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I bought the 1-6 collection in a store at one point, and installed it, but had a problem with SQ IV that I couldn't get around. If this doesn't happen with the GOG version, I'll grab it, but don't want to waste money if it'll happen again.
Basically, in most visual ways, the game works fine, you click somewhere, walk at the right speed, the Duracell Bunny goes across the scren OK, but Wilco's head is twitching in all directions like he's having a spastic fit, and things that rely on timing, like dodging the robot, are impossible. Take the SE corner at the start. I could make it behind a pillar in time, while the robot came on and searched, but as soon as he was off the screen, he'd come back on again, in an endless cycle, with no time to ever do anything.
Does this happen, or have GOG got the DosBox settings right?
This question / problem has been solved by Arucardimage
Check here for patches that will fix the speed issues in your 1-6 collection.
Those patches didn't fix the problem, so my question still stands. Do people running the GOG version under 32bit Vista have this issue?
The request for information is seconded. Much of GOG's value is getting classic games running on modern PCs, and SQ4 is one of the poster children of the difficulties with doing this. Having to mess with patches, or edit configuration files, or anything that falls under the category of "fiddling" would make this a non-starter for me, so I'd love to hear from other people who've tried it!
What I did in my config to get it running fine was changing the display mode to openglnb, and the audio buffering. Here is my config file:
# This is the configurationfile for DOSBox 0.72.
# Lines starting with a # are commentlines.
# They are used to (briefly) document the effect of each option.
[sdl]
# fullscreen -- Start dosbox directly in fullscreen.
# fulldouble -- Use double buffering in fullscreen.
# fullresolution -- What resolution to use for fullscreen: original or fixed size (e.g. 1024x768).
# windowresolution -- Scale the window to this size IF the output device supports hardware scaling.
# output -- What to use for output: surface,overlay,opengl,openglnb,ddraw.
# autolock -- Mouse will automatically lock, if you click on the screen.
# sensitiviy -- Mouse sensitivity.
# waitonerror -- Wait before closing the console if dosbox has an error.
# priority -- Priority levels for dosbox: lowest,lower,normal,higher,highest,pause (when not focussed).
# Second entry behind the comma is for when dosbox is not focused/minimized.
# mapperfile -- File used to load/save the key/event mappings from.
# usescancodes -- Avoid usage of symkeys, might not work on all operating systems.
fullscreen=true
fulldouble=true
fullresolution=1920x1080
windowresolution=original
output=openglnb
autolock=true
sensitivity=100
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,normal
mapperfile=mapper.txt
usescancodes=true
[dosbox]
# language -- Select another language file.
# memsize -- Amount of memory DOSBox has in megabytes.
# machine -- The type of machine tries to emulate:hercules,cga,tandy,pcjr,vga.
# captures -- Directory where things like wave,midi,screenshot get captured.
language=
machine=svga_s3
captures=capture
memsize=16
[render]
# frameskip -- How many frames DOSBox skips before drawing one.
# aspect -- Do aspect correction, if your output method doesn't support scaling this can slow things down!.
# scaler -- Scaler used to enlarge/enhance low resolution modes.
# Supported are none,normal2x,normal3x,advmame2x,advmame3x,hq2x,hq3x,
# 2xsai,super2xsai,supereagle,advinterp2x,advinterp3x,
# tv2x,tv3x,rgb2x,rgb3x,scan2x,scan3x.
# If forced is appended (like scaler=hq2x forced), the scaler will be used
# even if the result might not be desired.
frameskip=0
aspect=true
scaler=none
[cpu]
# core: CPU Core used in emulation. auto will switch to dynamic if available and appropriate.
# Possible values: auto, dynamic, normal, simple
# cputype: CPU Type used in emulation. auto is the fastest choice.
# Possible values: auto, 386, 386_slow, 486_slow, pentium_slow, 386_prefetch
# cycles: Amount of instructions DOSBox tries to emulate each millisecond. Setting this value too high results in sound dropouts and lags. Cycles can be set in 3 ways:
