---> A Brief History of DOS Computer Games <---


The years from 1990 to 1993 were the golden age for DOS Computer Games.
During this time the majority of the classic DOS games were released.  
Prior to 1990, high resolution graphics were rarely offered and there 
was little consensus on sound support.  From 1994 DOS games became too 
bloated for floppies, and from then onward most releases came on CDROM 
(1996 was essentially the last year manufacturers released DOS games,
due to heavy pressure from Microsoft on vendors to support only Win95).

Here are some of the very best non-CDROM games from the DOS golden age, 
along with a few outstanding DOS games from the times before and after.
All are intended to be run in Pure DOS (-never- under MS-Windows)!  

All games come with a "RUN.BAT" batchfile to launch the games.  This 
batchfile (which you can customize to fit your specific machine, 
especially in regards to matching Slowdown Units to your hardware) sets
parameters necessary to make the game run properly.  Batch file assumes
you have the "MODE" command in your path, because it calls this command
at the end to reset your video.  All other commands used by the batch 
file have been placed in a "RUN" directory.  The batch file also calls 
internal DOS commands (such as "CD") which are standard commands in all
versions of DOS (when in doubt, run the "4DOS/4OS2" CL interperetor).  

For your convenience, all games come with a file "Blurb.txt" that gives
a quick summary of the game.  Also included is a file "Settings.txt" 
which describes what settings are being used to make the game run.  
Any external documentation files that I came across (including hints 
and box/game screenshots) have been placed in a "MANUALS" directory.  

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Games were optimized using the following hardware and OS:

MS-DOS 6.22 disk operating system with 4DOS command line interperetor. 
QEMM memory manager (frees up to 632kb of base memory).  
Hard drive.  
Pentium 166mhz processor.  -footnote1
32mb system memory.  -footnote2
(low benchmark speed) SVGA video card with 1mb video memory.  -footnote3
SoundBlaster AWE64-gold sound card.  -footnote4
Mouse using DOS mouse driver.  
Joystick on joystick port A. 


Footnotes:
1) Older processors are better (we used a P166 just to setup slowdowns).
2) DOS supports up to 64mb, but most programs can use no more than 32mb.
3) Most classic DOS programs use exactly 1mb of VESA SVGA video memory.
4) Any SoundBlaster AWE32 compatible sound card can be substituted.  

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Tip: Don't even bother trying to make these games run under MS-Windows.
     Just get an old PC of NEVER MORE THAN 200mhz from the junk pile and
     place it beside your normal Windows PC (A 486 DX2 or DX4 PC makes 
     an ideal game machine).  Then get a "KVM" switch so you can share 
     your regular Keyboard, Mouse, and Monitor between both machines.  

Note: Although the games have had their sound balanced within the 
      context of the game itself, no attempt has been made to balance 
      the volume of the games between each other.  Use caution when 
      starting a game for the first time, so you don't damage your 
      speakers.  Once you have determined a master volume you like for 
      a game, modify the RUN.BAT file to automatically set this custom 
      volume level (using your sound cards volume setting software).  


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Haven't played DOS games before?  Don't know what to choose first?  


Girls, you like a good romance novel (and who doesn't)?  Then check out 
"Plundered Hearts" by Infocom.  Its a period romance novel done as  
interactive fiction.  Great stuff.  

And guys, try "Princess Maker 2" by Gianax.  Your a hero, so the gods 
have entrusted you with a daughter to train and nurture into adulthood.
Will she become a Princess?  Have an exotic career?  Or just end up a 
drudge housewife?  It all depends on how good a Dad you are.  An 
incredibly addictive game that you'll end up playing again and again.  

Of course if you still can't decide, there is always "TETRIS" (and for 
a real taste of nostalgia, try our original English language version). 

.