Help and Instructions - exoscoriae/eXoDOS GitHub Wiki

eXoDOS V5's manual can be found here.

Frequently asked questions:

0. Why aren't my games launching? Why does the windows just close without launching the game? Etc.
1. How do I merge eXoDOS into my existing LaunchBox installation?
2. I have a question related to Win3xO(2015)
3. When I run setup it says it can’t find the util.zip file. What should do?
4. Can I have my games on a different drive from my LaunchBox install?
5. Can I use eXoDOS with just a handful of games?
6. Can I use some other version of DosBox?
7. Can I delete the metadata files after install?
8. Some games don’t have box covers, why not?
9. How can I help the project?
10. What about Windows 98 games?
11. Can I use a compressed drive with eXoDOS?
12. Why isn't eXoDOS working?
13. I have some DOS games, do you want them for your pack?
14. How do I create my own code wheels for games?
15. Where can I find the manual?
16. Where can I find the covers that were made for eXoDOS in 2014?
17. Does eXoDOS contain shareware?
18. How can I run change keymappings for games that support it by using the original configuration e.g. setup.exe file?
19. How can I view the manual for game?
20. What should I do if my game is stuttering?
21. Do I need to download ScummVM if I've downloaded eXoDOS?
22. Can I rename Launchbox playlists in eXoDOS?
23. How do I display game-play or title screen images for games in eXoDOS that don't have covers?
24. How can I get back to a "freshly downloaded" state of eXoDOS?
25. How can I upgrade eXoDOS v4 to eXODOS v5?
26. How can I change the full version of eXoDOS v5 to the lite version?
27. Can DOS games be treated like ROMS in other emulation software?

Why aren't my games launching? Why does the windows just close without launching the game? Etc.

Did you download the whole torrent without editing it? Are you sure you didn't move any files around? If you made any changes or didn't download the WHOLE thing, start from scratch!

How do I merge eXoDOS into my existing LaunchBox installation?

First: Run setup.bat

Second: copy .\data\platforms\MS-DOS.xml from the exodos folder to your launchbox folder

move .\Manuals\MS-DOS*.* from the exodos folder to your launchbox folder

move .\images\MS-DOS*.* from the exodos folder to your launchbox folder

move .\eXoDOS*.* from the exodos folder to your launchbox folder

Follow these steps exactly. Hypothetical questions before finishing all the steps lead to incorrect assumptions which leads to confusion.

I have a question related to Win3xO(2015)

Win3xO(2015) is no longer officially supported, however we accept bug reports from it. Win3xO does not work with Launchbox. The next release will. The next release is planned for this year and is slated to be named Win3eXo.

When I run setup it says it can’t find the util.zip file. What should do?

The files are not in their proper folders. Files must exist in the exact same data structure as they exist at the-eye. You can’t take a file out of a folder and move it into another folder.

It is unlikely you have downloaded all 7,012 files required. eXoDOS will show all games, regardless of what games you've actually downloaded.

Can I have my games on a different drive from my LaunchBox install?

Sure. Use symlinks. Here's a handy utility that might help you - Symlink Helper.

Can I use eXoDOS with just a handful of games?

Version 5 will offer a download on demand version but while it is possible to download only some games, the front end will still display all of them (and you still have to download all metadata). There is no support for people trying to pull the collection apart.

Can I use some other version of DosBox?

No, it won't be supported and it is discouraged. The version that included are handpicked for optimal performance.

Can I delete the metadata files after install?

No.

Some games don’t have box covers, why not?

Not all games came in boxes. Digital only games do not have covers. If you are a registered user of launchBox you can set it to use the title screen for games that are missing cover scans.

How can I help the project?

Read the channels, stick around, and get a feel for the project, who is doing what, and where you might be able to help. When you see the chance to volunteer with something you feel like you can help with, then speak up.

What about Windows 98 games?

The feasibility of a Win98 project is still being looked at. Peter Molyneux has a auto response for this that cuts right to the point if you type Win98 in Discord.

Can I use a compressed drive with eXoDOS?

It isn't supported and we discourage you from using it.

Why isn't eXoDOS working?

You are welcome to ask on Discord, but be sure to actually post your full problem. Describe why it doesn't work. Where does it go wrong? Do you get an error message? Can you see games in the front end? The more details you give, the better chance the team has of helping you.

I have some DOS games, do you want them for your pack?

There is a very good chance we already have them. eXo has been at this for a decade or so now. Check the packs, and if you still think you have something rare, be sure to post on Discord and let us know! if it's listed at Mobygames, then there is a 99% chance we have it.

How do I create my own code wheels for games?

Refer to this page.

Where can I find the manual?

It can be found here

Where can I find the covers that were made for eXoDOS in 2014?

You can find them right here

Does eXoDOS contain shareware?

Every known dos game that can be located is in eXoDOS. So yes, that included a metric ton of shareware. If a registered version is available, we obviously opt for that over an unregistered version, however in many cases a registered version simply doesn't exist. Whether the original author is long gone or simply lost the files, there is a multitude of reasons why some games do not have registered versions are included in shareware format only.

[How can I run change keymappings for games that support it by using the original configuration (e.g. setup.exe) file?

