Software scaling for retro games?

Overslop · 7 Sep 2007 at 02:20

Hey guys!

My HDTV won't accept resolutions below 800x600 properly. This makes playing my retro classics on it very tricky. Thankfully ScummVM includes scaling software that allows me to play the old graphic adventure games of Lucasarts and co. But there are many others I wish to play now and in the future which it will not cater for.

I am aware of DOS Box but it's far too fiddly for my liking.

The game in particular I want to play atm is X-Com: Terror From The Deep.

Is there a simple way to play the games I want to on my set?

Overslop · 7 Sep 2007 at 18:59

Nobody knows? :S

Duouk2000 · 7 Sep 2007 at 19:07

Try dosbox and a frontend, should make things a lot easier for you to set up.

Overslop · 7 Sep 2007 at 19:08

Thanks for suggestion, what frontend?

Duouk2000 · 7 Sep 2007 at 21:17

I used D-Fend for a while a year or two back, it's very easy to use.

Mindriot · 7 Sep 2007 at 21:51

You might be lucky and a fix might be available here: WSGF. Not guaranteed though.

CrowK · 7 Sep 2007 at 22:34

I play UFO: Enemy Unknown (TFTD is the sequel) through DOS box. Make sure you get the latest version and use the dynamic CPU scaling option. Despite being 320x200 scaled to 1280x1024 it doesn't look bad. It doesn't look good either mind...

but it's better than the vanila gfx.

You may have to fiddle around with the CPU cycles to get the right frame rate, but with the dynamic option on I just turned it up to 90000 cycles and it's smooth as milk.

Overslop · 8 Sep 2007 at 12:27

Duouk2000 said:
I used D-Fend for a while a year or two back, it's very easy to use.

Thanks for suggestion again!

I seem to be a baffoon though as I can't get my game to run in this programme! :eek:

The problem could be that the version of the game I use is a Windows 95 one?

Overslop · 8 Sep 2007 at 12:28

Mindriot said:
You might be lucky and a fix might be available here: WSGF. Not guaranteed though.

Cheers but the link doesn't work.

Overslop · 8 Sep 2007 at 12:29

CrowK said:
I play UFO: Enemy Unknown (TFTD is the sequel) through DOS box. Make sure you get the latest version and use the dynamic CPU scaling option. Despite being 320x200 scaled to 1280x1024 it doesn't look bad. It doesn't look good either mind... but it's better than the vanila gfx.

You may have to fiddle around with the CPU cycles to get the right frame rate, but with the dynamic option on I just turned it up to 90000 cycles and it's smooth as milk.

I think I have the latest version of DOS Box but I don't know how to run the gaem with it. I think it's DOS compatible but my version is a Windows 95 edition.

CrowK · 9 Sep 2007 at 18:00

Duel said:
I think I have the latest version of DOS Box but I don't know how to run the gaem with it. I think it's DOS compatible but my version is a Windows 95 edition.

They released a 'gold edition' for win95, that won't work through dosbox at all. It should (kinda/sorta) work in winxp, but only at 320x200. If your monitor won't go that low, and most LCDs don't, then you're boned. So go get the original version. Also the win95 version didn't have all the sound effects and music. Much less moody alien invasion...

Overslop · 10 Sep 2007 at 14:41

It's modified though so that it runs with all the proper effects, at perfect speed, has the latest patch as well as an unofficial one that fixes other bugs. Couldn't trade all those off to play the DOS version.

Surely someone somewhere has made a simple scaling programme?

Overslop · 13 Sep 2007 at 15:33

Anyone know a website where someone is likely to know?

Overslop · 18 Sep 2007 at 18:12

Last ask before I give up my retro games.

Tried The Longest Journey and same problem with this game...