Carmageddon original DOS (disk operating system) like Microsoft MS-DOS 3.1 or MS-DOS 5.0
which DOSBox version 0.73 and DOSBox-X version 0.83 emulate uses DirectX3a API.
Yes, Voodoo 1, Voodoo 2, etc had build in DirectX API calls.
3Dfx company made sure they can compete with rival Microsoft DirectX so 3Dfx company
implemented to every glide driver for Win95/Win98SE support for DirectX3a API calls.
3Dfx company implementation of DirectX3a API is not 100% that means developers have
access to basic API calls to make their upcoming 3D game appealing.
3Dfx company released for DOS operating system glide 2.43 SDK software development kit.
Microsoft never released DirectX for DOS operating system. Therefore when you start
Carmageddon original DOS uses for 3D hardware acceleration glide2x.ovl driver.
That driver is DOS operating system only. Carmageddon DOS never uses *.dll files which
are Windows 1.0 or newer dynamic link libaries. If you see error message unable to load
*.dll file when starting Carmageddon in DOS operating system it means only error message
string is displayed and it happens there is written "*.dll file" missing.
It is because this game engine uses BRender known as Blazing Renderer by Argonaut company.
Blazing Renderer maybe had support for early access Windows 1.0 and
newer which started to use *.dll files.
You may think *.dll error is from future Win95+ and really it is from at that time
very new Windows 1.0 software.
When Carageddon can not load FLI/FLC file it means sound setup MIDI has not set up.
Carmageddon *.smk video format needs MIDI sound set up properly. Sound Blaster 16 works fine.
Use set and test buttons in SETUP.exe (Carmageddon sound setup) to make sure you
physically hear with your human ear sound digitally and sound MIDI. All screams and hits
sounds and *.smk video format sound are MIDI format.
If MIDI is not setup with Sound Blaster 16 then intro video hangs on first frame until
user presses esc or hits enter, clicks mouse in Win95 version of game.
If Carmageddon can not find MAINSTIL.FLI or any other FLI file then your game folder
structure is damaged means not in default installation order, maybe you made typo when
adding hi-res folder like 64x48x8, default folder name is for low-res 32x20x8.
That is referring to display resolution 640x480 8bit color depth while 30x20x8 is
used in early Carmageddon demo.
Carmageddon game has built in Smacker video player from RAD GAME TOOLS.
If you swap game exe with newer game exe then these exe files start to display errors
at startup because they are hard coded with their original game file structure.
If you move Carma95 exe to Carma which is DOS only and try to run Carma95 it might
start to ask *.dll files. When you try to run Carma which is DOS only in early
Carmageddon demo, then added new exe is hard coded to look full game data files.
Also all the settings and other game files are encrypted that means new exe files
can not access older or newer files and display "can not find/ load file FLI,
can not access keymap, can not find *.dll).
DosBox and DosBox-X both emualate voodoo 1 graphics at hardware level. That means
retro games can access directly to voodoo 1 hardware level bypassing gilde2x.ovl driver
for DOS operating system completely. Some that era games from year 1898/1990, etc some-
times hard coded their Glide API calls into game data files and exe files.
DosBox and DosBox-X both emulate 2D hardware accelerated S3 Trio64 videocard and
extra hardware 3D accelerated voodoo 1 graphics chip codenamed STT-1. At that time
you had to buy second video card and connect it to your old 2D video card to get
symbios of them both working when needed 2D or 3D. There were special physical
videocard VGA cable 15pin adapter to connect physically both 2D and 3D videocards.
Carmageddon made it modular like other well planned game developers. First game exe
searches locally in MS-DOS 5.0 that means from game folder where exe was installed
glide2x.ovl. *.ovl is DOS operating system only driver for Voodoo 1 videocards.
How to run a VHDX file in VMware16 on Win10Pro64bit?
If you want to get glide2x.ovl original DOS operating system only video driver file
then you have to install Glide 2.43 SDK on Windows 95, when installer detects Win95
then installer is hard coded to install into System/ Glide folder DOS exclusive
glide2x.ovl video driver files. Use virtual machine on Windows 10Pro 64bit and
hybernate Win95. Then close VMWare 16 educational and private use (non-commercial)
vdhx image file and open with 7z zip program, it is ordinary zip file that can be viewed and
content extracted to your host system.
If game exe can not locate locally in game install folder this glide2x.ovl file which
is video driver file for DOS operating system only physical videocards like Voodoo 1.
It then moves do 'path variable' in MS-DOS 5.0 and searches globally MS-DOS operating system main
folder where all the basic MS-DOS 5.0 windows programs are by default.
When it can not find globally glide2x.ovl for MS-DOS 5.0 operating system error message is displayed.
These error message can miss-lead and be wacky at times. As was example when MIDI is
not set up correctly as Sound Balster 16 (SB16 or just SB for short) then exe displayes
error can not find *.FLI file or intro video in *.smk Smacker video format hangs on first
frame/ screen because *.smk video files store picture and sound in MIDI format. When
your sound setup is not correct for MIDI output then internally something breaks in playback
because MIDI sound is missing soundcard definition and just hangs until user aborts video
and game goes to main screen.
If you are in game, first play and later go to options and set graphics and DRAW distance
to high/ far away. You might think something is wrong with graphics emulation when in
reality game is set to default and low draw distance.
If you like game buy game and support developers. You can buy game from:
GOG.com good old games
or
Steam library from Internet
RAD GAME TOOLS year 2022 release have 64bit FLI/FLIC and *.smk Smacker video format players.
Media Player Classic Home Cinema (64-bit) can load and view FLI/FLC files.
RAD GAME TOOLS year 1994 release MS-DOS version 5.0 operting system has
Smacker video player name is smackply.exe and smackpw6.exe.
For Windows 10 Pro 64bit DirectX3a emulation put files into Carmageddon exe folder:
dg_Voodoo2 version 2.74 variant add files from folder dg_Voodoo2_74_1/MS/x86/
copy these DirectX3a emulator or hook files:
D3DImm.dll 183kb
DDraw.dll
to your Carmageddon game folder where is game exe located.
In dg_Voodoo2_74 control panel (CpPanel) point to Carmageddon folder location
and make sure game folder path is saved in "Config folder/ Running instance.
Click on DirectX tab and make sure:
Disable and passthru to real DirectX is unchecked (default)
Miscellanneous/ Fast video memory access is checked
Download from Internet and apply 3Dfx patch to game folder:
3dfx-patch 496 KiB uncompressed
CARMAV.EXE
Click Apply and then click OK.
When you run game dg_Voodoo watermark must show on lower right corner when game is running.
It shows dg_Voodoo has hooked DirectX3a API calls from Carmageddon game.
If you are not happy with draw distance go to Carmageddon options ingame.
Make sure your ingame settings have been saved by double checking back to ingame options.
Start or load your game by running CARMAV.EXE.
Windows 10 Pro 64bit does not allow 16bit CARMAV.EXE to start.
Drag CARMAV.EXE to DOSBox or DOSBox-X (reccomended).
Use VDMSound program for Windows XP or for Windows 10 Pro 64bit to start
16bit CARMAV.EXE directly from Windows 10 Pro 64bit.
GLIDOS also supports Carmageddon early demo and full game with
3dfx-patch 496 KiB uncompressed patch applyed.
Copyright (C) 2022 Tõnis Juhkam All rights reserved. Estonia Europe
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