# 'auto' tries to guess what a game needs.
# It usually works, but can fail for certain games.
# 'fixed #number' will set a fixed amount of cycles. This is what you usually need if 'auto' fails.
# (Example: fixed 4000)
# 'max' will allocate as much cycles as your computer is able to handle
#
# Possible values: auto, fixed, max, %u
# cycleup: Amount of cycles to increase/decrease with keycombo.
# cycledown: Setting it lower than 100 will be a percentage.
core=simple
cputype=386_slow
cycles=auto
cycleup=500
cycledown=20
[mixer]
# nosound -- Enable silent mode, sound is still emulated though.
# rate -- Mixer sample rate, setting any devices higher than this will
# probably lower their sound quality.
# blocksize -- Mixer block size, larger blocks might help sound stuttering
# but sound will also be more lagged.
# prebuffer -- How many milliseconds of data to keep on top of the blocksize.
nosound=false
rate=22050
blocksize=2048
prebuffer=10
[midi]
# mpu401 -- Type of MPU-401 to emulate: none, uart or intelligent.
# device -- Device that will receive the MIDI data from MPU-401.
# This can be default,alsa,oss,win32,coreaudio,none.
# config -- Special configuration options for the device. In Windows put
# the id of the device you want to use. See README for details.
mpu401=intelligent
device=default
config=
[sblaster]
# sbtype -- Type of sblaster to emulate:none,sb1,sb2,sbpro1,sbpro2,sb16.
# sbbase,irq,dma,hdma -- The IO/IRQ/DMA/High DMA address of the soundblaster.
# mixer -- Allow the soundblaster mixer to modify the DOSBox mixer.
# oplmode -- Type of OPL emulation: auto,cms,opl2,dualopl2,opl3.
# On auto the mode is determined by sblaster type.
# All OPL modes are 'Adlib', except for CMS.
# oplrate -- Sample rate of OPL music emulation.
sbtype=sb16
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=22050
[gus]
# gus -- Enable the Gravis Ultrasound emulation.
# gusbase,irq1,irq2,dma1,dma2 -- The IO/IRQ/DMA addresses of the
# Gravis Ultrasound. (Same IRQ's and DMA's are OK.)
# gusrate -- Sample rate of Ultrasound emulation.
# ultradir -- Path to Ultrasound directory. In this directory
# there should be a MIDI directory that contains
# the patch files for GUS playback. Patch sets used
# with Timidity should work fine.
gus=true
gusrate=22050
gusbase=240
irq1=5
irq2=5
dma1=3
dma2=3
ultradir=C:\ULTRASND
[speaker]
# pcspeaker -- Enable PC-Speaker emulation.
# pcrate -- Sample rate of the PC-Speaker sound generation.
# tandy -- Enable Tandy Sound System emulation (off,on,auto).
# For auto Tandysound emulation is present only if machine is set to tandy.
# tandyrate -- Sample rate of the Tandy 3-Voice generation.
# disney -- Enable Disney Sound Source emulation. Covox Voice Master and Speech Thing compatible.
pcspeaker=true
pcrate=22050
tandy=auto
tandyrate=22050
disney=true
[joystick]
# joysticktype -- Type of joystick to emulate: auto (default), none,
# 2axis (supports two joysticks,
# 4axis (supports one joystick, first joystick used),
# 4axis_2 (supports one joystick, second joystick used),
# fcs (Thrustmaster), ch (CH Flightstick).
# none disables joystick emulation.
# auto chooses emulation depending on real joystick(s).
# timed -- enable timed intervals for axis. (false is old style behaviour).
# autofire -- continuously fires as long as you keep the button pressed.
# swap34 -- swap the 3rd and the 4th axis. can be useful for certain joysticks.
# buttonwrap -- enable button wrapping at the number of emulated buttons.
joysticktype=auto
timed=true
autofire=false
swap34=false
buttonwrap=true
[serial]
# serial1-4 -- set type of device connected to com port.
# Can be disabled, dummy, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# Additional parameters must be in the same line in the form of
# parameter:value. Parameter for all types is irq.
# for directserial: realport (required), rxdelay (optional).
# for modem: listenport (optional).
# for nullmodem: server, rxdelay, txdelay, telnet, usedtr,
# transparent, port, inhsocket (all optional).
# Example: serial1=modem listenport:5000
serial1=dummy
serial2=dummy
serial3=disabled
serial4=disabled
[dos]
# xms -- Enable XMS support.
# ems -- Enable EMS support.
# umb -- Enable UMB support.
# keyboardlayout -- Language code of the keyboard layout (or none).
xms=true
ems=true
umb=true
keyboardlayout=none
[ipx]
# ipx -- Enable ipx over UDP/IP emulation.
ipx=false
[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
mount C .
c:
cls
sierra
exit
Well, I took a punt, and downloaded it, and can now answer my own question. It doesn't have any speed issues that I can see, and is as slow as the original. Also defaults to fullscreen as well, which is nice.
