old helicopter game (I think called Airstrike)

Help locating old / Pre year 2000 games you used to play.
Alpower2000
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:01 am
Location: England

Post by Alpower2000 »

I have put airstrike in a Rar file and put it on my website. I am not sure where I got it from It must have been from a shareware floppy or cd.
Thank you for your intrest and help.
On my sie you will see an Airstrike link on the left of the home page
http://www.alpower2000.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/
Thanks
User avatar
Quadko
Darklander
Darklander
Posts: 2092
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:07 am

Post by Quadko »

Very cool, I got it downloaded and took an initial look.

Even in default DosBox it's saying "This program has been designed to run on a 486 or better specification. Unfortunately Airstrike would not be playable on this machine."

How very irritating. ;)

I've tried a few quick tricks, but no luck so far. There are other things I can try tonight; I'll see what I can do. Basically that breaks down to 3 things I can think of:

1. More advanced DosBox config tricks to try to bypass the trick it's using to detect machine capabilities (and failing for bad reasons; it thinks it's too slow! Ha!)
2. Use a real machine; I have a limited few I can try it on
3. Not sure I can accomplish this, but in theory we could hack the exe to bypass the check, if it's a yes/no thing and not a 'calculate speed' thing.

And, I got into the game once, but the same configuration didn't let me in the second time, so it seems intermittent. Some games have a bug where too fast a computer is as bad as too slow; that could also be a problem here - too fast and the "calculate speed" counter wraps to a small number.

I've tried altering dosbox speed, but haven't found a workable value, and it didn't let me in again. So we have hope, but it's being obnoxious and I couldn't find a sweet spot with random testing.

The game is licensed "May ... be distributed via ... [BBS & Email &] Internet" but not "CD-ROM, floppy disk, or other magnetic media" without explicit permission. Otherwise, "providing no financial transaction is involved," "this software may be freely distributed." So it is freeware on the internet, but essentially the author didn't want to be blindly included in compilation disks or have some one else charge for what he's giving away for free. ;)

It's exciting, you've rescued this game from forgotten lost obscurity! Especially if we can get this working. Do you mind if we post the game on game sites like this one? Worst case if we can't get it working but it's posted out there, maybe someone else can figure it out over time. But I haven't given up yet! :)
Alpower2000
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:01 am
Location: England

Post by Alpower2000 »

I had the game backed up on a cd I don't think I have the original disk although I believe all the files are there. It’s ok to post the game it would be nice to get the game working. I will continue to try to get it working I have tried v.m. box. At least the game is not lost. :)
User avatar
Quadko
Darklander
Darklander
Posts: 2092
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:07 am

Post by Quadko »

I tried a slower laptop over lunch, and it complains but lets me proceed more frequently on this computer.

I got some screenshots! I'll package them and post them later. Meanwhile, here's the dosbox (from dosbox.com) custom config file I'm using that works on my laptop (usually) but not my beefier desktop (most of the time).

Code: Select all

[autoexec]
mount c .
#or wherever the game is: mount c .\Game
c:
#run the game AirStrike: as.exe!
as

[render]
frameskip=0
aspect=false
scaler=normal3x


[cpu]
core = dynamic 
cputype = auto
cycles=max
Easiest way to get this working is copy dosbox files to a directory, copy this text to the DosBox.conf file (or create the file), and copy all the game files to the same directory. If it works for you, great! If not, hopefully further modifications will work.

The secret is in that last [cpu] section; I've been modifying this and that trying to get it happy. It's still complaining about "if you are in windows, quit so I can have more resources" but it runs too fast anyway. That's an irrelevant error message, DosBox is a VM and there are no windows in dosbox. :)

And I usuall put the game files in a \Game subdirectory, and then the first line is mount c .\Game; that keeps the files separate. But that may be harder to setup the first time, it's ok to dump all files in one directory.

