Use dgVooDoo to make old AGS games run properly

Started by Elvisish, Sun 22/04/2018 09:35:15

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Elvisish

1. Extract old AGS game to desired folder:

2. Download dgvoodoo: http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2_55.zip (here's the main page: http://dege.freeweb.hu/dgVoodoo2/dgVoodoo2.html)

3. Extract this file:

and these files:

into the game directory:

4. Run dgvoodoo cpl and click ./ so it sets your game folder as the folder to use, and set the following settings in "general":

5. Then set the following settings in DirectX:

6. When you run the game, if you see a watermark in the corner, it worked properly:

7. Then just turn off the watermark when you've confirmed it works!

Danvzare

What's this? Some sort of DosBox that works with Windows applications?

Gilbert

It's actually a wrapper for running Windows games, written for older versions of DirectX, in case you have problems making them to work on modern Windows.
I was confused at first as there is absolutely no info. on what this is on the software's page, but backing out to the site's home does tell you what it is.

Elvisish

Just wanted to mention it still works and you can use it to run AGD games at native resolution on modern screens, try setting Resolution to Unforced to allow it to be pixel crisp.

Crimson Wizard

How old is old? Modern AGS engine can run games as old as 2.5 (or 2.52) using Direct3D and OpenGL if necessary.

Elvisish

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 19:28:30
How old is old? Modern AGS engine can run games as old as 2.5 (or 2.52) using Direct3D and OpenGL if necessary.
Some games I was running from 2004 and had no way of switching to crisp pixels at 1920x1080.

Crimson Wizard

Quote from: Elvisish on Sat 11/05/2019 20:49:00
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 19:28:30
How old is old? Modern AGS engine can run games as old as 2.5 (or 2.52) using Direct3D and OpenGL if necessary.
Some games I was running from 2004 and had no way of switching to crisp pixels at 1920x1080.

Hmm, 2.62 was released in 2004, so our new engine may probably run these.
By "crisp pixels" - do you mean proper nearest-neighbour scaling? There are multiple display options, including stretching to all screen or using integer multiplier. This can be configured if you take modern "acwin.exe" and run "acwin.exe --setup" from command line (in the game directory).

Elvisish

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 20:57:25
Quote from: Elvisish on Sat 11/05/2019 20:49:00
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 19:28:30
How old is old? Modern AGS engine can run games as old as 2.5 (or 2.52) using Direct3D and OpenGL if necessary.
Some games I was running from 2004 and had no way of switching to crisp pixels at 1920x1080.

Hmm, 2.62 was released in 2004, so our new engine may probably run these.
By "crisp pixels" - do you mean proper nearest-neighbour scaling? There are multiple display options, including stretching to all screen or using integer multiplier. This can be configured if you take modern "acwin.exe" and run "acwin.exe --setup" from command line (in the game directory).
Can you use the newest runtime with old compiled games made by other people? And yes, nearest neighbor, if the game isn't run at 1920x1080 it will appear anti-aliased/bilinear.

Crimson Wizard

#8
Quote from: Elvisish on Sat 11/05/2019 21:19:30
Can you use the newest runtime with old compiled games made by other people?

Yes, this is also how people run old AGS games on other systems (Linux etc).
On Windows you simply copy acwin.exe to the game directory and run it. To use modern setup program run "acwin.exe --setup" from command line.
Optionally it's also possible to edit config by hand, using these instructions: https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags/blob/ags3/OPTIONS.md

Danvzare

Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 21:55:42
Quote from: Elvisish on Sat 11/05/2019 21:19:30
Can you use the newest runtime with old compiled games made by other people?

Yes, this is also how people run old AGS games on other systems (Linux etc).
On Windows you simply copy acwin.exe to the game directory and run it. To use modern setup program run "acwin.exe --setup" from command line.
Optionally it's also possible to edit config by hand, using these instructions: https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags/blob/ags3/OPTIONS.md

Although some can look a bit off without proper configurations that you have to do by hand, due to how fonts are rendered.
And of course it doesn't run those really REALLY old games, like Larry Vales. At least in my experience.

Elvisish

#10
Quote from: Danvzare on Mon 13/05/2019 17:01:47
Quote from: Crimson Wizard on Sat 11/05/2019 21:55:42
Quote from: Elvisish on Sat 11/05/2019 21:19:30
Can you use the newest runtime with old compiled games made by other people?

Yes, this is also how people run old AGS games on other systems (Linux etc).
On Windows you simply copy acwin.exe to the game directory and run it. To use modern setup program run "acwin.exe --setup" from command line.
Optionally it's also possible to edit config by hand, using these instructions: https://github.com/adventuregamestudio/ags/blob/ags3/OPTIONS.md

Although some can look a bit off without proper configurations that you have to do by hand, due to how fonts are rendered.
And of course it doesn't run those really REALLY old games, like Larry Vales. At least in my experience.
So, for games like Larry Vales, this would be a valid option? I do play some of the ancient AGS games and it would be nice to be able to run them at native monitor resolution, preferably without having to use a graphics api tool like dgVooDoo.

EDIT: using dgVooDoo means the cursor can move at native resolution, rather than moving pixel-locked. Pixel-locked might be prefered for some peope (Double Fine's implementation of DOTT, for isntance, uses pixel-locked cursor, as running the original using Dosbox would) but for people accustomed to playing with ScummVM that almost always uses the monitors native resolution for cursor resolution, dgVooDOo may be prefered.

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