«

[tia546]

Hello all, I know it's been a while since the last post in this thread but I'm encountering issues with this game, have researched for hours and would now like to know if anyone knows a (possible) solution. The thing is, I get Silverball to work just fine but the "Fantasy" table which happens to be my favorite since I had this game many years ago just keeps freezing, if one can call if that way (explanation further down). I have tried around ten times now with three (!) different versions of this game and never got to play this table until the end of a round of five, or even three balls. I tried with the four-table version of this game from 1993, the six (?) table version from 1995 and even the demo from which only the Fantasy table is playable, but I keep getting the same bug in every version. In one moment, sound collapses, the ball suddenly becomes very slow and the controls stop working. The game goes on with the lights blinking normally but without any means to access the controls and keep playing. If anyone has an idea how this could be fixable, please lmk. I find it odd that someone in France described this exact same problem, but many others seem to be able to play that table without any problems. Last thing I tried was to install it on a different machine, but it's all the same there. Both are Windows 7 however so it could come from there...? I could try with different machines, we also have Win XP and Win 10 here. In the meantime, if anyone has a clue, please lmk. Thanks in advance!

[Smiling Spectre]

First at all, I would stop trying to use it on native Windows. Game is DOS, so much better to start it in DOSBox. It will give you unified background, and you could blame DOSBox developers, if error will repeat.

[tia546]

Originally Posted by Smiling Spectre

First at all, I would stop trying to use it on native Windows. Game is DOS, so much better to start it in DOSBox. It will give you unified background, and you could blame DOSBox developers, if error will repeat.

The game only runs under DOSBox with later OS, that's why I didn't mention I am using it. Of course I do...

[Smiling Spectre]

Oh, so you slightly misguided me with machines mention. Machines do not matter so far as you have enough cycles to power DOSBox (i.e. anything newer than Pentium III.

So, cycles would be my starting point. How high are these? "Auto" usually the best solution, but sometimes it's failed. "3 000" usually a bad idea. "30 000" mostly the same as "auto" for any game, except most demanding ones.

[tia546]

Originally Posted by Smiling Spectre

So, cycles would be my starting point. How high are these? "Auto" usually the best solution, but sometimes it's failed. "3 000" usually a bad idea. "30 000" mostly the same as "auto" for any game, except most demanding ones.

Well I tried, set those 30000 and played a little. Not sure how it will be at long term but right now I played two full rounds of five balls each without any problems. That's a new record, will let you know if it really stays that way. Thanks a lot!

Just wondering why now both "Fantasy" tables really are "Fantasy"... the second one of this edition initially was "Nova". I tested the Nova table so I know it wasn't like this from the start. Will perhaps have to reinstall, as the config file will kept it should go all well... did anyone else have that phenomenon?

[tia546]

... and two more rounds later it seems to be safe to say it worked. Thank you again! :3

[Smiling Spectre]

You are welcome.

[tia546]

Originally Posted by Smiling Spectre

You are welcome.

... and like 15 rounds later it occured once again. So the table is well playable now but the issue is not fully gone. Do you have any idea what could be tried next in order to solve the little rest of the issue as well?

[Smiling Spectre]

Wow.

Well, it can be assured, it seems, that it's speed issue, because it was semi-fixed with "right" cycles.

So, I can suggest several solutions, depending on (unknown) reason:

1. If it's pure game issue, you can try to overwhelm it with pure computer might. I.e. set cycles to max. (cycles=max in configuration file, I mean). Can be bad idea, if your DOSBox will deduce "max" wrong. In that case try to use fixed cases, but increase it even higher than before. Like, 60 000 - 100 000 - 200 000...

2. If it is DOSBox issue - try other version. I use Ykhwong's build, but it's quite old (still much newer than vanilla). As I see, people started to use ECE Dosbox recently. Maybe it will help you.

3. If it's some programming error - sound is most probable suspect - try to change it for something more stable. Sound Blaster is usually the best solution for this.

[do03ll]

Originally Posted by arete

You need to use a DOS emulator, like DOSbox. Old DOS games will not run in Windows.

Tnx. I try play Armored Moon, but not working. Same problem.