QFG Collection Series and Dragon Fire Vista 64bit

[TheLonelyPaladin]

So I'm playing through the whole series on my Vista64 based machine, here's what I have so far:

QFG1 EGA: Haven't tried

QFG1 VGA: Runs fine in DosBox, played beginning to end. Only issue is that it fails to create the .sav file when I try to export

QFG2: Runs fine in DosBox, played beginning to end. Only issue is that it fails to create the .sav file when I try to export

QFG3: Runs well in DosBox, with exception of some long load times at certain points (I mean like 2-3 minutes). Still doesn't create the .sav file when exporting. Frankly though, runs better on my current machine in DosBox than it EVER ran back in the day.

QFG4: Runs like hammer yack ass. Overspeed problems out the woozoh. Combat nearly impossible to do to overspeed. Error 42 at tomb unresolvable. Can't get patches to apply properly. Clocking DosBox down to as slow as I can possibly get it fixes combat, but doesn't resolve error 42 at the tomb which makes the game unfinishable.

QFGV: Runs great in Vista64 natively set to compatability mode for Windows '95, visual themes, colors, dpi scaling (basically everything on the compability tab) diabled. The problem here is not the game. The problem here is the patches. The .exe files for the 1.1 and 1.2 patches are 16bit applications and won't run on a 64bit OS, so I can play the game as it is just fine, but can't patch it, so I have to play around those issues. What's REALLY wierd is I only have about half the issues and none of the major ones... for instance, Newar's discription contains typos, but I don't get the in-escapable snoring in the Adventurer's Guild, and I can enter the Dragon's Blood Pool multiple times. I'll have to see if it let's me finish the Ring of Truth, and marry Katrina (though clearly not with the same toon ). It's worht mentioning that I had the all-to-common Error 117 corruption issue with my retail install disk, and had to rebuild it with some files I got on the net, but the files I had issue with where .mov files, so it doesn't seem like that would fix anything... much less only certain things (honestly the only bug I've noticed is the typo when looking at Newar, was that always there after patching?). My retail copy of the game is an import BTW, bought it on eBay from Great Britain and the disk labels are slightly diffrent than I remember, so I don't know if it's possible a newer printing or something.

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts... (or incites into fixing QFGIV) I'd appriciate the feedback.

[TheLonelyPaladin]

oOOOO... I forgot an important detail. QFGIV is the only game on the Collection Series disc that won't install from the Collection Series Front-Load menu. I actually had to download a ripped and cracked verison that I could just copy to my hard drive without installing... so the FIRST step would be to figure out how I can install the legitimate copy from the Collection Series Disc... at that point I should be able to apply the SCI fixes like normal... in theory.

[JonWW]

Are you telling the game to save the .sav file to a:\? cause that drive is most likely not mapped. Try telling the game to save the .sav file to c:\

For QFG4 run QG4INST.EXE from the CD. Don't forget to copy resource.aud from the CD.

[TheLonelyPaladin]

Thanks for the reply!

Yeah, I'm trying to save to C:\filename.sav and actually, I'm getting the message saying it worked ingame, but the file isn't there. I've been using Importer '95 (incidentially, there's a trick to installing it in Vista, if anyone need's the .dll to make it work, let me know) by I'd like to be able to play a legitimate pure character strieght through.

I was actually thinking about mounting my Floppy drive in DosBox (YES I actually have a one) and seeing if that worked... but I don't see any logical reason why it would work any diffrantly.

I did not know about copying resource.aud, do I copy that before or after I install and where do I copy it to?

[Erpy]

Instead of putting in "c:\filename", can't you just put in "filename" without any drive or so? It should save in the game folder itself.

[JonWW]

You copy resource.aud after the install, and you copy it to the directory you installed the game to. This is the file that contains the voices for the game. If you don't want to copy it to your hard drive you could just map your CD drive in DOSBOX, but make sure that it's the same drive that is linked in your resource.cfg file. Another thing with the resource.cfg is that you might want to edit it using notepad or some other text editor. I deleted the directory= line and changed the following...

resAUD=.
resSFX=.
patchDir=.

The . tells the game that the files are in the current directory.
Notice resAUD=. you would change this to the drive letter that you have the CD mapped to in DOSBOX if you don't copy resource.aud from your CD.

[TheLonelyPaladin]

So I can just copy it into my install directory and be good to go? That would be my preferance. I prefer to not have my DVD Drives working in DosBox as much as I can get away with it (not to mention that disc was buried in closet for years, and tends to be a little sketchy and should be used as little as possible).

[ThreeHeadedMonkey]

I'd suggest you make a backup of that disc. You can copy it or make an image of it with something like ImgBurn. I make backups of mostly everything, personally. Especially old games. You just never know...

