Problem running Nightwatch

Started by Anym, Sun 29/04/2007 14:44:06

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Anym

I hope this is the correct place to post this: In the course of playing through all of the RON games, I ran into problems with the game Nightwatch.

It's a version 2.21 DOS game. I can't run it under Windows XP (SP2). No matter what compatibility settings I try, I only get a dark screen.

If I rename NIGHTWATCH.EXE to AC2GAME.DAT and copy ACWIN.EXE from AGS 2.21 into the same directory and try to run that from Windows, the game starts, but crashes right after the title screen:
The instruction at address "0x00476722" referenced memory at "0x00000000. The memory could not be "written".

If I try to run the NIGHTWATCH.EXE via DOSBox, it first complains about lack of DPMI:
Load error: no DPMI - Get csdpmi*b.zip

If I then copy the CWSDMPI.EXE from AGS 2.21 to the game's directory, it also starts and crashes after the title screen:
Exiting due to signal SIGSEGV
Page fault at eip=00092e16, error=0002
eax=0000006e ebx=00000000 ecx=00000000 edx=000eaf1e esi=00000254 edi=0000000c
ebp=00330490 esp=0033048c program=C:NWBETA2NIGHTW~1.EXE
cs: sel=00a7  base=10000000  limit=00cbffff
ds: sel=00af  base=10000000  limit=00cbffff
es: sel=00af  base=10000000  limit=00cbffff
fs: sel=00af  base=10000000  limit=00cbffff
gs: sel=00bf  base=00000000  limit=ffffffff
ss: sel=00af  base=10000000  limit=00cbffff

Call frame traceback EIPs:
  0x00092e16
  0x00028967
  0x00018935
  0x0002f124
  0x0003083f
  0x00030d2b
  0x000076d3
  0x00007568
  0x0000776c
  0x0000a1c3
  0x0000a6c0

Error: the program has exited without requesting it.
Program pointer: +4002  (write this number down), ACI version 2.21.168
If you see a list of numbers above, please write them down and contact
Chris Jones. Otherwise, note down any other information displayed.
I look just like Bobbin Threadbare.

Candle

try http://dosbox.sourceforge.net/news.php?show_news=1
or
one other but can't remember the name now. something like Dfiend or some thing like that.

Anym

Thanks, but that didn't work either, although I have to admit that I would have been surprised if it had. After all, D-Fend is just a simple frontend for DOSBox. Or did you have some special settings in mind? BTW, my DOSBox version is 0.70. Forgot to mention that earlier.
I look just like Bobbin Threadbare.

FSi++

I think he meant VDMS. I heard some AGS games worked with it...

scotch

I've had lots of problems trying to get AGS to work in DOSBox. The windows engine from 2.21 works for me, with this game, but I'm on Windows 2k. I wonder what it is about AGS's DOS engine that makes it so hard to get working... almost every DOS game I've tried in DOSBox works (although some with speed issues).

Anym

#5
Can VDMSound really help with getting games to run? I always thought that it only added sound and joystick support to games that already ran from Windows (albeit without sound).

Anyway, I tried it and still only got a dark screen, but this time a dark screen with music, which I found quite puzzling, but ultimately didn't get me closer to playing it. :(

Thanks anyway!

Quote from: scotch on Mon 30/04/2007 19:35:58
I've had lots of problems trying to get AGS to work in DOSBox.

Really? Well, I haven't tried many games (as I hardly ever had any problems getting AGS games to run directly from Windows), but when I tried The Repossesor, another version 2.21 DOS game, in DOSBox 0.70 it worked without problems (after putting CWSDMPI.EXE in the same directory), but then, I can also play The Repossesor just fine from Windows (even with sound if I run it with VDMSound).
I look just like Bobbin Threadbare.

Pumaman

Sounds like you've tried the obvious options. I'm afraid it's not always easy to get an old game working; the best solution would be for the game author to upgrade it to the latest version of AGS, but that's not likely to be practical.

Candle


Anym

#8
No problem. Thanks for trying! 8)

Maybe I won't be playing each and every RON game, then. I'll try to get in touch with the game's author, though, just in case.

Addendum: The five-year-old rossnorton@mweb.co.za e-mail-address from the readme.txt isn't active anymore. If anyone has another address to reach "Ross Norton", I'd be glad to hear it.
I look just like Bobbin Threadbare.

bzrro20

I've just started getting into this series. I have been playing these sequentially, and I have been running into a few problems getting the game files to run/work/play. I've been successful all up until Nightwatch. I've tried the suggestions and different AGS builds with acdos.exe and acwin.exe for it to work, but to no avail. I have had more success with acdos.exe.
Any chance there is a source directory lying around, to perhaps play it in one of the Adventure Game Studio builds' editors?
Any progress made getting Nightwatch to work?
If the game comes in tiny play window, I am fine with that because the other RONs that I've played have mostly been 1/16 of my screen. As long as it is still readable.
I'm using Windows 10.

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