DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

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MrFlibble
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DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

DOSBox is a great tool to run DOS games on modern systems, but I can perfectly understand users who would like to jump right into the game without having to go through the process of setting up and configuring this emulator.

Besides, there are several inherent limitations to DOS as a platform, including typically low screen resolution and often limited sound options.

Luckily, there are DOS games that just don't need DOSBox to run in any version of Windows, which is accomplished by a number of means:

1. Official Windows versions
These are games that have both DOS and Windows versions available, either bundled together or released within a short time span. If the game is a Windows re-release, the year of its publication is noted in brackets.

NOTE: For certain old Windows games, you might need additional utilities like DxWnd or winevdm to successfully run them on modern Windows systems.

Commercial titles Shareware and freeware games 1a. Official enhanced remakes, remasters for modern platforms
These are enhanced re-releases of DOS games for Windows and other modern platforms, usually appearing a considerable amount of time after the original DOS release. Enhancements include higher screen resolution, improved graphics (higher definition sprites and art, better 3D models, etc.), audio enhancements and various engine improvements (up to a complete engine replacement). Sometimes, other extra content is possible, including development materials, outtakes or even entirely new levels/scenarios. 2. Third-party source ports
If the source code of a game is available, it may be ported to Windows and/or other systems to run natively on these platforms. Source ports are often created by enthusiasts after the original source code is released by the developer and may feature enhancements such as higher resolution modes, improved sound/music and bug fixes. 2a. Unofficial enhanced remakes
DOS games ported/converted to Windows (and other platforms) and enhanced, by fans. Sometimes these projects receive licensing or at least blessing from the original creators and/or copyright holders. Others are libre remakes without any copyright content. 3. Engine recreations
If a source port is not available for whatever reason, enthusiasts often attempt to recreate a native Windows (or cross-platform) version of a game on their own, using observation and/or reverse engineering to achieve a result that would play similarly to the original game. These projects tend to be somewhat less accurate than source ports, but nevertheless quite often are very close to the original game to be deemed a proper replacement.

NOTE: Games that are supported by ScummVM are not listed individually because there are so many of them!
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MrFlibble
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Added the following titles to the list:

Redneck Rampage
o Rednukem
Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
o Underworld Exporter
Flashback
o 25th Anniversary Edition
Super Fighter
o Super Fighter: Special Edition
Lemmings
o Lemmings for Windows
Little Big Adventure/Relentless: Twinsen's Adventure
o LbaWin
The Settlers/Serf City
o The Settlers: History Edition
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MrFlibble
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

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There have been several recent projects worth noting in this field:
  • NBlood -- faithful, source port accurate recreation of Blood based on eDuke32 code; last tie I checked it did not support the shareware version though
  • PCExhumed -- faithful, source port accurate recreation of Powerslave based on eDuke32 code; supports the demo version
  • RAD -- recreation of Radix: Beynd the Void 2.0 based on GZDoom
  • VoidSW -- the long wait is over, VoidPoint finally added Shadow Warrior support alongside Duke Nukem 3D
  • Raze -- all-in-one Build engine port from the Doom community
  • The Force Engine -- an impressive project to recreate Star Wars: Dark Forces based on reverse-engineering the binary executable, with meticulous attention to accuracy and authenticity
  • xGreed -- Windows port of In Pursuit of Greed based on the original code
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MrFlibble
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Atomiks is an open source remake of the classic puzzle game Atomix. The author obtained permission from the original copyright holders to use the levels and art from Atomix.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Updated the lists in the first post. I completely removed the section with modern official re-releases, and the other two lists have been substantially expanded.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Added Reflection Keen as a port for Wolfenstein 3-D.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

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The Force Engine is now fully playable, but cutscenes and player inventory are not supported yet.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Added two Abuse ports to the list: I mean, I wanted to add them but the new "anti-hotlinking" measures policy prevents me from editing the first post! I'm pretty certain none of the links in the list are to files in the RGB Classic Games archives.