[JonWW]

Yes, also make sure that you edit the resource.cfg file as well so the game knows where resource.aud is located at, and you should be good to go I'm not sure how Vista handles it's shortcuts, but it should be like XP. My shortcut for QFG4 looks like this:

Target type: Application
Target location: DOSBox-0.72
Target: "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.72\dosbox.exe" "C:\SIERRA\Quest for Glory\QG4CD\SIERRA.EXE" -scaler normal3x -noconsole -exit
Start in: "C:\Program Files\DOSBox-0.72"
Shortcut key: None
Run: Normal window

You can even add an Icon from the CD to the shortcut just be sure to copy it to the hard disk as well

[Schloss Ritter]

When running patch executables, are you enabling Compatibility Mode for each of those patching programs? Don't know if that always helps though.

And using some kind of frontend for DosBox always helps in saving configurations and such. I've used D-Fend ever since I found it, but there may be a better one out also.

[TheLonelyPaladin]

I'd suggest you make a backup of that disc. You can copy it or make an image of it with something like ImgBurn. I make backups of mostly everything, personally. Especially old games. You just never know...

Oh yes... did that... disc is old and battered enough as it is!

[TheLonelyPaladin]

When running patch executables, are you enabling Compatibility Mode for each of those patching programs? Don't know if that always helps though.

And using some kind of frontend for DosBox always helps in saving configurations and such. I've used D-Fend ever since I found it, but there may be a better one out also.

No, doesn't work... that works with older 32bit apps (like the game itself), but when to comes to 16bit apps, in a 64 bit OS it just ain't happenin'

[TheLonelyPaladin]

Ok... I ran d:\qg4cd\qg4inst.exe and got the following:

FATAL ERROR: Can't find text entry for 'videoPrompt'.
This can be caused by a missing INSTALL.TXT or INSTALL.HLP file.
Module : TEXTDICT.CCP(203)
Press Esc to abort...


I'm thinking corruption on the disc. Anyone concur, or have another thought?

[TheLonelyPaladin]

Oh crap... this thing is horsed!

There's 4 files showing in the d:\qfg4cd directory... that ain't right at all.

[JonWW]

I believe there is only 4 files in the QFG4CD directory... The files for QFG4CD are not located in a folder.
Try running D:\QFG4INST.EXE and see what happens... If that doesn't work you could try installing it within DOSBox.

[Sandsai]

Try this maybe. http://www.tawmis.com/collector/Patches ... tml#QfG4CD It is a DosBoxInstaller for QfG4CD. But there is even an easier way how to get QfG4 running detailed here http://www.tawmis.com/collector/Games/Q ... OSBox.html I went with the latter option and everything worked fine for me. In so far as the load times are concerned, try turning up the speed, the cycles, I think its ctrl+F12? It has worked for me. Good luck.

[Eldragon]

I installed QFG1-4 from the QFG Anthology CD from within DOS Box. I then just run the games from DosBox. works great every time.

However, I too was unable to patch QFG 5 in Vista 64 bit. What I did to work around it was:

1) installed Windows XP 32 bit on virtual machine (or just use another computer)
2) Installed QfG 5, then patched it with both the win2k patch and the 1.2 patch
3) Zip the install directory and copy it to your Windows Vista machine.
4) Unzip the game and play!

[Nightfall1121]

If I remember correctly, there was a note in the QFG Anthology's README about error 52 (The infamous swamp error that prevents you from getting the Bone Ritual---there was even a fan-poem about it on a QFG fansite at one time...heheh). With the Anthology's version, there should be a way to "import" all four character types at the beginning of a game, starting at the beginning, at the bottom of the slime path, but with the Bone Ritual, so you won't have to get the Bone Ritual in the pillar.

Sorry for the vagueness, but I do remember doing that a few years ago. I don't know if it affects your overall puzzle points or not (probably does). I'm planning to give Dosbox a try, and play these games again, assuming I can figure out how to work/install them.

[Goilveig]

Sorry for the vagueness, but I do remember doing that a few years ago. I don't know if it affects your overall puzzle points or not (probably does). I'm planning to give Dosbox a try, and play these games again, assuming I can figure out how to work/install them.

Shameless plug for http://www.agdiforums.com/forum/viewtop ... 19&t=12809

[Brainiac]

If I remember correctly, there was a note in the QFG Anthology's README about error 52 (The infamous swamp error that prevents you from getting the Bone Ritual---there was even a fan-poem about it on a QFG fansite at one time...heheh).

Taken from A Hero's Quest for Glory:

Error 52
They screamed until their face turned blue
Did everything that they could do
They went so far, were almost through
And Crash! came Error 52.

And now they start feeling blue
Going mad, and so would you
Wondering what they could do
To fix Error 52.

They then ask others for a clue
On what it is they need to do
Download programs, MoSlo too
To get by Error 52.

Nothing worked, nothing new
To help try to get on through
They vowed Sierra, they'd sue
Over Error 52.

And their exasperation grew
With QG4 and Sierra too
The day they bought it, they now rue
For then came Error 52.

Oh dear, now what shall they do?
They've gone and broke their CPU
Tore each diskette into two
Because of Error 52.