Getting GOG cd games to run on Retropie

[Squiike]

I only know how to access retropie from network. So the path i get is "\RETROPIE\roms\pc\HoMM" I used no program to copy HoMM to the PC folder.
When i start dosbox in retropie it has already mounted the PC folder as c:> Is that why the following did not work?;

I tried to type "imgmount d c:/home/pi/retropie/roms/pc/homm/homm2.inst -t cdrom"
and "imgmount d /home/pi/retropie/roms/pc/homm/homm2.inst -t cdrom"

I did try your .conf creating tutorial. Do i need both a homm2 folder in pc AND a copy in the pc-data folder? I had only in the pc-data.
I created a new folder called "pc-data" and followed all the steps. When i launched the heroes2.conf file something happens and it goes back to retropie. I am not sure how to create a .conf file so i opened a daggerfall conf file with notepad and inserted the text you listed. I tried to create both a heroes2 file that registered as .conf and a heroes2.conf (where i added .conf behind the filename), none worked.

Maybe i have an outdated version of something? my retropie dos folder for games is called just "pc" Also, im not using any programs. I only copied and pasted through windows network(is that "file share"?).

[mitu]

@squiike Yes, \\retropie\roms means file shares.
Download Notepad++ and use it to edit the file, instead of the Windows built int Notepad. When editing the .conf file, make sure you use Unix line endings (https://stackoverflow.com/questions/8195839/choose-newline-character-in-notepad). The name of the file it's not so important, but it needs to have the .conf extension and the proper content.
You only need the homm2 folder in the \\retropie\romc\pc-data, make sure the name is lowercase - Linux filenames are case-sensitive.

[Squiike]

On format i have UTF-8
Settings -> Preferences -> New Document - there i changed it to unix.
When save as, there was alot of choices, on my 1st try i chose unix script file.

2nd try; took a daggerfall config file Edit-eol conversion - unix

Should i make a new .conf file in notepad++ or do i have to edit an existing one, if so, how do i save?

I think i remember reading somewhere about issues running .conf and .inst files with an un-updated version of dosbox or retropie?
I could try to make a youtube video to show what i am doing(wrong)?

[mitu]

@squiike You can create the file as a new one - create an empty .txt file in Explorer and then rename it, then paste the exact text I posted. Make sure the directories are correct - remember Linux is case-sensitive on file and folder names.
Can you show a screenshot with the \\retropie\roms\pc-data\homm2 folder ?

There is a log file you could check for errors, but you'll need SSH access to the RetroPie system see https://retropie.org.uk/docs/Transferring-Roms/#sftp) ; each run has its log stored in /dev/shm/runcommand.log so any errors reported by Dosbox should be in that file.

[Squiike]

Sure :)
One picture has the destination as first shown. The other show a highlighted/clicked version. I'll try to read myself up on that SSH access.

[Squiike]

@mitu I have installed WinSCP and found the folder /dev/shm but its empty

Dont know if its important to this case, but when im in terminal i get error messages; lvl0: Error parsing XML file

[Squiike]

Wait...maybe i could just run it off Raspbian!?!

[mitu]

@squiike No. The video you posted is about a different thing - Windows emulation. AFAIK HOMM3 is Windows only, there is no DOS version. HOMM2 works with Dosbox - the GOG version comes with Dosbox to run the game, the same Dosbox you have in RetroPie. Ignore the video.
I have nothing else to add to my original instructions - /dev/shm/runcommand.log only exists after you run a game, it's empty by default. So if you want to see the log, then first run the game and then try to get the log file.

[Squiike]

@mitu Got it. I cant upload text files, sorry about the mess. I'll edit it better once i know how.

Parameters:
Executing: bash /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/+Start\ DOSBox.sh "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/DosBoxDaggerfall.conf"
DOSBox version SVN
Copyright 2002-2013 DOSBox Team, published under GNU GPL.

