DOS box when trying to Setup or Test game

[tamper]

Hi,

I recently downloaded AGS2.56d and I'm working my way through the included tutorial.

I've created and sucessfully saved a sample room, but when I try to select 'Setup Game' (or then 'Test Game'), rather than getting the game setup screen, I get a quick flash of a DOS window stating that 'an Extended Memory Manager is not installed' and sometimes 'too many parameters'.

This is despite the fact that the options are set to compile a Windows executable (not a DOS one). The error also occurs if I try to run my game directly from within the project's 'Compiled' folder.

Interestingly, if I do a 'Test Game' on one of the SCUMM templates (e.g. DOTT) available on this forum, the template compiles just fine.

Anyone else had these problems and found a solution?

Cheers,
t

[Gilbert]

This is strange, what Windows version are you using?

[tamper]

I'm on WinXP. I wondered whether it might be due to some update in 2.56 (which the tutorial was obviously written before).

I notice also that the AGS demo game throws all sorts of update requests and errors when trying to open it in 2.56. This might be not be relevant though...

t

[tamper]

I've managed to screengrab the DOS box that appears (very briefly) upon trying to setup or test my tutorial game.



I must have grabbed before it had finished writing to the screen, but I guess it's trying to say "too big to fit in memory".

Can anyone help?

Cheers,
t

[tamper]

oh, and in the Preferences, I've tried the various Game Testing States, but to no avail.

[Ishmael]

It seems like you don't have XMS memory on your computer... I don't know about newer ones, but old computers with Windows 3.x used XMS... I believe the newer ones do too... but not sure.

And as a little side note, XP is not MS-DOS based, so it don't use DOS box... It's got command prompt... just so Microsoft won't sue you

[Morph]

Isn't memory management dynamic in XP? There shouldn't be any need to differentiate between EMS, XMS, etc.

[Pumaman]

Make sure that "Produce Windows EXE" on the Game menu is ticked in the editor. You might have accidentally switched it to produce a DOS game.

[Gilbert]

That was also in my mind at first but I saw:

This is despite the fact that the options are set to compile a Windows executable (not a DOS one). The error also occurs if I try to run my game directly from within the project's 'Compiled' folder.

Anyway, do check that.

[Ishmael]

Are you making the game of which template? And if you either A) Create another game with the same template or B) Test the game on a diffrent machine, with either difften OS or not, does the same happen? Copy then executable, not the game files and try to run, not re-compile.

[tamper]

I've tried creating a new game with the same (default) template, but the sam problem exists. Admittedly I haven't yet tried AGS on another PC, but I'll give it a go.

It's odd that the SCUMM templates (the ones by Proskrito) seem to compile fine. Perhaps there's something wrong with my copy of the default template...

[Ishmael]

Um... Try running the game exe itself on another machine, and running AGS and compiling.... both....

Wierd... Oh! Systems specs for the comp you are using? It might have something to do with free RAM memory? Or something?

[tamper]

Well the good news is that now all seems to be working.

Not sure quite how or why though  - I copied AGS and my game over to my Win2K laptop. All worked fine (both existing compile, and new saves by AGS).

I then removed AGS from the XP machine, and re-extracted the downloaded archive file. And it works! So hurrah for that, and thanks to everyone who helped (especially TK).

Of course, now that I've got AGS working I'm sure you can expect more n00bish questions.

COMING SOON: THE "If the character movement speed is set quite high, and anti-glide mode is selected, why does EGO still seem to glide, rather than the animation just playing faster?" QUESTION....


t

[Quintaros]

There are 2 character speeds to use.  Movement speed effects how quickly he crosses a room and animation speed effects how quickly he walkcycle animates. If the movement speed is set fast (a high number) but the animation speed is set slow (also a high number as the number represents the frames delay) then the character will look as if he is gliding across the room.  If the movement speed is set slow and the animation speed is set fast he will look as if he's Muddy the Mud-skipper unable to get traction.

Or wait a minute are you just pulling my leg,  asking a typical N00b question as a joke?