Does Halo 2 only work under Windows Vista?

Question

I have Halo 2 for Windows Vista and I'm considering upgrading to Windows 7.

Will Halo 2 run on Windows 7, or is it Windows Vista only?

Asked by Nate Koppenhaver

Answer

Yes, though there is great potential for installation misery. The top entry of the official Bungie FAQ:

Does Halo 2 Vista work with Windows 7 32-bit/64-bit?

Yes and no. Some people have issues, some people run the game fine. The only way to know is to try yourself.

If you do run into issues, try installing the latest patches (W7, GFWL, and H2) or these workarounds.

Answered by sean

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Is it possible to play Outpost on a modern OS?

Question

I have fond memories of playing Outpost in the windows 95 era, and I pulled out the CD recently and discovered that it will not install on XP and above. I believe the problem is that it utilized DOS running underneath windows 9X. It won't install on a DOS emulator, however, because it uses the windows installer.

Is there an updated version of this game anywhere, or a way to emulate the environment it needs to install and run?

Barring that, can anyone suggest any newer games with similar gameplay? E.g. semi-realistic space colonization simulation (without combat).

Asked by sjohnston

Answer

You could set up a virtual machine running Windows 95 using Virtualbox or VMWare or Windows 7's built-in Virtual PC. The only thing you'd need is a Windows 95 CD and installation key.

I have no idea how it will play out - graphics and sound may both be an issue, and require additional drivers - but I'd say it's worth a try.

Answered by Pekka

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Has Nintendo announced whether the 3DS will get downloadable GBA titles? [closed]

Question

I want to go back to playing some old Gameboy Advance games and I'm wondering if Nintendo has made any official announcements regarding plans to make classic GBA titles available on the 3DS online store.

If so, is there a tentative list?

Asked by soulstriderx

Answer

Nintendo hasn't announced any plans to support Game Boy Advance emulation outside of the currently available titles for ambassadors. However, the same was true for the ambassador NES games, until they started appearing in the eShop.

Following that logic, although Nintendo has not announced anything, if they do, you can expect the first games to be:

• Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
• F-Zero Maximum Velocity
• Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
• Mario Kart: Super Circuit
• Mario vs. Donkey Kong
• Metroid Fusion
• The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap
• Wario Land 4
• WarioWare, Inc.: Minigame Mania
• Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3

The GBA emulator used for the ambassador games is currently poor. It doesn't support sleep or restore points, and it probably doesn't handle any per-title quirks beyond those needed for the ten ambassador titles released so far. The NES emulator used by the early ambassador releases also had issues, and those were fixed (and available as updates) before the NES titles appeared in the eShop. The earliest sign of Nintendo doing a general release of emulated GBA games is probably going to be the same - updates to the existing ambassador titles.

Answered by Joe Wreschnig

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How far does Gameboy Advance SP's backwards compatibility go?

Question

What other systems' games does the Gameboy Advance SP support?

Asked by soulstriderx

Answer

The Game Boy Advance SP can play Game Boy Advance games, Game Boy Colour games, and Game Boy games. (source)

Answered by Kevin Y

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How do I get an older Windows 95/98 game to run in Windows 7 64-bit without some colors looking off

Question

Recently EA released the first few Command and Conquer games for free on their website. I've downloaded and installed the first one for 64-bit (the download for 64-bit versions of Windows can be found on the installation instructions page). Anyway when I play it it looks horrible. For some reason I'm getting graphical output errors, mainly just with the FMVs, but there's also some minor ones during actual gameplay. I was wondering how to set it up to look better. I know I've done it in XP before, but I can't remember what I did. It would also be great to be able to do this with any other old games I have (like Battleground Gettysburg).

EDIT: I have tried checking the "Run in 256 colors mode" option. It didn't change anything. I think this is because Windows was automatically doing that anyway.

EDIT2: I've also tried running it in XP Mode but couldn't get it to run.

EDIT3: I know it would probably help if I had screenshots, but every time I try to make one it only captures the colors that are off, with the rest of the in game screen being black. Thus they don't really help out of context for what the screen looks like.

EDIT4: It turns out this question applies to other games, so I have generecized the question to better reflect this fact.

Asked by indyK1ng

Answer

If it is anything like the color issues that Age of Kings has with Win 7 64 bit, you could try going to the Task Manager and ending the explorer.exe task, and then going back into the game.

With Age of Kings, you could start the game, ALT-TAB back to Windows, open the task manager and end process on explorer.exe you will lose all the Windows toolbars and things when you do it, but you can then ALT-TAB back into the game and the colors should be fixed. (In Age of Kings the graphics errors made the water bright purple.)

If you leave the task manager up, once you are done with the game you can just go to run and type explorer.exe to get Windows back up again.

Answered by The Sasquatch

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How does PS Vita work with PS1/PSP games?

