I just downloaded Arena

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http://www.elderscrolls.com/downloads/downloads_games.htm

Just downloaded the game THE ELDER SCROLLS: ARENA and the DOSBox emulator for windows.

Anybody get this to work on Vista?

Anyone care to lay odds I'll get it running OK?

 

I got it to work like a charm, via Dosbox, on Vista. I kept getting lost in the game though.

 

It should be easy to get Arena running in DosBox under any OS, including Vista. If you've never used DosBox before be sure to read the documentation and to at least skim through the configuration file (dosbox.conf). It's useful to have at least some idea of how DosBox handles things like speed in case the game runs too slow (or too fast, though I don't think this will be a problem with Arena).

The single most important thing to do is check the version of the game you're running. If it's anything less than 1.06 then BE SURE to grab the patch (if Bethesda no longer have it then try The Patches Scrolls). The game is virtually unplayable without the latest patch.

 

Got it running but only in the tiny dos window.
At full screen it goes bonkers.

Anyone know the correct CPU cycle to run it at and the right frame skip setting too to get it stable in full screen?

 

Weird. If it works in the window then it should also work when you go fullscreen.

I just gave the downloadable version a quick go. It's pre-patched, so you don't need the patch. It ran fine in both window and fullscreen. I used 50,000 cycles with no frameskip. The only thing I can think of is the CPU core - try setting it to "dynamic" (without the quotes) in dosbox.conf and also disable GUS support. Alternatively if you PM me your email I can send you my own configuration file since it seems to work.

If all else fails you can change the scaler type in dosbox.conf. Setting it to something like "normal3x" will make the window much bigger and the game could be playable without having to go fullscreen.

 

I get an error when trying to edit the dosbox.conf file.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/Ace...ff/DTerror1.jpg

First time I've tried to edit a .conf file under Vista.
I've done it under XP many times for the BG/IWD games to run them with the cheat codes enabled and many other games.

Freaking Vista...!

I got everything set as Administrator and full control.
It just won't let me save the changes.

I was told at a elder scrolls game board the setting should be set to:
fullresolution=1680x1050 rather than fullresolution=original

And maybe try these;

aspect=true
output=openglnb

 

I can't see the error, I get "this image has been moved or deleted".

Stupid question, but what are you trying to edit the file with? Notepad should be enough and I don't see why Vista would stop you from doing it if you've got administrative access.

Now that's an idea... I'm using a CRT monitor so never thought resolution could be a problem. If you're using an LCD try setting fullresolution to whatever your desktop resolution is, this might work. You could also try playing with the output mode. The configuration file will list all the possibilities so if it comes to the worst you could try them one at a time. My output is set to "surface" but using Vista and/or an LCD could make a difference there. Are you running Aero? This could be interfering with the fullscreen option as well.

 

All is good!

It was my bad.

This is the first time in Vista I tried changing a .conf file.
One is required to "run as admisitrator" every single time you open the file.
In XP it was just the first time and you could change it at will afterwards.

 

Good! Did you manage to find a setting that works?

 

Yep!

Full screen!

Now I gotta worry about those darn Orcs show up at night in the streets and kill you....

 

Heh. Have fun with the game!

 

Seems normal if you are familiar with open ended games like Might and Magic.

There's the mainline quest and a million little side quests.

I got to level 4 getting through the opening dungeon and enough cash to buy all the armor I needed in my town. You are warped to a random town your homeland depending on your race.

I'm a (race)High-Elf (class)Night Blade so I was sent to Summerset Isle, home of the High Elves.
Night Blades are the mage with the best thief/fighter skills in the mage group.
There are fighter, thief, and mage groups.
I tried a pure mage but got killed real fast.


After exploring "my town", I found a small dungeon just outside it and got to level 6. Finally strong enough to see the lord and get a good quest to go to another town to retrieve a item. I'm there now and found a slightly stronger dungeon and got to level 7. Going back to my first town and heading to a city-state near-by soon. You only have to go to a few places. Don't even try checking out all 8 city states and doxens of towns in each country.

Soon (level 8?) heading to the country of HammerFell to seek out the first mainline quest dungeon.

That's a tiny spoil since you have to ask around once there to find the right city/town out of dozens in HammerFell to get the clues to the location of the dungeon, and the lady appears to you in your dreams when you're camping telling you that you need to go to HammerFell...



http://www.uesp.net/w/images/Arena-Map.jpg

 

Would be cool if they made a mod, or a remake of this game, using the oblivion engine.