[Jolaes]

Hello Girls & Guys,

someone mailed on how to run "Sam n Max" original CD version under DosBox.
This is a bit tricky and not widely known so I've decided to share what I've
found, you might find it useful, too.

PS: I know there is a shareware ScummVM version out since long
but that DOES NOT include all speech/music/bells n whistles...
So here it is:

1. to INSTALL the game, start up Dosbox and type in (use \ instead of / every time):

mount c c:/
mount G G:/ -t cdrom -ioctl
G:
sam.exe

(When the game starts up for the 1st time, set up sound with the ADVANCED option so that you can have Sound Blaster sound/speech/fx AND
GENERAL MIDI music.)
Now exit game/DosBox.

2. to PLAY the game, start up DosBox and type in, changing / for \ every time:

mount c c:/
mount G G:/ -t cdrom -ioctl
G:
cd /samnmax
c:/samnmax.cd/samnmax.exe

Note 1: Don't forget to replace / with \ in the above examples !!! I had to "unix" it because of the forum restrictions

Note 2: replace G with the drive letter you have the CD in. It can be a virtual drive, too.
(If you decide to copy the game to HDD, use Alcohol 120% or CloneCD in RAW DAO mode, because the game has a rigid CD-XA structure; you will need the SUB channel info for the audio tracks.)

Note 3: You can use the official LucasArts cursor patch, but not necessary
with DosBox in my experience.

Note 4: When the game starts up for the 1st time, set up sound with the ADVANCED option so that you can have Sound Blaster sound/speech/fx AND
GENERAL MIDI music.

Note 5: As you see, you have to type a bit each time you want to run the
game but it is not a PITA workaround at all IMHO.
Hope this helped.
Cheers,
J

[VoodooFX]

ScummVM is freeware and not shareware. Besides, you can adjust the sound/music in it as well, anything from adlib to even MT-32 emulation.

I don't know what exactly do you gain with this method, but hey someone might find it useful.

[Jolaes]

I meant : a shareware ScummVM version OF THE GAME, not ScummVM itself.
THE GAME ITSELF IS NOT FREEWARE. Neither versions.

What you gain: as I said, full/better music and speech. The original CD contains audio tracks NOT present in the ScummVM version plus more speech.
Just try both versions and you will see.

Merry joy(stick)ful Christmas, VoodooFX!

[VoodooFX]

There is no such thing as shareware ScummVM version of Sam & Max, ScummVM runs original retail game

[Kurufinwe]

What an odd thread. Seems like a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

1) I don't even understand what the problem with ScummVM is supposed to be. It doesn't have the first menu (to access the demos and the redbook audio tracks), but that's hardly important (it wouldn't be able to play the Rebel Assault anyway, and you can listen to the music tracks on just any CD player). Inside the game proper, it doesn't lack anything, as far as I know. Oh, and to be pedantic (actually, I do think it is something of much importance), ScummVM is neither shareware nor freeware, but free software.

2) I don't understand what the problem seems to be with DOSBox. Just launch sam from the root of the CD drive; it works both for configuring the sound devices (the first time) and launching the game.

3)

Originally Posted by Jolaes

Note 1: Don't forget to replace / with \ in the above examples !!! I had to "unix" it because of the forum restrictions.

That's why I requested some weeks ago that tabacco activate the [CODE] ... [/CODE] tags --- which he did. The [NOPARSE] ... [/noparse] tags are very useful too.

But maybe all of this will make sense for somebody who actually needs it, how'd I know?

[Jolaes]

You were both right;
ScummVM can run both the talkie version specially converted to ScummVM
(its files are: samnmax.000, samnmax.001 and monster.sog)
and the original CD version.
But it seems that under certain circumstances, DosBox might work better/faster. That's what I was told, so I just posted the DosBox method here if others are interested, too.

But if you think you know better and this thread is of no importance,
just delete it.

[Aurebesh]

I have version 1.11 of the CD, and I installed it through DOSBox just like I installed any other CD-ROM game. I didn't use the -ioctl switch and it runs smoothly. However, I don't have the regular CD of this game, I have it in a collection with DOTT and FoA, but I don't think it matters (the audio tracks are missing but they're not used in the game anyway).

Originally Posted by Jolaes

But it seems that under certain circumstances, DosBox might work better/faster. That's what I was told, so I just posted the DosBox method here if others are interested, too.

DOSBox is indeed a true emulator, unlike ScummVM, and that makes DOSBox superior. ScummVM tends to change the games' interfaces. For example, saved games that you made under ScummVM cannot be used elsewhere. And in Indy3, you can't view your score.

[Jolaes]

Thanks for dropping by, Aurebesh!

