So I just recently found a copy of MoO2 in, of all things, a Half-Price Books - for sale for just $5 or so. Although it was a little before my time, from everything I've heard since joining the space 4X community, I'd have to be stark raving mad not to get it.
Now, while I know about its availability on Impulse, I have a sentimental preference for physical CDs and frankly I just don't really like Impulse anyway. So, unless some other gamer buys it first, I'm going to buy it. However, MoO2 is 13-ish years old, so my big question is, will it run? I have Vista, which has not exactly stood out as a stellar OS for me, so am I about to suffer a horrible disappointment?
You would need DOS-box. Google it and download it for free. There should be directions for using for MOO2.
If your disk has both the exe files for dos and windows, that's orion2.exe & orion95.exe respectively, then the dos exe should work with dos box and the windows exe should work with windows from 95 to xp. From what I've read, I think vista is iffy and windows 7 wont work with it at all. You should be able to use the dos exe with dos box on vista. I seem to remember reading about problems with dos box and windows 7, but I think dos box will work OK with vista.
If you use the Win95 version to boot, it will work . . . except you probably won't have sound. That's the issue I currently have. DOS Box will probably work, but again, you probably won't have sound as the original DOS game used the old 16 bit cards that are not in any way compatible with what we have now. Which is too bad, because the background music is sooo classic.
I have the Win95 Disk... it works fine on XP-32 bit... doesn't work on Vista 64-bit because only 32 bit windows can run MoO (which is a 16 bit game).
Might work on Vista 32
The windows version of the game works perfectly even on windows 7, as long as you set the appropriate directdraw compatibility settings for the game in the registry.
See this thread for a windows 7 64 bit utility that adds the 256 color directdraw compatibility settings to the registry for you, for the specified program, which was originally made for the original starcraft:
http://www.sevenforums.com/gaming/2981-starcraft-fix-holy-cow-22.html
To sum up, then, the best idea is probably to download the DOS Box and run with that?
DOS Box is awesome.
I know you don't prefer impulse, but for $6 you get both the original and the sequel (though I don't imagine I'll play 1 all that much). At any rate, I did pick up the impulse version.
I tested the game out on windows 7 64 bit and it runs without issue for me without requiring an install of dos box.
Unfortunately, it looks like I'll be getting the Impulse version after all. The CD does not have an option to run with DOS, making the DOS Box useless, and the Windows version categorically does not work. At least it only cost about $5 or so.
Well you could probably get it working if you tried but its probably also not worth the time, having it available for download is very convenient : D
mine works well with windows xp orion 95 sound and all
I thought I'd be the same way. I'd like to see it since I missed out when MoO2 came out but I just can't see myself tinkering with it for more than a few turns. But I might cave in later.
yeah - fair points, but if you actually give this game a shot (give it 2 hours) and I bet you'll be sucked in. I've lost MANY hours to this game in college.
MOO2 is addicting....
I lost a week straight to it when it first released. Breaks for McRibs. Cokes. and a single 4 hour nap...
Good lord!? You were feeding upon Scotsmen?
(I just found out by accident that if you highlight a section of another's post, and then click the "quote" button, the forum program will quote just that section of the post.)
@OMG_pacov
I caved in and bought the Impulse MoOII. So far I have to say I like it and dang I wish I wouldn't have missed it back when it was cutting edge. I have the same disappearing install in "My Games" tab but I just made a new tab and dragged the shortcut from my programs folder into that.
Digital distribution is the future, sorry.
DosBox can load CDs and CD images too. Digital versions of dos games have dosbox too.
DosBox now only if i could run real life in Dos.
Digital Distribution seems to be some what bad and good it is bring back games that you would not find in a store any more, only if it were true for Conker's bad fur day... i am finding some games that run in Dos are way to old for my taste though that really comes down to their UI / interation been getting to many from GoG...
Digital distribution is pretty much all good. I can't stand having to worry about boxes and CD kets and discs.
Whenever there is a post about MOO II I have to say this. MOO II is one of the best games ever made and my to three list of games are:
1. CIV IV
2. Total Annihilation shared with MOO II
If the list was to continue Kings Bounty, Battle Isle and Football Manager would soon come up.
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