Tiberian Dawn DOS-version in windowed mode

[assenort]

Hi guys,

I have a dedicated Windows 95C machine on which I play older games; particularly those that utilize mix-mode CD media (such as Tiberian Dawn + Covert Ops; Tomb Raider 1 and 2; Archimedean Dynasty; etc.).

As far as Tiberian Dawn is concerned, there is a huge problem - game stretches out its original resolution (which is 320x200) over the entire display of my FullHD 23-inch monitor. As a result, all I can see is a blurry yellow spot(s) moving across a grainy green background. Not good.

I was hoping that the 1.06 patch by our benevolent friend Nyerguds will help out, unfortunately it is not compatible with Win95/98.

My question: is there a way I can somehow force the DOS version of Tiberian Dawn to play in windowed mode in Win95? Please let me know, will greatly appreciate it.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Greets ?

Edited May 18, 2019 by assenort

[FunkyFr3sh]

Nyers patch probably works, but the installer might not. Try to install it on another pc and then copy the files over to your windows 95 pc. If it still doesn't work, then delete thipx32.dll and ddraw.dll in your game folder and try again. However, without the ddraw.dll you won't have windowed mode either  Maybe there are some old solutions for it, I bet someone created some kind of universal ddraw game windower...

[assenort]

Hi FunkyFr3sh:

Thank you for trying to help. Nyers patch is targeted specifically at the Gold version of the game, which is not compatible/interchangeable with the DOS version. What you proposed is a no go, unfortunately for me.

Best ?

[Tore]

alt+enter will make DOS apps ran on Win95 go windowed.

Will probably not run that well though.

None of the PC versions of C&C games use mixed mode CD media. Covert Ops, Counterstrike, Aftermath and Sole Survivor do have CD audio and are mixed mode CD's, but the CDDA data is never used ingame.

[assenort]

Hi Tore,

Thanks very much for your tip, and for correcting me in regard to the mix-mode issue. Indeed, neither the original DOS edition nor the Commemorative edition of Tiberian Dawn uses CDDA, I do not know why I thought otherwise. Well, blunders make life more interesting anyways.

Alt+Enter brings the game in windowed mode to 320x200. Not very playable as such, but I am used to that sort of thing having experience with other games.

Curious as to why the other games than you mention have CDDA, but not use it in-game. That's kinda strange. Covert Ops has very nice 7 CDDA tracks, pity they are not heard.

Best ?

[Tore]

They have CDDA so you could listen to it in a stereo or media player

[Nyerguds]

The only C&C game that uses CD audio tracks is the Sega Saturn version.

To play DOS C&C, I see no reason to use a Windows '95 machine. I'm fairly sure Win95 was never able to display graphical DOS content without switching to fullscreen mode anyway. My advice, just use DOSBox.

[Tore]

Using DOSBox can remove the reason to use windowed mode too. Just configure the built in scaler to scale the image properly rather than relying on the often horrible scaling of the graphics card or the monitor itself. This however requires a fairly modern computer.

If you want a 100% authentic experience for your Win95 (or older) machine I'd recommend finding a CRT monitor with a shadow mask.

@Nyerguds Windows 95 can run DOS games in windowed mode though. Performance is pretty crap though.

[assenort]

Nyerguds and Tore,

Thank you very much, guys, for your tips and advises.

I do not like the DOSBox from the principles, it has given me plenty of grief and frustration in the past - especially when I was trying to play Mechwarrior 2 games or some of the Jane's Combat Simulations in DB within Windows XP. Surely DB can be very helpful sometimes, but can totally kill the experience as well. Actually, my misadventures with DB was one of the reasons that made me build meself a Win95 rig (which I like very much).

For the time being I got meself an older LCD monitor that has native 1280x1024. Eventually I will try to get a 15" CRT (as per Tore's suggestion), problem is that it is not easy to find a well-preserved one.

Greets ?

Edited May 24, 2019 by assenort