I see now that I represent the "highbrow" view; I don't go for remakes, rips, crippled games etc.
So I would not touch it if it is not the real McCoy.
I prefer the original, full-blown, deluxe, ultra + latest patches version,
so to me a game without essential parts like audio tracks is worth nothing.
I am a collector; I don't think I am alone with my stance.

ON: the game not using the audio tracks ???

-but they ARE on the CD, and you can play them back thru the game interface - in my book, they belong to the game.

what you told about ScummVM is true; it is not as versatile as DosBox
and as things progress, DosBox will still stay ahead. (Probably you also noticed
how choosy the new ScummVM is in comparison to v0.6.1)
Btw, merry Xmas to you, too!

[Aurebesh]

Originally Posted by Jolaes

I am a collector; I don't think I am alone with my stance.

No, you're not. I'm with you. But sometimes there are different releases. For example, your CD has the audio tracks, but it's version 1.0. My CD misses them, but it's version 1.11. So we both have the complete game, just different releases.

ON: the game not using the audio tracks ???

-but they ARE on the CD, and you can play them back thru the game interface - in my book, they belong to the game.

Now that's interesting. What file do you load to access this menu? I wonder if it's in my copy too.
I think I'll get me this v1.0 release after all.

(Probably you also noticed
how choosy the new ScummVM is in comparison to v0.6.1)

I'm not sure what you mean. But perhaps that's because I never used ScummVM except for some tests. For PC games, I'll always use DOSBox.

[Jolaes]

I'll look into the matter further.

here's an excerpt from the readme.txt from the CD (identical in both versions):

AUDIO TRACKS
By selecting "Play Audio Tracks" from the Main Menu, you can
play one of four specially-mixed Sam and Max audio tracks
from the CD. If you hear no music, it may be because you do not
have a 3-wire audio cable connecting your sound card and CD-ROM.
In this case, you can still listen to the audio tracks if you plug
in your speakers/headphones into the front of your CD drive.

So, evidently, this menu item is removed in later versions of the game.

Also, access to audio tracks were enabled thru F5 menu ingame in a very early 1.0 "test"
version. All other versions can only access them from the main menu,
if you start up the game this way (what VoodooFX suggested):

mount c c:/
mount G G:/ -t cdrom -ioctl
G:
sam.exe

But maybe you still can enable the player with a secret key combo or a hacked loader and integrate the missing audio tracks from an earlier version; but I don't think it is worth the trouble.
I'll investigate after all releases between the feasts

...and this excerpt is just for fun:

WINDOWS:

The CD-ROM version of Sam & Max Hit the Road will not run under Windows.
Sorry.

...Really...???

[Aurebesh]

I don't have SAM.EXE, so no menu. The readme of my copy does mention the audio tracks. Obviously, mine is a bootleg copy. I will need to get a new one. Only advantage seems to be the version number - 1.11 instead of 1.0. I wonder what that means.
I do have the Rebel Assault demo, by the way.

[Aurebesh]

BTW, I didn't understand something in your first post:

Originally Posted by Jolaes

If you decide to copy the game to HDD, use Alcohol 120% or CloneCD in RAW DAO mode, because the game has a rigid CD-XA structure; you will need the SUB channel info for the audio tracks.

Why do you say that? As far as I know, audio tracks or not, none of the games from this period needs the SUB channel for anything, so using advanced extraction methods such as you suggest would be unnecessary. A very simple BIN/CUE format will also preserve the audio tracks structure perfectly.
And what's that about a CD-XA structure?

[Jolaes]

I tried a simple cue/bin backup, and for some unknown reason, audio tracks
would not play. I don't understand that either; but when I used Clonecd method or Alcohol's own format, it worked perfectly

I meant by "rigid" that if you try to insert files (like patches, docs etc)
into the image data track, the audio tracks won't play.

So far I have found info about 3 different CD versions: 1.0 (very rare),
1.11 full and 1.11 in bundle (without audio tracks).

I am really curious if YOUR 1.11 bundle would work with the audio tracks or
the executable is modified NOT to look for them...???

[Aurebesh]

Originally Posted by Jolaes

I tried a simple cue/bin backup, and for some unknown reason, audio tracks
would not play. I don't understand that either; but when I used Clonecd method or Alcohol's own format, it worked perfectly

Hmmm... I've never encountered such a problem before. When I'll get the version of the game that has the audio tracks, I'll check it out.

I meant by "rigid" that if you try to insert files (like patches, docs etc)
into the image data track, the audio tracks won't play.

Well, that makes more sense. I wouldn't try to insert files into images of more than a single track, because then you have to edit the CUE sheet (or its equivalent) in accordance to the new "time length" of the data track.