More tweaking and screenshots to come, feel free to play with these or suggest improvements on your own! And thanks, I'll see if I can get the game on sites I'm a contributor, and hopefully other people will with their sites as well! :D
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

I got it to run on my normal gaming rig, by setting cpu cycles to max in dosbox (defend).
It still complains the game will be slow on the starting screen, but I can press enter to make it continue, and it plays fine, with sounds and all :-)
Last edited by Rwolf on Thu Mar 05, 2015 4:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alpower2000
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:01 am
Location: England

Post by Alpower2000 »

I gave it my best shot but failed but it reports machine too slow. I need a dos refresher course Thanks
Alpower2000
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:01 am
Location: England

Post by Alpower2000 »

I got the game to run in dosbox with sound Thanks
User avatar
Quadko
Darklander
Darklander
Posts: 2092
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:07 am

Post by Quadko »

Alright, great news! I hope you have fun with it. Thanks for getting it uploaded, too.
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

Anyone planning to make a Mobygames entry? Otherwise I can do it.
User avatar
Quadko
Darklander
Darklander
Posts: 2092
Joined: Fri Jun 24, 2011 10:07 am

Post by Quadko »

Go for it! I'll post pictures here you are welcome to take if that makes it easier, assuming your own screenshots aren't already in the pipeline.

edit: here they are!
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

Image


Pesky picky annoying game, you can run, stop whining!
Image
Last edited by Quadko on Thu Mar 05, 2015 6:47 pm, edited 2 times in total.
User avatar
tienkhoanguyen
PSEUDOCODER
Posts: 2664
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:43 am
Location: Texas

God, Jesus Christ, is number one!hehe

Post by tienkhoanguyen »

Jesus Christ!hehe

O-well, I am still a nobody. hehe

Maybe after my death all my bunch of little DEMOs adds up to a whole pack.

Maybe then it is something substantial.

Otherwise it is just little 'tutorials' if you will for programming.
God, Jesus Christ, is number one!hehe
Jesus Christ!hehe
Bless Jesus Christ!
Then please bless my mom.
Honour to my mom Huong Thi Vu
Honour to my dad Thuy Binh Nguyen
Love to cousin Carl Anh Cuong Cao Vu
Thank you Jesus Christ.
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

Thanks Quadko, I'll see whats needed, I made it to the 5th mission, I think of total 21 missions.
I like the option to pull back and reload when empty.
Very funny scoring, negative points for unnecessary ecological destruction.

Thanks for uploading the game btw, Alpower2000!

<edit> The game entry is now in the queue at Moby's, I used my own pics.
<edit> http://www.mobygames.com/game/dos/airstrike_
Last edited by Rwolf on Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:28 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Alpower2000
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Mar 05, 2015 8:01 am
Location: England

Post by Alpower2000 »

I hope you all have fun with the game
User avatar
tienkhoanguyen
PSEUDOCODER
Posts: 2664
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2014 9:43 am
Location: Texas

cool Alpower - you got a game out congrats!

Post by tienkhoanguyen »

that is better than my little programs that i am practicing on

Jesus is on your side!
God, Jesus Christ, is number one!hehe
Jesus Christ!hehe
Bless Jesus Christ!
Then please bless my mom.
Honour to my mom Huong Thi Vu
Honour to my dad Thuy Binh Nguyen
Love to cousin Carl Anh Cuong Cao Vu
Thank you Jesus Christ.
ndosed7
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:51 pm

Post by ndosed7 »

Is this download still available?

I can't find it in the http://alpower2000.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ website
Last edited by ndosed7 on Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:53 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Rwolf
Gaming Demi-god
Gaming Demi-god
Posts: 1535
Joined: Fri Jan 11, 2013 3:19 pm
Location: Sweden

Post by Rwolf »

Yes' it's still there, at the bottom of the left column.

(I sent you a pm with the direct link)
ndosed7
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:51 pm

Post by ndosed7 »

I emailed alpower2000 and he threw it back up temporarily, I grabbed a copy and I'll upload it somewhere more permanent later on.
DarkMoe
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jun 16, 2016 11:50 am
Location: Argentina

Post by DarkMoe »

Can someone please re upload this game ?

It's nowhere to be found at the moment
ndosed7
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Jan 26, 2016 6:51 pm

Post by ndosed7 »

asanchez9677
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:54 pm

Choplifter

Post by asanchez9677 »

I remember a game that sounds like that called Choplifter. They have it on this site.
Post Reply