GAMES:Shannara

Shannara is an adventure game for the IBM PC based on the Shannara series of the first three books.

Windows

How to install with CD

Mounting the game CD-Rom drive. E.g. where "D:\" is your local drive.

Z:\>MOUNT D D:\ -t cdrom

Mounting a folder from your harddrive for the game installation. E.g.

Z:\>MOUNT C D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA

Change into the folder D:\SHANNARA\ and execute the INSTALL.EXE. Follow the installation steps. You should use a minimal installation and the installation drive for the game is C:. The default installation folder is SHANNARA. Finish the sound setup and change into the folder C:\SHANNARA\. Start the game.

C:\SHANNARA\SHANNARA.EXE

How to install with an ISO

Mounting the game ISO. E.g.

Z:\>IMGMOUNT D D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA\ISO\Shannara.iso -t iso

Mounting a folder from your harddrive for the game installation. E.g.

Z:\>MOUNT C D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA

Change into the folder D:\SHANNARA\ and execute the INSTALL.EXE. Follow the installation steps. You should use a minimal installation and the installation drive for the game is C:. The default installation folder is SHANNARA. Finish the sound setup and change into the folder C:\SHANNARA\. Start the game.

C:\SHANNARA\SHANNARA.EXE

How to install without CD/ISO

Copy the SHANNARA folder from CD to your local drive e.g. D:\DOSGAMES\. Change into the folder D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA\ and open the LEGEND.INI file with a text editor.

Original LEGEND.INI file:

MOUSE=MOUSE
PICDATA=.\
VOCDATA=.\VOC
SAVEDATA=C:\
FLCDATA=.\FLICS

To play the game without CD make the following modifications.

Modified LEGEND.INI file:

KEYBOARD=NORMAL
MOUSE=MOUSE
PICDATA=C:\
VOCDATA=C:\VOC\
SAVEDATA=C:\
FLCDATA=C:\FLICS\

Mounting the game folder from your harddrive.

Z:\>MOUNT C D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA

You should execute SETSOUND.EXE at first to start the configuration for the sound card.

C:\>SETSOUND.EXE

Then you can start the game via SHANNARA.EXE.

C:\>SHANNARA.EXE

Making it work

If you want to play the game in full screen mode you should change the output parameter in the [sdl] section of your config file.

Default output parameter:

output=surface

Modified output parameter:

output=ddraw

This fixes an issue with all fading transitions in the game and enhances the image quality in a few cutscenes.

Read on in the Dosbox.conf for further informations about possible parameters.

DosBox config file example using an ISO

# This is the configurationfile for DOSBox 0.73 and 0.74.
# 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 video system to use for output.
#                   Possible values: surface, overlay, opengl, openglnb, ddraw.
#         autolock: Mouse will automatically lock, if you click on the screen.
#      sensitivity: Mouse sensitivity.
#      waitonerror: Wait before closing the console if dosbox has an error.
#         priority: Priority levels for dosbox. Second entry behind the comma is for when dosbox is not focused/minimized. (pause is only valid for the second entry)
#                   Possible values: lowest, lower, normal, higher, highest, pause.
#       mapperfile: File used to load/save the key/event mappings from.
#     usescancodes: Avoid usage of symkeys, might not work on all operating systems.

fullscreen=false
fulldouble=false
fullresolution=original
windowresolution=original
output=ddraw
autolock=true
sensitivity=100
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,normal
mapperfile=mapper.txt
usescancodes=true

[dosbox]
# language: Select another language file.
#  machine: The type of machine tries to emulate.
#           Possible values: hercules, cga, tandy, pcjr, ega, vgaonly, svga_s3, svga_et3000, svga_et4000, svga_paradise, vesa_nolfb, vesa_oldvbe.
# captures: Directory where things like wave, midi, screenshot get captured.
#  memsize: Amount of memory DOSBox has in megabytes.
#             This value is best left at its default to avoid problems with some games,
#             though few games might require a higher value.
#             There is generally no speed advantage when raising this value.

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. If 'forced' is appended,the scaler will be used even if the result might not be desired.
#            Possible values: none, normal2x, normal3x, advmame2x, advmame3x, advinterp2x, advinterp3x, hq2x, hq3x, 2xsai, super2xsai, supereagle, tv2x, tv3x, rgb2x, rgb3x, scan2x, scan3x.

frameskip=0
aspect=false
scaler=normal2x

[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.
#   cycleup: Amount of cycles to increase/decrease with keycombo.
# cycledown: Setting it lower than 100 will be a percentage.

core=auto
cputype=auto
cycles=auto
cycleup=500
cycledown=20

[mixer]
#   nosound: Enable silent mode, sound is still emulated though.
#      rate: Mixer sample rate, setting any device's rate higher than this will probably lower their sound quality.
#            Possible values: 22050, 44100, 48000, 32000, 16000, 11025, 8000, 49716.
# blocksize: Mixer block size, larger blocks might help sound stuttering but sound will also be more lagged.
#            Possible values: 2048, 4096, 8192, 1024, 512, 256.
# 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.
#             Possible values: intelligent, uart, none.
# mididevice: Device that will receive the MIDI data from MPU-401.
#             Possible values: default, win32, alsa, oss, coreaudio, coremidi, none.
# midiconfig: Special configuration options for the device driver. This is usually the id of the device you want to use. See README for details.

