I've finally got Terra Nova working fine on XP!!!!!
EDIT: Actually through further testing I've found it to be a little unstable...but it's a step in the right direction...I've found that sometimes the game appears to hang. If you press the Windows key when this happens to skip back to windows and then maximise the program again from the taskbar, it usually sorts itself out. Other times it hangs properly
You MUST have VDMSound installed first!!!
http://ntvdm.cjb.net/
Follow these instructions:
Go here:
http://www.advsys.net/ken/build.htm
1) Download NOLFB.zip (It's under the first section you come to, entitled VESA 2.0 patch for Windows NT/2000/XP)
2) Install Terra Nova
3) Unzip the NOLFB.zip into your Terra Nova Directory (Contains nolfb.exe and a readme file).
4) Click on the start menu -> all programs -> accessories
5) Right-click on Command Prompt and select "Run with VDMS"
6) Type "cd tnova" - or wherever TN is installed to on your C: drive
6) Type "nolfb" (If it gives an error, click "Ignore" and then type nolfb again)
7) Type "tn"
8) Enjoy the game
The NOLFB seems to bypass VESA 2.0 or something which for some reason isn't liked much by XP....the guy explains it well in the website with the zip file on it.
Last edited by fitzgerald_ed; 26th Apr 2003 at 13:46.
I think you may be on to something but I have a problem. When I go to install the game on my XP machine the screen becomes corrupted before I even get anywhere. Did you experiance this as well? If so what was your solution? If not were there any special steps to prep for install?
Thanks,
Grey
The System Shock Board has instructions on getting SS1 to work under Windows 2000/XP which can be basically used for the mighty T E R R A N O V A.
The latest version of VDM Sound and the Nolfb vesafixthing are key (and possibly Mouse2Kv). Basically copy the contents of the TNova CDROM to a convenient directory and run the install.exe using VDMS, then go to the installed game's directory and edit the _TN.BAT to look something like this:
@echo off
C:\TNOVA\nolfb.com
D:\GAMES\TNOVACD\__ff.exe %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6
rem C:\TNOVA\MOUSE2Kv.exe 640 480 1 1 D:\GAMES\TNOVACD\__ff.exe %1 %2 %3 %4 %5 %6
Now extract the NOLFB.com and .asm to the game directory (along with MOUSE2KV)
It basically works, but there are minor issues:
Cutscenes: images and sound get out of sinc, but this was a problem under Win95 too.
Frontend: The title screen has a badpalette issue resulting in wierd colours at the end of the title animation.
Bigger issue: Mouse pointer confined to the top left area of the screen in selection screens (640x480) if you move the mouse. Thankfully you can still play the game since TN automatically places the mouse pointer over default screen locations to quickly click-thru to the mission, but if you even slightly move the mouse it will jump to the top left of the screen and get trapped there. So you can play the game, but you'll never be able to do selection stuff and have to play with default team members and load outs.
Using MOUSE2KV fixes the selection screen problem with the mouse in 640x480 modes but completely buggers up it up for the game's 320x200 modes. So I'm still looking at ways to fix this.
EDIT: And of course run the game by opening TN.BAT under VDMSound.
I just got SShock1 working in XP so I decided to try and get TN up and going too. I've got the CD copied to my drive and have attempted to run install.exe using VDMS. I get to the bit where it asks to install uniVBE and no matter whether I press yes or no the .exe crashes. Running a A7V266-E, Athlon XP 2100+ and Radeon 9800 Pro. Any suggestions?
I GOT IT WORKING!
I had almost given up hope of EVER getting to play my old love anymore but I noticed this, and tried the nolfb.zip thingie, AND IT WORKS! After all these years, it works! I bursted into tears when I saw the main screen and heard that melody!
Fitzgerald I love you)
I am so glad I foundthis forum (quick google search, rock on). Terra Nova is running with none of the above-mentioned difficulties, but someother odd glitches, as you might expect. Everything plays out fine except for accelerated movement. All the 3d movement happens faster, but not turning. So the result is that you can run faster but can't turn fast enough. And I can jump insanely high because I fly upwards but my power depleats at regular speed. Kind of funny. The multipulsar doesn't track properly, I noticed right away, probably because of the speed issue.
Anyway, excellent work, fitzgerald, it seems ages since I've been able to play TN. I was about ready to drag out my old Win 98 box and give it a whirl.
Fitzgerald_ed, you are God and I want to have your babies
Seriously, I am so chuffed to be playing TN after all these years. One of the best games ever made, way ahead of its time in terms of giving you an outdoors vibe and a team vibe.
This game has got to have a sequel in the same game universe, with modern graphics, etc.
Hey Guys,
I completely agree. I've been toying with the idea of working on this for a while now. Originally I was going to do something along similar lines to the shock project in my spare time (recode the original game, re-using their data etc), and to that end I even wrote a slew of tools for the extraction of data from the .RES files. Ultimately however, it started to become a nightmare decoding the mission and map formats with little to no specs available. Maybe a new game is a better idea?This game has got to have a sequel in the same game universe, with modern graphics, etc.
I thought I'd ask around here to see what people's opinions are on whether I should even try? I don't want to shatter anyones memories of this fantastic vintage game if it all goes hideously wrong
If none of the major game-houses are willing to take it up, I thought i'd maybe give it a shot if I could leverage any free time
I know the rights issues are... sticky... but we'll see.
