across it.
And I have a physical v1.x version (earlier than v1.4) sold in the UK.

So when it comes to Dynamix and joysticks you're right, you sometimes have to go down a bit of rabbit hole to search out old patches particularly when it comes to joystick issues.

darkenedroom wrote on 2024-01-07, 00:43:

So when it comes to Dynamix and joysticks you're right, you sometimes have to go down a bit of rabbit hole to search out old patches particularly when it comes to joystick issues.

Darkenedroom, your validation is equally comforting and nauseating =] Thank you.

So it appears that red baron uses the same game engine as A10 tank killer

https://dynamix.fandom.com/wiki/3Space#google_vignette

Which i had issues with on my dos pc.

As it turned out that the gameport was running too fast which is apparently a thing , I'm not 100% sure if its to do with having too fast of a cpu or too new of a sound card.

Anyway the solution was to slow down my gravis ultrasound clones gameport.
Without doing that i couldn't even toggle the joystick in the options menu.

You can do this with a utility called ultrajoy. So I dunno maybe there's a utility for adjusting gameport speed on a sb live somewhere?

AppleSauce wrote on 2024-01-07, 01:20:

So it appears that red baron uses the same game engine as A10 tank killer […]
Show full quote

So it appears that red baron uses the same game engine as A10 tank killer

https://dynamix.fandom.com/wiki/3Space#google_vignette

Which i had issues with on my dos pc.

As it turned out that the gameport was running too fast which is apparently a thing , I'm not 100% sure if its to do with having too fast of a cpu or too new of a sound card.

Anyway the solution was to slow down my gravis ultrasound clones gameport.
Without doing that i couldn't even toggle the joystick in the options menu.

You can do this with a utility called ultrajoy. So I dunno maybe there's a utility for adjusting gameport speed on a sb live somewhere?

That is really interesting. That seems very plausible.
No idea how on I would reduce speed on the sb live tho.

Any dos driver sb16 emu tweaks to be had out there?

This makes for an interesting read --> https://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/03/ … l-joystick.html

Again, only sort of related, there an A-10 v1.52b2 patch, part of the readme says:

This patch file will update your current version of A-10 Tank Killer to include a new joystick driver which corrects joystick problems, primarily those associated with using a fast computer (i.e. 386/33) with a game card that does not offer speed calibration.

Which suggests the problem was understood, so there 'might' be something similar out there for Red Baron given it used the same engine?

giantclam wrote on 2024-01-07, 03:31:

This makes for an interesting read --> https://nerdlypleasures.blogspot.com/2014/03/ … l-joystick.html

Thank is interesting... An analog dial for input speed control voltage...

Folks I think were on to something.

darkenedroom wrote on 2024-01-07, 04:16:

Again, only sort of related, there an A-10 v1.52b2 patch, part of the readme says:

This patch file will update your current version of A-10 Tank Killer to include a new joystick driver which corrects joystick problems, primarily those associated with using a fast computer (i.e. 386/33) with a game card that does not offer speed calibration.

Which suggests the problem was understood, so there 'might' be something similar out there for Red Baron given it used the same engine?

I think your right on!

I think xbaron might fix it. But i can not get it installed. I get a runtime error when i install. It might not like the cd version which I think is 1.05?

UPDATE

after thinking about the gameport voltage and cpu speed. I tried something random.

While in game option clicking on the joystick on option and moving the joystick to the left or right allows for the game to recognize the controller! Howbeit uncalibrated and not useful cause it never stops moving. It is a sign that the voltage change by moving the controller is enough to make it connect.

I tired this with AOTP and it does the exact same thing! Id imagine a10 would as well.

I am also using the LiveDOS audio drivers. Ive tried several different joy addresses but it doesn't change anything.

Does anyone know of other SB16 emulator configs to use??

Thanks for all the help thus far!

VICTORY!

The CPU cycles were the issue.

I downloaded Throttle.exe from this thread.

List of Slowdown Utilities (Beta)

http://www.oldskool.org/pc/throttle/DOS

Once throttled down to a 486 the Baron was captured! And the joystick was useful and AOTP returned to normal.

Thanks all! Hope this helps someone in the future.

-MagicDave
-just happy to be here.