DOSBox

From wiki.gp2x.org
DOSBox
Screenshot of DOSBox
Download(s) DOSBox (archive)
source (archive)
Developer(s)
Porting
developer(s) 		Pickle, Hitnrun
Version 0.72-4
Status Released and Playable
Webpage DOSBox

DOSBox is a MS-DOS Emulator.

Contents

Installation

  • Download from the archive and move the contents to a dosbox directory on the root of your SD Card.
  • Each game has to be scripted separately.
    • For example, create a subdirectory called blockout in your dosbox directory for Blockout.
    • Then you would need to have dosbox.conf,mapper.txt and blockout.gpe in this directory.
    • See each games' page for details on these files.
You basically need to modify dosbox.conf (the absolute path to the game's directory and the name of the executable file) and any_game_name.gpe (the name of the game's directory in the DIRNAME line).
Please remember that the [autoexec] part of the dosbox.conf is case sensitive (If your game is called GAME.COM you will need to use the same case letters in the [autoexec] part of the conf, otherwise Dosbox will crash out to the main GP2X Menu).
You can also alter the gfx and sound settings in the dosbox.conf file to suit the game's needs, for example you may want to change machine=cga to machine=vga or allow PC Speaker emulation by pcspeaker=true. For further information on configuring DosBox, obtain the documentation at its home site.

Configuration Tips

Note: As of 5 March 2008, the gp2x File Archive now hosts a section on working configs for various games. It is suggested that anyone who has succeeded in getting a game to work at an acceptably playable level should upload a zip containing their dosbox.conf, <game name>.gpe and mapper.txt files, along with a text file explaining how the keys are mapped as well as any other notes about the configuration that users should be aware of. Also, similar games should be able to be played with very similar configs (such as the VGA mouse-driven adventure games from Sierra) so anyone trying to create configuration files should first see what is on offer at the file archive.

[sdl]

fulldouble=false - setting this to true will enable double buffering, please try if you get screen tearing.

output=surface - must be set to surface for gp2x

[dosbox]

memsize= - cannot be bigger than 8.

[cpu]

core=simple - try simple first, then normal, dynamic cannot be used.

cycles= - not much point setting this over about 1800, The gp2x just can't keep up. There is also a new option called auto which will try and guess the cycles that should be used.

[mixer]

keeping blocksize= small (64) and prebuffer= large (1000) improves performance in many games

rate= - 11025, 22025 are commonly used. lower number means worse sound but better performance.

emulating as few sound devices as possible could speed things up (eg: if sb1 is on then turn gus, tandy, disney, etc off)

[dos]

i turn off high memory unless i know a program needs it

Example Files

dosbox.conf 

[sdl]
fulldouble=false
output=surface
sensitivity=100
mapperfile=mapper.txt

[dosbox]
machine=vga
memsize=8

[cpu]
core=simple
cycles=1200

[mixer]
nosound=false
rate=22050
blocksize=2048
prebuffer=30

[sblaster]
sbtype=none
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=22050

[gus]
gus=false
gusrate=22050
gusbase=240
irq1=5
irq2=5
dma1=3
dma2=3
ultradir=C:\ULTRASND

