PC vs MS-DOS
3 years ago
Australia

What’s the difference between PC and MS-DOS, and which should I choose if I run the Windows port (with the MIDI music and Puzzle Customization)? I’m a bit confused, because two of the With Chimps runs are marked PC and one is marked MS-DOS, but all three look like they’re the MS-DOS version.

Canada

Full disclosure...there aren't really any rules here. From what I know, the windows version runs faster, has more puzzles, and lets you deactivate puzzles until later (if you run out of puzzles on the selected types, you start doing puzzles you wanted to avoid). I don't know anything about midi music.

If you get OddTom's route maker thingy (or make your own), I bet it wouldn't work straight away on the windows version. It would probably need to be adjusted somehow. Just a guess.

I'd say run on windows. SRC doesn't list windows as an option for platform, so its ms-dos and pc...very little thought was put into it, but we can edit the runs to say they're ms-dos.

Texas, USA

On the other Super Solvers games, we mix the two versions together. When I first started, I didn't even know there was a newer version; I just thought it was asking if we were using a DOS emulator or playing on Windows. It's really only an issue over on Operation Neptune, because Ms Riley had the newer version and she was trying to beat my time on an old DOS version. She eventually did, but it was kinda anti-climactic bc it was obvious that the program running faster had a lot to do with it.

I don't know a whole lot about the newer version, but if you can de-activate magnet puzzles or any other little tricks, more power to ya. If we can turn off the new player hints in the DOS version, I don't see a reason to restrict turning off puzzle types either.

Sadly, I don't have the program anymore. Or the computer. I was a moron and didn't back anything up, thinking it would live forever. I lost everything that was on that computer. A few months ago, I got inspired to try to recreate it, but I just don't have the time anymore to collect the data that I need. Back then, I was riding the light rail for an hour to and from work and I would try to map out the packages for one area each trip. Thankfully Winslinator posted test results for Treasure Cove on Google Sheets, but everything I had is in a data file that is long gone.

The more recent, very incomplete reboot is here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12PkEZGgFx_escO9RfxUdQpxlKsIUzKE2fvWCFvfZRhE

I basically broke it down by splitting the areas into segments of movement with likely packages, so I only had to manipulate ten or fifteen items at a time. I know I posted the map somewhere up on SRC, and I'll link it if I can find it. I was hoping to find an optimal route, but on average, it turned out that each segment contained 1-2 good pieces and the rest was junk (decals, bananas, and wooden frames, etc.)

TLDR; Don't sweat the small stuff. I'd love to see some Gizmos runs!

Australia

SRC doesn't list windows as an option for platform, so its ms-dos and pc...very little thought was put into it, but we can edit the runs to say they're ms-dos.

I take it we can’t change the platform list? Bummer. I guess I’ll submit as PC, and if you and oddtom could edit your runs to MS-DOS that would be great.

Sadly, I don't have the program anymore. Or the computer. I was a moron and didn't back anything up, thinking it would live forever. I lost everything that was on that computer.

Oh no, that’s tragic! Either way, those spreadsheets and diagrams are really interesting, though I can’t say I understand it all just yet.

I was hoping to find an optimal route, but on average, it turned out that each segment contained 1-2 good pieces and the rest was junk (decals, bananas, and wooden frames, etc.)

I won’t worry about planned routes too much at this stage, but I think I would like to pick your brain on this at some point if that’s ok.

Texas, USA

Holy crow your version is faster. Other stuff I've noticed:

  • General faster movement except for the tube and using trampolines / springboards
  • You can skip the races?!
  • You can skip the "hooray you solved the puzzle" jingle after every puzzle
  • The level immediately balances out; you don't have to sit through it slowly calibrating

I'll modify my other runs, and I'm sure I have better versions of those maps somewhere. Drop into one of my streams if you see me on; I don't mind talking about other games than the one I'm playing. I've got an exam for an FAA cert in July, but I'll have a bit more time after that to compile what I remember. I'm sure you can get under an hour with the version you have.

Australia

Followed! Some tricks I’ve noticed (starting from the second tweet): https://twitter.com/dazabani/status/1261348094790123521

  • You can skip the races?!

Interesting! I can back out of races I know I’m going to lose (“loss cancel” above), but apart from seemingly random speedups in plane races (which might be VMware-related), I haven’t found any other ways to skip races, so I would be keen to see how you do that.

The level immediately balances out; you don't have to sit through it slowly calibrating

Do you mean the animations in Balance puzzles? Yeah those look way slower on MS-DOS.

Texas, USA

I don't think the races can be skipped in the DOS version, but it looks like the races in your version skip entirely. The glider plane doesn't even get off the ground before you're standing on the victory platform.

Heh, money town. Every page of every building has 1-3 money doors, and you can get most of the great parts in a few trips through the building. I'll make a better map for ya after my class today.

EDIT: I tried for ages to get a check skip or cancel for those puzzles, but my version doesn't have that menu bar.

Edited by the author 3 years ago
Australia

I don't think the races can be skipped in the DOS version, but it looks like the races in your version skip entirely. The glider plane doesn't even get off the ground before you're standing on the victory platform.

I think we might be talking about the same thing. After running the game several more times, it looks like the first two plane races (blimp and sailplane) always skip, while the remaining 13 races never skip, but let me know if you find a way to do better.

I'll make a better map for ya after my class today.

Looking forward to it!

I tried for ages to get a check skip or cancel for those puzzles, but my version doesn't have that menu bar.

If you’re talking about the DOS version, try Options > Sound & Music or Options > New Player Hints? I guess it doesn’t matter too much, given Windows is already looking like the faster version.

Canada

From what I recall from my playthrough on the windows version a few years ago, the aircraft "race skips" aren't really race skips. I dont know how to describe it, but its like the race itself is comprised entirely of lag frames (except takeoff and landing) and a modern PC can handle the lag, so the race is just really fast and looks like its being skipped. Does that make sense?

That's just in addition to all the other advantages of the windows version (puzzle selection, less lag in general, possibly more puzzles and therefore more fast puzzles before magnet hell hits)

I don't really care too much, but its possible that there should be a standard for windows emulation? I had to use a virtual machine to run the windows version and I assume delan does the same.

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