I'm debating on methods of how to do my DOS games. I can get them to run, but I'm looking to streamline & unify importing games.

[PurpleTentacle]

Currently, I use DOS Box by default, and I'll create a DOS Box configuration if the default settings feel off. Sometimes I get a game that just doesn't seem to run, even with tinkering with it, and that's when I'll use RetroArch's DOS Box core, which, for some reason, seems to run the games that I can't get to run using standard DOS Box.

So this has left me debating whether I want to just use RetroArch or if I want to continue using my method of DOS Box first, and then using RetroArch for more stubborn games. My question is - what advantages do each methods provide? Does standalone DOS Box have benefits over the RetroArch version? 

For the time being, it seems like it's best to do each game on a game by game basis. For instance, Dark Forces oddly runs very poorly using RetroArch's DOS Box, but DOS Box runs it smoothly (I only get MIDI in RetroArch, but I feel like I'd have to tinker with the DMA/IRQ type of settings, DOS Box has no issue though). On the other hand, my impression is that RetroArch allows for better controller support (or at least it's easier to mess with), including the fact that it lets the player use the RetroArch hotkeys to exit & such.

Lastly, is there a database out there of user-created DOS Box configs to help streamline the experience of importing & setting up games? I fear that I know that the answer is "no", but I figure it's best to ask anyway.

 

(Feel free to mention how you set things up, even if you don't have specific answers to my questions.)

[bman83]

Hi,

I don't run many dos games but I have many systems running all through bigbox. So I do test everything 1 emulator at a time. Taito/Nesica emulation is my fav it's based off windows file system . With this you test on a game by game basis. And really just use what ever works. Dos is probably the same. And I change my setup to be configured for ease of use. So if retroarch is easier to get the games running that dosbox I would got that way.

I have arcade cabinet. Do happen to know how to use ahk script to exit windows/nesica/taito games? I have all my other scripts closing emulators this is my last one to set up

 

cheers

 

[PurpleTentacle]

I'm currently going with the "game by game" basis, and I agree that it's what makes sense for something like this. I do like that RetroArch makes it easier to hotkey an exit hotkey as compared to standalone DOS Box, although I'm not too worried about that since I assume that the vast majority of the DOS games I have require a mouse & keyboard to at least start the game.

 

As far as exiting scripts, I actually haven't ever used one. I just rely on the hotkey I have setup to exit RetroArch for that. I think the only emulators that I use that aren't RetroArch are DOS Box & the TI-99 4/a emulator, and both of those are the type of thing I'd only use if I had a keyboard handy (which I can always just alt+F4 out of). Can't really help you there.