Tag Archives: MS-DOS

A look back at Wing Commander (1990 PC Game)

Modern Vintage Gamer takes us back to what made the original Wing Commander PC game so special.

Wing Commander is like jumping into a soap opera… in space! Imagine you’re a hotshot pilot battling evil feline overlords called the Kilrathi (think if your cat grew up on bad vibes and space lasers). Your job? To protect the galaxy while bantering with crew members who have enough drama to fill a few seasons of Days of Our Lives. Between missions, you wander the ship like it’s a floating high school, bonding with friends and frenemies alike, where everyone’s perpetually one botched mission away from a total meltdown. It’s basically Top Gun meets The Lion King—if Simba had claws and wanted to vaporize you.

Then there’s the gameplay, which serves up a blend of dogfighting chaos and cinematic tension. One moment, you’re blasting through Kilrathi fighters with a grin, the next you’re facing a mission briefing that sounds suspiciously like an episode recap from Battlestar Galactica. Sometimes you’re sent on reconnaissance (a.k.a. “please don’t die, we need intel”), but more often you’re thrown into the galactic version of a food fight—except the food is lasers, and the lunchroom is filled with explosions. It’s frantic, cheesy, and gloriously over-the-top, making it the perfect interstellar drama for anyone who ever wanted to fight space cats while managing their crewmates’ emotional baggage.

Play 7000 PC DOS games quickly and easily (eXoDOS Review)

The eXoDOS project is like a digital Noah’s Ark for DOS games, meticulously rescuing and preserving thousands of PC classics from the treacherous seas of obsolescence. Imagine a pixelated Indiana Jones, armed not with a whip but with an external hard drive, bravely navigating the dusty catacombs of abandonware to unearth treasures like “Commander Keen” and “William Shatner’s TekWar”.
https://www.retro-exo.com/exodos.html

Digital Decay Of 2000’s PC Game DRM (Tech Tangents)

I’m tired of modern video games being shut down from pointless server requirements and wanted to help the cause to spread the word that we might be able to do something about it. It also made me wonder, how many of my physical games are now dead? It was a lot more than I thought it would be.

DRM is always annoying…but it was really bad in the early to mid 2000s!

DRM (Digital Rights Management) in video games – the ultimate test of a gamer’s patience and the digital equivalent of a bouncer at an exclusive club. Imagine you’ve bought a brand-new game, full of excitement to dive into its virtual wonders, only to be greeted by DRM, standing there like an overly cautious gatekeeper. It’s as if the game developers invited you to an awesome party, but first, they need to scan your ID, your fingerprints, and your grandma’s recipe for lasagna before letting you in. DRM, designed to thwart pirates, often ends up making honest gamers feel like they’re trying to break into Fort Knox just to enjoy a little digital escapism.

Picture this: You’re ready for an epic gaming session, snacks at the ready, comfy chair perfectly positioned. You click “Start Game” and BAM – you’re hit with a barrage of DRM hurdles. First, it’s the online verification, where your internet connection is questioned more than a suspect in a crime drama. Then there’s the infamous “please insert the original disk” message, despite the game being digitally downloaded. Let’s not forget the DRM that decides it’s a great time for a system update, because nothing screams fun like watching a progress bar. By the time you finally break through the DRM fortress, you’ve burned more calories from sheer frustration than you would have playing the game. In the world of video games, DRM is like that overly cautious friend who checks all the locks three times before leaving the house, while you just want to have some fun.

eXoDOS Version 6 with over 7000 DOS games (REVIEW)

Checking out the latest Version 6 of eXoDOS! Over 7000 DOS games that come with a launcher and are preconfigured ready to go. If you want to try DOS games but are intimidated by configuring DOSBox, this project is for you!

MS-DOS gaming was a vibrant era in the history of video games, marked by simplicity and innovation. During the 1980s and early 1990s, MS-DOS games were characterized by their pixelated graphics, limited sound capabilities, and text-based interfaces. These games often required players to navigate through directories and execute commands to launch them, adding a technical aspect to the gaming experience. The library of MS-DOS games spanned various genres, from adventure and role-playing games like “The Secret of Monkey Island” and “Ultima” series to iconic classics such as “Prince of Persia,” “Doom,” and “Wolfenstein 3D,” which pioneered the first-person shooter genre.

Despite the technical constraints of the time, MS-DOS gaming fostered creativity and groundbreaking gameplay. Gamers were captivated by the challenging gameplay, immersive storytelling, and the need for problem-solving skills. The limitations in graphics and sound pushed developers to focus on compelling gameplay mechanics and engaging narratives, resulting in timeless classics that continue to influence modern gaming. The MS-DOS gaming era remains a nostalgic cornerstone for many gamers, remembered fondly for its innovation, charm, and the foundation it laid for the future of the gaming industry.

The Beast Within: A Gabriel Knight Mystery

When Jane Jensen first said that she would like to make a dark-tinged, adult-oriented mystery of a Sierra adventure game, revolving around an antihero of a paranormal detective named Gabriel Knight, her boss Ken Williams wasn’t overly excited about the idea. “Okay, I’ll let you do it,” he grumbled. “But I wish you’d come up with something happier!”

What a difference a year and a half can make. At the end of that period of time, Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers was a hit, garnering vive la différence! reviews and solid sales from gamers who appreciated its more sophisticated approach to interactive storytelling. Rather than remaining an outlier in the company’s catalog, it bent Sierra’s whole trajectory in its direction, as Ken Williams retooled and refocused on games that could appeal to a different — and larger — demographic of players.

There was no question whatsoever about a sequel. In January of 1994, just six weeks after the first Gabriel Knight game had shipped, Jane Jensen was told to get busy writing the second one.

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10 CHILL GAMES to Play When You’re STRESSED OUT

GAMES SHOWN:
* Journey
* ABZÛ
* Adventure games – Riven / Broken Sword / Full Throttle / Professor Layton
* No Man’s Sky Beyond
* Walking simulators – Whats Remains of Edith Finch / The Unfinished Swan
* Visual novels Va-ha11-a
* Driving around in Forza Horizon (skipping missions and races) – Test Drive Unlimited, Forza Horizon 3 & 4