Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers DOSBox Guide

[Collector]

Origianlly Posted: Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:02 am

Here is the first one. How to get Gabriel Knight to run in DOSBox in eight easy steps.

1.) Make a folder on your harddrive for the game, say C:\Sierra\GK1. (Note: If you set it up in another location or with a different folder name, modify the path in these steps where appropriate.)

2.) Copy these folders from the CD to the C:\Sierra\GK1 folder:

AUD
PATCHES
SEQ
SFX

3.) Copy these files from the CD to the C:\Sierra\GK1 folder:

ALT.MAP
GK1.ICO
INSTALL.EXE
INSTALL.HLP
INSTALL.SCR
INSTALL.TXT
RESOURCE.000
RESOURCE.ALT
RESOURCE.CFG
RESOURCE.MAP
RESOURCE.SFX
SETUP.SOL
SIERRA.ERR
SIERRA.EXE
VERSION

and all *.DRV files.

4.) Unzip the NewRisingSun GK1 patch to the "C:\Sierra\GK1\PATCHES" folder.

5.) Open the RESOURCE.CFG in Notepad and edit to this:

videoDrv = VGA.DRV
soundDrv = GENMIDI.DRV
audioDrv = DACBLAST.DRV
audioIRQ = 7
joyDrv = NO
directory = .\
cmd = GKCD
mouseDrv = none
memoryDrv = none
minmemory = 1M
CD = NO
smartdrv = YES
mode = protected
audio=.\;.\sfx;.\patches;.\aud
sync=.\aud
movieDir=.\seq
patchDir=.\;.\patches
audiosize=43k

6.) Open Notepad and paste this in it:

[render]
scaler= normal3x

[cpu]
core= normal
cycles= 10000

[autoexec]
mount c C:\Sierra\GK1
C:
SIERRA.EXE
exit

and save it as "DOSBox.conf" in the game's folder.

7.) Create a DOSBox shortcut on your desktop, Start Menu or where ever you wish to start the game from and rename it to "Gabriel Knight 1" or what ever you want to. You can also change the icon to the one from the game.

8.) Right click on the new shortcut and at the end of the DOSBox path in the "Target:" box, add -conf C:\Sierra\GK1\DOSBox.conf. Depending on where you have DOSBox installed, the Target box should now say:

"C:\Program Files\DOSBox\DOSBox.exe" -conf C:\Sierra\GK1\DOSBox.conf


Congratulations! You have now setup Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers to run in DOSBox. To play the game, just double click on the shortcut you made. The game will automatically start in DOSBox.

Notes:
1) You can also add -noconsole to the end of what is in the "Target box of the Shortcut if you want to suppress the console window.
2) See the DOSBox README for other options for running the game in DOSBox.

[Almirena]

That is so easy to follow that even those who are almost computer-illiterate will be able to take those steps.

[Nameless]

Eh, I'll just bump this to ask ...

When I installed GK I didn't follow any special steps or use any patches, but (sound aside, which doesn't bother me) didn't initially have any problems playing it. However, on a few occasions, and with strangely increasing frequency, I've had the game crash when trying to leave a conversation, giving an error message such as "Fatal - Not an object: $447 - Script 51/$5aa". Up till now I've just reloaded a save and tried again, but now I'm stuck from getting this message EVERY time I exit conversation with Mosley in day 10, no matter what options I chose. Also, I have this problem whether I'm using DOSBox or not.

So, um, help? I kind of want to play the ending here.

[Tawmis]

Eh, I'll just bump this to ask ...

When I installed GK I didn't follow any special steps or use any patches, but (sound aside, which doesn't bother me) didn't initially have any problems playing it. However, on a few occasions, and with strangely increasing frequency, I've had the game crash when trying to leave a conversation, giving an error message such as "Fatal - Not an object: $447 - Script 51/$5aa". Up till now I've just reloaded a save and tried again, but now I'm stuck from getting this message EVERY time I exit conversation with Mosley in day 10, no matter what options I chose. Also, I have this problem whether I'm using DOSBox or not.

So, um, help? I kind of want to play the ending here.

Perhaps trying to above may resolve it?

[Nameless]

Thank you, Captain Obvious!

But really, the issue I'm having isn't listed as a common problem on the Sierra Help Pages and I'm not sure about savefile compatibility either.

[Tawmis]

Thank you, Captain Obvious!

But really, the issue I'm having isn't listed as a common problem on the Sierra Help Pages and I'm not sure about savefile compatibility either.

But the above is about getting GK1 to run successfully in DOSBox. Not a "fix" for any specific error. So perhaps doing it (rather than arguing with me about it) - may resolve it. If it doesn't - feel free to tell me, "Told you so!"

[Nameless]

Well, I tried, and the game still crashed on cue. But on the upside, at least I know how to create shortcuts for loading games within DOSBox, and changing the scalar size (you can tell I've really tried to learn DOSBox before now).

[Tawmis]

Well, I tried, and the game still crashed on cue. But on the upside, at least I know how to create shortcuts for loading games within DOSBox, and changing the scalar size (you can tell I've really tried to learn DOSBox before now).

Feel free to say, "I told you so!" now.

[Nameless]

Well, I tried, and the game still crashed on cue. But on the upside, at least I know how to create shortcuts for loading games within DOSBox, and changing the scalar size (you can tell I've really tried to learn DOSBox before now).

Feel free to say, "I told you so!" now.

Technically, it would be more of a "I assumed so based on the evidence at hand, and upon investigation this assumption was demonstrated to be correct." I never said it wouldn't work, just implied that I didn't think it likely that it would.

[Almirena]

Try reinstalling.

I've had errors in GK1 which only reinstalling would fix.

[Nameless]

I tried reinstalling, and just copying the save files over ... no dice. Now I'm thinking I might have glitched the save files themselves somehow, and I can't quite muster the patience to play nearly the whole game over at the moment. Unless there's somewhere I can download a save file completed up to day x ...?

[Tawmis]

Could also be because it's not an official copy!

[Nameless]

Could also be because it's not an official copy!

You know, it was never your opinion I was asking for.

[Collector]

Could also be because it's not an official copy!

Tawm does have a point. I am not accusing, in fact I believe in the spirit of abandonware, but the legality of it is something that forces many boards have to tread very lightly around the subject. But, beyond these issues is the fact that abandon games are very often a nightmare to troubleshoot. They are usually altered for various reasons, such as compactness (ripping), getting around copy protection (cracking) or getting them to work on other than the original systems that they were designed for (hacking).

Many is the time on VOGONS that someone has sought help with a game that has a problem that no one else can replicate, only to find out after much hand wringing and hair pulling that the problem was from an unofficial downloaded game.

That said, if you provide more specific information about the version of the game and [i]exactly[/i what you have tried, maybe we can figure it out.