Probably won't end up being finished, but hey everyone's gotta have a hobby right?
http://tnova.gameinstitute.com
p.s. My apologies to the moderators if you think that my posting in this thread is inappropriate, I saw Guru George's comment and it jogged me into action
Cheers!
Adam Hoult
Lead Developer
http://www.gameinstitute.com
Last edited by daedalusd; 16th Jun 2004 at 21:58.
That's a great idea! The Far Cry engine would be an excellent one to use, as it's the only one I've seen that's got a draw distance and detail level that's high enough to do a TN sequel.
We'd just have to wait for the proper mod tools and SDK.
It plays great in DOSBox! I have a front end called D.O.G. for DOSBox and I can choose SETUP and choose Soundblaster 16 for voice and music and can set up the CD drive easily and set the cycles easily (12000 on mine is fine) and get the game running just fine - and slower - than the above instructions. I think my character should 'plod' not 'skim' over the surface!
In any event, I want to end by saying this is one of the greatest squad combat games ever, right up to today December 1st 2007!!!
Indeed, the current DOSBox releases run Terra Nova beautifully on a modern machine. But for heaven's sakes, select General Midi for your music!
Ok, will try General Midi, but I think choosing SB16 sounds like midi anyway, so maybe it defaults to midi any way?
Yep, it's all midi, but the particular sound card you had determined the instruments available and the overall quality of the music you could expect to get in response to that midi data. So presuming that the SB16 emulation is precise, the tunes won't sound nearly as good in SB16 mode as they will if you choose General Midi, as the latter was intended for rather more expensive hardware.
Now admittedly the SB16 music test sounds better than I remember -- I'm not sure if that's purely because the emulated SB16 is better than the real thing, or if it's just the better speakers, or if my memory is doing the real SB16 an injustice -- but the General Midi music still sounds rather richer to my ears.
The same goes for System Shock, and probably any other game you have that supported a General Midi option, btw.
Last edited by Shadowcat; 2nd Dec 2007 at 00:53.
For most retro DOS games (which I play ALOT - as I have never got rid of any PC game I have bought over the last 15 years, and have re-bought, via ebay, those that have got corrupted, or to get the CD version where I had the floppy version, etc) I do use MIDI and it is obviously the best in many cases, I will also try the Roland option and SB16 options and then use what I think sounds best in each game, which though emulation, like DOSBox, can be different to what it sounded like when originally played through an original soundblaster in a DOS/Win95 environment!Originally Posted by Shadowcat
With my setup, MIDI can be a little harder to control visa vee volume, and I have never been one to want the music that greatly. I play Oblivion with no music and 4 or 5 sound effect mods, and I think STALKER is all the better for having very little music other than the guitar/harmonica playing Stalkers!
Only think i'd like to change in Terra Nova is the keyboard setup. With so many years of being able to set certain keys the way I like, it is a little frustrating having to remember certain keys for just one game. Although having said that, the keyboard has been laid out very cleverly and the problem could have been a whole lot worse! I also have to give credit that in a world where we all install to a Games folder, and 99% of games default to the Program Files folder that Looking Glass games automatically chose the Games folder! That really made me feel LG was in touch with how gamers played and what they wanted, and that's why LG games are pretty much all totally brilliant!
Yep, it's a layout that, while no match for the modern mouse+keyboard solution, still works well for most people (and you slide back into using it very easily, I find :)
I've seen some fabulous games with some truly horrific key mappings (Realms of the Haunting, I'm looking at you), but the LGT layouts always worked very nicely.
Absolutely. You get so used to editing the install path and start menu folder for every single game you buy, that it's something of a delight when the default is actually what you want :)I also have to give credit that in a world where we all install to a Games folder, and 99% of games default to the Program Files folder that Looking Glass games automatically chose the Games folder!
Shadowcat - no sexual meaning, but you give me a warm feeling inside, knowing gamers like you are out there... Gives me hope....!!!
No shortage of warm fuzzy nostalgia around these parts :)
I know there are people out there who see things differently*, but I'm glad to frequent a place where people Get It.
* in fact I work with a guy who says he has no interest in playing 'old' games, even if it's a game he's never played before; and by 'old' he meant a couple of years. Left me speechless. I have NO chance of comprehending that mind set.
I'm a lucky one, I guess. I can play the game without any special setups/front end programs.
Fuzzies, yay! It's been proven many times, members like Shadowcat here are invaluable to the rest of us.
People who look away from the past sometime fear perspective. DOS4EVAR!!! HOO.* in fact I work with a guy who says he has no interest in playing 'old' games, even if it's a game he's never played before; and by 'old' he meant a couple of years. Left me speechless. I have NO chance of comprehending that mind set.
Well all I can say, is it's their loss ShadowCat! To miss out on any great game just because it is 2 years and 1 day old is a loss for them not us! Where would I be not having played System Shock or Terra Nova or Darklands - I would be a lesser person, let alone a lesser gamer!
And of course, that guy is typical and even missing out on games like System Shock 2 and Half Life and Giants: Citizen Kabuto and other great games from just 5-6 years ago, let alone the 10-15 years back of the DOS games!
Retro is growing because the lack of content and hardware demands of modern games combined with the ease of playing these games now with the advent of DOSBox and front ends like D.O.G., that make playing these games as easy as any modern game, with just a few clicks to set the game up whether Terra Nova or Crysis! (but without the long install of 15-20gb modern game installs!)
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