Forums > Game Forums > Jane's Combat Simulations: ATF - Advanced Tactical Fighters - Gold > Janes ATF Inquiry
putu hary pujawan on 8/26/2008 6:31 AM · Permalink · Report
Is this game still available at store? Or perhaps in Amazon or eBay?
I had the DOS version of Janes ATF. Can I run this version under Windows XP?
Pseudo_Intellectual (66361) on 8/26/2008 4:16 PM · Permalink · Report
Every game entry should have a little link on the left side saying "Links/Searches", at the bottom of the "Rap Sheet" section. From there you can automatically conduct a search of copies being resold through sites such as ebay or amazon.
As for MS-DOS compatibility under WinXP, even if it doesn't work natively, there's always DOSBox.
Somebody bring me Sisko! (8) on 8/26/2008 6:46 PM · edited · Permalink · Report
[Q --start putu hary pujawan wrote--]I had the DOS version of Janes ATF. Can I run this version under Windows XP? [/Q --end putu hary pujawan wrote--]No. You can't. And unless you aren't a masochist with a top-of-the-line Dual Core+ machine or something compareable don't even bother to try DOSBox. Spare you the trouble and get Win 95/98SE and the Win32 version of the game. Then download and install a Glide wrapper for the better gfx and enjoy.
Foxhack (32100) on 8/26/2008 9:21 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--] [Q2 --start putu hary pujawan wrote--]I had the DOS version of Janes ATF. Can I run this version under Windows XP? [/Q2 --end putu hary pujawan wrote--]No. You can't. And unless you aren't a masochist with a top-of-the-line Dual Core+ machine or something compareable don't even bother to try DOSBox. Spare you the trouble and get Win 95/98SE and the Win32 version of the game. Then download and install a Glide wrapper for the better gfx and enjoy. [/Q --end FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--]My clunky old Athlon XP could play most games in DOSBox without any issues, and it was built with parts from several different machines. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to run a game like ATF... but then again I have no idea what the game does or how it draws its graphics.
Somebody bring me Sisko! (8) on 8/26/2008 10:37 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Kitsune Sniper wrote--]My clunky old Athlon XP could play most games in DOSBox without any issues, and it was built with parts from several different machines. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to run a game like ATF... but then again I have no idea what the game does or how it draws its graphics. [/Q --end Kitsune Sniper wrote--]I never played ATF (1997) but several of its successors in the Jane's franchise that came out just one year later aka 1998 (Israeli Air FOrce, F-15, ...). Minimum specs are an upper class Pentium, optimal specs at least Pentium MMX or P2, with a popular 3D graphics card of that time (3Dfx Voodoo). What machine needs DOSBox to emulate such an environment? A second partition w/ a not-NT Win32 runs these problem makers absolutely flawless.
Foxhack (32100) on 8/27/2008 4:52 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--] [Q2 --start Kitsune Sniper wrote--]My clunky old Athlon XP could play most games in DOSBox without any issues, and it was built with parts from several different machines. I don't see why he wouldn't be able to run a game like ATF... but then again I have no idea what the game does or how it draws its graphics. [/Q2 --end Kitsune Sniper wrote--]I never played ATF (1997) but several of its successors in the Jane's franchise that came out just one year later aka 1998 (Israeli Air FOrce, F-15, ...). Minimum specs are an upper class Pentium, optimal specs at least Pentium MMX or P2, with a popular 3D graphics card of that time (3Dfx Voodoo). What machine needs DOSBox to emulate such an environment? A second partition w/ a not-NT Win32 runs these problem makers absolutely flawless. [/Q --end FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--]I was talking about the OP's DOS version running in DOSBox, not the Win32 version. I've seen copies of this game out there but I don't like flight simulators so I never got any.
That said, do the Win32 versions have issues with XP in general or just NTFS/FAT/FAT32? Will they refuse to run, even using the built-in compatibility on XP?
Somebody bring me Sisko! (8) on 8/27/2008 5:21 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start Kitsune Sniper wrote--]I was talking about the OP's DOS version running in DOSBox, not the Win32 version. [/Q --end Kitsune Sniper wrote--]So did I. IF ATF (DOS) even runs halfway decent in DOSBox -- what I don't believe -- it needs a pretty powerful machine. Therefore my recommendation to get the easy obtainable Win32 version. For many complex and resource-hungry DOS games, DOSBox is subpar.
[Q --start Kitsune Sniper wrote--]That said, do the Win32 versions have issues with XP in general or just NTFS/FAT/FAT32? Will they refuse to run, even using the built-in compatibility on XP?[/Q --end Kitsune Sniper wrote--]I have never bothered with the details enough, but you can install and run IAF, F-15, Longbow 2, etc. on Win XP machine, Win95/98 compatibility-mode enabled, of course. But I encountered heavy graphical glitches, especially in the menu/option screens which made customizations impossible. Never tried ruling out the different file systems, though.
St. Martyne (3648) on 8/27/2008 8:48 PM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--] For many complex and resource-hungry DOS games, DOSBox is subpar. [/Q --end FrakesJoe (NSDSP) wrote--]
The latest releases (from 0.7) obtained quite a speed-boost. I can't speak for ATF, yet some really demanding games like say Crusader, Lands Of Lore 2, Birthright, Delta Force work really good and the majority 3D FPSs are now completely playable in 640x480, I've just completed Cybermage the other day. I'd say that on the three years old machine the DOSBOX performance equals that of Pentium II 400MHz.
I'd say that ATF doesn't look particularly great to bog down a Pentium IV 2.4 Ghz powered PC.
Somebody bring me Sisko! (8) on 8/27/2008 10:32 PM · Permalink · Report
Life-changing news for OP - Death From Above is possible again
I checked again, St. Martyne is right, ATF's DOS version minimum specs list a 486, means a PIV+ should theoretically run the game; unfortunately no entry in DOSBox-compatibility lists. If this won't work Vogons to the rescue, they made ATF Gold (the Win 32 version) workable on Win XP. Just download and install the patch which should fix the menu problem
putu hary pujawan on 8/28/2008 1:37 AM · Permalink · Report
Helloo... I'm still right here. The discussion is great. I've been trying to follow each solutions. Especially when my boss is not around.:-)
One of my colleague in IT division has been trying to fix the problems. So far, the game is still not running and he insisted that I forget the game and find out a new and more '21st century' one in stores.
The game is the first game I played at the time I got my first computer. So I really get excited to play it again for the good old time memory.
Somebody bring me Sisko! (8) on 8/28/2008 7:53 AM · Permalink · Report
[Q --start putu hary pujawan wrote--]One of my colleague in IT division has been trying to fix the problems. So far, the game is still not running and he insisted that I forget the game and find out a new and more '21st century' one in stores. [/Q --end putu hary pujawan wrote--]He's doing it wrong find another IT guy with 21st century skillz. or do it yourself and get Win XP, install ATF Gold, then download patch from above link and use it on the game. Then right-click with your mouse on the ATF Gold executable whatever its name is and click "properties". --> Select now "compatibility" tab. Check Win 95 or Win 98 compatibility from the drag-down menu, save that and you should be ready. If that somehow failed get Win 95 or 98, install game without patch. If still not good then install DOSBox on whatever your OS is, get ATF DOS version and register at http://vogons.zetafleet.com and ask for proper configuration instructions, like memory usage, cpu cycles & crap. Tally-ho!