PC Gamebase

[Flarp]

I'm thinking about starting a Gamebase for all my favorite old PC games at least the ones that work under windows.. as dosbox is awesome for those games.. but my question is if the games each have there own .exe file how do I use Gamebase to set them up.. there is no emulator.. it's just each games individual .exe file.. how do I do this?

[OX]

I would imagine that Dosbox effectively becomes the "emulator" running it in dos silent cmdline mode passing the gamefile path and config details to it?

[Flarp]

I want to load the games that work with windows directly from the list using there .exe file.. I only mentioned DOSBOX because I use it for the games that won't work under windows at all and require DOSBOX to work.

[OX]

http://www.bu22.com/wiki/gemus_script_r ... un_program

[Vicman]

Hi Flarp,

you should ask K.C. or .mad. for running Dosgames with GameBase.
(or did you mean only windows-games ? )
K.C. has written a nice GEMUS-Script for DOS-Games, and .mad. is still working on a DOS-GameBase

[Flarp]

I'm aware and look forward to the DOS gamebase.. I just want to make a gamebase that can run Windows only games .. which have there own .exe files I can hook up for each game but ..no emulator is needed or used so it won't let me do it.. I may also add in some dos games I like but in those instances I will be using Dosbox.. and I can figure that part out until the dos gamebase in production is finished.. sorry if my messages are confusing I'm just trying to focus on the windows only games.. mostly the older adventure, rpg, strategy games as those are my favorite.. thanks in advance for all the help

[OX]

Wouldn't it be the case that you can choose any .exe file you like as the emulator but not actually execute it with Run_Emulator / Run_Emulator_Send_Keys in the gemus script, instead use Run_Program passing the game .exe path? (the emulator .exe just becomes a dummy file to satisfy the gamebase frontend)

[K.C.]

Yes, if you only want to call an executable and nothing more, this is what you need to do:

• Create a dummy emulator. For example, create a text file Dummy.bat and paste this text in it:

  Code: Select all

  @REM Do nothing

• Create a new emulator in GameBase (GEMUS / Manage Emulators).
• Give it a name (for example Run program).
• Browse to the Dummy emulator file you created in the first step.
• Uncheck Use Defaults and type the extentions you want to support (for example EXE;COM;BAT;CMD;VBS).
• Replace the standard script with this line:

  Code: Select all

  Run_Program(%gamepathfile%||||WAIT)

[Flarp]

Okay I followed your instructions but it didn't work

I got the following message

The following file ws not found:

g:\game basse\pc\games\5 days a stranger\5days.exe

Do you want to continue running the game anyway?

[K.C.]

Probably it's because there are one or more spaces in the folder- or filename.
Try to select "Use Short (8.3) Filenames" in the GEMUS window.

[OX]

You have spaces in that file path - have you unticked "use short filenames"?

You may be better off using the Run_Gamefile command as you can build up the command line in your script and will add automatically upon execution which Run_Program does not do.

Try it, at least you'll be able to add some debug messages in for your filepath. Stick this in your Gemus script before Run_Program :-

Show_Message(%commandline% )

- Is it showing the full path to the game?

You may have to store the path structure in the KV pairs per game and build it up for execution at runtime - back to whatever you are using as the gamebase disk directory.
Would have been easier and more compact if your games were zipped up although some PC games would take quite a while to unzip.

Edit - the above will only work if you are running stuff from a gamebase setup "Games" directory so looks like your stuck with Run_Program().

[Flarp]

Thank you all for your help. I just checked "Use Short (8.3) Filenames"

That got it working so again thank you very much... maybe next I should try and zip the games and see if that will still work well to save some room

[dax]

Will You use "DOSCollection v0.8 (2007-06-16)" ?

It would be great to see DIGGER in this one

[Flarp]

Umm I don't even have Dos Collection v0.8 but I might have to look into that... or if your comment is directed towards the upcoming Dos gamebase that's not mine.. but I am looking forward to it.. I currently use the frontend Defend with Dosbox for all my dos gaming.. at least until the dos gamebase is finished.