Question

What do PS1 and/or PSP games look like on the PS Vita? Do they fill the screen?

Also since the PSP has only one analog stick, for PSP games like Monster Hunter where they used the PSPs face buttons as a analog stick replacement - if I play them on the Vita, can I use the second analog stick? Or do I have to use the face buttons?

Will the games play the same as they did on the older system? Or will there be changes to conform to the new system?

Asked by somdow

Answer

PSP games can be upscaled and bilinearly filtered to the Vita's full resolution of 960x544. Also, the colorspace can be changed to brighter colors to take better advantage of the Vita's OLED screen.

The second analog stick is configurable in PSP games to emulate any of the left analog stick, the face buttons, or the d-pad.

Answered by Edilaic

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Are all PSN PSP games compatible with PS Vita?

Question

It is well known the PS Vita is not backwards compatible with any UMD-based PSP games, as it uses a different, not compatible storage media. Sony also confirmed that PSP games purchased through PSN's PlayStation Store will be compatible with PS Vita.

My question is: are all PSN PSP games compatible with PS Vita? If not, which games are specifically NOT compatible with Vita (preferably a list)?

Thanks!

Asked by sarmackie

Answer

No sorry, but Sony have said they are aiming to make as many compatible as possible. Heres a list of all the initially compatible games.

I found this FAQ which answers a few questions but I'm not sure if this is the definate answer you were looking for. It says (about half way down):

Q: Is PS Vita compatible with other PlayStation platform games like PS3, PS2, or PSP? Do you have any plan to support other PlayStation platforms in the future?

A: Users can play PSP titles, minis and PSone classics titles which are offered on PS Store. We do no have any plans to make PS Vita compatible with PS3 or PS2 titles at this point.

Q: Is PS Vita compatible with PSP content other than games such as video and comics available on PlayStation Store?

A: SCE plans to make those content available on PS Vita.

Q: Can PS Vita users continue using their save data for PSP games that they have also downloaded from PlayStation Store to PS Vita?

A: We are looking into the opportunity to do so.

The bolded would suggest no, only confirmed titles would be supported however this is really vague and still doesn't completely prove or disprove that the use unsupported games will work. However Sony have already said UMDs aren't supported and if the only way to get the PSP games onto your Vita is through the store then I highly doubt any unofficially supported games will work.

Sorry for not providing any concrete definiative sources I just couldn't find any.

Answered by Peter

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The disappearance of the joystick

Question

In the Commodore and coin-op days, the joystick was the controller, with occasionally the trackball (for Marble Madness) and the paddle (for pong and similar concepts, e.g. Arkanoid). The use of the joystick remained alive in Amiga, and with the analogic joystick to some PC games.

Then suddenly the joystick disappeared, replaced by the gamepad. For the SNES/PSX era, joystick was simply a relic of the past. With the PS2, the thumbstick appeared, as a comeback to the joystick advantages, but still within an acceptable size.

My questions is: why did the full-stick joystick disappear?

additional "opinion question": Would you be able to envision playing your games today with a full-stick joystick controller ?

Asked by Stefano Borini

Answer

why did the gamepad take over from the joystick?

Many reasons!

My tuppenceworth: I guess once the NES pad came out, people making gaming hardware just copied it.

Firstly, from a business point of view, it has less plastic in it than an old style 8-way joystick, and offers the same precision of movement. Gamepads are significantly more compact and less bulky to store than old school joysticks too. Cheaper to make, smaller, better for business.

Personally, I think the main reason is one of optimal interaction within the constraints of the product - you don't need to rest it on a table, it takes up next to no space, and it can be more or less covered in controls as long as the user can reach and use them all comfortably.

IMHO gamepads represent an evolution of the old school joystick, (where the fitness function includes cost, ergonomics, and functionality available at your fingertips) and so they've naturally taken over from joysticks.

Sure it's less buttons than you'd need for a PC flight sim (every button on the keyboard anyone?), but you just don't need that many buttons for the vast majority of games.

TBH, the thumbsticks on an X360 pad offer the same angular resolution as any typical flight stick; so the only real reason for the massive flight stick still existing is that players want to have a joystick that makes the experience feel as close to how they imagine the real thing as possible - certainly that's why I bought one of those massive flight yoke things with the throttle controls and about a billion hat-switches to play Apache Gunship in 2001 :)

Answered by darbotron

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How does PS Vita works with old games?

Question

How do PS1 and/or PSP games look like on the PS Vita? Do they fill the screen?

Also since the PSP had only one analog stick, for PSP games like Monster Hunter where they used the PSPs face buttons as a analog stick replacement - if I play them on the Vita, can I use the second analog stick? Or do I have to use the face buttons?

Will the games play the same as they did on the older system? Or will there be changes to conform to the new system?