[speaker]
pcspeaker=true
pcrate=22050
tandy=auto
tandyrate=22050
disney=true

[joystick]
joysticktype=none

[dos]
xms=true
ems=true
umb=true

[autoexec]
mount C "/mnt/sd/dosbox/gamefolder"
c:
GAMENAME.EXE

mapper.txt 

hand_shutdown "key 105 mod1" 
hand_capmouse "key 291 mod1" 
hand_fullscr "key 13 mod2" 
hand_pause "key 19 mod2" 
hand_mapper "key 282 mod1" 
hand_decfskip "key 288 mod1" 
hand_incfskip "key 289 mod1" 
hand_cycledown "key 292 mod1" 
hand_cycleup "key 293 mod1" 
hand_recwave "key 287 mod1" 
hand_caprawmidi "key 289 mod1 mod2" 
hand_caprawopl "key 288 mod1 mod2" 
hand_swapimg "key 285 mod1" 
key_esc "key 105" 
key_f1 "key 282" 
key_f2 "key 283" 
key_f3 "key 284" 
key_f4 "key 285" 
key_f5 "key 286" 
key_f6 "key 287" 
key_f7 "key 288" 
key_f8 "key 289" 
key_f9 "key 290" 
key_f10 "key 291" 
key_f11 "key 292" 
key_f12 "key 293" 
key_grave "key 96" 
key_1 "key 49" 
key_2 "key 50" 
key_3 "key 51" 
key_4 "key 52" 
key_5 "key 53" 
key_6 "key 54" 
key_7 "key 55" 
key_8 "key 56" 
key_9 "key 57" 
key_0 "key 48" 
key_minus "key 45" 
key_equals "key 61" 
key_bspace "key 8" 
key_tab "key 9" 
key_q "key 112" 
key_w "key 109" 
key_e "key 107" 
key_r "key 306" 
key_t "key 116" 
key_y "key 121" 
key_u "key 117" 
key_i "key 27" 
key_o "key 273" 
key_p "key 106" 
key_lbracket "key 91" 
key_rbracket "key 93" 
key_enter "key 113" 
key_capslock "key 301" 
key_a "key 111" 
key_s "key 110" 
key_d "key 108" 
key_f "key 102" 
key_g "key 275" 
key_h "key 104" 
key_j "key 13" 
key_k "key 274" 
key_l "key 100" 
key_semicolon "key 59" 
key_quote "key 39" 
key_backslash "key 92" 
key_lshift "key 304" 
key_lessthan "key 60" 
key_z "key 122" 
key_x "key 120" 
key_c "key 276" 
key_v "key 118" 
key_b "key 98" 
key_n "key 32" 
key_m "key 119" 
key_comma "key 44" 
key_period "key 46" 
key_slash "key 47" 
key_rshift "key 303" 
key_lctrl "key 306" 
key_lalt "key 308" 
key_space "key 115" 
key_ralt "key 307" 
key_rctrl "key 305" 
key_printscreen "key 316" 
key_scrolllock "key 302" 
key_pause "key 19" 
key_insert "key 277" 
key_home "key 278" 
key_pageup "key 280" 
key_delete "key 127" 
key_end "key 279" 
key_pagedown "key 281" 
key_up "key 97" 
key_left "key 99" 
key_down "key 101" 
key_right "key 103" 
key_numlock "key 300" 
key_kp_divide "key 267" 
key_kp_multiply "key 268" 
key_kp_minus "key 269" 
key_kp_7 "key 263" 
key_kp_8 "key 264" 
key_kp_9 "key 265" 
key_kp_plus "key 270" 
key_kp_4 "key 260" 
key_kp_5 "key 261" 
key_kp_6 "key 262" 
key_kp_1 "key 257" 
key_kp_2 "key 258" 
key_kp_3 "key 259" 
key_kp_enter "key 271" 
key_kp_0 "key 256" 
key_kp_period "key 266" 
mod_1 "key 114" "key 305" 
mod_2 "key 308" "key 307" 
mod_3

<Game name>.gpe 

#! /bin/sh

DIRROOT=/mnt/sd/dosbox
DIRGAME=${DIRROOT}/gamename

cd ${DIRGAME}
${DIRROOT}/dosbox -conf ${DIRGAME}/dosbox.conf

cd /usr/gp2x
exec /usr/gp2x/gp2xmenu

You can NOT create / edit these files with your Windows Notepad, but Windows WordPad seems to work just fine.

WINDOWS : Please use Programmer’s Notepad available from : pnotepad.org

LINUX : Any linux text editor.

Controls 

gp2x button = defaults = key code

Stick N     = A        = 97
Stick NW    = B        = 98
Stick W     = C        = 99
Stick SW    = D        = 100
Stick S     = E        = 101
Stick SE    = F        = 102
Stick E     = G        = 103
Stick NE    = H        = 104
Start       = I        = 105
Select      = J        = 106
L           = K        = 107
R           = L        = 108
A           = M        = 109
B           = N        = 110
Y           = O        = 111
X           = P        = 112
Vol+        = Q        = 113
Vol-        = R        = 114
Stick In    = S        = 115

Version History

  • v0.72-1 - 04/04/2008
  • v0.70.1 - 27/03/2007
  • v0.65.1 - 16/08/2006
  • v0.65 - 02/17/2006

Game Compatibility

PLEASE READ THIS IF YOU PLAN TO EDIT COMPATIBILITY LISTS
Please use the new compatibility pages. The continued use of the lists on individual emulator pages will result in a temporary ban!
Thank you for your cooperation.
Status Level: Description:
Untested Has not yet been tested.
Works Full speed, no noticeable problems.
Mostly Works Playable, but with noticeable glitches, or not playable because of speed, with no glitches.
Barely Works Glitches or speed make game unplayable, but it will boot.
Doesn't Work Will not boot, or crashes on boot.


