Help playing old PC games

[CapnGod]

I got thinking about some old games that I want to try again. Problem is, I'm not even sure my computer can handle the old ways, you know? I loaded Commander Keen in Goodbye Galaxy on my laptop (which is a piece), but has more than enough power (phones do nowadays...) to run it, but it wasn't working properly. Couldn't get sound, and after a few minutes, it would play on hyper-speed.

Another game I want to play is CyberMage: Darklight Awakening. I have the cd for it somewhere, but I tried installing it on my desktop to a spectacular failure. I could play a little, but again, sound wasn't working, and I don't think mouse input was working.

So, is there any way to dumb down my computer to play these old games? Running WinXP Pro SP2, on an Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 6000+ 3GHz with 3.25 of RAM (have 4, but WinXP can only address 3.25, obviously).

 

[SovietSecrets]

Most old PC games don't work on current computers. I think there was a way you can run emulation software and play it from there, but i just bought a pretty old computer for about $60 to play these games.

 

[runtheplacered]

Another game I want to play is CyberMage: Darklight Awakening.

I assume you've tried a program like DosBox to get it working?

 

[fallen1]

I would have to agree with the last two posts in saying that you will most likely have to get an emulator to play these games. If you have about $50-$100 to spare though you could probably find a cheap computer though that is old and still runs those games. I mean that is what I did and I like having the option to go back and play the older games whenever I want. My computer I got was only about $75 and it is still good enough to run siome new games as well.

 

[Omnipotent_Mortal]

Theres emulators for pretty much anything retro these days, for PC titles try dosbox
http://www.dosbox.com/

 

[Xaryn Mar]

Dosbox is your friend: http://www.dosbox.com/ choose download and the windows version. It might be a bit tricky to run at first, but as far as I remember there is a sort of tutorial somewhere on the site. Otherwise I might (I stress might) be able to help. But I didn't find it so difficult anyway.

EDIT: Beaten to it

 

[CapnGod]

Thanks, hadn't heard of it. Will have to give it a shot. Think I'll need to use it for Rise of the Triad? I used to have the demo for that, and am thinking about getting the full version, as long as it isn't too much of a pain in the ass, you know?

 

[Denmarkian]

For any DOS-based game, and by that I mean one that you'd need to restart your computer in DOS Mode and type in the execute command, go and look into DOSBox (http://www.dosbox.com/) it's a freeware x86 computer emulator that runs DOS that you can install games onto. This is pretty resource-heavy as your computer is pretending to be the computer running the game you're playing, but I've had some varied success with old games like Dark Forces and Wing Commander.

Other than that, you're probably stuck with finding a way to install Windows 95/98 onto whatever computer you can make it happen with and play on that.

Well, it looks like in the time it took to write my post, everyone had already said what I was going to.

 

[Theo Samaritan]

For any DOS-based game, and by that I mean one that you'd need to restart your computer in DOS Mode and type in the execute command, go and look into DOSBox (http://www.dosbox.com/) it's a freeware x86 computer emulator that runs DOS that you can install games onto. This is pretty resource-heavy as your computer is pretending to be the computer running the game you're playing, but I've had some varied success with old games like Dark Forces and Wing Commander.

Other than that, you're probably stuck with finding a way to install Windows 95/98 onto whatever computer you can make it happen with and play on that.

Learn to read replies sir.

At the OP: The hyperness can be sorted with some games by forcing vertical sync in your graphics drivers to On. This way they will be limited by the refresh rate of your screen.