VOGONS


Rebel Assault

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First post, by GPalermo

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Hello. I have two different versions of Rebel Assault, the original DOS one, and the one included with the LucasArts Archives Volume II, which also runs in early versions of Windows. I am trying to run both in DOSBox 0.72. The DOS one won't open, saying there isn't enough extended memory, and the DOS/Win one will open, but once you die, or once you get into the asteroid field in level 2, it appears to run out of memory and crash, displaying a whole slew of white text. I've tried keeping just XMS enabled, and increasing the amount of memory DOSBox can use to up to 128MB. I already changed the IRQ for the SB16 emulation from 7 to 5, as suggested in SW:RA's readme, which allowed me to actually see the main menu and title screen without it crashing. I am not sure what else to do at this point.

Acer Travelmate 2420 laptop
Acer Garda 910 motherboard
Intel Celeron M 370 1.5GHz
1280MB DDR2 PC 5300 RAM
Intel Mobile 915GM
Realtek AC97
Windows XP Home Edition SP2

# This is the configurationfile for DOSBox 0.72.
# Lines starting with a # are commentlines.
# They are used to (briefly) document the effect of each option.

[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=false
fulldouble=true
fullresolution=1024x768
windowresolution=original
output=overlay
autolock=true
sensitivity=180
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.
# If forced is appended (like scaler=hq2x forced), the scaler will be used
# even if the result might not be desired.

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=max 50%
cycleup=200
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=44100
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=5
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=44100

[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. Covox Voice Master and Speech Thing compatible.

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 (supports one joystick, first joystick used),
# 4axis_2 (supports one joystick, second joystick used),
# 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=2axis
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=false
umb=false
keyboardlayout=none

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

ipx=false

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

mixer fm 350
mount C: C:\
mount D: E:\ -t cdrom -usecd 0 -ioctl
C:

Reply 1 of 12, by GPalermo

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A screenshot of the DOS/Win version crash.

Reply 2 of 12, by wd

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Please install the game within dosbox, that is create some directory on
your c-drive like c:\dosgames and mount that as c (mount c c:\dosgames),
then install the game.
If it claims not having enough memory, be sure that xms=true and ems=true,
or disable both for testing.

Try to stick to the sound defaults (irq=7) and use the game's setup to
select the correct sound card including parameters.

Reply 3 of 12, by GPalermo

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I did install it from within DOSBox, and I had the IRQ set at 7 originally, but the DOS/Win one was crashing halfway through the "calibration" thingy when you first open the game, and the game's readme said to change it to 5, or it won't work. With both set to true, it did nothing. I haven't tried setting them both to false but I can try.

EDIT: I tested it with both disabled, the DOS one gives me the same "Not enough extended memory" message. DOS/Win kept doing the same thing as well. I remember that it worked in DOSBox 0.63 rather well, I am going to try it there.

Reply 4 of 12, by Dominus

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hmm, worked really fine for me right now (I original CD-Rom version - in game it says V1.7) with the 0.72 release version Dosbox.
I have both ems/xms AND umb set to true. Memsize 16, default irqs.
Mountings:
mount c d:\spiele\dosi
mount d f:\ -t cdrom

Then I executed:
d:
rebel
There I went to advanced configuratin, chose SB 16 and let it autoselect and it works fine with the settings.
How do you start Rebel assault?

Reply 5 of 12, by GPalermo

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The exact same way, typing D: and then rebel. I got the DOS/Win one working flawlessly in 0.65, which I installed as well. I am going to try 0.72 with UMB set to true.

EDIT: The original DOS one still won't work in 0.72... so weird, as it worked in a PC that had 1/5 the RAM of this laptop. Only reason I'm not playing it on the desktop that it worked on is because it died in March.

EDIT 2: It won't work in 0.65 either still. Grrrrrr.

Reply 6 of 12, by Dominus

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hmm, is the game able to write to your C:\ drive? If you are running as a normal user not as admin you are normally not allowed to write to C:\
The game tries to write it's settings to \Rebel of the mounted dir.
If this directory exists plese copy paste the contents of reb.bat.

Edit for it not working on 0.65, it really seems to be a problem on your side and not an actual Dosbox problem.

Reply 7 of 12, by ADDiCT

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Didn't try the game in 0.72 yet, but it ran perfectly and without troubles in 0.65.

Here's some things i've noticed from your posts, and some things to try:

- You wrote you've changed the sound IRQ from 7 to 5. Did you also change the setting in dosbox.conf? Otherwise there will be trouble. You shouldn't have to change the IRQ anyway. I believe the readme proposes the IRQ change because on real hardware, IRQ 7 would be shared between LPT1 and the sound card, which could be a potential problem. This doesn't apply to DOSBox. Just use DOSBox' default settings.
- As Dominus wrote, do you have write access to your virtual c:\ drive, and is there enough hd space available?
- You are using the "overlay" output method. Try "ddraw" (preferred), or the other settings
- Try to use a fixed "cycles" setting, RA doesn't need that much CPU power anyway
- Try to replace RA's original DOS4GW.EXE with DOS/32A
- Delete all RA files and settings, mount your drives, and try to reinstall. Use the exact mountings when starting the game

Reply 8 of 12, by GPalermo

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I did change the setting in the dosbox.conf file.
I do have write access to my virtual C:\ drive, and there is plenty of HDD space.
I have tried using ddraw, to no avail.
I had the CPU settings set up for TIE-CD and XW-CD.
I shall try that.
I've tried that unsuccessfully.

And I know it's a problem on my end, since it ran flawlessly on DOSBox on anothr machine. Oh, and an update, the DOS/Win version is running great now in 0.72, now that I turned UMB on.

Reply 9 of 12, by wd

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As noted above reinstall the game using a SUBDIRECTORY for the virtual c drive.

Reply 10 of 12, by Dominus

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and please state what was written in the reb.bat. Also be aware that the two versions might write different settings to the same files and this might also cause problems for you.

Windows 3.1x guide for DOSBox
60 seconds guide to DOSBox
DOSBox SVN snapshot for macOS (10.4-11.x ppc/intel 32/64bit) notarized for gatekeeper

Reply 11 of 12, by GPalermo

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From C:\Rebel, used by the DOS/Win one:
D:
cd \
D:\assault /x2 /c3 /b220 /i5 /d5 /s700000 /f15 /t300 /u0

From C:\Tester\Rebel, the folder off of virtual C, used by the DOS one:
D:
cd \
D:\assault /x2 /c3 /b220 /i5 /d5 /s700000 /f15 /t300 /u0