Fatal Race! More DOS game retro goodness

Fatal Racing is one of my old favourite DOS games. Below the break are the instructions for setting it up to work, with IPX network emulation to play 16 player (wow! 16 players in a DOS game!) multiplayer races.

Part 1: Get it running

1. Download and install Dosbox. The version number should be 0.72. For Windows, it can be had here: http://www.dosbox.com/download.php?main=1

2. Get hold of Fatal racing. If you don’t have a copy ask me where to …. acquire it.

3. Unzip fatal.zip in a folder (e.g. c:\Fatal)

4. Create a new file in that folder called “dosbox.conf”

5. Insert the following into that file:


[sdl]
fullscreen=false
output=opengl
windowresolution=1280×800

[autoexec]
mount c C:\Fatal
c:
FATAL.EXE


This should be generic enough to work for everyone, but if not you may have to work out some dosbox settings that suit you.

6. Now create a batch file inside the same directory called (e.g.) “fataldos.bat”


C:\path\to\dosbox.exe -conf C:\Fatal\dosbox.conf


Make sure the “path\to\dosbox.exe” is replaced with wherever the dosbox.exe gets installed on windows.

7. Running that batch file should run dosbox and start the fatal racing game.

8. Quit immediately and then type “INSTALL.EXE”. Follow the prompts to set up your sound.

9. Type “exit”, and then run the program again. It should all work now.

IPX Network support

1. Exit from the fatal racing game to a DOS prompt

2. If you are a server, type ipxnet startserver 1234. This will start a server on UDP port 1234 which should then be port forwarded on your router etc. etc.

3. If you are a client, type ipxnet connect xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx 1234, where the xxxx bit is IP address of the server. This should connect to the server.

4. Start fatal racing again (“FATAL.EXE”) and select the “Players” menu item. Then select “Network” and follow the prompts from there.