UPD: I tried editing the first post and removing both links to "classicdosgames", but I'm still getting the "I'm sorry Dave" message when I try to save the result. Clearly your "HAL" contains an error because it shouldn't be doing that.

UPD2: Looks like I can edit my other posts, including those that contain links, just fine. Perhaps this is indeed because of the classicdosgames.com references in this particular case?
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by DOSGuy »

Of course you should be allowed to link to files on this website from the forum! It would be crazy to only allow links to external sites.

I disabled the site's hotlinking code and still couldn't edit your post. The hotlinking message is a red herring. The site has a custom Error 403 page that assumes that 403 will only be triggered by hotlinking. In this case, the 403 was not triggered by hotlinking.

https://www.phpbb.com/community/viewtopic.php?t=2515686 led me to the real culprit. I copied your post and then tried posting half of it and, if it worked, trying the other half. Then I took the half that wouldn't post and cut that in half, performing a binary search (cutting the search space in half) each time until I found the culprit. You were unable to edit your post because of this line:

Code: Select all

[b]Abuse[/b]
[list][*][url=http://web.archive.org/web/20070128125709/http://www.uidaho.edu/~scot4875/]Abuse for Windows[/url]
[*][url=http://abuse.zoy.org]Abuse SDL[/url] [[url=http://antonior-software.blogspot.ru/2016/05/abuse-1996-sdl-port-09a.html]latest version[/url]][/list]
I had to put a space in front of ".ru" in order to submit my post. Apparently my webhost is preventing links to blogspot .ru. I'm in the telephone queue with tech support to ask them why.

Edit: I was in the queue for 30 minutes before the recording said that it there was an error in call forwarding and hung up on me. I called again and reached a human a few minutes later. The human had no idea what I was talking about and didn't seem to know what 403 is, and possibly what phpBB is, so he created a ticket that made no mention of either.

I have removed the custom 403 page in the meantime.

Edit2: Since the tech I spoke to on the phone didn't know what HTTP status codes are, he created a generic ticket that stated, "The customer is receiving the error message while post something on the domain classicdosgames.com. Please check and advise."

The agent who handled the ticket, therefore, attempted a generic solution:

"• PHP parameters have been raised.
~~~~
'max_execution_time' has been set to '300'
'memory_limit' has been set to '1024M'
'post_max_size' has been set to '512M'
'upload_max_filesize' has been set to '512M'
~~~~
• Please let us know if these changes helps!"

They have not, so I responded with an explanation of the specific problem.

Edit3: Interserver removed the overzealous censorship. You can now edit the original post again.
Today entirely the maniac there is no excuse with the article.
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MrFlibble
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Whoah! I'm sorry my post led to another encounter with inefficient (incompetent?) tech support. But thanks for fixing the issue!

I think the .ru domain appears due to a blogspot policy (which I believe they have gotten rid of in the meantime) to switch to the user's home country domain, because the link is by no means to a Russian blog anyway. I probably just forgot to correct the domain name to .com as it should be. Did that just now.

Anyway, it's an interesting coincidence that the error was caused by an entry related to the same game for which I wanted to make an update.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by DOSGuy »

Hey, no problem! It helped me to fix a problem that I wouldn't have otherwise known about. I can't say that I'm happy about my web host censoring my forum without my knowledge.

The tech support seems to be pretty good once a ticket gets created for the "real" tech support. The people on the phone seem to have little to no background in tech support. It seems to be the industry trend to have minimally tech savvy people on the phone who can create tickets for anything hard. I'm sure that lots of callers do have problems of the "have you tried turning it off and then on again" variety, but I just really dislike having to explain basic stuff to the people who are supposed to be helping me.
Today entirely the maniac there is no excuse with the article.
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MrFlibble
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

I have substantially reworked the list and added many new titles.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Added Raptor, Space Plumber and Vitetris to the list.
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Re: DOS games that don't need DOSBox to run in Windows

Post by MrFlibble »

Someone made an updated remake of Xargon:
https://jxargon.itch.io/xargon-remake-ep3

A demo is also available:
https://jxargon.itch.io/xargon-remake-demo
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