[Warhammer Dark Omen Forum]

Warhammer Dark Omen Forum

The SotHR Win98 registry copied to the XP registry, but with the "REMOTE" entry changed to aim it at the game folder instead of the CD, resulting in the CD not being demanded by the game.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB]
"Options"="1,1,1,1,1,2,1,1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\InstallDir]
@="C:\\Shadow of the Horned Rat"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\InstallOption]
@="Maximum"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\Language]
@="ENG"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\LocalDir]
@="C:\\Shadow of the Horned Rat\\FILE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\Platform]
@="Win95"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\RemoteDir]
@="C:\\Shadow of the Horned Rat\\REMOTE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\SaveDir]
@="C:\\Shadow of the Horned Rat\\SAVED"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\UpdateDir]
@="C:\\Shadow of the Horned Rat\\UPDATE"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mindscape\WarHammerFB\Virsion]
@="1.1"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\SharedDLLs]
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WING.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WING32.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGDE.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGDIB.DRV"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\WINGPAL.WND"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RLDDF.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RLDDI.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFTF.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFTI.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRG64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLFRM64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRG64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM16M.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM256.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00
"C:\\WINDOWS\\SYSTEM32\\RL\\SOFT\\RLIRM64K.DLL"=hex:01,00,00,00

After installing SotHR onto the virtual Win98, and finding that it played perfectly, (as expected), I thought I'd try something else.
Copied the whole installed SotHR game folder from the virtual Win98 C: drive to my actual XP C: drive.  Then faithfully copied the Win98 registry entries for SotHR into my acual XP registry, (after removing the previous SotHR entries).  (I'd already inserted the various WING files into the XP Windows\System32 folder from earlier attempts).

Surprisingly found that the game plays perfectly on my actual XP now, including all the video bits and speech!

And by creating an empty "REMOTE" folder inside the SotHR game folder, and changing the registry entry relating to REMOTE from "D\\WARFB\\REMOTE" to "C\\Shadow of the Horned Rat\\REMOTE" the game plays without the disc having to be in the DVD drive.

After many attempts at getting the video and voice clips working, under XP, finally admitted defeat, (although the game works perfectly). 
Resorted to the virtual machine method.  Never tried it before so it was a bit scary. 
Tried Oracle - Virtual Box, but Win98 wouldn't install properly on it.
Then downloaded MS Virtual PC 2007, that also had a download for an "image" (or something) of Win98.  Installed MS Virtual Machine no trouble, and after one or two minor hickups setting it up, ran Win98 with out a problem.  Can't even say that Win98 installed.  It just seemed to run!
Shadow of the Horned Rat, as you might expect, installed and ran perfectly on the Win98 virtual machine, video and voice clips an' all.  I even copied the "Speech" and "Animation" folders from the CD into the appropriate places in the game folder.  Then the game ran the video and voice clips without even accessing the CD.
Have even managed to get the Win98 to link with my LAN, so that I can easily swop files to and from my host XP pc.

But this isn't to say I'm not grateful for the help and suggestions offered by Olly and others. 

When I get to the end of SotHR I'll see how I get on with Dark Omen!?

Certainly did.  Although I did try the CD exe. as well, just to see if anything different happened.

Thanks for the prompt reply Olly.  I did as you outlined. 
Followed your link and downloaded the Oldgames auto installer.
Removed all my other SotHR folders, and totally deleted the Mindscape key in the registry.
Then ran the Oldgames installer.  When it had installed, and it also had installed it's own registry values, I tried to launch the game, (with the CD in).  The game wouldn't even load.  Said it couldn't find loads of dll files, I think.
So I inspected the Oldgames\SotHR folder.  Found that the registry file only contained the "shared dll" lines.  No lines relating to the appropriate game folders at all.
And a couple of the Oldgame\SotHR folders were empty, when I'm sure they should have something in them.
So I inserted lines, (similar to other SotHR registry files that I've seen), and activated the edited registry file afresh.
Then tried loading the game.
The game loaded ok, but the intro scene didn't run, and as far as I can tell none of the other cut scenes either.  It appeared as if the game made no attempt to access the cd.

I'm sure I must have done something wrong, or missed a step somewhere, but can't figure out what or where.
Although not an expert, I am reasonably familiar with XP and it's workings, so equally I can say I'm not exactly a novice.

Is it likely to be anything to do with hardware, as my pc is pretty "top end", having built it last year especially to be able to play Total War - Shogun2 with all settings on High?

Thanks again for any more suggestions.

Recently downloaded "small" version (without "cut scenes" or "speech" files) of SotHR from Abandonia.  Installed onto XP SP3 using their "whshr.bat" file + their  reg file.  Despite other folks saying that they couldn't get the game running, after using files obtained from Abandonia my SotHR loaded and played perfectly.  But of course it didn't have the cut scenes and speech to go with them.  However, the video scenes in the caravan and of characters giving briefings played ok, with the subtitles, but without any sound.
Although I used to have the game CD in the late '90s, I lost it.  So I bought another SotHR CD from EBay.  After a bit of trial and error found and copied the "animation" and "speech" files from the CD onto where I thought they ought to go in the game folder.  And again after a bit of trial and error, moving these "cut scene" files about eventually got the intro scene to play when loading the game.  
Great, I thought.  Everything ok now.  But I was disappointed to discover that even though the intro scene played, with sound, none of the other cut scenes ever played.
I have tried registering on the Abandonia forums to seek help, but there seems to be no one there.  
Since then I have tried several times creating a WARFB folder, and creating and copying the various folders and files as described in your posts, here, and using the appropriate reg file.  But to no avail.  When I try this method, can't even get the game to run.
Can anyone suggest how I can be apparently so close, but just can't get the cut scenes + speech to play.  Can this be achieved without using the "virtual drive" with WIN95 or WIN98 installed.  I have a WIN98 CD in my collection still.
If not, a bit more info about how to use a virtual drive, and install WIN98 on it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.