running Galactic using DOSBox

[Enoff]

I thought I would try a quick tutorial for those wanting to run the DOS based Galactic on modern computer systems.

Galactic is a Traveller star map generator and display program. It was originally written for DOS using QuickBasic and displays on a VGA screen in 16 colors. Jim Vassilakos has released Galactic into the public domain.

DOSBox is emulator software
more info here from wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DOSBox

It can be confusing to setup directly so I use a frontend interface called D-Fend. The D-Fend installer also includes DOSbox so it is a fairly easy setup. D-Fend website with information and download: http://dfendreloaded.sourceforge.net/

Once you have downloaded and setup D-Fend and DOSBOX, download Galactic. I first used Gal23 which I found at http://traveller.mu.org/archive/software/ but I think this is the latest one I can find Gal24c at http://www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/winprogs.html. I thought Gal24 was a visual basic program but looks I was wrong.

You can load archived programs into D-Fend by a wizard but I like to install manually.

Unzip the program, open up the games directory in D-Fend and place the program file there.

Then click add and choose the program template you think works best, sometimes this is trial and error.

Fill in the name and choose the executable, go back to the main window and double click to run.

There are lots and lots of features and tweaks you can do. The program will also run full screen if you wish and you can play with resolution etc.

Yes I am running Windows 7 64bit, I just like the old classic look so it looks like Windows 98, showing my age I guess

 

[Vladika]

Haven't downloaded either yet but was about to PM you to see how/where I could get them. I think your post saved you from a full inbox!

 

[Enoff]

I forgot what a great little program Galactic was, I am glad Hans mentioned it

Just noticed it has stuff for Interstellar Wars in there also, my era of interest of of late

 

[aramis]

[m;]Thread Pinned. [/m;]

 

[Enoff]

I forgot where I made a copy of these DOSBox commands, these affect the DOSBox window running your program. I thought I would post them here since some might not find them right away, especially nice is the first one to jump between full screen.

Special Keys:
================

ALT-ENTER Switch to full screen and back.
ALT-PAUSE Pause emulation (hit ALT-PAUSE again to continue).
CTRL-F1 Start the keymapper.
CTRL-F4 Change between mounted floppy/CD images. Update directory cache
for all drives.
CTRL-ALT-F5 Start/Stop creating a movie of the screen. (avi video capturing)
CTRL-F5 Save a screenshot. (PNG format)
CTRL-F6 Start/Stop recording sound output to a wave file.
CTRL-ALT-F7 Start/Stop recording of OPL commands. (DRO format)
CTRL-ALT-F8 Start/Stop the recording of raw MIDI commands.
CTRL-F7 Decrease frameskip.
CTRL-F8 Increase frameskip.
CTRL-F9 Kill DOSBox.
CTRL-F10 Capture/Release the mouse.
CTRL-F11 Slow down emulation (Decrease DOSBox Cycles).
CTRL-F12 Speed up emulation (Increase DOSBox Cycles)*.
ALT-F12 Unlock speed (turbo button/fast forward)**.
F11, ALT-F11 (machine=cga) change tint in NTSC output modes***
F11 (machine=hercules) cycle through amber, green, white colouring***

 

[Enoff]

I probably didn't make it clear that D-Fend launches DOSBox and sets up the configuration files to tell DOSBox how to run the program in use. They are two separate programs.

 

[aramis]

Galactic 24c runs just fine in dosbox, as an FYI.

Oh, and the source in 24c appears to be QBasic, not VB.

 

[FreeTrav]

Yes, GALACTIC in all of its incarnations is written in QuickBASIC and compiled with the Microsoft BASIC PDS 7, according to JimV.

For people with Android tablets, there are a few ports of DOSBox to Android listed in the Play Store; I'm using the free one from HYStudio, and GALACTIC works well under it for viewing on my Nook HD+; there are some issues with keyboard mapping that cause problems if you want to update any of the data.

 

[Enoff]

A bit of a pain in the ass to setup but I've finally gotten DOSbox setup on my android 7" tablet and running Gal24c

 

[Enoff]

Sorry I stopped paying for my web hosting so all the pics are broken.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

I have CMD opened and just ran galactic.exe without any DOSBox. Seems to run just fine.

 

[aramis]

THe links to Gal24c are busted; both to parked domains

@FreeTrav this includes the one from the FT page at www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/winprogs.html

 

[FreeTrav]

OK, I found a valid site - Jim's own - for Gal; I'll update the link in the Freelance Traveller Information Center within the next few days.

RPG Programs / Galactic v2.4c

 

[FreeTrav]

I have CMD opened and just ran galactic.exe without any DOSBox. Seems to run just fine.

You're probably running an older version of 32-bit Windows (or were back in 2017 when you posted that); it won't work without DOSBox on 64-bit Windows.

As a side note, I'm now running aFreeBox (from Fishstix) on Android on a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (Nook is long retired), and using Hacker's Keyboard as my default input keyboard, and it seems to be just fine, including being able to update data.

 

[FreeTrav]

OK, I found a valid site - Jim's own - for Gal; I'll update the link in the Freelance Traveller Information Center within the next few days.

RPG Programs / Galactic v2.4c

...and the page is updated!

 

[estar]

OK, I found a valid site - Jim's own - for Gal; I'll update the link in the Freelance Traveller Information Center within the next few days.

RPG Programs / Galactic v2.4c

I have a Windows front end for Galactic 2.4c here

https://www.batintheattic.com/downloads/Galactic.exe

There is no installer drop the exe into the Galactic folder and use it instead of Gal.exe.
However, it doesn't play nice with ultra-high resolution monitors.

I keep the Visual Basic 6 source code here.

GitHub - robertsconley/wingalactic

Contribute to robertsconley/wingalactic development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[estar]

Also if you could provide a link to the Classic Traveller Character Generator that I modified to add the Citizen of the Imperium careers, I would appreciate it. It would go into the other category.
The Character Generater

Classic Traveller Character Generator

The Source Code (forked from the original by P Gorman).

GitHub - robertsconley/travellercharactergenerator at rsc

Character generator for the classic Traveller RPG. Contribute to robertsconley/travellercharactergenerator development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

 

[FreeTrav]

I have a Windows front end for Galactic 2.4c here

https://www.batintheattic.com/downloads/Galactic.exe

There is no installer drop the exe into the Galactic folder and use it instead of Gal.exe.
However, it doesn't play nice with ultra-high resolution monitors.

I keep the Visual Basic 6 source code here.

GitHub - robertsconley/wingalactic

Contribute to robertsconley/wingalactic development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

@estar - Please take a look at the listings at http://www.freelancetraveller.com/infocenter/swlist/winprogs.html and email me a blurb and a URL to add to that list.

 

[FreeTrav]

Also if you could provide a link to the Classic Traveller Character Generator that I modified to add the Citizen of the Imperium careers, I would appreciate it. It would go into the other category.
The Character Generater

Classic Traveller Character Generator

The Source Code (forked from the original by P Gorman).

GitHub - robertsconley/travellercharactergenerator at rsc

Character generator for the classic Traveller RPG. Contribute to robertsconley/travellercharactergenerator development by creating an account on GitHub.

github.com

Ditto for this - email me a blurb and a link so I can add it.

 

[ShawnDriscoll]

You're probably running an older version of 32-bit Windows (or were back in 2017 when you posted that); it won't work without DOSBox on 64-bit Windows.

I don't use Galactic anymore.