You would have to go to the game's conf file and comment out the last 2 lines with a # symbol. Next time you run the game you would then get the dos prompt you would have normally had. To find the game's conf file, look in launchbox at the path it uses to call the .bat file. The conf file is in the same folder. If at some point you mess something up, the original conf files are safely stored in the !DOSmetadata.zip file. You can manually go pull the ones you need back out, or re-run setup and tell it to re-extract the metadata.

How can I view the manual for game?

Right-click the game and then select view manual.

What should I do if my game is stuttering?

• Update your graphics drivers.
• Disable v-sync for dosbox in your video card settings.
• Ask one of the eXoDOS staff to check if the issue persists.

Do I need to download ScummVM if I've downloaded eXoDOS?

eXoDOS does NOT have all the ScummVM games as ScummVM contains games from non-DOS platforms.

Can I rename Launchbox playlists in eXoDOS?

The plugin just changes the status of the param "installed" for each game. The playlist is an automatically populated playlist in LB that lists the "installed" games. So you can rename it or create a new one, you just have to make sure that you choose the right platform if you change "MS-DOS" to something else.

How do I display game-play or title screen images for games in eXoDOS that don't have covers?

First of all, you need to have a registered version of Launchbox. Go to Tools > Options > Media > Box Front Priorities (or whatever image you want to create a new priority for) > Check something like "Screenshot - Game Title" or "Screenshot - Gameplay". Click OK. Then go back to Tools > Refresh All Images to make it actually appear.

How can I get back to a "freshly downloaded" state of eXoDOS?

If you have the .torrent file you used to download eXoDOS with, you can use TorrentCheck (ask for it on Discord) to restore the files to the downloaded state.

How can I upgrade eXoDOS v4 to eXODOS v5?

To upgrade from v4 to v5, you can save time by doing the following: Rename the eXoDOS folder in your v4 directory to eXo. Go into the new eXo folder, and rename the GAMES folder to eXoDOS. Get the v5 torrent and point it to the v4 folder you renamed the above folders in. Now hash and it should use as much as your previous files as possible. Probably around 49%. Once you are done, you can use an app like TorrentCheck (see #24) to remove any leftover files that are uneeded.

How can I change the full version of eXoDOS v5 to the lite version to save on space?

Replace the util.zip file in eXoDOS\eXo\util with the one from the lite version. Now delete all the .zip files from eXoDOS\eXo\eXoDOS but make sure to leave the !dos folder intact. If you now try to install games, it will download them on-demand.

Can DOS games be treated like ROMs in other emulation software?

ROMs work for games like cartridges and arcade boards that have all options set as toggle switches within the game menus. They do not work for PC games which have external setup files. They do not work for PC games that have multiple patched versions. They do not work for PC games that require original media and installed files in order to run. They do not work for PC games that hardcode changes from the setup to the games exe file (yes, it happens fairly often in the late 80's). They do not work for a platform that has dozens of potential hardware configurations.

Then you have this notion of keymapping. There are 7,200 games in eXoDOS.

You can throw out every single game that has a text parser if you rely on keymapping. good bye every interactive fiction game. Goodbye every early adventure game.

You can throw out flight simulators that use nearly every key on a keyboard.

You can throw out strategy games that use hot keys and macros like combining ctrl and shift to create selectable unit groups.

You can throw out RPG's that use 10 key item management.

You can throw out educational games that require typing specific letters.

You can throw out game show games, like jeopardy or wheel of fortune that require typing words(edited).

Then, once you have eliminated every game that CAN'T be keypmapped you have to try to come up with a standard for how the rest are handled. FPS is generally standard. Action Platform will be about 75% standard, but the other 25% are going to be a huge headache. Once you have thrown out all the above and then tried to come up with a unified control map scheme for the rest of the games, you have such a small subset of DOS games left over that it is a fucking insult to DOS games.

If the use of a keyboard is what is preventing "more people" from using it, then they can fuck right off. It was designed for a keyboard.

This project is based on preservation not sticking DOS up the ass of every person who wants to play a game. When you start using game rips - you FUCK preservation. When you start tearing DOS games down into little piles that can easily be mapped to a controller, and throw out the rest - you FUCK preservation. When you care more about getting 1/10 of the games to work for people who INSIST on playing DOS games on a retropie and can't be bothered to use a computer or laptop (one of the most ubiquitous machines in the world), - you FUCK preservation. Companies like GOG have FUCKED preservation, with their shitty game rips that alter original files, stripped out drivers they aren't using, and assumption that however they are presenting the game is the only way it should be played. The second you start launching game ripped "ROM" files you are doing the same thing.

And you are god damn lucky people like the eXoDOS crew and TDC are out there spending OUR money and OUR time finding original disks and saving the data on them so that the only thing out there isn't some jacked up copy of a cracked game with all the sound ripped out.

Running a DOS Preservation project is not about making every person in the world happy. It is about having respect for the games. It is about trying to make the playable as close to their original form as possible. It is about giving users the ability to experience as many of the hardware options as possible while removing the knowledge base limitations that would otherwise create a gatekeeping environment. It is not about modifying games to make them pleasant to whatever sensibilities exist today.