So far I have found info about 3 different CD versions: 1.0 (very rare),
1.11 full and 1.11 in bundle (without audio tracks).

What version do you have? 1.11 or 1.0? And can you give links to the info you've found? I'd like to know what are the differences between 1.0 and 1.11. If there are only corrections of bugs that were present in 1.0, and nothing was removed or changed, then it's better to own 1.11, regardless of how rare 1.0 is. And where did you find the info about the bundle?

I am really curious if YOUR 1.11 bundle would work with the audio tracks or
the executable is modified NOT to look for them...???

Like I said, I don't have SAM.EXE. I only have SAMNMAX.EXE, and loading that simply starts the game. The README.TXT does mention the audio tracks though. And I have a file named CDPLAY.EXE.

[Jolaes]

Hi Auresbesh,

I have a v1.11 full CD, the person who started asking has v1.0 and her copy
matches mine in every aspect but the size of sam.exe; so evidently OUR copies are bugfixed in some way.
It is better to have/keep a v1.11 full version like You said.

If you have the time, please try to add these tracks to your version
(which I call "bundle" because it also features in Lucasarts Collection)
and give feedback. They are HQ mp3s; you'll need to convert them back to
PCM wav files. sam.exe and the cue to my image are included, too.
If it is not possible to "upgrade" your version, you still can listen to the music
and decide if you want to buy a v1.11 full or not.

http://www.loogoos.hu/php/e107_files...Sam111diff.zip

Thank you!

[tabacco]

I don't understand the point of this thread. Any version of Sam and Max runs perfectly in ScummVM with zero configuration. Just add the game to ScummVM and away you go. Why go through the hassle of setting up DosBOX if you don't have to?

[Jolaes]

Hi Tabacco,
I know that using DosBOX or ScummVM is mostly a matter of taste in this case.
There are pros and cons on both sides.

Dosbox
-------
-not everybody likes the way ScummVM changes the original game menus. DosBOX, being an opsys emulator, never does such things.
-more importantly, with this game, with ScummVM, you cannot access the original ROOT menu and cannot listen to the audio tracks (from there)

ScummVM
----------
-more fluid gameplay/animations by default
-filtered, clicks-free speech

[tabacco]

Well, whatever. If you're determined to use DosBox for some weird masochistic reason, good luck to you. I can'tpersonally see anyone caring enough about the look of in-game menus to go through the DosBox hell, but whatever.

[Aurebesh]

Originally Posted by Jolaes

If you have the time, please try to add these tracks to your version
(which I call "bundle" because it also features in Lucasarts Collection)
and give feedback. They are HQ mp3s; you'll need to convert them back to
PCM wav files. sam.exe and the cue to my image are included, too.
If it is not possible to "upgrade" your version, you still can listen to the music
and decide if you want to buy a v1.11 full or not.

http://www.loogoos.hu/php/e107_files...Sam111diff.zip

Thank you!

I tried downloading the zip but the link is broken. I don't mind trying, but it may be a little problematic injecting the audio tracks into my copy. But even if I do succeed (after you re-post your zip), what exactly is it that you want to check? If SAM.EXE will fully work with my copy? My guess is that it will, because, like I already said, I don't think my "bundle" is a legitimate Luacsarts product (another reason for me to get the original CD). You said you found info about S&MCD in a bundle without audio tracks, can you direct me to this info?

Originally Posted by tabacco

Well, whatever. If you're determined to use DosBox for some weird masochistic reason, good luck to you. I can'tpersonally see anyone caring enough about the look of in-game menus to go through the DosBox hell, but whatever.

DOSBox is hell?! How can you say such nonsense?! DOSBox is the ultimate DOS emulator! ScummVM is a specialty emulator, it's only good for several specific games, games that DOSBox runs just as well, if not better. The only use I see of ScummVM is its ability to run non-PC versions, but even this function's only benefit is the fact that it saves you the trouble of downloading and operating several platform-specific emulators. Emulators, which, in most cases, will run the relevant games better than ScummVM, so maybe people should get several emulators instead of using ScummVM anyway!

[Jolaes]

Hi Aurebesh,

our ftp server was down for a while (on maintenace), it is fixed now. Sorry.

I just wanted to know if your version can be upgraded - on 2nd thoughts, you'd better
NOT use the cue files at all, just make a new mixed mode CD compilation
in Nero and attach the audio tracks in order. Burn it on a rewritable 1st if you are environment-conscious and do not like wasting coasters.

I don't know where one find/buy a legit v1.11 without audio tracks if that exists at all - what you told me makes me think it was a pirate version.
I had found a good fan page in Russian but foolishly enough I reinstalled my browser and purged the cache.

Nevermind, just try finding a full v1.11 if you're interested in the original "feel".
Bye!