Game Status Clockspeed/Notes GFX mode DosBox Version
007 Licence to Kill Mostly Works VGA
Alley Cat Works CGA
Ancient Art of War Mostly Works CGA
Bad Blood Doesn't Work Black screen, doesn't do anything. VGA 0.70.1
Bio Menace Works Very playable @ 250Mhz with music off. VGA 0.70.1
Blake Stone: Aliens of Gold Doesn't Work The intro and control panel screen will boot, but once you try to start playing, it hangs EGA
Chaos Engine Mostly Works 200Mhz VGA
Colonization Mostly Works 250MHz With sound off, game is playable.(difficult controls) VGA 0.70.1
Commander Keen 4 Mostly Works 240MHz, sound on, almost full speed VGA 0.72.5
Cyberdogs Mostly Works VGA
Dangerous Dave in the Haunted Mansion Works Sound is delayed but game is playable VGA
Day of the Tentacle Mostly Works Loads completely, sound breaks up and graphics are slow. VGA 0.70.1
Descent Barely Works See D1X-Rebirth VGA
Digger Barely Works Loads, doesn't seem to accept input, doesn't play sound. Works ok in Win32 DosBox? VGA 0.70.1
Dragon Strike Mostly Works With sound off and simplest graphics, game is playable VGA
Duke Nukem Episodes 1-3 Works VGA
Dyna Blaster Mostly works 220MHz VGA
Frontier:First Encounters Untested VGA
God of Thunder Mostly Works 200Mhz VGA
Grand Theft Auto Doesn't Work SVGA
Hexxagon Works 280MHZ VGA
Indianapolis 500 Mostly Works Loads, but gameplay is jerky. May just need optimising and/or overclocking. VGA 0.70.1
Jill of the Jungle Vol1. Mostly Works 280MHZ VGA
Jones in the fast lane Mostly Works 240MHz, sound off, 75% of full speed VGA 0.72.5
Lakers vs Celtics Works 240MHz, sound on, full speed VGA 0.72.5
Lemmings Untested VGA
Little Big Adventure Barely Works 280MHZ VGA
Lotus Mostly Works on 200Mhz 5-7fps VGA 0.72
Magicland Dizzy Mostly Works VGA
Master of Orion Works on 200MHz VGA
Mechwarrior 2 Doesn't Work VGA
Number Munchers Mostly Works CGA
One Must Fall: 2097 Barely Works Runs setup and menus, crashes with Runtime Error when entering the arena VGA 0.70.1
Overkill Doesn't Work Doesn't do anything. VGA 0.70.1
Paratrooper Mostly Works CGA
Pipe Mania Works VGA
Piranha Doesn't work Hangs when started up VGA
Prehistorik Mostly Works VGA
Raiden Barely Works Runs, slow but quite playable VGA 0.70.1
Railroad Tycoon Works VGA
Raptor: Call of The Shadows Barely Works VGA
Rock'n Roll Works VGA
Roketz Mostly Works 200 - 280MHz (& 600-2200 cycles) VGA
Street Rod 1 Doesn't Work Will launch game, start game, but when challenging someone the game freezes VGA 0.72.5
Street Rod 2 Mostly Works Loads completely, gameplay is too slow to be playable. VGA 0.70.1
Striker Doesn't Work 0.70.1
Striker95 Barely Works 0.70.1
System Shock Barely Works 200MHz, fps is very low, approximately 0,5-1 fps VGA 0.72
Stunts Mostly Works Loads completely, Semi-playable in Fast Graphic Mode. VGA 0.70.1
Toppler Barely Works VGA
Tyrian 2000 Mostly Works See OpenTyrian2x. VGA
Where in Europe is Carmen Sandiego? Works Simple cpu @ 1500 cycles. Need to map a key to "y" for name entry and to get into the game. CGA
Status Level: Description:
Untested Has not yet been tested.
Works Full speed, no noticeable problems.
Mostly Works Playable, but with noticeable glitches, or not playable because of speed, with no glitches.
Barely Works Glitches or speed make game unplayable, but it will boot.
Doesn't Work Will not boot, or crashes on boot.


Games that don't need DOSBox to run on the GP2X, they have solutions in the form of other applications for the GP2X:

Game Solution Other reasons not to use DOSBox
Beneath a Steel Sky ScummVM Mouse emulation is not supported, and there is no known patch to substitute mouse movement with keyboard keys which are emulated on the GP2X's buttons.
Commander Keen CloneKeen2X Runs slow
Descent D1X-Rebirth
Doom PrBoom Doom runs hellishly slow through DOSBox
Doom II PrBoom See Doom
Duke Nukem 3D Duke2x Duke Nukem 3D runs slow for similar reasons that Doom is slow.
Final Doom PrBoom See Doom
Hexen Hexen Similar reasons to Doom
Jazz Jackrabbit OpenJazz Unknown
Tyrian OpenTyrian2x OpenTyrian does not have the 5th episode.

See also

External links

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