CONFIG:Loading primary settings from config file /home/pi/.dosbox/dosbox-SVN.conf
ALSA:Can't subscribe to MIDI port (65:0) nor (17:0)
MIDI:Opened device:none
One joystick reported, initializing with 4axis
Using joystick PLAYSTATION(R)3 Controller with 29 axes, 17 buttons and 0 hat(s)

1 pc
2 dosbox
3 /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/DosBoxDaggerfall.conf
4 bash /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/+Start\ DOSBox.sh "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/DosBoxDaggerfall.conf"

[mitu]

@squiike What does the DosBoxDaggerfall.conf file contain ? Can you paste the file's contents, surrounded by code blocks delimiters (```).

[Squiike]

@mitu Not sure how. I copied all and pasted. starting 1 on [sdl] and 66 on exit

[sdl]
fullscreen=true
fulldouble=false
fullresolution=original
windowresolution=original
output=overlay
autolock=true
sensitivity=100
waitonerror=true
priority=higher,normal
mapperfile=mapper.txt
usescancodes=true

[dosbox]
language=
machine=svga_s3
captures=capture
memsize=16

[render]
frameskip=0
aspect=false
scaler=normal2x

[cpu]
core=auto
cycles=max
cycleup=500
cycledown=20

[mixer]
nosound=false
rate=22050
blocksize=2048
prebuffer=10

[midi]
mpu401=intelligent
device=default
config=

[sblaster]
sbtype=sb16
sbbase=220
irq=5
dma=1
hdma=5
mixer=true
oplmode=auto
oplrate=22050

[dos]
xms=true
ems=true
umb=true
keyboardlayout=none

[autoexec]

Lines in this section will be run at startup.

@ECHO OFF
mount C "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc-data/homm2"
imgmount d "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc-data/homm2/homm2.inst" -t iso -fs iso
c:
cls
heroes2.exe
exit

[mitu]

@squiike I see. I'm sorry, but I don't know why this doesn't work for you. However, the important line for the CD to work is

imgmount d "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc-data/homm2/homm2.inst" -t iso -fs iso

This will make the tracks in the music folder appear as a music CD in Dosbox.

[Squiike]

@mitu I tried to download another version. This time a free(not GOG). Same issues. I can run it from shortcut. But as this is free and half the size(about 200 mb) maybe others could try and post if they are successful :)

[removed link]

[Squiike]

@mitu Even though it didnt work, thank you for being patient and trying to help a noob out :) +1

[Squiike]

@mitu I actually managed to get Daggerfall to work. I have one guestion on Heroes2.

When i type; imgmount d /home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc/heroes2/homm2.inst -t cdrom

Heroes2 in pc folder is a new one i made now(not the one from last session) and the capital letters or lower cases are correct. I get "MSCDEX: Failure: Invalid file or unable to open. "
When i go into the folder in dosbox the homm2.inst is named HOMM2~1
Do i need to type that instead? so ....homm2~1.inst -t cdrom ?

Also, i do not know if i am able to make the ~sign on my keyboard in dosbox or console.

[mitu]

@squiike said in Getting GOG cd games to run on Retropie:

Do i need to type that instead? so ....homm2~1.inst -t cdrom ?

I don't think that's it, but you could just rename the file to homm2.cue and re-try with this name. But the command that worked was not as the one you tried, it was

imgmount d "/home/pi/RetroPie/roms/pc-data/homm2/homm2.inst" -t iso -fs iso

[Squiike]

I managed to get another version of homm2 to work. So now i got both Daggerfall and Homm2. Homm2 lags abit but is playable. Anyone, feel free to PM me if you have the same issues i had :)

[mitu]

@squiike It would be nice to explain the setup here in the forums, just in case someone else wants to replicate it. PMs are not enabled in the forum.

[Krisu]

I have simillar issue, you must mount gog file instead of inst.

[tpo1990]

There is also the Free Heroes 2 engine (Fheroes2) that you can compile on Raspbian and make it work. I have succesfully tested it both in Raspbian desktop(X11) and in Emulationstation. It runs best in Raspbian desktop(X11) since running it in Emulationstation is too slow in speed.

I might as well create an install script like i did with Hexen 2 Hammer of Thyrion source port.

By using the Free Heroes 2 engine you will not be needing dosbox as this will run Heroes 2 natively through the source port.

Let me know if i can be of any help to you.