mpu401=intelligent
mididevice=default
midiconfig=

[sblaster]
#  sbtype: Type of sblaster to emulate.
#          Possible values: sb1, sb2, sbpro1, sbpro2, sb16, none.
#  sbbase: The IO address of the soundblaster.
#          Possible values: 220, 240, 260, 280, 2a0, 2c0, 2e0, 300.
#     irq: The IRQ number of the soundblaster.
#          Possible values: 7, 5, 3, 9, 10, 11, 12.
#     dma: The DMA number of the soundblaster.
#          Possible values: 1, 5, 0, 3, 6, 7.
#    hdma: The High DMA number of the soundblaster.
#          Possible values: 1, 5, 0, 3, 6, 7.
# sbmixer: Allow the soundblaster mixer to modify the DOSBox mixer.
# oplmode: Type of OPL emulation. On 'auto' the mode is determined by sblaster type. All OPL modes are Adlib-compatible, except for 'cms'.
#          Possible values: auto, cms, opl2, dualopl2, opl3, none.
#  oplemu: Provider for the OPL emulation. compat or old might provide better quality (see oplrate as well).
#          Possible values: default, compat, fast, old.
# oplrate: Sample rate of OPL music emulation. Use 49716 for highest quality (set the mixer rate accordingly).
#          Possible values: 22050, 49716, 44100, 48000, 32000, 16000, 11025, 8000.

sbtype=sb16
sbbase=220
irq=7
dma=1
hdma=5
sbmixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplemu=default
oplrate=22050

[gus]
#      gus: Enable the Gravis Ultrasound emulation.
#  gusrate: Sample rate of Ultrasound emulation.
#           Possible values: 22050, 44100, 48000, 32000, 16000, 11025, 8000, 49716.
#  gusbase: The IO base address of the Gravis Ultrasound.
#           Possible values: 240, 220, 260, 280, 2a0, 2c0, 2e0, 300.
#   gusirq: The IRQ number of the Gravis Ultrasound.
#           Possible values: 5, 3, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12.
#   gusdma: The DMA channel of the Gravis Ultrasound.
#           Possible values: 3, 0, 1, 5, 6, 7.
# 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=false
gusrate=22050
gusbase=240
gusirq=5
gusdma=3
ultradir=C:\ULTRASND

[speaker]
# pcspeaker: Enable PC-Speaker emulation.
#    pcrate: Sample rate of the PC-Speaker sound generation.
#            Possible values: 22050, 44100, 48000, 32000, 16000, 11025, 8000, 49716.
#     tandy: Enable Tandy Sound System emulation. For 'auto', emulation is present only if machine is set to 'tandy'.
#            Possible values: auto, on, off.
# tandyrate: Sample rate of the Tandy 3-Voice generation.
#            Possible values: 22050, 44100, 48000, 32000, 16000, 11025, 8000, 49716.
#    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).
#               Possible values: auto, 2axis, 4axis, 4axis_2, fcs, ch, none.
#        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: 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).
#                           (realport:COM1 realport:ttyS0).
#          for modem: listenport (optional).
#          for nullmodem: server, rxdelay, txdelay, telnet, usedtr,
#                         transparent, port, inhsocket (all optional).
#          Example: serial1=modem listenport:5000
#          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# serial2: see serial1
#          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# serial3: see serial1
#          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.
# serial4: see serial1
#          Possible values: dummy, disabled, modem, nullmodem, directserial.

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=auto

[ipx]
# ipx: Enable ipx over UDP/IP emulation.

ipx=false

[autoexec]
# Lines in this section will be run at startup.
ECHO OFF
### German keyboard layout
KEYB GR
### My ISO location. Mount to device "D:"
IMGMOUNT D D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA\ISO\Shannara.iso -t iso
### My Game data location. Mount to device "C:"
MOUNT C D:\DOSGAMES\SHANNARA\DATA
### Very simple check. The game must installed to "C:\SHANNARA"
IF NOT EXIST C:\SHANNARA\DIG.INI GOTO INSTALL
IF NOT EXIST C:\SHANNARA\MDI.INI GOTO INSTALL
:PLAYGAME
C:
CD SHANNARA
SHANNARA.EXE
EXIT
:INSTALL
D:
### Default device is "C:"
### Default directory is "SHANNARA"
CALL INSTALL.BAT
### INFO: (BUG?)
### The autoexec stop after the start of the "INSTALL.BAT".
### The command "GOTO PLAYGAME" don't work! Why?
### I don't know why. -> Because you need to "call" the bat file.
### Enter "SHANNARA.EXE" to start the game or restart your DOSBox. 
GOTO PLAYGAME