Asked by somdow

Answer

PSP games can be upscaled and bilinearly filtered to the Vita's full resolution of 960x544. Also, the colorspace can be changed to brighter colors to take better advantage of the Vita's OLED screen.

The second analog stick is configurable in PSP games to emulate any of the left analog stick, the face buttons, or the d-pad.

Answered by Edilaic

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Play PS2 data on remastered PS3 game

Question

I have reading up on this online but I haven't found anything. Say I were to copy data from my PS2 memory card and transfer it to my PS3, using Sony's memory card adapter. Could I then use this data on a game made for the PS3? The game is Tomb Raider Anniversary, it has been re-made for the PS3 along with Legend and Underworld.

So could anyone confirm if I could play my PS2 save game on the PS3 version of the game?

Thanks very much.

Asked by Bali C

Answer

Original PS2 and PS1 games running on the PS3 (this applies both to the disc versions and the downloadable versions from the PSN store) save and load to virtual memory cards on the system. If you use the adapter on your original memory cards, they'll transfer into these virtual cards and be usable by the original versions.

Remastered (i.e. HD) versions of PS2 games, however, use the PS3 save data format, and don't access the memory cards at all. So unfortunately, no, this won't work.

Answered by JohnoBoy

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How to play Heroes of Might and Magic 2 on Windows 7 32 bit

Question

I wish to play Heroes 2 on my Windows 7 machine. My problem is that I have some difficulties starting the application. I know there is DosBOX, but I'm looking for some effective solution for this. Do you know about some helper applications like ScummVM which can be easily configured especially for Heroes 2?

If all else fails I might just install a Windows 98 on a VirtualBOX but before that I want to try out something simpler.

Answer

There's no specific emulator for the HOMM series, from what I can tell. Most people are using DOSBox, and if you have access to the DOS edition of the game, it's worth setting up and using. There are many older games that run under DOSBox, and it's pretty easy to set up and maintain compared to a virtual machine or similar solution. DOSBox rates this game as "playable" and you can use the user reports on that page to avoid any common errors and understand what might not work properly.

If you have the Professional, Ultimate, or Enterprise editions of Windows 7, Microsoft Support suggests using Windows XP mode to run HOMM2. This is pretty similar to your VirtualBox solution, but if you've got it built into the OS, you might as well use this as a shortcut.

Sometimes editing the compatibility settings of an application can get it to run in newer Windows versions than the one it was designed for, but given that the game is so old, it's unlikely to work. Given its low time/effort investment, its still worth a shot, though.

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Playing Diablo 1 on Windows 7

Question

I just found an old copy of Diablo (the first game) in a box and whacked it into my laptop I purchased just yesterday.

After the quick install I hit play and found that the screen remained black (nothing was rendering). There was however sound.

I downloaded the patch but still nothing.

With it being a new laptop, I figure I might be missing some required software like Direct X maybe? I'm not really sure.

If anyone has any suggestions or knows how to fix this issue, that would be really helpful.

Answer

Notorious problem I'm afraid. Not so much missing software but you'll have a version of DirectX so advanced it's incompatible with early games. Some users have had luck running Diablo using Compatability Modes for Windows XP or earlier, or even Virtual Machines/DosBOX or equivalent, so you could try those first?

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How can I speed up or slow down old 3D games?

Question

I want to speed up or slow down some directx games for some test purposes. There are some tools or another methods to accomplish this?

Answer

For some games, the single best way to cause artifical slowdowns is recording using FRAPS or equivalents. Since the encoding burden is mostly constant frame by frame, it more or less causes an uniform delay on the game.

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Is there anything I can do about the poor quality of my PS2 games on a large TV?

Question

Last year when I moved from being a highschool student to a full-time web developer, I found myself with a never before seen abundance of money.

Of course the first thing I did was go out and purchase a 50" Plasma TV for my tiny room.

I also bought an XBOX 360, having before this only being able to afford a PS2.

The XBOX looks great (with a HDMI cable), but a couple of days ago I had an itch for playing through Final Fantasy X, XII and X-2. Unfortunately, the render quality on my new 50" TV doesn't look anywhere near as nice as it did on my old 65CM box TV that is now about 10 years old. I'm guessing this has something to do with stretching the game up so much.

Is there anything I can do about this aside from buying an older/smaller TV?

Answer

Have you got a component video cable (that's the official Sony variant, but many generic ones are available for cheaper) for your PS2? Most PS2s came with composite video cables (1 video and 2 audio outputs) This cable has 3 video outputs and 2 audio outputs. You can pick them up cheaply nowadays.

You can also edit the PS2's output format in its setup, which is easiest to access if you don't put a disc in the drive when you start up the PS2. You can edit the various options there to try and get a better looking picture on the TV. Most modern TVs also have options for dealing with lower resolution inputs, so you'll want to play with your TV options as well to ensure the best picture possible.

Only certain games support 480p output, which is the only HD output format that the PS2 supports.

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