Harpoon Classic & others DOS versions

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All Forums >> [Current Games From Matrix.] >> [Modern] >> Larry Bond's Harpoon - Ultimate Edition >> Harpoon Classic & others DOS versions

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Harpoon Classic & others DOS versions - 5/30/2018 4:35:21 PM

britten

Posts: 72
Joined: 6/17/2017
From: Nederland
Status: offline

I'm in a sentimental mood lately so I would like to play the Dos Harpoon Classic from 90s era. I know it's been included in Ultimate Edition super-pack (which I should finally get soon). I wonder, does 1.5 version, available in the box, require installed DosBox to play (so only game files are included) or all those games are already prepared to run on modern comupters?

< Message edited by britten -- 5/30/2018 5:41:02 PM >

Post #: 1

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 5:01:33 PM

stilesw

Posts: 1497
Joined: 6/26/2014
From: Hansville, WA, USA
Status: offline

britten,

Since Windows 7 the old DOSBox version 0.74 has not been reliable. However, with Windows 10, I've had good success with some of the DOSBox versions referenced here:

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=IL8OW7_BJ4TQ9AOTraKADw&q=svn-daum+version+of+dosbox&oq=svn-daum&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0j0i30k1l2.5930985.5932653.0.5935064.8.8.0.0.0.0.133.507.7j1.8.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.8.504...0i131k1.0.3MW1wcKkGXA

To my knowledge, DOSBox is probably the best way to run the original Harpoon versions on current systems.

Of course if you only have origianl 5.25" floppy disks (or even 3.5" FDDS) you may have a problem using them unless you have an older PC with one of those floppy disk drives networked. That's how I am still able to run some of the old MicroProse games. The graphics are not stellar though.

-Wayne Stiles

_____________________________

�There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care a straw who gets the credit for it.�

Charles Edward Montague, English novelist and essayist
~Disenchantment, ch. 15 (1922)

(in reply to britten)

Post #: 2

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 7:19:18 PM

TonyE

Posts: 1551
Joined: 5/23/2006
From: MN, USA
Status: offline

Thank you Wayne, I was struggling to fully understand the question. Britten, you have no way out of the box of running WinHarp 1.62B GE nor SEs from 1.62B thru HC Gold 2003.16b3 since they are 16-bit Windows applications (assuming you are running a 64-bit version of Windows).

I don't dig out the old versions often but a quick attempt with the DOSBox bundled (0.73) runs fine here with Harpoon 1.58E GE (Game Engine) on Windows 10 Pro 64-bit.

The Ultimate Edition installer puts the game files on your drive as well as DOSBox so if you have a machine that can run the old DOS builds natively, the files are available to you. If you happen to have Windows 10 32-bit I imagine you can probably run them directly with that, for 64-bit Windows 10 you need some manner of virtual machine such as DOSBox.

Wayne, what does "not been reliable" mean for you in terms of these games?

You all want to play the current build anyway right? :) http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/2049-current-files/

_____________________________

Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner

(in reply to stilesw)

Post #: 3

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 7:46:20 PM

britten

Posts: 72
Joined: 6/17/2017
From: Nederland
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: TonyE
The Ultimate Edition installer puts the game files on your drive as well as DOSBox...

Thank you and sorry for creating confusion. I think that quoted text answers my question which was - do I have to install and configure DosBox manually to run Harpoon Classic 94' from Ultimate Edition or maybe the HC94' version already comes with configured DosBox instance?

I use 64-bit Windows 7.

(in reply to TonyE)

Post #: 4

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 7:54:43 PM

TonyE

Posts: 1551
Joined: 5/23/2006
From: MN, USA
Status: offline

I'm understanding better now, thanks!

DOSBox 0.73 comes configured as part of the Ultimate Edition package.

I wrote a launcher program HC20Run.exe that looks like the attached.

Attachment (1)

_____________________________

Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner

(in reply to britten)

Post #: 5

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 7:57:32 PM

TonyE

Posts: 1551
Joined: 5/23/2006
From: MN, USA
Status: offline

You click on the version you want to run and it shows a sub-menu of components you may be able to run on your computer.
(note PE, OW, SC are greyed out, in this case meaning they didn't exist for that version, in other cases it will mean your computer just can't run them).

Attachment (1)

(in reply to TonyE)

Post #: 6

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 8:01:00 PM

TonyE

Posts: 1551
Joined: 5/23/2006
From: MN, USA
Status: offline

Clicking on the component, such as 1.58E Game Engine in this case will launch DOSBox right into the game with what may or may not be reasonable defaults for your setup. If they aren't reasonable, let us know and we'll help. Often it is changing settings to get a more optimal resolution.

Attachment (1)

_____________________________

Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner

(in reply to TonyE)

Post #: 7

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 8:16:27 PM

stilesw

Posts: 1497
Joined: 6/26/2014
From: Hansville, WA, USA
Status: offline

quote:

Wayne, what does "not been reliable" mean for you in terms of these games?

Tony,

Actually, for Windows 10, I should have said "not at all" for the original version 0.74 DosBox located at https://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1.

That's why I referenced the "SVN" implementations for which there are many sites available.

-Wayne

_____________________________

�There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care a straw who gets the credit for it.�

Charles Edward Montague, English novelist and essayist
~Disenchantment, ch. 15 (1922)

(in reply to TonyE)

Post #: 8

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 8:41:35 PM

britten

Posts: 72
Joined: 6/17/2017
From: Nederland
Status: offline

TonyE -

for excellent help!

Now I just need to wait a few days for my paycheque so I'll be able to fire Harpoon once again...after more than 20 years!

(in reply to stilesw)

Post #: 9

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 8:45:13 PM

TonyE

Posts: 1551
Joined: 5/23/2006
From: MN, USA
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: britten

TonyE - for excellent help!
Now I just need to wait a few days for my paycheque so I'll be able to fire Harpoon once again...after more than 20 years!

Hehe, looking forward to hearing about your exploits. If you don't need to edit scenarios right away or modify the database you can give the demo a try, http://harpgamer.com/harpforum/index.php?/topic/3446-hce-demo-available/
There is enough gameplay there to keep you busy for quite a while.

_____________________________

Sincerely,
Tony Eischens
Harpoon (HC, HCE, HUCE, Classic) programmer
HarpGamer.com Co-Owner

(in reply to britten)

Post #: 10

RE: 1989 DOS version - 5/30/2018 8:57:37 PM

stilesw

Posts: 1497
Joined: 6/26/2014
From: Hansville, WA, USA
Status: offline

Tony,

I found and downloaded your launcher program sometime ago. Good work.

-Wayne

_____________________________

�There is no limit to what a man can do so long as he does not care a straw who gets the credit for it.�

Charles Edward Montague, English novelist and essayist
~Disenchantment, ch. 15 (1922)

(in reply to TonyE)

Post #: 11