Duke Nukem 2- Dosbox Help

NoogaGamer

#1 Posted 28 June 2016 - 10:52 AM

Hello. I am trying to run Duke Nukem 2 on my android via dosbox turbo and have looked everywhere for a digital copy available for purchase (GOG, Apogee, 3D Realms). They all discontinued selling the game due to legal issues I am told. The only versions I can find on line appear to have a missing or corrupt file that makes the audio (music is fine) sound like a chainsaw when firing a weapon or explosions occur. I continue to get the error message "critical file missing FILE_ID.diz". I am desperate to find a usable and legit copy of the game. Can anyone direct me to where I might be able to purchase?

Thanks ahead for any help to a hard core Duke fan trying to re-live my childhood!

Spmeehan33@yahoo.com

MusicallyInspired

The Sarien Encounter

#2 Posted 28 June 2016 - 07:22 PM

FILE_ID.DIZ is not required. When does it say that? The chainsaw-sfx are due to incompatible SB compatible hardware. Used to happen on my old 486 years ago. Shouldn't be happening in DOSBox, though.

There's no where to purchase DN3 legally at the moment. Just waiting for Gearbox to get them out again if they choose to.2

This post has been edited by MusicallyInspired: 28 June 2016 - 07:23 PM

deuxsonic

#3 Posted 28 June 2016 - 08:27 PM

Some games do actually require that file to run. The file basically identifies it as not being shareware and not to share it if it ended up on a newsgroup and they often have more than just plain text in the file where altering it at all will produce an error if you try to play the game. Another game that operates like this is Blake Stone.

MusicallyInspired

The Sarien Encounter

#4 Posted 28 June 2016 - 09:18 PM

Interesting.

Hendricks266

Weaponized Autism

#5 Posted 29 June 2016 - 09:30 AM

Many of the old Apogee games used this as a copy protection measure. They would error out in the FILE_ID.DIZ was absent or modified, so that if someone uploaded it intact to a BBS it would shout at anyone who looked at it.

K1n9_Duk3

#6 Posted 17 December 2016 - 05:00 PM

NoogaGamer, on 28 June 2016 - 10:52 AM, said:

The only versions I can find on line appear to have a missing or corrupt file that makes the audio (music is fine) sound like a chainsaw when firing a weapon or explosions occur.

That's most likely caused by having both the AdLib and the SoundBlaster sounds enabled. The game will automatically enable both if the config file is missing and a SoundBlaster card is detected. Select "Game Options" from the main menu or press F1 while playing and turn the AdLib effects off. The game will still play the AdLib music and AdLib sounds (but only for those sounds that don't have a SoundBlaster equivalent).