Post edited February 27, 2010 by Skreczi
Nice to hear that :)
Have a nice game.
Grah
avatar
Arucard: Those patches didn't fix the problem, so my question still stands. Do people running the GOG version under 32bit Vista have this issue?

If you use your original save games after applying the patch you will still have the issues that the patches address. This has always been the case with many of the Sierra patches. This is why you need to start the games over after patching your game. Besides, all speed issues can be worked around with DOSBox. All you need to do is lower the cycles. cycles of 6000 to 10000 is usually enough to overcome speed issues in Sierra games.
I allow myself to mark your post as an answer :)
Games that run in DosBox usually don't have any speed issues.
Important is the number "cpu cycles".
2000 gives you the speed of a 286 20 MHz. Recommended for really old games, but the newer Sierra games will feel very sluggish (Sierra did state 286 as requirements for SQ4, but you really wanted a 386 machine).
4000 gives you the speed of a 386SX 25 MHz. A good setting for the EGA Sierra games.
6000 gives you the speed of a 386DX 33 MHz. This speed is great for all Sierra games, but getting from screen to screen might feel a bit sluggish with the newer Games.
12000 gives the speed of a 486DX 33 MHz. Great setting for the newer Sierra games, very fast in getting from screen to screen.
These numbers are very accurate. I tested this with the famous Norton Sysinfo 8.0 benchmark. It was very popular in the good old days and the speed "feels" very accurate compared to the machines I had as a kid.
Post edited August 05, 2010 by Mau1wurf1977
avatar
Mau1wurf1977: Games that run in DosBox usually don't have any speed issues.
Important is the number "cpu cycles".
2000 gives you the speed of a 286 20 MHz. Recommended for really old games, but the newer Sierra games will feel very sluggish (Sierra did state 286 as requirements for SQ4, but you really wanted a 386 machine).
4000 gives you the speed of a 386SX 25 MHz. A good setting for the EGA Sierra games.
6000 gives you the speed of a 386DX 33 MHz. This speed is great for all Sierra games, but getting from screen to screen might feel a bit sluggish with the newer Games.
12000 gives the speed of a 486DX 33 MHz. Great setting for the newer Sierra games, very fast in getting from screen to screen.
These numbers are very accurate. I tested this with the famous Norton Sysinfo 8.0 benchmark. It was very popular in the good old days and the speed "feels" very accurate compared to the machines I had as a kid.
How do I set the speed in DosBox?
Open and edit the dosboxSQ5.conf or which ever game you are trying to edit.
avatar
Mau1wurf1977: Games that run in DosBox usually don't have any speed issues.
Important is the number "cpu cycles".
2000 gives you the speed of a 286 20 MHz. Recommended for really old games, but the newer Sierra games will feel very sluggish (Sierra did state 286 as requirements for SQ4, but you really wanted a 386 machine).
4000 gives you the speed of a 386SX 25 MHz. A good setting for the EGA Sierra games.
6000 gives you the speed of a 386DX 33 MHz. This speed is great for all Sierra games, but getting from screen to screen might feel a bit sluggish with the newer Games.
12000 gives the speed of a 486DX 33 MHz. Great setting for the newer Sierra games, very fast in getting from screen to screen.
These numbers are very accurate. I tested this with the famous Norton Sysinfo 8.0 benchmark. It was very popular in the good old days and the speed "feels" very accurate compared to the machines I had as a kid.
avatar
andreas.sp: How do I set the speed in DosBox?
I suggest not even using dosbox but actually a daily build of ScummVM.

This doesn't require any patches and runs with perfect speed.