VOGONS


First post, by dyna

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Hello guys,
I'm playing Another World with DOSBox using the keyboard and I've come to think: in the 90's, could you play this game without a joystick, using only an IBM's keyboard?
Reading the original manual of the game it seems that only with a Macintosh you could do this.

https://evercade.info/wp-content/uploads/2023 … other_World.pdf

Is it true?
Thanks for your help.

Reply 1 of 13, by dr_st

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Unless you set up a keyboard-to-gamepad mapping in DOSBOX, then whatever keyboard controls you are using now, would be the same on a real DOS machine.

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Reply 2 of 13, by dyna

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Thank you, but then, what were the original keyboard controls to play Another World on a real DOS machine without a joystick?

Reply 3 of 13, by ripsaw8080

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The keys for the DOS PC version are just as stated in the manual, but what may not be obvious is choosing keyboard control rather than joystick control in the included CONFIG.EXE program.

Reply 4 of 13, by dyna

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The answer is simple: I haven't a joystick. Besides, I didn't see any keyboard controls for the DOS PC version in the posted manual, except the pause and the sound keys.
But if you'll find another official source with the keyboard controls for DOS, I'll be very happy to look at that.

Reply 6 of 13, by feda

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dyna wrote on Today, 03:33:

The answer is simple: I haven't a joystick. Besides, I didn't see any keyboard controls for the DOS PC version in the posted manual, except the pause and the sound keys.
But if you'll find another official source with the keyboard controls for DOS, I'll be very happy to look at that.

The DOS version doesn't require a joystick, it works with a keyboard. Think with your head, the keys are all the same.
If you want an official source, go find the Interplay instruction booklet, for example. Do your own homework, you have the internet at your fingertips.

Reply 7 of 13, by wbahnassi

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Back in the 90's many players not only played it on the keyboard, but they played pirated copies as well, so no manuals.
I remember as a kid seeing the copy protection screen and not understanding even that it was a copy protection. My copy was French even, and I had zero French knowledge. But... so it goes with PC games at the time: we start exploring controls using the typical "action buttons" such as Space, Enter, Left Shift, Alt and Ctrl (thanks to Keen). Another World was super easy to figure out, as it played entirely with just one button (Enter) and the arrow keys.

It's not a very difficult game either. I remember we finished it very quickly. It had some annoying levels like rolling in the ducts, and the big water pool puzzle. Most other levels just go very smoothly.

Turbo XT 12MHz, 8-bit VGA, Dual 360K drives
Intel 386 DX-33, Speedstar 24X, SB 1.5, 1x CD
Intel 486 DX2-66, CL5428 VLB, SBPro 2, 2x CD
Intel Pentium 90, Matrox Millenium 2, SB16, 4x CD
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Reply 9 of 13, by dyna

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feda wrote on Today, 05:33:
dyna wrote on Today, 03:33:

The answer is simple: I haven't a joystick. Besides, I didn't see any keyboard controls for the DOS PC version in the posted manual, except the pause and the sound keys.
But if you'll find another official source with the keyboard controls for DOS, I'll be very happy to look at that.

The DOS version doesn't require a joystick, it works with a keyboard. Think with your head, the keys are all the same.
If you want an official source, go find the Interplay instruction booklet, for example. Do your own homework, you have the internet at your fingertips.

Hi feda... ehm... Happy, say hello to Snow White for me.

Reply 10 of 13, by dyna

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wbahnassi wrote on Today, 05:58:

Back in the 90's many players not only played it on the keyboard, but they played pirated copies as well, so no manuals.
I remember as a kid seeing the copy protection screen and not understanding even that it was a copy protection. My copy was French even, and I had zero French knowledge. But... so it goes with PC games at the time: we start exploring controls using the typical "action buttons" such as Space, Enter, Left Shift, Alt and Ctrl (thanks to Keen). Another World was super easy to figure out, as it played entirely with just one button (Enter) and the arrow keys.

It's not a very difficult game either. I remember we finished it very quickly. It had some annoying levels like rolling in the ducts, and the big water pool puzzle. Most other levels just go very smoothly.

I've read your memories about that time and this game and it was really interesting.
As I wrote, I was playing the game with the keyboard and suddenly I ask myself: "Ok, I'm playing this pirated copy and I like it, but were the Enter and the arrow keys the official keys at that time?"
So I started to look for the official manual to find something similar to what is written for example in Prince of Persia's user guide (see the Keyboard Control chapter at page 6):

http://www.abandonia.com/files/extras/26916_E … ment_Manual.pdf

But it seems that for Another World they decided that the keyboard control for the DOS versions, as is the Enter and the arrow keys, wouldn't been printed.
Ok, as you like it, Delphine guys.

P.S. Who is Keen?

Reply 11 of 13, by wbahnassi

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Keen, Commander Keen. (read it with a Sean Connery voice 😋) It used Ctrl for jump and Alt for the pogo stick.. and both buttons at the same time for shooting the zapper. It confused me a lot when I first played it. Somehow ID Software seem to love using Ctrl for action. I remember I got both Commander Keen 1 and Dangerous Dave games at the same time. I was drawn to Dave's colorful graphics, but for the life of me, couldn't figure out how to shoot the gun or fire up the jetpack until my friends told me that Ctrl and Alt are now a thing to try.

Turbo XT 12MHz, 8-bit VGA, Dual 360K drives
Intel 386 DX-33, Speedstar 24X, SB 1.5, 1x CD
Intel 486 DX2-66, CL5428 VLB, SBPro 2, 2x CD
Intel Pentium 90, Matrox Millenium 2, SB16, 4x CD
HP Z400, Xeon 3.46GHz, YMF-744, Voodoo3, RTX2080Ti

Reply 12 of 13, by feda

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dyna wrote on Today, 07:55:
feda wrote on Today, 05:33:
dyna wrote on Today, 03:33:

The answer is simple: I haven't a joystick. Besides, I didn't see any keyboard controls for the DOS PC version in the posted manual, except the pause and the sound keys.
But if you'll find another official source with the keyboard controls for DOS, I'll be very happy to look at that.

The DOS version doesn't require a joystick, it works with a keyboard. Think with your head, the keys are all the same.
If you want an official source, go find the Interplay instruction booklet, for example. Do your own homework, you have the internet at your fingertips.

Hi feda... ehm... Happy, say hello to Snow White for me.

What does that mean?

Reply 13 of 13, by dyna

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wbahnassi wrote on Today, 09:33:

Keen, Commander Keen. (read it with a Sean Connery voice 😋) It used Ctrl for jump and Alt for the pogo stick.. and both buttons at the same time for shooting the zapper. It confused me a lot when I first played it. Somehow ID Software seem to love using Ctrl for action. I remember I got both Commander Keen 1 and Dangerous Dave games at the same time. I was drawn to Dave's colorful graphics, but for the life of me, couldn't figure out how to shoot the gun or fire up the jetpack until my friends told me that Ctrl and Alt are now a thing to try.

Wow! Keen will be my next game, I promise.