Terminus on Windows 7 64-bit)

[JackOfOwls]

I managed to track down a copy of this game from 2000, which many consider a classic, I think, and I can't get it to work on Windows 7 64-bit. I looked all over the Net for a solution but no joy. I even tried using a virtual machine (VirtualBox) with Windows XP and I got a direct3D error. Is it possible to play this game on a modern Microsoft OS? Thanks for any help.

[Pinback]

No idea, last time I played it was on my XP computer or it may have been the Vista one, can't remember now, although it may be the 64 bit thing that is causing the problem. I take it you have also tried the compatibility mode. Just a quick update I installed my copy of the game on my windows 7 64 bit computer and used the compatibility mode of windows 98, seem to take a couple of goes to get the launcher to open then select Direct3D. Started the game and it crashed saying it could not find the mouse but again it seem to work by relaunching it.So far it seems to be working but I have only run one of tutorials and started the single player story mode game, and the only bug I have seen is corrupted sound on the intro animation.

[JackOfOwls]

No idea, last time I played it was on my XP computer or it may have been the Vista one, can't remember now, although it may be the 64 bit thing that is causing the problem. I take it you have also tried the compatibility mode. Just a quick update I installed my copy of the game on my windows 7 64 bit computer and used the compatibility mode of windows 98, seem to take a couple of goes to get the launcher to open then select Direct3D. Started the game and it crashed saying it could not find the mouse but again it seem to work by relaunching it.So far it seems to be working but I have only run one of tutorials and started the single player story mode game, and the only bug I have seen is corrupted sound on the intro animation. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction. I did try Windows XP compatibility mode earlier but didn't think to try Windows 98 compatibility mode (perfectly logical too since this was the number one Microsoft home operating system in use at the time). It worked, at least up to the points in the game you mentioned. Yes, I got severly corrupted audio during the intro too. Wonder if this will affect all cut-scenes. Wish it had 1920 X 1080 widescreen support, but, hey I guess it's somewhat of a miracle we got it running with Win7 at all. Even the analogue stick on my Microsoft 360 controller worked with full analog control, something I couldn't even get the very recent Starpoint Gemini 2 to do correctly. Heh. 

[ExpandingMan]

Nice to hear that the game still runs, and that there are others who actually remember it. I would be interested to hear how it holds up from a modern perspective. At the time, it seemed miraculously wonderful, since that sort of open-ended-ness combined with realistic physics was unheard of. I suppose we can still say the same today, sadly, but I am far more jaded.

[CaptainKal]

I even tried using a virtual machine (VirtualBox) with Windows XP and I got a direct3D error Try using Vmware Workstation 11 (Although it's quite expensive to buy, you can try a full featured version for a month. And then you can use your virtual machine with Vmware Player. I think it is still free). Yes, I got severly corrupted audio during the intro too. Wonder if this will affect all cut-scenes. Wish it had 1920 X 1080 widescreen support, but, hey I guess it's somewhat of a miracle we got it running with Win7 at all. I will also give it a go with Win7 x64.

[Pinback]

Time to dig out the joystick and reread that huge manual that comes with the game.

[JackOfOwls]

One thing I noticed that's a little jarring is that it feels a little sluggish, as if the refresh rate is running at 50Hz or something. After using a 120Hz gaming monitor for the last three years it's a tad hard on the perceptions but not insurmountable. Hope I can get into this with these tech issues. Someone should do a remake and give it the full AAA treatment. That would be boss :king:

[sscadmin]

I want to say I was able to play test that game on DosBox ok a few years back. I cannot remember is this game abandonware or can we not host downloads of this?

[Pinback]

Don't know about hosting it although their is a bit on the Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminus_%28video_game%29[/url] saying the game appears to be abandoned? also their a link using the wayback amchine to the old Terminus website http://web.archive.org/web/20120314041902/http://www.vvisions.com/terminus/[/url] might be worth downloading the patches. Going to take a crack at it again this weekend as I recall the game had a Babylon5 look and feel to it. One problem may be that it will run too fast on modern machines, come to think of it that may be the problem with the sound on the intro.

[Caleb]

Yes, you can run it in Win 7 (64 bits) Steps: 1 Download Glide Wrapper: http://www.zeus-software.com/downloads/nglide[/url] Install it.3 Go to C:WindowsSysWOW64nglide_config.exe and apply a config (Graphics, resolution, etc)4 Copy C:WindowsSysWOW64glide*.dll (All glide(SOMETHING).dll files in the Terminus Folder)5 Add compatibility with Windows XP in Launcher.exe and check ALL the checkboxes.6 Run the launcher and select GLIDE7 Play Terminus

[JackOfOwls]

Yes, you can run it in Win 7 (64 bits) Steps: 1 Download Glide Wrapper: http://www.zeus-software.com/downloads/nglide[/url] Install it.3 Go to C:WindowsSysWOW64nglide_config.exe and apply a config (Graphics, resolution, etc)4 Copy C:WindowsSysWOW64glide*.dll (All glide(SOMETHING).dll files in the Terminus Folder)5 Add compatibility with Windows XP in Launcher.exe and check ALL the checkboxes.6 Run the launcher and select GLIDE7 Play Terminus  Thanks for the alternate method. I only wish it corrected the problem with the sluggish mouse cursor though. I said earlier that it feels like it's running with a refresh rate of about 50Hz. Well, I'd like to change that and say it feels more like 40Hz! Ugh. :fie:

[Pinback]

Not had any problems with the mouse, have you tried the mouse sensitivity in the game options.

[JackOfOwls]

Not had any problems with the mouse, have you tried the mouse sensitivity in the game options. I couldn't find that option. For me, the mouse is very choppy but luckily the game seems mostly joystick driven, but even there it all seems sluggish on my system. Heh, imagine that! A game that's 15 years old and it seems sluggish on an i5 GTX 660 Ti setup! :preved:

[Pinback]

I couldn't find that option. Click on "option" button on the main menu, then on the "game" button.

[JackOfOwls]

I decided to use the glide wrapper so I can play at a decent resolution (1440x1080 on a 1920x1080 monitor) not natively supported by the game. Looks good, and mouse seems less jerky. Sound sometimes seems a bit odd though, at least in the training mission. Tis a pity about that ugly color banding however that makes it look like 16 bit. Thanks for all the help.

[JoeCool]

I just installed the game from the CDs (16bit Installer so you have to install somewhere else and copy it over if you are using 64bit).I fixed the Movies by installing (in that order):TerminusWinPatch11to18,TerminusWinPatch18to181,then extracting TPE-Win32-Athlon-V0-04 (works for my AMD Phenom II, it still has 3DNow!) from here: http://www.terminuspoint.com/terminuspoint/downloads/TPE/[/url] Doesn't even need Compatibility Options anymore. Pretty cool, even CD Audio works...