Privateer2 in XP

P

PrivateerFan

Spaceman
I would like to have another go at Privateer2, (one of the most addictive single player games ever). I just tried to install it on my HP Pavillion a1330n. I have 172gb of open hard drive space, but the CD won't install because it says there's not enough hard drive space. I'm also concerned about gameplay. I tried running it on a Windows 2000 system, but the processor speed (at only aobut 45mhz) was too fast for dogfighting. I've looked for a Windows XP patch and haven't found any.
My version is the Deluxe edition so it ran fine under Windows 98.

How do I get it to install, and how do I get it to run at the correct speed?
 
To get around the HD space error, create the c:\dark directory manually before trying to install the game.

Regarding speed issues, if you have the dos version there shouldn't be any speed issues as it has a frame limiter. Try getting the game to run in dosbox. THe Win95 cd patch thing actually removes the frame limiter for no apparant reason but I believe there is also a patch to fix that.
 
I tried a different tactic and got it to install. I typed in program files as the install directory and it installed there, but now all the files are in the root directory of Program files; probably not a good thing.
the first time I tried it, the graphics in the booth were very slow and glitchy, so I re-installed the latest directX driver for XP (9.something or other) and that helped.

Now it works...until I try to take off. When I leave Hermes it crashes. the first time I got an application error, so I went to the .exe file's properties tab and assigned it to Compatiblity Win2000 (wishfull thinking). That didn't work, so I assigned it to the Win95 compatiblity. Now I don't get a blue screen, but when I take off, the initializing screen flashes, the space engine sound starts, the monitor goes black and none of the controls work.
help?
btw, what's Dosbox? The command prompt?
 
DosBox is a software or an elmulator, it helps to run old dos games on modern computers...

Just type Dosbox in the seacrchmask on the wc-news site, or google for it...

BTW - I own also a XP system, but my P II runs fine, no speed problems, no dosbox - the only thing I was forced to do was: use only 512 mb of ram and reduce the windows "swamp"-file on a level lower than 500 mb...

It seems so that the game has problems with system with more than 512 mb ram...

Deacan
 
PrivateerFan said:
And how do you limit your system to using only 512mb or RAM? Is that something I can edit in the .exe file properties tab?
Click to expand...

This IS the problem: you need to HAVE a 512 mb ram piece inside your pc, there is no way to reduce your ram on a other way.

I have - normaly - 1,5 gig of ram, one 1024 bm module and one 512 mb ram module...

And let me guess: your pc runs with 2 gigs of ram, hm?

Try to get your hands on a 512 or 2 256 mb ram-modules, ask your friends, perhaps someone owns an old pc...

Deacan
 
Theres an option somewhere in the application compatability toolkit (downloadable from microsoft) which sounds like it may fix this issue.
 
Well this is all quite puzzling. My son was playing it just last week on his new XP pc with 2gb of RAM. He said he downloaded a patch and it worked fine. But he can't remember where he found it, so I'm SOL.
 
Look here:

P II site

There is a patch at turns the DOS version into the windos version, here

patch

Yes, it is strange: on my system the game runs only at 512 mb, I tried it with 1 gig and 1,5 gig - no way to make it run.

And yes, as I told you before, I use XP.

PS: one question, your harddrive - just how big is it? Did you make different parts out of it? (damm it, my english is still not the best)
 
I don't know if this has already been brought up (i couldn't be bothered to read the whole lot) but there is a windows patch that will open up a windows installer for both wc4 and privateer two, you'll find the wc4 on i think gamespot and the privateer 2 one on http://originalthp.solsector.net/privateer2win95/. I'm running on vista for those who are interested, and both work fine
 
Windows XP Fix

If you have Privateer Deluxe edition it will run fine on windows. I too got the not enough disk space message at first. I found though before I could install it I had to open the c: and creat a folder named DARK and then install the game.

To slow the game palay down go to this web site http://hcl.wcrevival.de/exe_dll/. It has a patch at the very bottom that works. To install the patch dowload the zip fill then open it. Now go to the c: in my computer and open your DARK. Click and drag the patch file to your DARK folder. After that open your DOS prompt from the Acceseries in the start button menu. When it comes up to get the prompt to show c:\> only type cd.. until it like I just showed. Now type cd DARK and hit enter. Next type patch and then hit enter. You will now be able to play at normal speed.

I am still having errors with the video in the middle of the game. If I find a way to fix this I will let everyone know.
 
I have the dos version of Privateer 2 and I can get it to work in DOSBox 0.70 but It runs too fast, without cycles set properly. When I get the speed set to playable I loose joystick control, and recalibrating dosent work. I also tried to upgrade my version to the windos compatible ver. with the patch I found a link to here, I can install, run the game until I try to leave Hermes (or enter space for the first time) the game crashes to desktop with an application error. I see someone got it to work by using only 512 mb ram in XP but I tried this (even set the windows mem to less than 500) and I still get the same result its just slower.
Ive also tried...
p2patch - no change
slowdown patch - no change
turned off sli - no change ( i have dual video card system)
turned off hardware acceration - no change
copied sets.iff to Dark folder - no change
disabled animated and landing videos - no change
run game in every avail compatibilty mode - no change

So Im at my wits end, any help that anyone can offer would be apreciated.

Thanks in advace
 
dlkrocker said:
I have the dos version of Privateer 2 and I can get it to work in DOSBox 0.70 but It runs too fast, without cycles set properly. When I get the speed set to playable I loose joystick control, and recalibrating dosent work. I also tried to upgrade my version to the windos compatible ver. with the patch I found a link to here, I can install, run the game until I try to leave Hermes (or enter space for the first time) the game crashes to desktop with an application error. I see someone got it to work by using only 512 mb ram in XP but I tried this (even set the windows mem to less than 500) and I still get the same result its just slower.
Ive also tried...
p2patch - no change
slowdown patch - no change
turned off sli - no change ( i have dual video card system)
turned off hardware acceration - no change
copied sets.iff to Dark folder - no change
disabled animated and landing videos - no change
run game in every avail compatibilty mode - no change

So Im at my wits end, any help that anyone can offer would be apreciated.

Thanks in advace
Click to expand...

P2 dos version actually has a frame limiter, so it may only seem fast. It's probably supposed to be that way. For whatever reason, the windows patch breaks this. But I beleive there's also a patch for that too.

Regarding the joystick, what do you mean by loose control? I've heard there have been some issues with dosbox 0.7 and joysticks but that they are working on a fix. Have you tried using dosbox 0.65 for P2?
 
somewhat solved

I made no progress on the windows patched dos version of P2 i was able to calibrate in dosbox I just could not move the stick all the way up or down otherwise the dot goes the to top left and i have to recalibrate.


thanks for your time
 
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