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X-Com on XP?


Red Wizard

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I'm sure this question has been asked more times than charges have been spent on Heavy Plasmas, but how does one get X-Com to run on Windows XP? Try as I may, the best I can do is get it to run until I choose a base location. That's when it crashes me :( If possible, I also need help with the SFX. If you need specs on my computer, I can post those, also.
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I got Windows XP not long ago, so I feel your pain mate. I won't even bother telling you to switch the compatibility mode to Windows 95, as this doesn't work for anything, at least what I have tried.

 

I haven't had time to try this method, but it should work. When you use this method, I'm assuming you have a fast processor and plenty of ram.

 

1. Install Virtual PC on your computer. I've heard that you can find registration details on the net, but I am not abdicating this.

 

2. Install Windows 95/98 on your "virtual" drive.

 

3. While running XP, run Virtual PC and run Windows 95/98. Then run X-COM.

 

4. If you're using one of the early X-COM's then you will have to install a processor slowdown utility such as moslow. For slowdown utilities try

here.

 

Hope this works :D

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when I upgraded from ME to XP, the only problem I had was that the scroll was too fast. If i moved the mouse even just a fraction, the screen scrolled uncontrollably, making it very hard to see where I was going. Anybody have suggestions for what I can do?
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Are there any side effects to using a slowdown utility (read: will this screw up my PC? lol :D )

 

Also, awhile back I DL'd the Fodder Patch that was supposed to fix the screen problem without needing to fiddle with the directX accellerator. However, I wasn't quite sure how to use it. I read the read-me on the Fodder Patch site, but I'm still a little confused. Has anybody used it?

 

By the way:

 

https://f0dder.has.it/

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I've used the slowdown utilities, and so have others, and the don't cause any harmful side-effects. I used it on Windows 98 SE and it worked. I'm assuming it will also work on Windows Me.
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Also, awhile back I DL'd the Fodder Patch that was supposed to fix the screen problem without needing to fiddle with the directX accellerator.  However, I wasn't quite sure how to use it.  I read the read-me on the Fodder Patch site, but I'm still a little confused.  Has anybody used it?

Yeah, I use it. And it works like a charm. :D

 

It fixes the graphic bug (that makes you have to fiddle with DirectX) and it fixes the speed issue as well. At least for everything but moving sprites (such as smoke, alien entertainment and so on)

 

All you have to do is copy the two files located in the ufo1 or ufo2 folder and copy them to either your ufo or your tftd folder. Then the next time you start the game you use the ldr_XCOM1.exe or ldr_XCOM2.exe to start the game. Just make sure you get the loader file and the musfix.dll in the game folder and it should work.

 

Hope that helped. ;)

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Thanks, Closey! :D That really helped. I found out what I was doing wrong. I was trying to use the original exe file that I downloaded instead of the one I copied to the x-com folder. When the first one didn't work, I tried the one in the x-com folder (in program files) and everything worked great! The graphics are good, and the speed is perfect. If there's a downside, it's that the menus are a little too narrow for my screen, but HEY I'm not complaining. Better too narrow than too big. Thanks for the help

 

NOTE to other XP users, the Fodder Patch works!

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I could, but I'm too lazy. Everything runs fine, but running X-Com, the x-com game screen has a slightly wider margin on the right than it would normally have (however it's not really noticeable, so I'm not inspired to do much of anything about it). :D
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I'm using just the Fodder patch. I have a 1ghz machine (Win xp). Before the fodder patch, the game (especially scrolling) was much too fast. Now, if anything, it's a little slow (which is okay, because it reminds me of the original game).

 

So, having a 700mhz machine shouldn't be a problem. It's interesting how these utilities work differently on different machines.

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Flash: That's odd.. I've got a 1.4 GHz and I have no speed issues what so ever any more. Are you using the Collector's edition of UFO? Because that's what the patch is for.

 

But then again, I suppose it wouldn't fix anything if it was the dos version. Haven't tried it tho.

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I don';t know if it's collectors, probably not, since i d/l'd the game off of some french site...though the games not in french. Maybe cuz it's the dos version...although fodder did fix my video problem. The game Scrolls and runs way to fast on the world screen, but battles are okay since i just told it to scroll, move, fire slow. And I get random crashes to desktop...or prompt...whatever...
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I tell you what, why not buy a real version of the game. Collector's Edition is pretty cheap (my brother bought it for me for nine bucks, u.s.).

 

btw, this is just some friendly advice, but you might want to avoid mentioning warez and dl's here as that can cause ... a negative reaction.

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https://www.chipsbits.com/cgi-bin/order.cbi...s/XCOMC.IR.html

 

if you hurry, you can still buy it.

 

Btw, if it's still for sale, is it abandonware?

 

Also:

https://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Abandon...onware/faq.html

https://www.mobygames.com/featured_article/feature=7/

https://internettrash.com/users/corn_am_i/

https://www.ensignsupport.com/jason/webring/faq.htm

https://brasslantern.org/community/companies/warez.html

 

And these are just the first five sites on my search. As you can see, even people who distribute abandonware will tell you that it's illegal.

 

Also:

https://www.x-com.co.uk

Read the part about x-com rights. As you can see, somebody still owns the rights, and wants to maintain them. Therefore, it's not abandonware, anyway. Get out and buy a legal copy already.

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I've just installed X-Com collector's edition on my computer, and it's seems to work just fine for the most part. The graphics are fine, and the speed is where it should be, the only problem is that it appears that the game has about 20 or so pixels extra on the top and bottom. If I make it so I can see the full top of the screen (shifting the screen down), it cuts off the bottom 40 or so pixels. >:(
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  • 4 weeks later...

Really? Abandon ware? Illegal?? Are you serious?! Oh...I didn't think you were. You were just messing with me huh? Well, you almost got me with that one.

 

BTW, people selling software, ie. an individual, and companies selling software, ie. the guys with the rights to it, are two totally different things.

 

Software is considered abandonware when people like microprose stop providing support for the product, plus they stop selling it themselves either over the net, in stores, or in small wooden stands on street corners. The last time I saw X-Com 2 in any of the afore mentioned places has to have been about 5 years ago. Possibly 8, I'm really not sure. Oh, except that bookrack place on Academy Blvd...but they only sell second hand merchandise...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Ah, found the problem.

 

Apparently, the PCGamer classic games collection is very similar to the collectors/gold edition of XCOM, only with less compatability, since it is still technically not the coll. edition, but the PCG version! Of which the patch is NOT compatable with! :D

 

Oh well, back to disabling directdraw ;)

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The PCGamer copy is the collectors edition. They just left out TFTD and Apocalypse. Check the readme file. It still has notes for the other two games.

 

It must be something else entirely.

 

- NKF

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